Chapter 12 THE PRIVATE CIRCUS.

Whilst the acrobat was endeavouring to become a man of the world, the man of the world was becoming an excellent acrobat. The "governing classes" determined to have their Léotard. The gentleman quitted his stall in the circus to ascend the pad and the trapeze. [p308]

Lieutenant Viaud-in literature Pierre Loti-was one of the first to achieve this