TheFrenchwordimpliedalongeveningofgeneraltalkamongtheguests，crownedwithalittlechickenatsupper，endingatcock-crow。Herewastea，withmilkorwithlemon-bathsofitandclaret-cupforthehardierspiritsthroughouttheevening。Itwasverynice，verypleasant，butitwasnotthelittlechicken——notthesalon。Infact，heaffirmed，thesalondescendedfromabove，outofthegreatworld，andincludedtheaestheticworldinit。Butourgreatworld——therichpeople，werestupid，withnowishtobeotherwise；theywerenotevencuriousaboutauthorsandartists。Beatonfanciedhimselfspeakingimpartially，andsoheallowedhimselftospeakbitterly；hesaidthatinnoothercityintheworld，exceptVienna，perhaps，weresuchpeoplesolittleapartofsociety。
\"Itisn\'taltogethertherichpeople\'sfault，\"saidMargaret；andshespokeimpartially，too。\"Idon\'tbelievethattheliterarymenandtheartistswouldlikeasalonthatdescendedtothem。MadameGeoffrin，youknow，wasveryplebeian；herhusbandwasabusinessmanofsomesort。\"
\"HewouldhavebeenahowlingswellinNewYork，\"saidBeaton，stillimpartially。
Wetmorecameuptotheircorner，withascrollofbreadandbutterinonehandandacupofteaintheother。Largeandfat，andclean-shaven，helookedlikeamonkineveningdress。
\"Weweretalkingaboutsalons，\"saidMargaret。