B680 <=> B682 (BTG XXXVII France, p. 681)

“’Why only the fox trot?’ he replied.

“’During this time they also visit Paris itself and its outskirts, and sometimes they even travel quite far. In short, they also “study” Europe during this time.

“’They “visit” and “study” Europe in order, as they say there at home, “to complete their education and schooling”; but between ourselves, it is only said as one of the parrotlike phrases of those among us who pretend to be real English, whereas in reality my compatriots see Paris as well as Europe, only to satisfy their weakness of vanity.

“’They see it, not to be more learned or to become more informed, but only to be able to boast afterwards there at home in conversation with their acquaintances, that they have, so to say, been in Europe and seen there this, that, or the other.

“’Here in Europe in every convenient place, there is even for this purpose a branch of an establishment under the name of “Book and Son” which suits this particular need very well, and of course there is also one of these branches here in Paris.

“’Well, these dear compatriots of mine collect together like a flock of sheep, in groups of several scores, and that whole party of “tourists” sits in an enormous what is called “Book’s bus” and go where they are taken.

“’On that Book’s bus, besides the “chauffeur” there is another person, called a “Book’s sleepy-type.”

“’During the trip of that famous Book’s bus, this same “sleepy-type” in a weak voice calls out from time to time the names of the places and the various historical and nonhistorical “sights” of Paris and its environs, learned parrotlike according to the “itinerary” mapped out by Book himself. In a word, this is the way my dear compatriots “study” Europe.