Art. 3.—A guest who is a man of the world will never begin a conversation until the first course is over; up to that point, dinner is a serious affair, from which the attention of the party ought not to be inconsiderately distracted.
Art. 4.—Whatever conversation is going on ought to be suspended, even in the middle of a sentence, upon the entrance of a dinde aux truffes.
Art. 5.—An applauding laugh is indispensable to every joke of the Amphitryon.
Art. 6.—A guest is culpable who speaks ill of his entertainer during the first three hours after dinner. Gratitude should last at least as long as digestion.
Art. 7.—To leave anything on your plate is to insult your host in the person of his cook.
Art. 8.—A guest who leaves the table deserves the fate of a soldier who deserts.
On Vicinity to Ladies.
Art. 1.—He who sits next to a lady becomes at once her cavaliere servente. He is bound to watch over her glass with as much interest as over his own.
Art. 2.—The gentleman owes aid and protection to his fair neighbor in the selection of food; the lady on her part is bound to respect and obey the recommendations of her knight on this subject.
Art. 3.—It is bad taste for the gentleman to advance beyond politeness during the first course; in the second, however, he is bound to be complimentary; and he is at liberty to glide into tenderness with the dessert.