One American I know is a striking example of this.He was born in Paris, went to school and college there, and has lived in that city all his life.His sister married a French nobleman.Yet at this moment, in spite of his wealth, his charming American wife, and many beautiful entertainments, he has not one warm French friend, or the ENTREE on a footing of intimacy to a single Gallic house.
There is no analogy between the English aristocracy and the French nobility, except that they are both antiquated institutions; the English is the more harmful on account of its legislative power, the French is the more pretentious.The House of Lords is the most open club in London, the payment of an entrance-fee in the shape of a check to a party fund being an all-sufficient sesame.In France, one must be born in the magic circle.The spirit of the Emigration of 1793 is not yet extinct.The nobles live in their own world (how expressive the word is, seeming to exclude all the rest of mankind), pining after an impossible RESTAURATION, alien to the present day, holding aloof from politics for fear of coming in touch with the masses, with whom they pride themselves on having nothing in common.
What leads many people astray on this subject is that there has formed around this ancient society a circle composed of rich "outsiders," who have married into good families; and of eccentric members of the latter, who from a love of excitement or for interested motives have broken away from their traditions.Newly arrived Americans are apt to mistake this "world" for the real thing.Into this circle it is not difficult for foreigners who are rich and anxious to see something of life to gain admission.To be received by the ladies of this outer circle, seems to our compatriots to be an achievement, until they learn the real standing of their new acquaintances.
No gayer houses, however, exist than those of the new set.At their city or country houses, they entertain continually, and they are the people one meets toward five o'clock, on the grounds of the Polo Club, in the Bois, at FETES given by the Island Club of Puteaux, attending the race meetings, or dining at American houses.
As far as amusement and fun go, one might seek much further and fare worse.
It is very, very rare that foreigners get beyond this circle.
Occasionally there is a marriage between an American girl and some Frenchman of high rank.In these cases the girl is, as it were, swallowed up.Her family see little of her, she rarely appears in general society, and, little by little, she is lost to her old friends and relations.I know of several cases of this kind where it is to be doubted if a dozen Americans outside of the girls'
connections know that such women exist.The fall in rents and land values has made the French aristocracy poor; it is only by the greatest economy (and it never entered into an American mind to conceive of such economy as is practised among them) that they succeed in holding on to their historical chateaux or beautiful city residences; so that pride plays a large part in the isolation in which they live.
The fact that no titles are recognized officially by the French government (the most they can obtain being a "courtesy"recognition) has placed these people in a singularly false position.An American girl who has married a Duke is a good deal astonished to find that she is legally only plain "Madame So and So;" that when her husband does his military service there is no trace of the high-sounding title to be found in his official papers.Some years ago, a colonel was rebuked because he allowed the Duc d'Alencon to be addressed as "Monseigneur" by the other officers of his regiment.This ought to make ambitious papas reflect, when they treat themselves to titled sons-in-law.They should at least try and get an article recognized by the law.
Most of what is written here is perfectly well known to resident Americans in Paris, and has been the cause of gradually splitting that once harmonious settlement into two perfectly distinct camps, between which no love is lost.The members of one, clinging to their countrymen's creed of having the best or nothing, have been contented to live in France and know but few French people, entertaining among themselves and marrying their daughters to Americans.The members of the other, who have "gone in" for French society, take what they can get, and, on the whole, lead very jolly lives.It often happens (perhaps it is only a coincidence) that ladies who have not been very successful at home are partial to this circle, where they easily find guests for their entertainments and the recognition their souls long for.
What the future of the "Great Faubourg" will be, it is hard to say.
All hope of a possible RESTAURATION appears to be lost.Will the proud necks that refused to bend to the Orleans dynasty or the two "empires" bow themselves to the republican yoke? It would seem as if it must terminate in this way, for everything in this world must finish.But the end is not yet; one cannot help feeling sympathy for people who are trying to live up to their traditions and be true to such immaterial idols as "honor" and "family" in this discouragingly material age, when everything goes down before the Golden Calf.Nor does one wonder that men who can trace their ancestors back to the Crusades should hesitate to ally themselves with the last rich PARVENU who has raised himself from the gutter, or resent the ardor with which the latest importation of American ambition tries to chum with them and push its way into their life.
