\"Youhavenotknownhowtoformaparty，\"saidLordDudley；\"itwillbealongtimeyetbeforeyouhaveapolicy。YoutalkagreatdealinFranceaboutorganizinglabor，andyouhavenotyetorganizedproperty。Sothisiswhathappens：Anyduke——andeveninthetimeofLouisXVIII。andCharlesX。thereweresomeleftwhohadtwohundredthousandfrancsayear，amagnificentresidence，andasumptuoustrainofservants——well，suchadukecouldlivelikeagreatlord。ThelastofthesegreatgentlemeninFrancewasthePrincedeTalleyrand。——Thisdukeleavesfourchildren，twoofthemgirls。Grantingthathehasgreatluckinmarryingthemallwell，eachofthesedescendantswillhavebutsixtyoreightythousandfrancsayearnow；eachisthefatherormotherofchildren，andconsequentlyobligedtolivewiththestrictesteconomyinaflatonthegroundfloororfirstfloorofalargehouse。Whoknowsiftheymaynotevenbehuntingafortune？
Henceforththeeldestson’swife，aduchessinnameonly，hasnocarriage，nopeople，noopera-box，notimetoherself。Shehasnotherownroomsinthefamilymansion，norherfortune，norherprettytoys；
sheisburiedintrade；shebuyssocksforherdearlittlechildren，nursesthemherself，andkeepsaneyeonhergirls，whomshenolongersendstoschoolataconvent。Thusyournoblestdameshavebeenturnedintoworthybrood-hens。\"
\"Alas！itistrue，\"saidJosephBridau。\"InourdaywecannotshowthosebeautifulflowersofwomanhoodwhichgracedthegoldenagesoftheFrenchMonarchy。Thegreatlady’sfanisbroken。Awomanhasnothingnowtoblushfor；sheneednotslanderorwhisper，hideherfaceorrevealit。Afanisofnousenowbutforfanningherself。
Whenonceathingisnomorethanwhatitis，itistoousefultobeaformofluxury。\"