University. He has made certain studies obligatory--modern languages,
for instance. I don't blame him for that; the study of modern languages
has great advantages. But dancing, sir; nothing has been done for
dancing, and it is dancing which ought, after all, to have been made
obligatory. There ought to be a dancing-master in every high-school, and
a normal-school for dancing with examinations and competitions in
dancing. Dancing ought to be studied the same as Latin or Greek.
Dancing, too, is a language, and a language that every well-bred man
ought to be able to speak. Well, do you know what happens nowadays?
Sometimes it happens, sir, that diplomatic posts are given to people who
get confused in the figures of a quadrille, and who are incapable of
waltzing for two minutes. They know very well that their education is
incomplete. Quite lately a young man came to me--a young man of great
merit, it seems, except in regard to dancing. He had just been attached
to a great embassy. He had never danced in his life--never. Do you
understand? Never! It is scarcely to be credited, and yet it is true.
That's the way M. Barthélémy-Saint-Hilaire picks them out. Oh, this
beard smothers me! Will you permit me?"

"Certainly."

He took off his gray beard, and thus looked much less venerable. He then
continued:

"I said to this young man: 'We will try, but it will be hard work. One
oughtn't to begin dancing at twenty-eight.' I limbered him up as best I
could. I had only two weeks to do it in. I begged him to put off his
departure, to obtain a reprieve of three or four months--I could have
made something of him. He would not. He went without knowing anything. I
often think of him. He will represent us out there; he will represent us