justified in addressing the following conclusion to an American
journalist:--In Paris, there is such a harmonious combination of
civilizing and refining instrumentalities and influences, which, if I do
not elsewhere find a nearer approach to than I have thus far, will not
only throw sufficient light upon the question, "How does she lead the
nations in thought and fashion," that the most thoughtless may be able to
solve it, but which will even entitle her to be styled _queen of cities
and Capital of the social world._

As I had definitely decided to return from Egypt to America by way of
Paris, in order that I might see the great city once more toward the end
of my tour, and be the better qualified to estimate her true position in
the world, I made a little bundle of the guide books and views, which I
had already accumulated on my trip, and also dropped some of the
superfluities of my wardrobe--these things I gave into the care of my
chamberlain, and bade good-by to Paris for a season. My friend and tutor
Prof. P.S., accompanied me to the station and bought me a ticket for
Brussels, as we call it in our language, but the French and Belgians call
it Bruixelle (pron. Broo-[)i]x-el). My friend informed me of this and gave
me a drill on pronouncing the word correctly, for if I should have called
it Brussels, no Frenchman would have understood what I meant. I was now
about to leave the only acquaintance that could speak my language, and go
to another people of the same strange language as the Parisians speak,
with no right to expect that I should be so lucky again in meeting a
suitable companion. I had ordered my mail to be forwarded to Cologne,
Germany, until September 1st. At 11:15 p.m., August 6th, the train moved
away with me toward Belgium.

I had forgotten to ask how often and where I must "change cars" from Paris
to Brussels, and now, where no one understood either English or German,