I observed, at a glance, that I was now in a society altogether unlike that which I had just left.
At Rachel's there were present only two ladies besides herself, and those were members of her own family.

Here I found at least an equal proportion of both sexes.

At Rachel's a princely magnificence reigned.
Here the rooms were elegant, but simple; the paintings choice but few; the ornaments costly, but in no unnecessary profusion.
"It is just the difference between taste and display," said Dalrymple.
"Rachel is an actress, and Madame de Courcelles is a lady.

Rachel exhibits her riches as an Indian chief exhibits the scalps of his victims--Madame de Courcelles adorns her house with no other view than to make it attractive to her friends." "As a Greek girl covers her head with sequins to show the amount of her fortune, and an English girl puts a rose in her hair for grace and beauty only," said I, fancying that I had made rather a clever observation.

I was therefore considerably disappointed when Dalrymple merely said, "just so." The lady in the larger room here finished her song and returned to her seat, amid a shower of _bravas_.
"She sings exquisitely," said I, following her with my eyes.
"And so she ought," replied my friend.