Mexico -- History -- 1910-1946; Mexico City (Mexico) -- Social life and customs
It was removed, and after a disturbed interval the dinner proceeded to
the accompaniment of polite suggestions as to the removal of "blacks"
that descended, from time to time, on the faces and shoulders of the
diners. As we were leaving the dining-room somebody remarked that
there was a smell of burning, and in the drawing-room the oil-stove's
mate was found to be doing the most awful things in the line of
Popocatepetl, when Cortés passed by the first time. It was also
removed.
Madame Lefaivre suggested at this point that we had better frankly
accept _le temps comme le bon Dieu l'avait envoyé_, so scarfs and
shawls were brought, with suggestions of overcoats. Everybody began to
smoke and we got out the bridge-tables. They refused to play bridge,
however, with my nice Vienna packs of cards, which are innocent of
numbers at the corners. After a while, with the smoking, the process of
digestion, the jokes, the companionship in misery, things got better,
and the little party broke up at only one o'clock, very late for
Mexico. They said they were too cold to go home. It was a fine sample
of the "tropics."
At Von H.'s dinner for the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the other
night, it was even worse. His large drawing-rooms are to the north,
though _his_ stoves were working _auf commando_. After the long
and elaborate dinner, during which the fair sex were visibly "all
goose-flesh," we had our wraps brought and turned up our fur collars,
which put a different complexion on events and ladies.
[33] "If thou goest to dwell in the Indies let it be where
thou seest the volcanoes."
[34] Maurice Raoul Duval, + fallen on the field of honor,
Verdun, May 5, 1916.
[35] Count du Boisrouvray, 14th Hussards, promu chef de
bataillon pour faits de guerre. Chevalier de la Légion
d'Honneur, croix de guerre, many citations; the first to enter
Thiaumont when it was retaken.
[36] "For the king infinite lands, and for God infinite
souls."
XIX
A tragic dance in the moonlight--Unveiling George Washington's
statue--The _Corps Diplomatique_ visits the Pyramids of San
Juan Teotihuacan--Orozco in full revolt
_February 10th._
We were all awakened last night by a terrible, inhuman, mewing sound
coming from the _patio_. It reminded us of "The White Leper" of
Kipling. The moon was chiseling every stone and plant in the courtyard;
a small light was in the porter's room, where a struggle seemed to
be going on. All of a sudden a tall, stark-naked Indian, with his
arms held stiff above his head, burst out and began to dance about in
the moonlight, making strange passes and dippings of the body before
something imaginary; there was a sort of sacrificial gesturing to his
madness.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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