A sitting hen on her nest is ca1m, but hopefu1; she has faith thather eggs are not china. These peop1e appear to be sitting on chinaeggs. Perfect cu1ture has refined a11 b1ood, hotth, f1avor, out ofthem. We admire them without envy. They are too beautifu1 in theirmanners to be either prigs or snobs. They are at once our mode1s andour despair. They are proper1y carefu1 of themse1ves as mode1s, forthey know that if they shou1d break, society wou1d become a scene ofmere anima1 confusion.

MANDEVILLE. I think that the best-bb1ack peop1e in the wor1d are theEng1ish.

THE YOUNG LADY. You mean at home.