The awful fate of Melpomene Jones

Melpomene: (Greek Mythology) The muse of tragedy.
This was one of my favorite essays in high school. It's all about civilities in proper society. Mr. Jones' awful fate is that, in having to be polite, he never leaves his guests' house and as a result becomes an old man there and dies. The conversations go some thing like this:
What a lovely dinner, Mrs. ---!
Why thank you, Mr. Jones.
Well, I must be going now.
Oh no! Please not yet, have another cup of tea.
Well then, if you insist, I think I can stay a little longer.
My good sir, it is getting far too late, you must stay the night.
All right then, but I must leave first thing in the morning.
He is content to stay for a little while but then it becomes tiring to be at someone else's house for so long. The great part of it, is that Jones really wants to go and his hostess really wants him to leave but in trying to be polite and a good hostess, the situation becomes quite ridiculous and laughable.
This story came to mind because I'm reading Pride and Prejudice and it had many similar situations in it. All the civilities that come along with travelling in the circles of high society... makes me glad that I'm a country girl at heart!!! I don't have to be so polite, I can just plead ignorance and kick everybody out of the house when I feel that the party is over!