Xingu

What a wicked little satire! Wharton portrays a ladies' literary meeting with tongue firmly in cheek as the ladies welcome a popular author whose work intimidates them. They wish to seem educated and up-to-date, but they haven't read the author's books. Mrs. Dane, the popular author, sits down to her coffee and asks the ladies what their opinion of Xingu is. But—what is Xingu?