If you are ever lucky to be invited to a formal dinner party in Paris,remember that the French have their own way of doing things, and that even your finest manners may not be "correct" by French custom.For example,if you think showing up promptly at the time given on the invitation,armed with gifts of wine and roses,complimenting your hostess on her cooking,laughing heartily at the host's jokes and then leaping up to help the hostess will make you the perfect guest,think again. Here Madame Nora Chabal,the marketing director of the Ritz Hotel in Paris,explained how it works. The first duty of the guest is to respond to the invitation within 48 hours.And,the guest may not ask to bring a guest because the hostess has chosen her own. Flowers sent ahead of schedule are the preferred gift.They may also be sent afterwards with a thank-you note.It is considered a very bad form to arrive with a gift of flowers vase when she is too busy to do with that. See,that's the logic!The type of flowers sent has a code of its own,too.One must never send chrysanthemums because they are considered too humble for occasion.Carnations are considered bad luck,and calla are too reminiscent of funerals .A bouquet of red roses is a declaration of romantic intent.Don't send those unless you mean it,and never to a married hostess.And though the French love wine,you must never bring a bottle to a dinner party.Why?It's as if you feared your hosts would not have enough wine on hand,and that's an insult .You may,however,offer a box of chocolates which the hostess will pass after dinner with coffee. If an invitation is for eight o'clock,the considerate guest arrives at a quarter past eight.Guests who arrive exactly on time or early are mere thoughtless ones who are not giving the hostess those last few minutes she needs to deal with details and crises. If you are invited to a French dinner, the correct custom is to   _  .
compliment your host on his cooking arrive fifteen minutes behind schedule hurry to help the hostess show up promptly at the time given on the invitation