“I have a plan for next winter,” said Madame Recamier, “but I suppose I shall be accused of going into the commercial side of it if I adopt it.  The plan is, briefly, to incorporate my salon.  That’s an idea worthy of an American, I admit; but if I don’t do it I’ll have to give it up entirely, which, as you intimate, would be too bad.  An incorporated salon, however, would be a grand thing, if only because it would perpetuate the salon.  ‘The Recamier Salon (Limited)’ would be a most excellent title, and, suitably capitalized, would enable us to pay our lions sufficiently.  Private enterprise is powerless under modern conditions.  It’s as much as I can afford to pay for a dinner, without running up an expense account for guests; and unless we get up a salon trust, as it were, the whole affair must go to the wall.”

[Illustration:  MADAME RECAMIER HAS A PLAN]

“How would you make it pay?” asked Portia.  “I can’t see where your dividends would come from.”

“That is simple enough,” said Madame Recamier.  “We could put up a large reception-hall with a portion of our capital, and advertise a series of nights—­say one a week throughout the season.  These would be Warriors’ Night, Story-tellers’ Night, Poets’ Night, Chafing-dish Night under the charge of Brillat-Savarin, and so on.  It would be understood that on these particular evenings the most interesting people in certain lines would be present, and would mix with outsiders, who should be admitted only on payment of a certain sum of money.  The commonplace inhabitants of this country could thus meet the truly great; and if I know them well, as I think I do, they’ll pay readily for the privilege.  The obscure love to rub up against the famous here as well as they do on earth.”

“You’d run a sort of Social Zoo?” suggested Elizabeth.

“Precisely; and provide entertainment for private residences too.  An advertisement in Boswell’s paper, which everybody buys—­”

“And which nobody reads,” said Portia.

“They read the advertisements,” retorted Madame Recamier.  “As I was saying, an advertisement could be placed in Boswell’s paper as follows:  ’Are you giving a Function?  Do you want Talent?  Get your Genius at the Recamier Salon (Limited).’  It would be simply magnificent as a business enterprise.  The common herd would be tickled to death if they could get great people at their homes, even if they had to pay roundly for them.”

“It would look well in the society notes, wouldn’t it, if Mr. John Boggs gave a reception, and at the close of the account it said, ’The supper was furnished by Calizetti, and the genius by the Recamier Salon (Limited)’?” suggested Elizabeth, scornfully.

“I must admit,” replied the French lady, “that you call up an unpleasant possibility, but I don’t really see what else we can do if we want to preserve the salon idea.  Somebody has told these talented people that they have a commercial value, and they are availing themselves of the demand.”