New York, July 12—Scene: The dining room of a former ambassador, and close friend of the former President. He is there, with Mrs. Nixon. Their first night out since the beginning of their exile in San Clemente. There are twenty or so guests, carefully selected: what the polemical press would call “loyalists.” The dinner has been served, and the toasts begin.
The host speaks about his personal debt to his guest of honor, who gave him the privilege of serving the Republic as an ambassador. The guest of honor rises to respond. It is probably the first toast he has given since the year before, when he regularly toasted chiefs of state at the gala dinners in the White House. He is given to nonperfunctory toasts: they seldom lasted less than five minutes, and sometimes went on ten or twelve minutes.
Comments