A visit out of the general routine

Near the close of the evening the other sisters returned with the intended groom, Count Somebody, from whom [71]I obtained much information regarding our trip to Turkey and Greece he having traveled much in both countries.  Finding we could now leave consistently we made our bows, and left them to one of their last family meetings.  I notice this visit as being peculiar to the upper classes here, who are universally most hospitable to strangers, and as showing the perfect education of the ladies.  In fact almost every where out of Italy, French is universally spoken as every one is considered, strangers and others, as necessarily acquainted with that—and moreover ‘tis about the only occurrence that has happened to us of interest for a long time out of the general routine of traveling & sightseeing-------

"Addressing an American in his own language"

They were evidently Ladies, and conversed very well.  After some [68] conversation the old lady having heard me speak English, addressed my companion in the same language.  I was in hopes that my correspondante would do the same, but she for a long time preferred the French, and I of course could not turn the language.  However after some time the mother speaking in English gave her an opportunity of addressing the daughter in the same, when to my surprise she spoke it much better than her mother, and I learned from her that all the young ladies here are taught English French and Italian as a part of their Education.  She preferred speaking in French however, as she told me she did not feel exactly at here ease, when conversing with an Englishman or American, but that she could not hesitate generally addressing an American in his own language, as she found them most lenient as regards mistakes being [69] made.  I really consider it as a great compliment paid to my countrymen.  For if there is any thing which is more ungentlemanly than another, it is for a stranger to laugh at another’s mistakes in addressing him in a tongue not his own.