Parisian Points of View

Parisian Points of View by Ludovic Halévy is headed Master-Tales, translated by Edith V.B. Matthews, with an introduction by Brander Matthews. The contents list stories titled Only a Waltz, The Dancing-Master, The Circus Charger, Blacky, The Most Beautiful Woman in Paris and The Story of a Ball-Dress, among others. The introduction says its writer fancies that, to most American readers of fiction, M. Ludovic Halévy is known chiefly, if not solely, as the author of The Abbé Constantin.

The text says of M. Halévy that his irony is delicate and playful, with no harshness in his manner and no hatred in his mind. The story has the Prince of Nérins, whose word has so much weight in such matters, say yesterday evening to every one who would listen that she is the most beautiful woman in Paris. A character describes an over-dress of pompadour lace of very soft tones: greens, pinks, mauves, cream, and azure, with very large sleeves, a double puff of blue velvet and wristlets of Venetian point.