entirely through the world of artists. Many of these, however, had
brought to her salon some of the Athenians of the political world,
connoisseurs, good conversationalists, handsome men, who freely declared
with Vaudrey, that a republic could not exist without the assistance of
women, that to women Orleanism was due, and those charming fellows had
made Madame Marsy's hospitable salon the fashion.

Besides it is easy enough in Paris to have a salon if one knows how to
give dinners. Some squares of Bristol board engraved by Stern and posted
to good addresses, will attract with an almost disconcerting facility, a
crowd of visitors who will swarm around a festive board like bees around
a honeycomb.

Paris is a town of guests.

Then too, Madame Marsy was herself so captivating. She was always on the
watch for some new celebrity, as a game-keeper watches for a hare that
he means to shoot presently. One of her daily tasks was to read the
_Journal Officiel_ in order to discover in the orator of to-day the
Minister of State of to-morrow. She was always well informed beforehand
which artist or sculptor would be likely to win the medal of honor at
the Salon, and was the first to invite such a one and to let him know
that it was she who had discovered him. In literature, she encouraged
the new school, liking it for the attention it attracted. It was also
her aim to give to her salon a literary as well as a political color.
Artists and statesmen elbowed one another there.

For some days now, she had thought of giving a reception which was to be
a surprise to her friends. She had heard of Japanese exhibitions being
given at other houses. She herself was determined to give a _soirée