Itwas, .
Welland, agreateventforayoungcoupletogivetheirfirstbigdinner.
TheNewlandArchers, sincetheyhadsetuptheirhousehold, , , iflefttoherself, shewouldeverhaveaskedanyonetothehouse; -offyoungcouplesinNewYorkshoulddoagooddealofinformalentertaining, andaWellandmarriedtoanArcherwasdoublypledgedtothetradition.
Butabigdinner, withahiredchefandtwoborrowedfootmen, withRomanpunch, rosesfromHenderson's, andmenusongilt-edgedcards, wasadifferentaffair, , theRomanpunchmadeallthedifference; notinitselfbutbyitsmanifoldimplications—sinceitsignifiedeithercanvas-backsorterrapin, twosoups, ahotandacoldsweet, fulldecolletagewithshortsleeves, andguestsofaproportionateimportance.
Itwasalwaysaninterestingoccasionwhenayoungpairlaunchedtheirfirstinvitationsinthethirdperson, , itwasadmittedlyatriumphthatthevanderLuydens, atMay'srequest, shouldhavestayedoverinordertobepresentatherfarewelldinnerfortheCountessOlenska.
Thetwomothers-in-lawsatinMay'sdrawing-roomontheafternoonofthegreatday, 'sthickestgilt-edgedbristol, .
Archer, arrivinglatefromhisoffice, -cardsforthetable, , sothatanother "corner" mightbecreatedbetweenthepianoandthewindow.
May, theytoldhim, wasinthedining-roominspectingthemoundofJacqueminotrosesandmaidenhairinthecentreofthelongtable, , inshort, asitshouldbeontheapproachofsoconsiderableanevent.
, checkingoffeachnamewithhersharpgoldpen.
