skin. Mme du Joncquoy declared that the present proceedings were

senseless. It was madness to crowd five hundred people into a room

which would scarcely contain two hundred. In fact, why not sign the

wedding contract on the Place du Carrousel? This was the outcome of

the new code of manners, said Mme Chantereau. In old times these

solemnities took place in the bosom of the family, but today one

must have a mob of people; the whole street must be allowed to enter

quite freely, and there must be a great crush, or else the evening