“They say a town can’t go on without seven righteous men⁠ ⁠… seven, I think it is, I am not sure of the number fixed.⁠ ⁠… I don’t know how many of these seven, the certified righteous of the town⁠ ⁠… have the honour of being present at your ball. Yet in spite of their presence I begin to feel unsafe. Vous me pardonnez, charmante dame, n’est-ce pas? I speak allegorically, but I went into the refreshment-room and I am glad I escaped alive.⁠ ⁠… Our priceless Prohoritch is not in his place there, and I believe his bar will be destroyed before morning. But I am laughing. I am only waiting to see what the ‘literary quadrille’ is going to be like, and then home to bed. You must excuse a gouty old fellow. I go early to bed, and I would advise you too to go ‘bye-bye,’ as they say aux enfants