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credence need be given to it than is usually given to the 'honest men sent to lie abroad for the good of their country'; as for ballon d'essai, we see no advantage in it over kite, and flying a kite, which are good English; it is, however, owing to foreign correspondents' perverted tastes, already more familiar. The words italicized in the following quotations are still more questionable:
The two Special Correspondents in Berlin of the leading morning newspapers, the Matin and the Écho de Paris, report a marked détente in the situation.—Times.
Entente is comprehensible to every one; but with détente many of us are in the humiliating position of not knowing whether to be glad or sorry.
All the great newspapers have insisted upon the inopportuneness of the démarche of William II.—Times. (proceeding)
The entourage and counsellors of the Sultan continue to remain sceptical.—Times.
Mere laziness, even if the word means anything different from counsellors; but the writer has at least given us an indication that it is only verbiage, by revealing his style in continue to remain.
In diplomatic circles the whole affair is looked upon as an acte de malveillance towards the Anglo-French entente.— Times.
You have been immensely amused, cyrenaically enjoying the moment for the moment's sake, but looking before and after (as you cannot help looking in the theatre) you have been disconcerted and dérouté.—Times.
In spite, however, of this denial and of other official démentis, the Italian Press still seems dissatisfied.—Times.
In this there is clearly not the distinction that we suggested between denial and démenti— the only thing that could excuse the latter. We have here merely one of those elegant variations treated of in the chapter 'Airs and Graces'.
3. It sometimes occurs to a writer that he would like to avail himself of a foreign word or phrase, whether to make a genuine point or to show that he has the gift of tongues,