Question

Summary of phantom luncheon

Answer 1

in Town," said Sir James. "I wish you would show them someattention. Ask them to lunch with you at the Ritz or somewhere.""From the little I've seen of the Smithly-Dubbs I don't think I want to cultivate their acquaintance," said Lady Drakmanton."They always work for us at election times," said her husband; "I don't suppose they influence very many votes, but they have an uncle who is on one of my ward committees, and another uncle speaks sometimes at some of our less important meetings. Those sort ofpeople expect some return in the shape of hospitality.""Expect it!" exclaimed Lady Drakmanton; "the Misses Smithly-Dubb do more than that; they almost demand it. They belong to my club, and hang about the lobby just about lunch-time, all three of them, with their tongues hanging out of their mouths and the six-course look in their eyes. If I were to breathe the word 'lunch'they would hustle me into a taxi and scream 'Ritz' or 'Dieudonne's' tothe driver before I knewwhat was happening.""All the same, I think you ought to ask them to a meal of some sort,"persisted Sir James."I consider that showing hospitality to the Smithly-Dubbs is carrying Free Food principles to a regrettable extreme," said Lady Drakmanton;"I've entertained the Joneses and the Browns and the Snapheimers and the Lubrikoffs, and heaps of others whose namesI forget, but I don't see why I should inflict the society of the Misses Smithly-Dubb on myselffor a solid hour. Imagine it, sixty minutes, more or less, of unrelenting gobble and gabble. Why can'tyoutake them on, Milly?" she asked, turning hopefully to her sister."I don't know them," said Milly hastily."All the better; you can pass yourself off as me. People say that we are so alike that they can hardly tell us apart, and I've only spoken to these tiresome young womenabout twice in my life, at committee-rooms, and bowed to them in the club. Any of the club page-boys will point them out to you; they're always to be found lolling about the hall just before lunch-time."

Answer 2

Explanation:

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Summary of 'The Luncheon' the writer of 'The Luncheon' William Somerset Maugham, in this short story, relates about a lady who is an admirer of his stories. She wins the author's favor and expresses her wish to meet him at a high class restaurant. William exposes the false motives of modest eating habits, of the middle classes with a touch of humor.

Twenty years ago the author was living in Paris, when he had met a lady, who is an admirer of his stories. She had met him at a play and relates to him the incident during the interval which had occurred at that time. She had read a book written by him, and had written a letter to him about her views. Another letter was posted, stating about her visit to Paris and her desire to have a little luncheon at the Foyots, a restaurant where French senators eat. William was not a rich man and had never even thought of visiting that restaurant, nor did he possess the art of refusing her request.

Estimating the cost of a luncheon, which should not cost more than fifteen Francs, he decided to cut down coffee from his menu, so that he could have enough for himself for the next two weeks. His meeting was fixed on Thursday, at half past twelve, through correspondence. The lady was in her Forties, talkative, and not attractive. She had ordered for Salmon, and Caviar, while the Salmon was being prepared. William had ordered for the cheapest dish mutton- chops.

After the meal, she had ordered for white champagne. She kept enjoying the meal, and chatting about art, literature, and music, while William kept wondering about the bill. The bill of fare was soaring above that which he had anticipated. When the waiter had come with the bill she waived him aside with an air of gesture and ordered for Asparagus, the horribly expensive dish. William’s heart sank, his mouth watered, and yet he had to quell his emotions. Adding to worsen the situation, she ordered for ice-cream and then coffee, all the same announcing that 'she never ate anything for luncheon - just a bite' Thoughts kept reeling through William's mind about how he was going to pay the exorbitant bill or how could he feign an act of his pocket having been picked.

To his utter dismay, the head waiter walked up to the table with a large basket full of huge Peaches. She picked up one protesting that her meal was just a snack, and that she could certainly enjoy the Peach.

The bill was finally paid, and William found himself with just a few Francs for the tips, and not a penny left in his pocket for the whole month. William believes, that he had had his revenge for then, when the Twenty years had passed by, he met her weighing One Hundred and Thirty -Six Kilograms.