,,dinners ,,and ,,diners ,,where ,,and ,,how ,,to ,,dine ,,in ,,london ,,by ,,lieut4-,,col4 ,,nathaniel ,,newnham-,,davis ,london ,,grant ,,richards #i ,,henrietta ,,street1 ,,covent ,,garden1 ,w4,c4 ,,office ,,of ,,the ,,pall ,,mall ,,publications #ah ,,charing ,,cross ,,road1 ,w4,c4 #ahii ,to all the gentlemen1 the managers of the various restaurants and the masters of the culinary art1 who have assisted me in the making of this little book1 ,i give my most grateful thanks4 ,,the ,,author4 ,,preface ,when the series of articles now collected in this volume was first discussed between their author and myself in the early part of #ahig1 we found it a matter of no slight difficulty to determine what range they should take1 and to what class of establishments they should be confined4 ,there is no accounting for the variety of people's tastes in the matter of eating and drinking1 and among the readers of the ,pall ,mall ,gazette persons no doubt could be found ranging from the ,sybarite1 who requires ,lucullus-like banquets1 to him of the simple appetite for whom little more than a dinner with ,duke ,humphrey would suffice4 ,consequently1 the choice of places to be visited had to be made in a catholic spirit1 with the necessary result that a formidably long list was prepared4 ,in selecting ,colonel ,newnham-,davis to carry out this commission for the ,pall ,mall ,gazette1 ,i knew ,i was availing myself of the services of a thoroughly experienced1 trustworthy1 and capable commissioner1 who would deal with the task entrusted to him in a pleasantly mixed anecdotal and critical spirit1 while at the same time supplying useful guidance to persons wanting to know where to dine and what they would have to pay4 ,in the following pages it will be seen how well he carried out the duty he undertook1 and ,i am able to add that ,dinners and ,diners had a great vogue and very wide popularity among the readers of the ,pall ,mall ,gazette4 ,there were very many requests from various quarters that they should be collected into book form1 and this has now been done with some valuable additions included in the shape of recipes and other information4 ,in these days1 when the taste for dining at restaurants is so largely on the increase1 ,i have little doubt that the republication of these articles will be welcomed1 and that they will supply not only interesting but useful information4 ,,the ,,editor ,,of ,,the ,pall ,mall ,gazette4 ,march #ahii4 ,,contents ,,foreword ,page ,the ,difficulties of ,dining xvii ,,chapter ,i ,princes' ,hall 7,piccadilly7 #a ,,chapter ,,ii ,the ,cheshire ,cheese #i ,,chapter ,,iii ,the ,holborn #ae ,,chapter ,,iv ,romano's #bb ,,chapter ,v ,simpson's #ca ,,chapter ,,vi ,the ,hans ,crescent ,hotel #ch ,,chapter ,,vii ,the ,blue ,posts 7,cork ,street7 #de ,,chapter ,,viii ,verrey's 7,regent ,street7 #ea ,,chapter ,,ix ,the ,hotel ,cecil 7the ,strand7 #ei ,,chapter ,x ,gatti's 7the ,strand7 #fg ,,chapter ,,xi ,the ,savoy 7,thames ,embankment7 #gc ,joseph at the ,savoy #hb ,,chapter ,,xii ,the ,st4 ,george's ,caf 7,st4 ,martin's ,lane7 #hi ,,chapter ,,xiii ,willis's ,rooms 7,king ,street7 #ie ,,chapter ,,xiv ,le ,restaurant des ,gourmets 7,lisle ,street7 #ajb ,,chapter ,,xv ,the ,trocadero 7,shaftesbury ,avenue7 #ajh ,,chapter ,,xvi ,the ,american ,bar1 ,criterion 7,piccadilly ,circus7 #aaf ,,chapter ,,xvii ,the ,hotel ,continental 7,regent ,street7 #abb ,,chapter ,,xviii ,the ,avondale 7,piccadilly7 #abh ,,chapter ,,xix ,the ,mercers' ,hall 7,cheapside7 #acg ,,chapter ,,xx ,in ---- ,street #adc ,,chapter ,,xxi ,a ,regimental ,dinner 7,hotel ,victoria1 ,northumberland ,avenue7 #adi ,,chapter ,,xxii ,dieudonn's 7,ryder ,street7 #aef ,,chapter ,,xxiii ,the ,berkeley 7,piccadilly7 #afb ,,chapter ,,xxiv ,the ,ship 7,greenwich7 #age ,,chapter ,,xxv ,the ,house of ,commons #ahb ,,chapter ,,xxvi ,earl's ,court #ahi ,,chapter ,,xxvii ,the ,star and ,garter 7,richmond7 #aif ,,chapter ,,xxviii ,the ,cavour 7,leicester ,square7 #bjc ,,chapter ,,xxix ,the ,caf ,royal 7,regent ,street7 #bji ,,chapter ,,xxx ,frascati's 7,oxford ,street7 #bah ,,chapter ,,xxxi ,the ,freemasons' ,tavern 7,great ,queen ,street7 #bbd ,,chapter ,,xxxii ,scott's 7,piccadilly ,circus7 #bca ,,chapter ,,xxxiii ,the ,east ,room 7,criterion1 ,piccadilly ,circus7 #bcg ,,chapter ,,xxxiv ,the ,monico 7,shaftesbury ,avenue7 #bdg ,,chapter ,,xxxv ,goldstein's 7,bloomfield ,street7 #bec ,,chapter ,,xxxvi ,the ,tivoli 7the ,strand7 #bei ,,chapter ,,xxxvii ,the ,gordon ,hotels 7,northumberland ,avenue7 #bff ,,chapter ,,xxxviii ,the ,queen's ,guard 7,st4 ,james's ,palace7 #bgb ,,chapter ,,xxxix ,the ,coburg 7,carlos ,place7 #bgi ,,chapter ,,xl ,the ,midland ,hotel 7,st4 ,pancras7 #bhe ,,chapter ,,xli ,kettner's 7,church ,street7 #bia ,,chapter ,,xlii ,pagani's 7,great ,portland ,street7 #big ,,chapter ,,xliii ,claridge's 7,brook ,street7 #cjd ,,chapter ,,xliv ,hotel de ,paris 7,leicester ,place7 #caa ,,chapter ,,xlv ,the ,walsingham ,house 7,piccadilly7 #cag ,,chapter ,,xlvi ,challis's 7,rupert ,street7 #cbd ,,chapter ,,xlvii ,epitaux's 7,the ,haymarket7 #ccj ,transcriber's note3 ,the advertisements bound in at the beginning and end of the original publication have been grouped together at the end of this digital edition4 ,,foreword ,,the ,,difficulties ,,of ,,dining ,i would be willing to make you1 my dear sir1 a very small bet1 that if in the early afternoon you go into the restaurant where you intend to dine in the evening and disturb the head waiter1 who is reading a paper at one of the side tables1 suddenly breaking the news upon him that you want a simple little dinner for two at eight o'clock1 and wish to commence the repast with clear soup1 he1 in reply1 after pulling out a book of order papers and biting his lead pencil1 will1 a moment of thought intervening1 suggest petite marmite4 ,it is not his fault4 ,hundreds of ,britons have taken the carte de jour out of his hands1 and1 looking at the list of soups1 puzzled by the names which mean nothing to them1 have fallen back upon petite marmite or crote au pot1 which they know are harmless homely soups which the lady they are going to bring to dinner cannot object to4 ,it requires a certain amount of bravery1 a little consciousness of knowledge1 for the ordinary man looking down a list of dishes to put his finger on every third one and ask1 ,what is that8 ,he is much more likely1 the head waiter1 who has summed him up1 prompting him1 to order very much the dinner that he would have eaten in his suburban home had he been dining there that night4 ,every good cook has his little vanities4 ,they are all inventors2 and when any one of them1 breaking away from the strict lines of the classic haute cuisine1 finds that a pinch of this or two drops of that improves some well-known dish1 he immediately gives it a new name4 ,it is the same with explorers4 ,did any one of them find a goat with half a twist more in its horns than another explorer had noticed1 but he called it a new species and christened it ,ovis ,jonesi1 ,browni1 or ,robinsoni1 according to his surname4 ,if you see filets de sole la ,hercules ,john ,jones on the carte do not be afraid to ask what it is4 ,it is probably some old acquaintance slightly altered by the chef1 who has had a flash of inspiration when preparing it for ,mr4 ,hercules ,john ,jones1 a valued client of the restaurant4 ,i should have begun this foreword by warning all experienced diners to skip it and go on to ,chapter ,i4 ,it is not too late to do so now4 ,i1 who have gone through all the agonies that a simple ,briton struggling in the spider web of a carte de jour can endure1 am only trying to warn other simple ,britons with a liking for a good dinner by an account of my experiences4 ,if you or ,i1 in the absence of the matre d'htel and the head waiter1 fall into the hands of an underling1 ,heaven help us4 ,he will lure you or me on to order the most expensive dinner that his limited imagination can conceive1 and thinks he is doing his duty to the patron4 ,luckily1 such ill-luck as this rarely occurs4 ,the manager is the man to look for1 if possible1 when composing a menu4 ,the higher you reach up that glorious scale of responsibility which runs from manager to marmiton1 the more intelligent help you will get in ordering your dinner1 the more certain you are to have an artistic meal1 and not to be spending money unworthily4 ,that you must pay on the higher scale for a really artistic dinner is1 ,i regret to say1 a necessity4 ,no doubt the luxurious surroundings1 the quick1 quiet service appear indirectly in the bill2 but the material for the dinner is costly4 ,no pains are spared nowadays to put on the table of a first-class restaurant the very best food that the world can produce4 ,not only ,france1 but countries much farther afield are systematically pillaged that ,londoners may dine1 and ,i do not despair of some day eating mangostines for dessert4 ,all this costs money2 but the gourmets1 like the dilettanti in any other art1 do not get a chef-d'uvre for the price of a pot-boiler4 ,i1 personally1 always prefer a dinner la carte to a table-d'hte one4 ,the table-d'hte one--which is a misused word1 for the table-d'hte was the general table presided over by the host--has advanced1 with the more general appreciation that dining does not mean simply eating1 and at a good restaurant the dinner of the day is cooked to the minute for the groups at each separate table2 but it has the disadvantage that you have to eat a dinner ordered according to somebody else's idea1 and you have no choice as to length or composition4 ,with a friendly matre d'htel to assist1 the composing of a menu for a small dinner is a pleasure4 ,to eat a table-d'hte dinner is like landing a fish which has been hooked and played by someone else4 ,mr4 ,echenard1 late of the ,savoy1 in chatting over the vagaries of diners1 shook his head over the want of knowledge of the wines that should be drunk with the various kinds of food4 ,no man knows better what goes to make a perfect dinner than ,mr4 ,echenard does1 and as to the sinfulness of ,britons in this particular1 ,i quite agreed with him4 ,in ,paris no man dreams of drinking champagne1 and nothing but champagne1 for dinner2 but in ,london the climate and the taste of the fair sex go before orthodox rules4 ,a tired man in our heavy atmosphere feels often that champagne is the one wine that will give him life again2 and as the ladies as a rule would think a dinner at a restaurant incomplete without champagne1 ninety-nine out of a hundred ,englishmen1 in ordering a little dinner for two1 turn instinctively to the champagne page of the wine-card4 ,it is wrong1 but until we get a new atmosphere and give up taking ladies out to dinner1 champagne will be practically the only wine drunk at restaurants4 ,on the subject of tips it is difficult to write4 ,i have always found that a shilling for every pound or part of a pound1 or a shilling for each member of a party brings a thank you from the waiter at any first-class restaurant4 ,i should be inclined to err a little on the liberal side of this scale2 for waiters do not have an easy life1 are mainly dependent on the tips they get1 and have it in their power to greatly add to1 or detract from1 the pleasure of a dinner4 ,i always find that the man who talks about spoiling the market1 in this respect is thinking of protecting his own pocket and not his neighbour's4 ,finally--and ,i feel very much as if ,i had been preaching a sermon--,i should1 to put it all as shortly as possible1 advise you1 my brother simple ,briton--not you1 the experienced diners1 who have been expressly warned off from this lecture--in ordering your dinner to get the aid of the manager1 and failing him the matre d'htel1 never to be hustled by an underling into ordering a big dinner when you want a small one1 and never to be afraid of asking what the composition of a dish is4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the following little essay on the duties of a matre d'htel which ,mons4 ,joseph has sent me speaks most eloquently for itself3 ,,mon ,,cher ,,colonel-- ,vous me demandez pour votre nouveau livre des recettes4 ,mfiez-vous des recettes4 ,depuis la cuisinire bourgeoise et le ,baron ,brisse on a chant la chanson sur tous les airs et sur tous les tons4 ,et qu'en reste-t'il2 qui s'en souvient8 ,je veux dire dans le public aristocratique pour qui vous crivez1 et que vous comptez intresser avec votre nouvelle publication1 cherchez le nouveau dans les propos de table1 donnez des conseils aux matresses de maison1 qui dpensent beaucoup d'argent pour donner des dners fatiguants1 trop longs1 trop compliqus2 dtes leur qu'un bon dner doit tre court1 que les convives doivent manger et non goter1 qu'elles exigent de leur cuisinier ou cuisinire de n'tre pas trop savants1 qu'ils respectent avant tout le got que le bon ,dieu a donn toutes choses de ne pas les dnaturer par des combinaisons1 qui force d'tre raffines deviennent barbares4 ,on a beaucoup parl du cuisinier4 ,si nous exposions un peu ce que doit tre le ,matre d',htel4 ,,le ,,ma,,tre ,d',h,,tel ,,fran,,ais ,la plus grande force du ,matre d'htel franais1 je dis matre d'htel franais dessein1 car si le cuisinier franais a su tirer parti des produits de la nature avec un art infini1 pour en faire des aliments aimables1 agrables1 et bienfaisants1 le ,matre d'htel franais seul est susceptible de les faire accepter et dsirer4 ,or voil pour le ,matre d'htel le champ qu'il a explorer4 ,champ vaste s'il en ft1 car dviner avec tact ce qui peut plaire celui-ci et ne pas plaire celui-l1 est un problme rsoudre selon la nature1 le temprament et la nationalit de celui qu'il doit faire manger4 ,il doit donc tre le conseil1 le tentateur1 et le metteur en scne4 ,il faut pour tre un matre d'htel accompli1 mettre de ct1 ou du moins ne pas laisser percer le but commercial1 tout en tant un commerant hors ligne 7je parle ici du matre d'htel public de restaurant1 attendu que dans la maison particulire1 le commerce n'a rien voir1 ce qui simplifie normement le rle du matre d'htel4 ,pour cela il faut tre un peu diplomate1 et un peu artiste dans l'art de dire1 afin de colorer le projet de repas que l'on doit soumettre son dneur74 ,il faut donc agir sur l'imagination pour fair oublier la machine que l'on va alimenter1 en un mot masquer le ct matriel de manger4 ,j'ai acquis la certitude qu'un plat savamment prpar par un cuisinier hors ligne peut passer inaperu1 ou inappreci si le matre d'htel1 qui devient alors metteur en scne1 ne sait pas prsenter l'uvre1 de faon le faire dsirer1 de sorte que si ce mets est servi par un matre d'htel qui n'en comprend pas le caractre1 il lui sera impossible de lui donner tout son relief1 et alors l'uvre du cuisinier sera ananti et passera inaperu4 ,ce matre d'htel doit tre aussi un observateur et un juge et doit transmettre son apprciation au chef de cuisine1 mais pour apprcier il faut savoir1 pour savoir il faut aimer son art1 le matre d'htel doit tre un aptre4 ,il doit transmettre les observations qu'il a pu entendre pendant le cours d'un dner de la part des convives1 observations favorables ou dfavorables1 il doit les transmettre au chef et aviser avec lui4 ,il doit aussi tre en observation1 car il arrive le plus souvent que les convives ne disent rien cause de leur amphitryon mais ne mangent pas avec plaisir et entrain le mets prsent3 l encore le matre d'htel doit chercher le pourquoi4 ,il y a aussi dans un djeuner ou un dner un rle trs important rserv au matre d'htel4 ,la varit agrable des hors-d'uvre1 la salade qui accompagne le rti1 le faon de dcouper ce rti avec lgance1 de bien disposer ce rti sur son plat une fois dcoup1 dcouper bien et vite1 afin d'viter le rchaud qui sche4 ,savoir mettre point une selle de mouton1 avec juste ce qu'il faut de sel sur la partie grasse1 qui lui donnera un got agrable4 ,pour dcouper le matre d'htel doit se placer ni trop prs ni trop loin des convives1 afin que ceux-ci soient intresss1 et voient que tous les dtails sont observs avec got et lgance1 de faon tenter encore les apptits qui n'en peuvent presque plus mais qui renaissent encore un peu aiguillonns par le dsir qu'a su faire natre l'artiste prpos au repas1 et qui a su donner encore envie l'imagination1 quand l'estomac commenait capituler4 ,le matre d'htel a de plus cette partie de la fin du dner1 le choix d'un bon fromage1 les fruits1 les soins de temprature donner aux vins1 la faon de dcanter ceux-ci pour leur donner le maximum de bouquet2 le matre d'htel ne peut-il encore tre un tentateur avec la fraise frappe 7 la ,marivaux78 ,la pche la cardinal1 qu'accompagne si bien le doux parfum de la framboise1 lgrement acidul d'un de jus de groseille1 notre grand carme qualifiait4 ,certains plats de manger des ,dieux1 combien l'expression est heureuse4 ,depuis que je suis ,londres j'ai trouv un nombre incalculable d'inventeurs de ma pche la cardinal4 ,il me faudra leur donner la recette un jour que j'en aurai l'occasion4 ,n'est-ce pas de l'art chez le matre d'htel qui tente et charme les convives par ces raffinements1 et qui comme un cavalier sur une moture essouffle sait encore relever son courage et lui faire faire la dernire foule qui dcide de la victoire8 ,aprs un bon repas le matre d'htel a la grande satisfaction d'avoir donn un peu de bonheur de pauvres gens riches1 qui ne sont pas toujours des heureux4 ,et comme l'a dit ,brillat ,savarin ,le plaisir de la table ne nuit pas aux autres plaisirs4 ,au contraire1 qui sait si indirectement je ne suis pas le papa de bien des ,bbs rieurs1 ou la cause au moins de certaines aventures que mes jolies clientes n'voquent qu'en souriant derrire leur ventail8 ,,joseph ,directeur du ,savoy ,restaurant1 ,londres1 et du ,restaurant de ,marivaux1 ,paris4 ,,chapter ,i ,,princes' ,,hall 7,,piccadilly7 ,she is a charming little lady1 and her husband1 to tell the truth1 spoils her just a little4 ,most married dames would have been content1 if they wished to dine at a restaurant on the occasion of their birthday1 with one dinner2 but ,mrs4 ,daffodil--if ,i may so call her1 from her favourite flower--insisted on having a dinner out on ,saturday1 and another on ,sunday1 and another on ,monday1 because1 though her twenty-first birthday really fell on ,saturday1 she was going to keep it on ,monday1 when a great party of her husband's people were to meet at the ,savoy1 and on ,sunday her people were organising a feast at the ,berkley2 but ,mrs4 ,daffodil said that unless she dined out on the evening of her real birthday she was sure she would have no luck during the coming year1 and ,i was told that ,i was to have the privilege of being the third at the little dinner which was to be the veritable birthday dinner1 and that1 as a return for this great favour1 ,i was to order the dinner and choose the restaurant4 ,i was too wise to take the full responsibility of anything so important1 and in a council of three we ran down the list of dining places4 ,of those we paused over in consideration1 the ,princes' ,hall was the nearest to ,mrs4 ,daffodil's flat1 and the little lady remembered that she had not dined there this year1 and suddenly decided that it was the very place for a birthday dinner2 and should she wear her new white dress1 or would the black dress with the handsome bit of lace suit her better8 ,her husband looked a little helpless at the mention of dress1 and ,i at a venture suggested the black1 for ,i remembered that the roof of the grand salon of the ,princes'1 with its heavy mouldings1 was white picked out with gold1 while the great panels of brick red1 powdered with golden fleurs-de-lys and the palms filling-in the corners1 would show up a black dress just as well as a white one4 ,black it was to be1 and1 this important matter decided1 ,i was sent off as an advance messenger in a hansom cab to order the best table available and a dinner1 not too elaborate and not too small1 which was to be ready by the time little ,mrs4 ,daffodil had dressed and could drive down to the restaurant in her brougham4 ,my hansom was a fleet one4 ,a party of guests at one of the tables by the windows1 evidently bound for a theatre1 had finished their dinner and were just off and away as ,i arrived1 and ,i pounced like a hawk upon the table they left vacant4 ,the first preliminaries were soon over1 for the little dapper matre d'htel1 whom ,i had known in previous days at the ,east ,room of the ,criterion1 had the table cleared at once1 found some yellow flowers which1 if they were not daffodils1 were very like them1 and had big bouquets of them put upon the table4 ,then came the important question of the dinner4 ,hors-d'uvre varis1 suggested the little matre d'htel2 but ,i moved as an amendment that it should be caviar1 for the caviar at the ,princes' is ,benoist's1 and no man imports better4 ,turtle1 suggested the matre d'htel1 a little doubtfully1 after being defeated in his first venture1 and as ,i passed the suggestion with a nod potage tortue went down on the slip of paper4 ,mrs4 ,daffodil had made a suggestion as to salmon which she withdrew as soon as made1 but ,i had remembered it1 and saumon la ,grenobloise was scribbled down4 ,now1 said the matre d'htel a little decisively1 since the soup and the fish are brown1 we must have a white entre1 and as ,i was not prepared at the moment with any practical suggestion1 having thought of noisettes de mouton and a woodcock as the rest of the solid part of the dinner1 ,i allowed the proposal to go by default1 and fricasse de poulet l',ancienne was ordered4 ,a tiny saddle of lamb8 was the next suggestion1 and although ,i regretted my prospective woodcock ,i let the matter go1 for we had a bird already in the menu4 ,pommes nouvelles risoles4 ,salade de mche1 cleri1 betterave4 ,asperges anglaises1 reeled off my mentor1 and ,i nodded at the mention of the ,english asparagus2 and then to show that ,i was going to have a word in the ordering of the dinner ,i added macdoine de fruits l'orientale and friandises without requiring any prompting4 ,i waited in the bright1 ,french-looking entrance hall1 with its mirrors and screens decorated with painted flowers1 and watched the people coming in and going out4 ,a party of smart young men from the ,stock ,exchange1 most of whom ,i knew1 on their way to a row of stalls they had taken at the ,gaiety1 passed and chaffed me for my waiting2 but the sound of the band within in the great white railed-in musicians' gallery was cheerful--and an excellent band it is1 each artist in it being a soloist of some celebrity--and presently ,m4 ,fourault1 the manager1 who is the brother-in-law of ,m4 ,benoist1 came out and talked to me1 saying that ,m4 ,azema1 the chef1 was personally superintending the cooking of the dinner1 to which ,i replied that ,i was much obliged that the great artist from the ,caf ,anglais should have paid me the compliment4 ,then ,m4 ,fourault launched forth into details of the service and the building3 how the dishes are brought direct to the guests by hand so as to avoid the chance of draughts in lifts2 of the beauty of the kitchen2 the arrangements to keep in touch with and co-operate with the ,royal ,institute on the top floor1 and a variety of other topics4 ,and as he talked ,signor ,bocchi's band inside was softly playing1 and ,i was growing hungry waiting for little ,mrs4 ,daffodil1 for ,i knew that it would not be her husband who caused the delay4 ,the brougham drew up before the glass portico with its brass ornamentations1 and ,mrs4 ,daffodil in the wonderful black dress was helped out4 ,she would bring her ermine cape in with her1 she thought2 and having arrived at the table smiled graciously at seeing her name-flowers there4 ,i explained that the table by the door protected by the glass screens was my favourite one1 and that ,i should have taken it if possible1 but that it had been engaged for days1 and ,mrs4 ,daffodil was pleased to think the one we had obtained was quite as nice4 ,didn't she think the room1 with its big panels1 its few long mirrors1 its clusters of electric lights and electric candles on the tables1 and its musicians' gallery over the entrance to the offices and kitchen1 very handsome8 ,i asked4 ,and as she helped herself to the caviar1 each little ball as separate as if they had been pellets of shot1 she assented2 but to show that she was critical1 thought there ought to have been more palms4 ,then the little lady took up the questioning1 and wanted to know who everybody was who was dining4 ,i was able to point out a well-known artist taking a quiet meal with his wife1 who at one time was an ornament of the comedy-stage2 a party of soldier officers up from ,aldershot 7and ,i had a story of the gallantry of one of them1 and how he should have won by right a ,victoria ,cross72 an ex-,gaiety girl who was the heroine of a breach of promise case1 and who had at the table she occupied quite a crowd of gilded youths2 a youngster whose good looks have won him a very rich but not too young wife--and there ,i had to pause1 for though the room was full of well-dressed1 smart-looking people1 ,i knew no more of them by name4 ,i was reproved for not knowing my ,london better1 and tried to turn the conversation by telling my host that ,i would sooner share the burgundy with him than drink the champagne which ,mrs4 ,daffodil thought a necessary part of her birthday dinner1 but at that moment1 the soup being brought1 we all relapsed into serious criticism4 ,the turtle soup was good undoubtedly1 as good as at any ,city dinner1 with its jade-coloured semi-solid floating in the darker liquor1 and we praised that unreservedly1 but ,i was told that ,i was in a carping mood because ,i stated that ,i like my salmon as plainly cooked as possible4 ,as to the fricasse1 ,i liked it immensely2 but ,mrs4 ,daffodil1 because her shoe pinched1 or for some other good reason1 said that she hated truffles4 ,the lamb1 the most delicate little selle d'agneau de lait1 with the potatoes and the dark green salad relieved by the crimson of the beetroot1 was admirable4 ,english asparagus never can be anything but good1 and though my hostess insisted on my eating a cherry from among the friandises1 ,i left the sweets1 as is my custom1 alone4 ,and the bill4 ,i asked my host to let me look at it1 and here it is3--three couverts1 #cs42 caviar1 #cs42 tortue1 #fs42 saumon1 #fs42 fricasse de poulet1 #gs42 selle d'agneau1 #hs42 pommes risoles1 #bs42 salade1 #as4 #f;d42 asperges1 #ajs4 #f;d42 macdoine de fruits1 #ds4 #f;d42 one '#fg 7,burgundy71 #abs42 #adj 7champagne71 #gs4 #f;d41 three cafs special1 #as4 #f;d42 three liqueurs fine champagne 7#ahjj71 #fs42 total1 #d3 #j3 #f4 #ast ,february4 99 99 99 99 99 ,this was a dinner ordered in a hurry and without perhaps due consideration4 ,talking over it some days later on with ,mons4 ,fourault1 ,i asked him to give me a suggestion as to what he considered a typical ,princes' ,hall dinner for a larger number1 and ,i also asked him to be my ambassador to ,m4 ,azema1 the chef1 for the recette of the poulet l',ancienne1 which ,i had liked so much4 ,this is the menu for a dinner of six covers1 a very admirable dinner of ceremony4 ,as to its cost1 ,i am not prepared to guess4 ,le ,signi du ,volga4 ,les petits coulibiacs la ,czarine4 ,la crme ,ste-,marie4 ,les suprmes de truites la ,princesse4 ,les poulardes la ,georges ,sand4 ,le ,baron de ,pauillac aux primeurs4 ,les bcasses au champagne4 ,la salade ,impriale4 ,les asperges d',argenteuil ,ste-,mousseleine4 ,le souffl chaud succs4 ,la glace ,leda4 ,une corbeille de friandise4 ,les canaps ,diane4 ,dessert4 ,mons4 ,azema thought the fricasse ,ancienne1 the recette of which ,i had asked for1 too simple a dish1 and instead sent me the recette for the poularde ,georges ,sand1 which is a very lordly dish4 ,here it is as ,mons4 ,azema wrote it1 and a translation for any good people who1 like myself1 are puzzled sometimes by the terms employed in la ,haute ,cuisine4 ,recette de la poularde ,g4 ,sand ,lever les membres d'une belle poularde trs blanche bien rgulirement4 ,faire la tomber blond1 avec un oignon minc1 une bonne pointe de paprika1 et deux verres de vin blanc1 environ quarante-cinq minutes4 ,retirer la poularde et passer le fonds l'tamine1 le monter avec un bon beurre d'crevisse1 et garnir avec queues d'crevisse1 belles truffes1 en olives1 et crotons de feuilletage4 ,servir trs chaud4 ,illustration ,dismember a large white fowl very carefully4 ,stew it in white stock1 with a chopped onion1 a good pinch of paprika1 and two glasses of white wine1 for about forty-five minutes4 ,take out the fowl1 and pass the stock through the tammy4 ,flavour with a good cray-fish butter1 and garnish with tails of cray-fish1 large truffles1 olives1 and crotons of ,french puff-paste 7feuilletage74 ,serve very hot4 ,,chapter ,,ii ,,the ,,cheshire ,,cheese ,i had been kept late in ,fleet ,street on ,saturday1 and at a little before seven ,i woke to the fact that it was near the dinner hour1 that ,i was in the clothes ,i had worn all day1 that ,i was brain-weary and tired1 and not energetic4 ,i should be late for dinner if ,i went home1 half across the width of ,london2 ,i could not well dine at a club without evening clothes1 and a smart restaurant was equally out of the question1 for ,i felt1 being in the state of humiliation which weariness and ,london grime bring one to1 that ,i could not have held my own as to the choice of a table or the ordering of a dinner against even the least determined matre d'htel4 ,the easiest way was to dine at one of the ,fleet ,street hostelries1 and ,i ran such of them as ,i know over in my mind4 ,how they have changed since ,herrick rang them into rhyme6 ,then they were the ,sun1 the ,dog1 the ,triple ,tun4 ,now they are the ,rainbow1 the ,cock1 ,anderton's1 the ,cheshire ,cheese1 and a host more4 ,it was a pudding day at the ,cheshire ,cheese1 not the crowded day1 which is ,wednesday1 but a day on which ,i was sure to get a seat in the lower room and be able to eat my meal in comfort and content2 and that finally decided me in favour of the hostelry in ,wine ,office ,court4 ,it is not a cheerful thoroughfare that leads up to the ,cheshire ,cheese4 ,it is a narrow and dark passage1 and the squat little door of the tavern itself is not inviting1 for it is reminiscent of a country public-house4 ,it is not until one is through the sawdusted passage and into the lower room that one is in warmth and comfort4 ,i was a little late4 ,the man who loves the ,cheshire ,cheese pudding is in his place at table a few minutes before the pudding is brought in at #f4cj ,p4,m41 a surging billow of creamy white bulging out of a great brown bowl1 and then when the host begins to carve--and there is a certain amount of solemnity about the opening of this great pudding--the early guest gets the best helping4 ,by a quarter-past seven1 when ,i made my entry1 the pudding had sunk down into the depths of the bowl4 ,most of the tables were full1 but the long table1 at the head of which ,dr4 ,johnson is alleged to have sat with ,goldsmith at his left hand1 had some vacant places1 and ,i took one of them4 ,pudding8 said the head waiter4 ,i assented1 and ,mr4 ,moore1 the host1 a dapper gentleman1 with a wealth of dark hair and a dark moustache1 who had been chatting to a clean-shaven young gentleman who had the seat opposite to mine1 moved to the great bowl to give me my helping1 for no one but the host touches the sacred pudding4 ,the clean-shaven young gentleman relapsed into a newspaper1 and while ,i waited the few seconds before the brown mixture of lark and kidney and oyster and steak was put before me ,i looked round at my neighbours4 ,a gentleman1 bald of head and with white whiskers1 who was addressed as ,doctor1 sat in the great lexicographer's seat1 and talking to him was a bearded gentleman whom ,i put down at once as a press-man1 a sub-editor probably4 ,the only other guest at our table was a good-looking1 middle-aged man in clothes that had the gloss of newness on them1 a flannel shirt1 a white collar1 and a gaudy tie4 ,he had finished his meal1 was evidently contented with the world1 and there was a conversational glint in his eye when he caught mine that made me look away at once2 for ,i was hungry and downcast and not inclined for cheerful converse until ,i had eaten and drunk4 ,pudding1 sir1 and the head waiter put the savoury mass before me2 and what else8 ,i ordered a pint of beer and stewed cheese4 ,i ate my pudding1 and being told that the cheese was not ready1 ate a follow afterwards1 for there is no limit to the amount of pudding allowed1 and some of the followers1 as the host of the tavern calls them1 have been known to have half a dozen helpings2 and then the brown and fizzling cheese in its little tin tray1 with a triangle of toast on either side1 was put before me4 ,the cheese1 mixed with mustard and neatly spread on the toast1 according to custom1 eaten1 the last drops of the bitter beer poured from the pewter tankard into the long glass which is supposed to give brilliancy to the malt liquor2 and then1 feeling a man again1 ,i looked across at the flannel-shirted gentleman who had been smoking a pipe placidly1 with a look which meant ,come on4 ,the ripple of conversation broke at once4 ,he had been out in ,australia for fifteen years1 went out there as a mere lad1 and to-day was his first day in town after his return4 ,he had been used in past times to come to the ,cheshire ,cheese for his mid-day meal1 and the first place he had sought out when he came to ,london was the old hostelry4 ,he missed the old waiters1 he said1 but otherwise the place was much the same and as homely as ever4 ,i recognised in the attraction that had brought this wanderer from the antipodes to the old-fashioned tavern1 first of all places1 the same force that had made me1 the blas man about town1 unconsciously decide to dine there in preference to any other ,fleet ,street hostelry--its homeliness4 ,the old-fashioned windows with their wire blinds1 the sawdusted floor1 the long clay pipes on the window-sill2 the heirloom portrait of ,henry ,todd1 waiter2 the greybeard and leather-jack on their brackets 7both gifts from ,mr4 ,seymour ,lucas the artist72 the piles of black-handled knives1 the willow-pattern plates and dishes2 the curious stand in the centre of the floor for umbrellas2 the great old-fashioned grate with a brass kettle singing merrily on it2 the pile of ,whitaker's almanacks putting a touch of colour into a dark corner2 ,samuel ,johnson's portrait over his favourite seat1 and a host of prints1 relating to the great man1 on the walls2 the high partitions1 one particular square pew being shielded by a green baize curtain2 the simple napery2 the ruin of the great pudding on its little table2 all carried one back through the early ,victorian times to those dimmer periods when even coffee-houses were unknown1 and every man took his ease at his inn4 ,the floodgates of the friendly stranger's speech once unloosed1 he told me of his life in ,australia1 and the hard times he had had1 and how matters had come so far right that he was able to come home to ,england and enjoy himself for six months2 and the clean-shaven young gentleman--he was going on later to assist in an entertainment to the poor of ,houndsditch1 he told us--emerged from his newspaper1 and we all found a good deal to say4 ,nothing would satisfy the returned wanderer but that he must be allowed to ask us to join him in drinking a bowl of the ,cheshire ,cheese punch1 and ,mr4 ,moore1 the host1 must make one of the party4 ,the other guests--most of them1 ,i should think1 connected in some way or other with the ,fourth ,estate--had gradually drifted away1 and ,mr4 ,moore1 who had been going from table to table1 came and sat down4 ,no celebrities here to-night1 ,mr4 ,moore1 ,i said somewhat reproachfully1 and he admitted the soft impeachment1 but ,irish-wise told us of the great men of the present day that we had missed by not dining at the ,cheese on any night but the present one4 ,every journalist of fame1 every editor1 has eaten within the walls of the old hostelry1 and there is no judge that sits on the bench who has not taken some of his first dinners as a barrister in the little house up ,wine ,office ,court4 ,the hot punch was brought in in one of the china bowls1 of which there are three or four in a little corner cupboard in the old-fashioned bar across the passage1 and an old silver ladle to serve it with2 and the talk ranged back from the great men of the present day to those of the past4 ,thackeray knew the ,cheese well2 ,dickens used to come in his early days and tell the present host's mother all his troubles1 and so we got back to ,goldsmith and ,johnson1 the latter of whom is the especial patron saint of the hostelry1 for when he lived in ,gough ,square and ,bolt ,court the ,cheshire ,cheese is said to have been his nightly resort4 ,the punch ended1 the time came for the reckoning4 ,of old the head waiters were all clean-shaven1 like ,henry ,todd1 whose portrait hangs aloft1 and all the reckoning was done by word of mouth4 ,but the present head waiter has introduced innovations2 he wears a moustache1 and makes out his bills on paper4 ,this was mine--,ye rump steak pudding1 #bs42 vegetables1 #b;d42 cheese1 #d;d42 beer1 #e;d42 total1 #bs4 #aa;d4 #hth ,february4 ,,chapter ,,iii ,,the ,,holborn ,the ,american ,comedian and myself stood at a club window and looked out on ,london4 ,he was rehearsing1 and so enjoyed the rare privilege of having his evenings free to spend as he liked4 ,i had no business1 except to get myself a dinner somewhere1 so we agreed to eat ours in company4 ,the difficulty was to decide where to dine4 ,the ,comedian dined at one club or another every day of his life before going to the theatre1 so a club dinner was out of the question4 ,not having a lady to take out we agreed that we did not care to go to any of the smart restaurants3 we wanted something a little more elaborate than a grill-room would give us1 and more amusing company than we were likely to find at the smaller dining places we knew of4 ,i think that the suggestion to dine at the cheap table d'hte dinner at one of the very large restaurants1 to listen to the music1 and look at the people dining1 came from me4 ,our minds made up on this point1 there was the difficulty of selecting the restaurant1 so we agreed to toss up1 and the spin of the coin eventually settled upon the ,holborn ,restaurant4 ,in the many-coloured marble hall1 with its marble staircase springing from either side1 a well-favoured gentleman with a close-clipped grey beard was standing1 a sheet of paper in his hand1 and waved us towards a marble portico1 through which we passed to the grand saloon with its three galleries supported by marble pillars4 ,a table for two1 said a matre d'htel1 and we were soon seated at a little table near the centre of the room1 at which a waiter in dress clothes1 with a white metal number at his buttonhole and a pencil behind his ear1 was in attendance waiting for orders4 ,the table d'hte dinner was what we required1 and then ,i noticed that ,i had to ask for the wine list1 and that it was not given me opened at the champagnes1 as is usually the custom of waiters4 ,the menu1 which on a large sheet of stiff paper peeps out from a deep border of advertisements1 is printed both in ,french and in ,english4 ,this is the ,english side of it on the night we dined3-- ,,soups4 ,pure of ,hare aux crotons4 ,spaghetti4 ,,fish4 ,suprme of ,sole ,joinville4 ,plain ,potatoes4 ,darne de saumon4 ,rmoulade ,sauce4 ,,entr,,es4 ,bouches l',impratrice4 ,saut ,potatoes4 ,mutton ,cutlets la ,reforme4 ,,remove4 ,ribs of ,beef and ,horseradish4 ,brussels ,sprouts4 ,,roast4 ,chicken and ,york ,ham4 ,chipped ,potatoes4 ,,sweets4 ,caroline ,pudding4 ,st4 ,honor ,cake4 ,kirsch ,jelly4 ,,ice4 ,neapolitan4 ,cheese4 ,celery4 ,,dessert4 ,we agreed to drink claret1 and ,i picked out a wine third or fourth down on the list4 ,the ,comedian said he was hungry1 and ,i told him that ,i was glad to hear it1 for it might check the miraculous tales which he generally produces at meal-times4 ,with the ,spaghetti soup1 which was brown and strong1 the ,comedian told me the tale of the mummy of one of the ,ptolemies who lived some thousands of years ,b4,c4 which was revivified in the ,boston ,museum by having clam soup administered to it4 ,it was not one of the ,comedian's best efforts1 and ,i capped it easily by a tale of the ,japanese jelly-fish soup which is supposed to confer everlasting life1 and which tastes and looks like hot water4 ,the darne de saumon was rather a pallid slice1 which ,i attributed to package in ice2 but which the ,comedian said was owing to its having overgrown its strength4 ,and that reminds me1 he had just begun when ,i had the presence of mind to anticipate him1 and to tell the story of the #adj lbs4 mahseer which it took my uncle1 on my mother's side1 three days to land from the ,ganges4 ,i felt bound to tell him that the anecdote he subsequently related of a tarpon1 that his first cousin1 twice removed1 had hooked1 towing a steamer's lifeboat from the ,floridas to ,long ,island1 sounded like an invention4 ,to avoid friction we talked of our neighbours4 ,next door to us was a merry little party of three ladies1 one a widow1 and a gentleman in a red tie1 and the ,comedian invented quite a storyette1 after the manner of ,dickens1 of the kindly brother taking his three sisters out to dinner on the birthday of one of them--no brother would order champagne for his sisters except on the occasion of a birthday1 he said4 ,a couple1 in mourning1 were husband and wife1 and the ,comedian1 being in the vein1 wove a pathetic little story round the unconscious couple4 ,two young men1 in spick-and-span black coats1 with orchids in their buttonholes1 dining with two pretty girls1 were groomsmen from some wedding entertaining two of the bridesmaids4 ,some nodding plumes showing over the second balcony the ,comedian declared must belong to the principal boy of some provincial pantomime4 ,the cutlet of mutton that was brought to each of us was small1 and had suffered from having to journey some way from the kitchen2 but it was well cooked1 and there was unlimited sauce with it4 ,when ,i told the ,comedian the established fact that at the ,cape the sheep have to have wheels fitted to their tails1 he pretended that in ,new ,england there is a breed that draw their tails in miniature waggons4 ,i flatter myself1 however1 that my tale of the ,ovis ,polii1 the perpendicular shot and the three thousand feet fall down a ,cashmerian gully left him breathless4 ,to save the ,comedian from brain-weariness caused by invention ,i drew the waiter into conversation1 and1 beginning with the band--a good band1 but much too loud--learned that we should find the time each piece was played on the programme which was on the back of the menu4 ,it was not a full night1 our waiter told us1 but we were early1 it was only #g4ae1 and the saloon would fill up presently2 and then he drifted into wonderful figures of the number of guests the ,holborn could hold at one time4 ,we wondered inwardly1 but sent him off to get us our beef and ,brussels sprouts4 ,when ,i was out with ,buffalo ,bill---- the ,comedian began as the waiter returned2 but as my only story to go with beef is a ,wildebeeste story1 not one of my best1 ,i mentioned somewhat austerely1 that our helpings were growing cold4 ,then the ,comedian1 who was invincible in appetite1 ate a helping of chicken and ham and reported favourably4 ,encouraged by this1 ,i ate a slice of the ham which1 with a dash of champagne for sauce1 was good4 ,the ,comedian told rather a foolish story of a nigger robbing a hen-roost1 which gave me an opening to relate my celebrated anecdote of the ,naval ,brigade and the chickens during the ,zulu ,war1 an anecdote which has been known to make a rheumatic bishop and a deaf ,chairman of ,quarter ,sessions laugh4 ,the sweets we took as read1 and finished up our dinner with an ice1 a trifle too salt1 ,i thought4 ,the waiter had been disappointed at our taking no sweets1 but when we refused the offer of cheese and celery and dessert1 he was afraid that something must be the matter with us1 for most people at the ,holborn eat their dinner steadily through4 ,the saloon had filled up as our waiter had predicted4 ,there was a howling swell with tuberoses in the buttonhole of his frock-coat and a lordly moustache4 ,there were two youngsters in dress clothes and made-up ties making merry with two damsels4 ,there was a pretty actress--she's going to play in our new piece4 ,it's her first night off from playing at the ,frivolity1 and she has come here to be quiet1 said the ,comedian4 ,there was a business man from the north being entertained by two ,city friends1 and a host more diners whose history we had not time to invent1 for our waiter had taken the pencil from his ear and was standing ready with a little book in his hand4 ,dinners1 #gs42 attendance1 #f;d42 one bottle claret1 #ds4 #f;d42 total1 #abs4 ,that was the bill our waiter gave us1 and he said ,thank you very heartily for a shilling for himself4 ,i should have appreciated my dinner more if the ,comedian had confined his conversation to facts4 ,i regret to hear that the ,comedian permitted himself to say1 next day1 at the ,club that it was a thousand pities that ,i could not tell a story without exaggeration4 #aeth ,february4 ,,chapter ,,iv ,,romano',s ,sometimes after a period of depression one wants a tonic in dinners1 as one does in health4 ,my gastronomic malady had been a family feast at which ,i had sat next to a maiden aunt who1 after telling me that ,i was getting unpleasantly fat1 recounted anecdotes of my infancy and childhood all tending to prove that ,i was the most troublesome baby and worst conducted small boy that ever was4 ,something had to be done to banish that maiden aunt and her anecdotes from my memory4 ,the happy thought came to me that1 as the antidote1 ,i had better1 as ,i wanted cheering up1 ask ,miss ,dainty1 of the principal ,london theatres1 to be kind enough to come out and dine at any time and at any restaurant she chose to name4 ,i sent my humble invitation by express early in the day1 and received her answer by telegram3--,yes4 ,romano's4 ,eight4 ,see ,i have my pet table4 ,i have been given a beautiful poodle--,dainty4 ,be good1 and you will be happy4 ,at luncheon time ,i strolled down to the restaurant1 the butter-coloured front of which looks on to the ,strand1 and the proprietor1 the ,roman1 as he is called by the habitus of the establishment1 being out1 ,i took ,signor ,antonelli1 his second in command1 into my confidence1 secured the table next to the door1 sheltered by a glass screen from the draught1 which ,i knew to be ,miss ,dainty's pet one1 and proceeded to order dinner4 ,antonelli--,i must drop the ,signor--who has all the appearance of a cavalry colonel1 led off with hors-d'uvre4 ,i followed with1 as a suggestion for soup1 crme ,pink ',un1 a soup named after a light-hearted journal which practically made the ,roman's fortune for him4 ,then1 as there were some beautiful trout in the house1 the only question was as to the cooking of them4 ,truite au bleu1 my first thought1 was too simple4 ,truite ,chambord1 the amendment moved by ,antonelli1 was too rich2 so we compromised by ,truite ,meunire1 in the sauce of which the lemon counteracts the butter4 ,ctelettes de mouton ,sefton was ,antonelli's suggestion1 and was carried unanimously2 but ,i altered his pheasant1 which sounded greedy for two people1 into a perdreau en casserole4 ,salad1 of course4 ,then1 taken with a fit of parsimony1 ,i refused to let ,english asparagus go down on the slip of paper1 and ordered instead artichauts hollandais4 ,vanilla ice en corbeille and petits fours wound up my menu4 ,when the handsome lady arrived--only ten minutes late--she swept like a whirlwind through the hall--past the flower-stall1 where ,i had intended to ask her to pause and choose what flowers she would--in a dress which was a dream of blue with a constellation of diamonds on it1 and as she settled down into her seat at the table1 not quite certain whether to keep on the blue velvet and ermine cloak or let it drop1 ,i was told the first instalment of her news at express speed4 ,i need not look a crosspatch because she was late1 the pretty lady said4 ,it was the fault of the cabman1 who was drunk1 and had driven her half-way down ,oxford ,street4 ,what was a good name for a poodle8 ,the one she had been given was the dearest creature in the world4 ,it had bitten all the claws off the ,polar bear skin in the drawing-room1 had eaten up a new pair of boots from ,paris1 had hunted the cat all along the balcony1 breaking two of the blue pots the evergreens were in1 and had dragged all the feathers out of the parrot's tail4 ,was ,sambo a good name8 ,or ,satan8 ,or what8 ,why couldn't ,i answer8 ,my humble suggestions as to a name for a poodle having been treated with scorn1 ,miss ,dainty turned her attention to the hors-d'uvre4 ,there were no plain sardines among the numerous little dishes on the table1 and the ordinary tinned sardine was what her capricious ladyship wanted--and got4 ,the crme ,pink ',un was highly approved of1 and ,i did my best to explain at length how the combination of rice with a ,bisque soup softened the asperity of the cray-fish4 ,miss ,dainty1 changing the subject1 demanded to know what the seascapes1 which are framed all round the room1 in mauresque arches1 were4 ,i told her that the distemper paintings of deep blue sea and castles and islands and mosques1 which are the principal features of the room1 a room in which everything1 the clock1 the musicians' gallery1 the electric light brackets1 are of ,eastern type1 were views on the ,bosphorus2 and1 thinking to amuse1 related how when the paintings were first put up1 a celebrated battle-painter and myself had volunteered to give an up-to-dateness to them by adding some ,armenian atrocities to lend life to the pictures1 and of the ,roman's horror1 under the impression that we really meant to do as we said4 ,my humorous anecdote fell rather flat1 for ,miss ,dainty1 who did not care much for her trout1 though ,i thought it very excellent1 but a trifle too buttery1 said that that was just the sort of silly thing ,i would do4 ,the quiet person with a silver chain round his neck had brought our bottle of ,st-,marceaux1 and the clean-shaven little ,italian waiter in a white apron had replaced the trout with the cutlets la ,sefton4 ,for these ,miss ,dainty had nothing but praise1 which ,i echoed very heartily4 ,your dinner--everything go right1 eh1 ,mister ,esquire8 and the ,roman1 a dapper little ,italian in faultless dress-clothes1 with a small1 carefully tended moustache1 a full head of black hair1 turning grey at the temple1 and talking ,english with a free admixture of ,italian1 stood by our table1 going his round to see that all the diners were satisfied4 ,miss ,dainty did not ask for the deep-red carnation that was in the ,roman's button-hole2 but before he had passed on she was pinning it into her dress1 and when ,i ventured a very mild remark ,i was told that if ,i had not been mean enough to let her pass the flower-stall without offering her a button-hole she would not have had to accept one from anybody else--a retort which was scarcely fair4 ,i asked ,miss ,dainty if she knew who the pretty lady dining with a good-looking grey-haired man at a table at the end of the room was4 ,she did know and gave me a full account of the lady's stage career1 and while the perdreau en casserole was being cut up we ran over the professions of the various diners who occupied the triple line of little tables running down the room4 ,the two men dining by themselves were powers in the theatrical world4 ,may ,i ask them to come and take their coffee and old brandy at our table8 ,i asked1 and ,miss ,dainty graciously assented4 ,there were as well a well-known theatrical lawyer talking business with the secretary to a successful manager2 a dramatic author1 who was proposing plays to a colonial manager2 a lady with golden hair and a permanent colour to whom a small ,judaic youth was whispering with great earnestness2 a well-known sporting lord1 dining by himself2 a music-hall agent laying down the law as to contracts to a journalist2 two quiet ladies in sealskin coats2 and many others1 nearly all connected with the great army of stage-land4 ,a little too much onion with the perdreau en casserole we both thought1 otherwise admirable4 ,salad good1 artichokes good1 though we preferred plain vinegar as a dressing to the hollandais one1 and the ice delicious4 ,then ,miss ,dainty trifled with cherries cased in pink sweetness and sections of oranges sealed in transparent sugar1 and our two friends from the table at the far end came across and took coffee and liqueurs with us1 and talked of the old days when ,romano's was but a quarter of the size it is now1 when it was far more ,bohemian than it is now1 when there was a little aquarium in the front window into which the sons of ,belial used to try and force each other late at night1 much to the consternation of the gold-fish1 when everybody who took his meals there knew everybody else and the chaff ran riot down the single line of little tables1 and when every ,sunday morning a devoted but ,sabbath-breaking band were led across the ,strand by the ,roman to see his cellars1 best in ,london1 as he used to say4 ,all of a sudden ,miss ,dainty1 whom these reminiscences did not interest very much1 remembered that the door of the parrot's cage had been left open4 ,she was quite sure that the poodle would be trying to kill the bird1 and she must go back at once to see to the matter4 ,i put ,miss ,dainty1 who said that she had enjoyed her dinner1 into a hansom1 two brown eyes full of laughter set in a pretty face looked out at me as she told me to be good and that then ,i should be happy1 the cabman cried ,pull up to his horse1 and the pretty lady was off to the rescue of the parrot4 ,then ,i went back and paid my bill3 ,two couverts1 #f;d42 hors-d'uvre1 #bs42 crme ,pink ',un1 #bs42 truite1 #bs4 #f;d42 ctelettes de mouton1 #bs4 #f;d42 petits pois1 #as42 pommes1 #as42 perdreau1 #fs42 salade1 #as42 artichauts1 #bs42 glace1 #bs42 champagne 7#ajg71 #acs4 #f;d42 caf1 #cs42 liqueurs1 #es42 total #b3 #ds4 #bbnd ,february4 99 99 99 99 99 ,when ,i asked ,antonelli for a specimen menu of a dinner of ceremony such as is often given in the pretty ,japanese room on the second floor he looked pleased and said that ,i should certainly have it2 but when ,i asked for the recette of the crme ,pink ',un he looked as doleful as if he had just heard of the death of his grandmother4 ,but ,signor ,romano came to the rescue4 ,the chef he say that soup what-you-call-a secret du maison2 but ,i tell him no matter secret or not he just write it out for you4 ,so ,i got my recette4 ,this is the dinner1 and a noble feast it is1 that ,antonelli recommends for a party of twelve4 ,the ,homard saut la ,julien is a speciality of ,romano's2 but ,i have some respect for the feelings of ,antonelli and the chef1 and did not ask for a recette of that4 ,hutres natives4 ,petite bouche norvgienne4 ,tortue claire4 ,crme ,dubarry4 ,homard saut la ,julien4 ,aiguillette de sole4 ,sauce ,germanique4 ,zphir de poussin la ,brillat-,savarin4 ,selle d'agneau la ,grand-,veneur4 ,petits pois primeur la ,franaise4 ,pomme nouvelle persillade4 ,spongada la ,palermitaine4 ,jambon d',york brais au champagne4 ,caille la ,crapaudine4 ,salade de saison4 ,asperges vertes en branche4 ,sauce mousseuse4 ,timbale ,marie-,louise4 ,bombe la ,romano4 ,petits fours assortis4 ,dessert4 ,caf4 ,pink ',un ,potage ,the recette of the crme ,pink ',un is as follows3-- ,mettez dans une casserole deux onces de beurre1 deux cuillres--bouche d'huile d'olive2 coupez en petits morceaux une carotte et un oignon1 que vous laisserez cuire pendant cinq minutes tout doucement4 ,avez ensuite vingt-quatre crevisses vivantes1 un livre de crevettes et six tomates fraches1 que vous mettrez ensemble2 ajoutez une demi-bouteille de ,chablis1 et1 aprs avoir assaisonn de sel et poivre cayenne1 couvrez votre casserole et donnez vingt minutes d'bullition4 ,d'autre part prenez une livre d'orge perle que vous aurez faite cuire pendant trois heures dans un bouillon ordinaire1 brayez dans un mortier vos crevisses et crevettes1 ainsi que l'orge1 mlangez1 dlayez avec un litre de bouillon1 passez ensuite a l'tamine2 ceci fait1 remettez votre potage chauffer sans lui donner de l'bullition2 additionnez une rduction de cognac o vous y aurez mis une branche de thym1 deux feuilles de laurier1 un petit bouquet de persil1 d'estragon et cerfeuil4 ,finissez votre potage en y ajoutant six onces de beurre frais et servez avec crotons4 ,illustration ,put in a saucepan two ounces of butter and two teaspoonfuls of olive oil4 ,cut a carrot and an onion into small pieces1 and let them cook gently for five minutes4 ,then take twenty-four live cray-fish1 a pound of prawns1 and six fresh tomatoes4 ,put these in altogether1 and then add half a bottle of ,chablis1 and after having seasoned with salt and cayenne pepper1 put the lid on the saucepan1 and let it boil for twenty minutes4 ,have ready a pound of pearl barley which has been cooked for three hours1 in ordinary stock4 ,pound in a mortar the cray-fish and prawns1 with the barley1 dilute with a pint and three-quarters of stock1 and pass through a fine sieve4 ,this done1 put the soup back to warm again1 without letting it boil4 ,add then a little cognac1 in which you have steeped a bunch of thyme1 two laurel leaves1 and a little bunch of parsley1 tarragon and chervil4 ,finish your soup by adding six ounces of fresh butter1 and serve with sippets of fried bread4 ,,chapter ,v ,,simpson',s ,the battle-painter and ,i were walking down the ,strand1 uncertain where to lunch1 when just by the theatrical bookshop a man in a shabby suit of tweed and a billycock hat1 drawn rather low down on his forehead1 passed us quickly1 looking into our faces for a second as he did so4 ,it's ,smith1 said the battle-painter4 ,poor fellow6 ,it was the man we had been talking about only that morning1 the good fellow who had been at school with me1 who had made a voyage on board a ,p4 and ,o4 in which both the battle-painter and ,i had gone out to ,india1 and had been the life and soul of the ship2 with whom we had spent a week in his station on the ,bombay side1 and who had come on a return visit to me in the ,punjab when the battle-painter honoured me with his company at the quiet little garrison where ,i was quartered at the time4 ,we knew he had left his cavalry regiment1 and had heard vaguely that he had come to grief through some financial smash4 ,here was our man1 and we turned at once and went after him4 ,i didn't think you fellows would know me in this kit1 he said1 when we caught him up and laid friendly hands on him4 ,most people don't seem over-anxious to recognise me now4 ,he certainly did not look flourishing1 though he had the smart carriage of the soldier about him1 was as carefully shaved1 and his light moustache as carefully trimmed1 as if he were going on parade1 and had the old buoyancy of manner4 ,where will you come and lunch with us8 we both asked in a breath4 ,it's my dinner hour now1 he told us1 and somehow there was a touch of pathos in the way he said it4 ,we proposed the ,savoy grill-room to him1 or ,romano's across the way2 but he said that1 if we were anxious that he should come and eat with us1 he would sooner have a cut from the saddle of mutton at ,simpson's than anything else4 ,we turned back and went into the entrance to the old-fashioned eating-place1 with its imitation marble columns1 its coloured tile floor1 its trees in tubs1 and its two placards on either side1 one announcing that a dinner from the joint is to be had for #bs4 #f;d41 and the other that a fish dinner for #bs4 #i;d4 is served from #ab4cj ,p4,m4 to #h4cj ,p4,m4 ,smith changed his mind4 ,the last fish dinner he had eaten was at ,greenwich more than half a dozen years ago1 when he had asked a party of thirty down to celebrate an investment that was going to make his fortune1 and if we didn't mind he would eat another now4 ,we took three seats at the end of one of the tables in the downstairs room4 ,smith looked round with an air of recognition4 ,nothing had changed1 he said1 since the days when he used to come to get a cut from the joint after a day's racing4 ,and1 indeed1 ,simpson's does not look like a place that changes4 ,the big dumb-waiter in the centre of the room1 almost as tall as a catafalque1 with its burden of glasses and decanters1 and four plated wine-coolers1 one at each corner as ornament1 the divisions with brass rails and little curtains that run down one side of the room2 the horsehair-stuffed1 black-cushioned chairs and lounges1 the mirrors on one side of the room and ground-glass windows on the other2 the painted garlands of flowers and fish and flesh and fowl1 mellowed by age and ,london smoke1 that fill up the vacant spaces on the wall1 the ormolu clocks1 the decoratively folded napkins in glasses on the mantelpieces1 the hats and coats hanging in the room1 the screen with many time-tables on it1 the great bar window opening into the room1 framing a depth of luminous shadow1 all are old-fashioned4 ,only the two great candelabra that stand1 a dozen feet high1 on either side of the room have been modernised4 ,the waiters at ,simpson's are ,britannic and have that dignity which sits so well on the chairman of a company addressing his shareholders1 or an ,m4,p4 entertaining his constituents1 or the genuine ,english waiter taking an order4 ,it is an undefinable majesty2 but it exists4 ,rubicund gentlemen of portly figure1 dressed in white1 the carvers1 leisurely push carving dishes1 with plated covers1 running on wheels1 from customer to customer4 ,a benignant waiter with a grey beard had stood and accepted our order1 which was1 to begin with1 turbot and sauce2 and while with becoming dignity he conveyed the news to one of the white-coated gentlemen1 ,smith gave us a rsum of his history since we had all three parted at a railway station in the ,punjab4 ,he had almost been a millionaire1 he had ridden as a trooper in a squadron of ,american cavalry1 he had fought in ,matabeleland1 he had tried gold-mining without success2 and now he was going this afternoon down to the ,city to meet a man who was going to finance a marvellous invention of his1 and presently he would make the fortunes of the battle-painter and myself4 ,the battle-painter and myself smiled1 and fell-to on our turbot and its rubicund sauce1 for we knew ,smith of old4 ,a fine big slice of firm turbot it was1 but ,i fancy the sauce owed its deep colour and some of its substance to the artistic methods of the cook4 ,next ,smith voted for a fried sole1 while the battle-painter and ,i ordered stewed eels1 and as the first bottle of ,liebfraumilch1 which ,smith had preferred to any other wine or spirit1 was getting near low-water mark1 ,i asked our waiter1 who somewhat resembled the ex-,speaker1 to bring us another4 ,smith having for the moment exhausted his historical reminiscences1 we could look round at our neighbours4 ,half a dozen country gentlemen up to see the shire-horses at ,islington1 most of them confining their attention to those saddles of mutton which are the pride of ,simpson's1 a barrister or two1 the good-looking husband of a popular actress1 and four or five well-known bookmakers1 for ,simpson's is essentially sporting4 ,then our eels and the sole were brought4 ,smith said the sole was excellent2 and except that ,i like my sauce with the eel a little richer than ,i got it at ,simpson's1 neither the battle-painter nor myself could find the slightest cause to grumble4 ,the ,liebfraumilch was pleasant and soft1 and we were in the best of tempers when the whitebait1 a trifle large1 and the salmon for ,smith--salmon which looked beautiful1 and which we both secretly envied--arrived4 ,a little group of men who bore the stamp of racing men about them had congregated round the bar window while we had been at table1 and were being attended to by a rosy-faced maiden4 ,cheese and celery we paid but little attention to1 for ,smith1 now quite the cheery1 confident cavalryman of old1 said that he must not miss his appointment in the ,city1 but that when the splendid fortune that was in his grasp came to him he would give the battle-painter and myself1 in return for our mid-day meal1 a dinner at the ,savoy that would outdo the celebrated rouge-et-noir one4 ,it was pleasant to see the good fellow himself again1 and we wished him success in his venture4 ,then1 after seeing him off1 we paid the bill4 ,dinner1 #hs4 #f;d4 7,smith's salmon was #c;d4 extra72 two ,liebfraumilch1 #abs42 attendance1 #i;d42 total1 #a3 #a3 #c4 ,afterwards the battle-painter and myself went upstairs into the ladies' dining-room1 a fine room1 which is lighter and fresher than the gentlemen's dining-room below1 and there we had coffee and chatted with ,charles ,flowerdew1 the head waiter1 one of the real head waiters as they knew them in the old days1 and listened to his stories and took a pinch of snuff out of his presentation snuff-box4 ,and here ,mr4 ,crathie1 tall1 clean-shaved1 except for narrow side whiskers1 with a white head of hair in which a ruddy tint still lingers1 found us1 and under his guidance we went farther upstairs and peeped through the glass doors into the room where half a dozen games of chess were being played4 ,mr4 ,crathie1 who has been proprietor and1 later1 managing director of ,simpson's for half a long lifetime1 told us something of the history of the place1 how it originally consisted only of a cigar-shop on the ground floor and the chess divan above1 how he purchased it and formed it into a small company1 and how now a larger company was to have control of it4 99 99 99 99 99 ,before we left the old-fashioned house1 about which the steam of saddles of mutton seems to cling1 we looked in on the ,knights of the ,round ,table1 who have their club-room at ,simpson's1 who possess a wonderful collection of portraits of past worthies of the club1 and a unique book of playbills1 whose motto is1 ,i will go eat with thee and see your ,knights1 and who once a week dine together off plain ,english food at the round table1 one piece of mahogany1 from which they draw their name4 #ast ,march4 99 99 99 99 99 ,since ,i wrote the above1 ,simpson's has been acquired by a company which has also taken over ,the ,golden ,cross ,hotel1 ,trafalgar ,square4 ,the old place has in no way been altered by its new masters1 who believe in letting well alone4 ,charles ,flowerdew has left the upper room1 and retired with1 ,i trust1 a comfortable competency2 but ,william1 who for many years was head waiter at the ,cock1 and has as fine a store of reminiscences as any old-fashioned waiter to be found in ,london1 now serves in the lower room1 and is in himself a mine of amusing information4 ,,chapter ,,vi ,,the ,,hans ,,crescent ,,hotel ,if ,i had to set an examination paper on the art of dining1 one of the questions ,i should certainly ask the examinee would be3 ,what occupation or amusement would you suggest for your guests after a dinner at a restaurant on ,sunday8 ,the ,hans ,crescent ,hotel management have answered this question in a practical way2 and not the least pleasant part of a dinner at the smart hotel ,sloane ,street way is the coffee and liqueur and cigarette taken under the palms in the winter garden1 where the red-shaded lamps throw a gentle light1 and ,m4 ,casano's band playing ,czibulka's waltz-whisper1 ,songe d'amour aprs le bal1 sends one back in a dream to the days when an evening of dancing was a foretaste of the seventh heaven1 and every woman was a possible divinity4 ,the ,editor does not write long letters1 but the card with his initials at the bottom gave me place and time1 and told me that ,i should find myself one of a partie carre4 ,what was the exact reason of the dinner that the good ,editor gave to the gracious lady and the handsome niece and myself1 ,i do not know2 but ,i rather think that it was a propitiatory offering made for non-appearance on the editorial tricycle when warned for escort duty to the gracious lady1 who had gone that day for a long bicycle ride4 ,if it was so1 the dinner at the ,hans ,crescent ,hotel1 plus the excuse given1 whether it was church-going or letter-writing1 did not save the ,editor during the evening from little barbed conversational shafts as to sloth and laziness and the evil habit of lying late in bed on the ,sabbath morning4 ,i never commit the unpardonable offence of being late for dinner1 and three minutes before my time ,i was waiting in the oak-panelled hall1 which1 with its stained-glass window1 big staircase with a balcony at the back1 its palms and great fireplace1 always looks to me like an elaborate set for a scene in some comedy4 ,the hands of the clock stole on to eight o'clock1 and that feeling of righteousness which comes to the man who is in time when he believes that his fellow-creatures are late fell on me1 when1 on a sudden1 ,m4 ,diette1 the manager of the hotel1 grey of hair and moustache1 a black tie under his ,shakspeare collar1 and a faultless frock-coat1 appeared1 and recognising me1 asked me whether by chance ,i was the gentleman for whom the ,editor and two ladies had been waiting some ten minutes in the drawing-room4 ,so it came that when ,i went into the drawing-room1 where the two ladies were looking at the brocades in the panels and the editorial eye was fixed on the clock on the mantelpiece1 it was ,i who had to stumble through apologies1 and ,i felt conscious that my tale of waiting in the hall sounded hideously improbable4 ,m4 ,diette himself showed us to our table in the dining-room1 which is as near a reproduction of an old baronial hall as modern comfort1 electric light1 and civilisation will allow4 ,the baron of old1 in the days when each man cut his own portion off the roast meat with his dagger1 might have been able to boast of the open fireplace in green ,connemara marble and the panelled walls1 but the handsome frieze and the carved oak pillars would have been beyond his artistic dreams4 ,he would probably have preferred rushes to the ,oriental rugs that half cover the oak floor1 and he would certainly have thought the palmery seen through the open ,french window in a glow of rosy light a vision called up by some magician4 ,the ,editor1 stroking his pointed beard with satisfaction1 was reading through the menu1 the gracious lady and the handsome niece were noting1 one by one1 the celebrities dining at the other tables1 and the head waiter was standing watching the ,editor with the calm but deferential confidence an artist shows when an important patron is inspecting his work4 ,a minor servitor1 a thin tape of gold on the collar of his livery coat and wearing white gloves1 was also in attendance1 and the overture in the way of hors-d'uvre la ,russe was before us4 ,in quick succession our ladies had named the tall1 slim1 titled lady in black1 who had come in leaning on a stick2 the good-looking young musical critic1 who was entertaining ,belle and a very pretty girl2 a newly-married ,earl and his wife2 the handsome stockbroker and his wife1 who in the summer are to be found not far from ,maidenhead ,bridge1 and at whose table were sitting the most hospitable of up-river hostesses and her son2 a millionaire1 who was entertaining a tableful of guests2 and one or two titled couples whom the gracious lady knew1 but whose names meant nothing to me4 ,i was able to add my quota by pointing out a steward of the ,jockey ,club1 at whose table was the owner of the good horse ,bendigo4 ,the ,editor1 having learned that we all preferred for the moment claret to champagne1 put down the menu with a little sigh of anticipatory gratitude1 and ran his finger half-way down a page on the wine list4 ,this was the menu which the gracious lady looked at1 and then handed on to me3-- ,hors-d'uvre la ,russe4 ,consomm ,brunoise la ,royale4 ,potage en tortue4 ,suprme de saumon la ,chambord4 ,tournedos la ,montgador4 ,poularde la ,demi-,doff4 ,caille rti sur canap4 ,,salade4 ,flageolets ,mtre4 d',htel4 ,bombe ,chateaubriand4 ,corbeilles de friandises4 ,the handsome niece had approved of the people at the other tables as being most of them interesting and good-looking1 had said she liked the table with its decoration of a ring of yellow flowers and leaves drawn round the basket of friandises1 and we began dinner with good appetite and good temper4 ,the clear soup with its patchwork ground of minutely chopped vegetables seen through the amber of its liquid was excellent and hot2 the fish deserved a special word for its sauce1 in the making of which an artist's hand had been employed2 and the tournedos with their attendant fixings1 to use an ,americanism1 a symphony in rich browns with the scarlet of the tomato to relieve it1 gave no loophole for captious criticism4 ,we had been talking of the respective merits of houseboats and cottages as summer residences1 and from that had drifted on to the subject of the wonderful steam launch that the ,editor owns1 and inventions generally4 ,the gracious lady had said her say on the wonders she knew of2 and the handsome niece1 not to be outdone1 described the invention of the age through which by means of a little metal case half the size of the smallest pill box1 every man is to make his own soda-water1 which is to supersede all other inventions as a fuse for big guns1 and is going to drive dynamite out of the field2 and ,i1 fired by the spirit of healthy emulation1 had just started an account of the flying machine by which ,i hoped to reach ,mars1 to which the ladies1 not noticing the twinkle in the ,editor's eyes1 were listening gravely1 when the waiter brought the poularde la ,demi-,doff4 ,the ,editor was the only one of us who took any1 and he1 in very excellent ,french1 told the head waiter1 who was hovering round1 that he thought it good4 ,whether it was that the gracious lady had caught the tail-end of the editorial smile at my ,munchausen flying-machine story1 or whether the non-appearance of the tricycle was remembered1 it matters not2 but the ,editor was gravely warned not to talk ,hindustani at the dinner-table4 ,the quails were a trifle over-cooked1 and the artistic hand which had made the sauce for the salmon had not mixed the salad1 which was too vinegary4 ,i think our negative criticism must have hurt the feelings of the waiter1 who probably paused on the way from the kitchen to wipe away a tear1 for the flageolets1 excellently cooked1 were not quite as hot as they should have been4 ,then the dinner got into its stride again1 for the bombe was admirable4 ,the band had been making music for the past half-hour in the winter-garden1 and the diners at the various tables had gradually left the oaken hall for the tables1 each labelled with the number of the corresponding dining-tables and name of the host1 reserved under the rosy lamps and the palms4 ,the violins played with a delightful softness1 the rings of cigarette smoke curled and vanished up towards the glass dome4 ,from table to table the men went1 saying a word here1 staying for a chat there2 and at last1 when the little band had played ,gounod's ,ave ,maria1 and ended with the wail of ,miska's ,czardas1 it was time to gather in the hall to say good-night and be off homewards to the land of ,nod4 ,this was the bill that ,i asked the ,editor to let me glance at3--,four dinners at #ajs4 #f;d41 #b3 #bs42 three bottles claret1 #a3 #ajs42 cafs1 #cs42 liqueurs1 #cs42 total1 #c3 #ahs4 #hth ,march4 99 99 99 99 99 ,mr4 ,francis ,taylor has now taken ,mons4 ,diette's place as manager4 ,mons4 ,heiligenstein1 as chef1 rules the roast1 and boiled1 and fried4 ,,chapter ,,vii ,,the ,,blue ,,posts 7,,cork ,,street7 ,none of your d--d la's1 and remember ,i won't get into dress clothes for anybody4 ,that was what the old gentleman wrote1 and it was not an easy matter to find a dining place and a theatre to go to afterwards that would suit my prospective guest4 ,the old gentleman lives his life in a little country town which is favourable to the growth of characters2 he always wears a plain1 double-breasted broadcloth coat2 a bird's-eye cravat1 taken twice round his old-fashioned collar1 folded in a manner that would puzzle a modern valet1 and secured by a fox-tooth pin2 his waistcoats1 the irreverent youths of the club say1 descended to him from his great-grandfather1 and his watch chain is a leather chin-strap4 ,he has a particular chair by a particular window of the county club on which he sits in the afternoon of non-hunting days1 and drinks one stiff glass of brandy-and-water4 ,he has never worn a greatcoat1 never missed a day's hunting for the last fifteen years1 will walk a mile1 run a mile1 and ride a mile against any man of his own age1 and he is near seventy1 dislikes the ,french on principle1 and has never been to ,france1 and comes to ,london as rarely as he can--very pressing business1 the ,cattle ,show or a horse show being the only matters that would ever bring him up even for the day4 ,the son1 the grandson1 and great-grandson of comfortable country solicitors1 he preferred entertaining clients to advising them1 always shut up his office on hunting days1 and having a surplus of the world's goods1 for a bachelor1 he lives a very comfortable life in the beetle-browed old house in the ,high ,street1 with its great garden behind1 its dark dining-room with a glint of reflected lights from polished mahogany and massed silver1 its crooked oak staircase1 its panelled passages1 and bedrooms1 each with a huge four-poster bed1 its carved chimney-pieces and uneven floors2 with1 as servants1 a prim housekeeper1 a fat cook--the only woman1 he says1 in the county who can make a venison pasty--and an old butler1 with whom he argues as to the port to be drunk after dinner4 ,i know the old gentleman's tastes1 for he has asked me often enough to the wonderful oyster and woodcock lunches he gives1 and the solid ,english dinners in which haunches of venison1 saddles of mutton1 great capons1 turkeys almost as big as ostriches1 cygnets1 sucking pigs1 and such-like dishes generally are the gros pices1 and it was not easy to select a suitable dining-place for him4 ,he was up for the ,hackney ,show2 had1 after much pressing1 consented to dine and go to the theatre1 and where to take him ,i did not know4 ,the melodrama of the moment at the ,adelphi was the play ,i thought he would like1 and1 after passing by mentally my clubs1 because he might not care to be the one man in morning dress among a white-cravated crowd1 and the smart restaurants for the same reason1 and also because nothing but brute force would keep a matre d'htel from putting an la on the menu1 the happy thought came to me that at the ,blue ,posts the fare would suit my guest well4 ,i went down in the early afternoon through the ,burlington ,arcade1 with its scent of perfumers' shops and its ,parisian jewellery1 into ,cork ,street1 where the tavern hides itself modestly4 ,i have but vague remembrances of the old house which was burned down4 ,to-day1 if one did not know that the house holds still to its reputation of being one of the very best places where old-fashioned ,british food is to be obtained1 it might1 with its tiled floors1 its stained-glass windows and doors1 its wall-papers of quiet artistic shades1 its electric light1 be one of those small restaurants where the ,parisian art of cooking is cultivated4 ,past the stained-glass doors leading into the wine-bars1 upstairs and into the dining-room1 sacred to the male sex1 with its six or seven little square tables1 and two round ones1 ,i went1 there to find ,frank1 the head waiter1 not yet in his evening garb1 sitting and reading a paper4 ,frank1 who1 with his white moustache and whiskers and white hair parted in the centre1 has still about him a suggestion of the soldier who fought under the old ,emperor ,william1 has been for fifteen years head waiter at the ,posts1 and is a person to be confided in2 so ,i told him particulars as to the old gentleman who was to be my guest1 and asked for suggestions4 ,the bill of fare1 on a long slip of paper1 which ,frank put into my hand would have gladdened the old gentleman's heart4 ,there was not an la on it--not a word of ,french1 sauce tartare excepted1 and entres were rigorously excluded4 ,frank advised soup1 saying that all the soups were made from stock1 no sauces of any kind being used2 but ,i mistrust the ,britannic soup1 for we are not a nation of soupmakers1 and would have none4 ,grilled or fried8 was the question as to the fish1 and after due discussion ,i ordered a grilled sole4 ,i was all for a porterhouse steak1 but at this ,frank put his foot down4 ,rump steaks were the specialty of the house1 he said1 and explained how the cook kept the great joint of beef intact1 only cutting a steak just before he put it on the grill1 and this being so1 a rump steak it had to be1 with potatoes in their jackets1 a salad1 and cauliflower4 ,marrow-bones completed the dinner4 ,for wine ,i ordered a bottle of ,beaune suprieur and a pint of port4 ,at #g4de to the second my old gentleman1 his clean-shaven1 ruddy face bringing a breath of country air with it1 appeared1 and as we sat at our table and waited for the sole1 of which the cook had started the cooking as soon as ,i set foot within the dining-room1 ,i was given much information as to the hackneys1 told of some marvellous runs that the county hounds had had lately1 and was lectured on the iniquity of the farmers wiring their fences4 ,then we looked at the room and the company4 ,the proof print of the coronation of ,her ,majesty which hangs on the soft green-coloured wall was approved of as being patriotic1 the frieze with its little tablets bearing the names of authors and composers and the stained-glass windows and skylight were considered ,frenchified1 and the ,parian statuettes on the mantelpiece were dismissed as fal-lals4 ,i wished that some of the stately bucks1 habitus of old days1 had been dining there--,mr4 ,weatherby in his blue coat and brass buttons1 and a great publisher with his black satin stock2 for the young gentlemen who sat at the other tables1 most of them in dress clothes1 though irreproachably correct1 were not picturesque4 ,frank brought the sole1 piping hot1 still sizzling1 from the bars4 ,the cook had given it the necessary squeeze of lemon1 and1 watching my guest1 ,i could see that the first item of my dinner was a success4 ,the ,beaune1 warmed to just the right temperature1 was as good a ,burgundy as a man could wish with his dinner4 ,then came the steak1 not a thin slab of meat1 but a fine1 impressive solid mass of beef1 great of depth and size1 the typical dish for ,englishmen4 ,i cut it1 and in the centre there was the ruddy flush which is as pleasing to the devout diner as the blush on a maiden's cheek is to the devout lover4 ,the great potatoes1 cooked in their skins1 were so hot that they burned our fingers1 the cauliflower was excellent1 and there was a delicious beetroot salad powdered with spring onion4 ,damme6 said the old gentleman1 they understand what a steak is1 here4 ,then came the marrow-bones1 each swathed in its napkin with its attendant square of toast leaning up against it4 ,now the first essential in a marrow-bone is that it should be hot1 and the second that it should contain at least a fair amount of marrow4 ,our bones were so hot that they could hardly be held in spite of the protecting napkin1 and from each gushed forth a flood of the steaming delicacy4 ,we sat and sipped our port1 and trifled with a ,cheddar cheese4 ,my old gentleman had objected to the waiters in such a ,britannic house being of foreign birth2 but ,i comforted him by telling him of the battles against the ,french in which ,frank had taken part1 and of the history of his maimed hand4 ,fought the ,french1 did he8 said the old gentleman4 ,that's good4 ,damme1 that's very good6 ,he had put a date to the port1 and opened his eyes when ,i told him how little ,i was charged for it4 ,indeed1 all the items of my bill were small4 ,dinners1 #ajs4 #f;d42 ,burgundy1 #gs42 port1 #es4 #f;d42 total1 #a3 #cs4 ,i hope you have not dined badly8 ,i asked my guest as we rose to take cab for the ,adelphi4 ,well1 my boy2 very well1 said the old gentleman4 #aeth ,march4 ,,chapter ,,viii ,,verrey',s 7,,regent ,,street7 ,the little curly-headed1 light-haired page1 who is the modern ,mercury1 in that he gives warning when one is rung up at the telephone in the club1 came to me in the reading-room and told me that a lady at the ,hotel ,cecil wished to speak to me4 ,hullo6 ,are you there8 was answered by a ,yes in a lady's voice1 and in a few seconds ,i was informed that ,myra ,washington was in ,london1 that she would like to see me1 that she would be busy all the afternoon shopping1 but that if ,i was not otherwise engaged ,i might take her out to dinner and to a show afterwards4 ,mrs4 ,washington is a lady whom it is a liberal education to have the honour of being acquainted with1 for she knows most people who are worth knowing in ,europe1 has been to most places worth seeing1 and is in every way cosmopolitan4 ,she is generally taken for a ,russian1 until she speaks1 chiefly1 ,i think1 because of her hair1 which is so light that it is almost white1 and because she smokes cigarettes at every possible moment4 ,she is to be found in ,paris1 where she has a flat in one of the avenues branching from the ,arc de ,triomphe1 and where she is kind enough1 most years1 to give me djeuner on the morning of the ,grand ,prix4 ,but her movements are always erratic4 ,i first made her acquaintance at ,suez1 where ,i had the honour to be recorded on the tablets of her memory as having delivered her from some impertinent ,arab hawkers1 and she showed me what ,american hospitality is during the exhibition at ,chicago1 in which city her husband1 ,john ,p4 ,washington1 is always making or losing fortunes in the wheat pit4 ,i was glad1 therefore1 to hear the pretty lady's voice again1 even though filtered through a telephone1 and ,i proposed innumerable plans to her4 ,she had come to ,london from ,cannes to meet ,john1 who was running over from ,america for a couple of days on business1 and wanted to do as much as possible in the shortest time4 ,she had been to the ,gaiety after dining at the ,savoy her first night in ,london1 had lunched at ,willis's and seen a matine at ,daly's1 dined at the ,princes' ,hall and spent the evening at the ,palace on the second1 and now ,i was to be responsible for her evening's amusement on the third evening4 ,did she know ,verrey's8 ,and as a reply ,i was asked whether ,i thought she knew her own name4 ,then would she dine with me at the restaurant in ,regent ,street1 and ,i would have a box for her at the ,empire afterwards8 and ,mrs4 ,washington said she would4 ,if ,i may1 ,i will come and call for you at a little before eight1 ,i said promptly1 and ,mrs4 ,washington wanted to know whether there were bandits in ,regent ,street4 ,eventually1 ,i was told that if ,i was cooling my feet in the entrance at #h to a second ,i should have the felicity of helping her out of her cab4 ,to give ,mrs4 ,washington a satisfactory dinner is not one of the easiest things in the world1 for she understands the art of dining1 and is1 as well1 a most excellent cook herself when she chooses2 so it was with a full sense of the responsibility ,i had incurred that ,i sought ,mr4 ,krehl1 the elder of the two brothers in whose hands ,verrey's now is1 and found him in the caf4 ,he knew ,mrs4 ,washington1 of course1 and hearing that it was she who was to be my guest1 he called in his brother ,albert1 almost a twin in resemblance to him1 who now devotes all his time to the management of the restaurant1 and we held a solemn council of three4 ,i am a very strong believer myself in small dinners1 but it was difficult to make up a menu which would be sufficiently substantial1 without appearing gluttonous1 for two4 ,i held out against the second entre2 but the sense of the house was distinctly against me1 and the pouding ,saxon was an addition that ,i did not approve of1 but gave in1 being outvoted4 ,this was the dinner that we settled on before ,i started home to dress3-- ,petite marmite4 ufs la ,russe4 ,souffl de filets de sole la ,verrey4 ,timbale ,lucullus4 ,noisettes d'agneau la ,princesse4 ,petits pois la ,franaise4 ,pommes ,mirelle4 ,aiguillettes de caneton l',orange4 ,salade ,vntienne4 ,pouding ,saxon4 ,salade de fruits4 ,mrs4 ,washington1 enveloped in a great furry white cloak1 and with a lace covering to her head1 was punctual to the second1 and as we settled down to our table in the dining-room1 with its silver arches to the roof1 caught and reflected a hundred times by the mirrors1 and its suave dark-green panels1 which formed an excellent background to the cream-coloured miracle of a dress that ,mrs4 ,washington was wearing1 she told me a few of the events of the last few weeks4 ,she had stayed in ,new ,york for the second ,assembly1 and had gone from ,new ,york to the ,riviera1 where ,cannes had been her headquarters1 and ,i incidentally was given full particulars as to doings of the ladies' club there4 ,now1 pausing for one night in ,paris to see the new ,palais ,royal piece1 which is a play1 so ,mrs4 ,washington says1 that no respectable girl could take her grandmother to see1 she had run over to ,england to meet ,john1 and afterwards was going to leisurely travel to ,seville1 getting there in time for the ,holy ,week processions4 ,the soup1 admirably hot1 had been placed before us by the waiter1 in plain evening clothes1 while ,mrs4 ,washington talked and pulled off her long white gloves1 and before using her spoon she took in the company dining at the many little square tables1 lighted by wax red-shaded candles1 in one comprehensive glance2 smiled to the well-known journalist whose love for dogs forms a bond between him and the ,messrs4 ,krehl1 themselves powers in the dog world2 thought that the ruddy-haired prima donna looked well and showed no signs of her recent illness2 wanted to know if it was true that the celebrated musician1 who was dining with his wife1 was to be included in the next birthday list of honours2 and nodded to a gentleman with long black whiskers1 her banker in ,paris1 who was entertaining a party of a dozen4 ,the ufs la ,russe1 with their attendant vodkhi1 met with ,mrs4 ,washington's approval3 there were no flies on them1 was her expression4 ,we did not quite agree as to the souffl1 ,i daring to say that though the fish part of the dish was admirable ,i thought the souffl covering might have been lighter1 a statement which my guest at once countered1 and1 by her superior knowledge of culinary detail reduced me to silence1 overcome but certainly not convinced4 ,as to the timbale1 with its savoury contents of quenelles1 foie gras1 cocks'-combs1 and truffles1 there could be no two opinions2 it was excellent1 and the same might be said of the noisettes1 each with its accompanying fond d'artichaut1 and the new peas with a leaf of mint boiled with them4 ,mrs4 ,washington would have preferred pommes souffles to pommes ,mirelle1 but ,i could hardly have known that when ordering dinner4 ,the ,venetian salad1 a little tower of many-coloured vegetables1 looking like poker chips1 ,mrs4 ,washington said1 peas1 beans1 truffles1 potatoes1 beetroot1 flavoured by a slice of saucisson and dressed with whipped white of eggs1 was one of the triumphs of the dinner1 and so was the salade de fruits4 ,for ,mrs4 ,washington to praise a fruit salad is a high honour1 for she is one of the favoured people for whom ,franois1 late of the ,grand ,hotel1 ,monte ,carlo and now of the ,hotel ,cecil1 deigns to mix one with his own hands4 ,the gourmets of ,europe say that as a salad maker no man can approach ,franois4 ,i personally uphold the fruit salads that ,frederic1 of the ,tour d',argent1 makes as being perfection1 but ,europe and ,america vote for ,franois4 ,i was told that the pouding ,saxon was an unnecessary item1 and ,i was rather glad1 for ,i had shied at it when ordering dinner4 ,i reminded ,mrs4 ,washington1 who was sipping her ,perrier-,jout lazily1 that the ,empire ballet begins comparatively early1 and to be in time for it1 which she insisted on1 we had to hurry over our coffee 7which is always admirable at ,verrey's7 and liqueurs1 and the cigarette1 which is a necessary of life to the lady4 ,then1 while ,mrs4 ,washington drew on the long white gloves again1 ,i paid the bill3--hors-d'uvre1 #as42 potage1 #as4 #f;d42 poisson1 #cs42 entres1 #bs4 #f;d4 and #cs42 pommes1 #f;d42 lgumes1 #as42 rti1 #ajs4 #f;d42 salade1 #as42 entremets1 #cs42 caf1 #as42 liqueur1 #bs42 cigarettes1 #b;d42 ,perrier-,jout1 #ahhi1 #acs42 total1 #b3 #d3 #b4 #bbnd ,march4 99 99 99 99 99 ,i asked ,mr4 ,albert ,krehl to give me an idea of any special dishes which ,verrey's is proud of1 and pausing by the way to tell me how the house has always tried to wean its patrons from the cut from the joint at djeuner time1 and to induce them to eat small and light dinners1 he said that entremet ices were one of the delights that ,verrey's prides itself on1 dwelt lovingly on a description of an entrecte ,olga1 and then reeled off ufs la ,russe1 omelette foies de volaille1 sole ,polignac1 filets de sole la ,belle ,otero1 glace ,trianon1 sole la ,verrey1 which has a flavouring of ,parmesan1 moules la ,marinire1 poulet ,parmentier en casserole4 ,if the ,messrs4 ,krehl counsel small dinners in the salle1 they do not always do so for the private rooms upstairs4 ,this is the menu of a dinner at which ,h4,r4,h4 the ,prince of ,wales was present3-- ufs la ,kavigote 7,vodkhi74 ,bisque d'crevisses4 ,consomm ,okra4 ,rougets la ,muscovite4 ,selle de mouton de ,galles4 ,haricots panachs4 ,tomates au gratin4 ,pommes souffles4 ,timbale ,lucullus4 ,fonds d'artichauts4 ,crme pistache4 ,grouse4 ,salad ,rachel4 ,biscuit glac la ,verrey4 ,souffl de laitances4 ,dessert4 ,mr4 ,krehl gave me the recette of the timbales la ,lucullus4 ,here it is-- ,,timbale ,,lucullus ,la garniture ,lucullus se compose de3 crtes de coq1 rognons de coq1 truffes en lames1 quenelles de volaille truffes1 champignons1 foie gras dans une demi-glace bien rduite1 un filet de madre1 et un jus de truffes4 ,illustration ,the ,lucullus garnish is composed of cocks' combs1 cocks' kidneys1 truffles cut in slices1 chicken quenelles1 made with truffles1 mushrooms1 foie-gras well stewed down in a semi-liquid glaze1#a with just a suspicion of ,madeira1 and a gravy made from truffles4 #a ,or a glaze which has not been boiled down so as to make it a very stiff jelly4 ,,chapter ,,ix ,,the ,,hotel ,,cecil 7,,the ,,strand7 ,it was in the noble cause of conversion of fellow-man that ,i dined at the ,hotel ,cecil4 ,one of my uncles1 the ,nabob--so called by us because he spent many years in the gorgeous ,east--affects the belief that there is no good curry to be had outside the portals of his club1 the ,east ,india2 and for that reason1 when he is not dining at home1 dines nowhere but there4 ,i would not dare to trifle with the ,nabob's digestion1 for ,i have reason to believe that he has remembered me in his will2 but ,i also thought that he should not be allowed to go to his grave with the erroneous impression that curry can only be made out of ,india in ,st4 ,james's ,square4 ,i have eaten good curry at the ,criterion1 where a sable gentleman is charged with its preparation1 and ,i also remembered that at the ,cecil they make a speciality of their curries4 ,the ,nabob1 doubting much1 said that he would dine with me2 and1 with the possibility of the alteration of the terms of that will always before me1 ,i went down to the ,hotel ,cecil to interview ,m4 ,bertini on the morning of the day of the dinner4 ,three gentlemen in gorgeous uniforms1 and with as much gold lace round their caps as a field-marshal wears1 received me at the door4 ,a clerk in the reception bureau took my card1 wrote something mysterious on a slip of paper1 and sent a page-boy in blue off on the search for ,m4 ,bertini1 while ,i stood and contemplated the great marble staircase4 ,m4 ,bertini would see me directly1 ,i was told2 and ,i went down a floor or two in the lift and was shown into a comfortable room1 the big table in the centre covered with papers1 a telephone at either side of the armchair by the table1 and on the walls sketches for the uniforms of the gentlemen with gold-laced caps who had received me1 a caricature of ,m4 ,bertini1 and drawings of various ,continental hotels4 ,a yellow dog which had been asleep under the chiffonier rose1 stretched himself1 inspected me1 and apparently thought me harmless1 for he went to sleep again4 ,presently in came ,m4 ,bertini himself1 looking cool and neat1 his beard closely clipped1 his moustache brushed out4 ,i had interfered with his morning round of inspection2 but he could spare a minute or two to talk over my needs for the evening4 ,i told him at once what ,i wanted3 a dinner for two with the curry course as the most important item1 and ,m4 ,bertini1 who is an expert in cookery1 took a slip of paper and sketched out a menu4 ,here it is3-- ,hors-d'uvre varis4 ,consomm ,sarah ,bernhardt4 ,filet de sole la ,garbure4 ,ctes en chevreuil4 ,sauce poivrade4 ,haricots verts la ,villars4 ,pommes ,ccil4 ,mousse de foie gras et jambon au champagne4 ,curry l',indienne4 ,bombay ,duck1 etc4 etc4 ,asperges4 ,bombe la ,cecil4 ,petites friandises choisies4 ,we had a table in the corner of the great restaurant1 with its dozen marble pillars1 its walnut panelling1 its tapestries1 the gilt ,cecil arms on a great square of red velvet1 its great crystal lamps that hold the electric light1 its fireplaces of ,sicilian marble1 its gilt ceiling1 its musicians' gallery in one corner4 ,the waiters with their white aprons bustled silently about setting down the hors-d'uvre1 the important person with the silver chain round his neck took the order for a bottle of ,deutz and ,gelderman1 and the curry cook1 clothed in white samite1 and with his turban neatly rolled1 came up to make his salaam1 and was immediately tackled by the ,nabob1 who in fluent ,hindustani put him through an examination in the art of curry-making1 which was apparently satisfactory1 for he was dismissed with a ,bot atcha4 ,then the ,nabob1 hook-nosed1 clean-shaven1 except for two thin side-whiskers1 turned to me4 ,when ,i was at ,mhow1 in '#ed1 ,holkar--not the present man1 but his grandfather1 had a curry cook named ,afiz1 who---- and just then the waiter brought the soup1 which ,i was glad of1 for ,i knew my uncle's story of ,holkar and ,afiz1 and how the cook was to have been beheaded for giving his ,highness a mutton curry instead of an egg one1 and was saved by the ,nabob's interference1 and ,i knew that it took half an hour in the telling4 ,the consomm ,sarah ,bernhardt1 which has a foundation of turtle1 to which is added consomm de volaille1 quenelles and parsley1 was worthy of ,m4 ,coste1 erstwhile of ,cubats'1 the gorgeous restaurant in the ,champs ,elyses1 who has deserted the banks of the ,seine for those of the ,thames2 and the filet de sole la ,garbure1 over the description of the cooking of which ,m4 ,guy ,gagliardelly1 the most attentive of matres d'htel1 waxed eloquent1 was another masterpiece of the kitchen4 ,it is a variation of the filet de sole ,mornay1 having vegetables added to it4 ,then came a pause1 and with it the ,nabob's opportunity4 ,holkar never gave a great curry feast without asking me to it1 for he said that ,i was the only ,european who understood what a curry should be---- and just then the waiter put down our cutlets before us1 and ,m4 ,gagliardelly was at my elbow to explain that the haricots verts were prepared with flour and egg and then fried like a sole1 and ,m4 ,laurent1 the chef du restaurant1 who had been going the round of the tables1 told us the secret of pommes ,cecil4 ,my uncle drew a long breath1 and ,i knew what was coming1 when luckily a lady with a great dog-collar of diamonds passed and attracted his attention1 and ,i staved off the dissertation on curries for a few minutes by telling him of the wonderful diamond stomacher the lady possessed1 which made the collar look only like a row of brilliants4 ,i called the ,nabob's attention1 too1 to a quiet1 almost shabbily-dressed gentleman1 dining with his wife and two little girls1 for he is a man with an estate in ,australia big enough to form a principality in the ,balkans1 and people talk of the revenue he gets from his flocks and herds with a sort of awe4 ,a little ,french chansonnette singer2 the editor of a ,society newspaper2 a well-known musician and his daughter1 who is a rising young actress1 were other people of interest to be pointed out2 and by that time our two wedges of the delicately-coloured mousse1 with its flavouring gained from tongue and champagne and old brandy1 were before us4 ,the mousse was the only dish in the dinner that was really open to criticism1 and ,i do not think that ,i am captious when ,i say that ,i prefer it made less solidly than ,m4 ,coste's creation at the ,cecil4 ,then came the dish of the evening1 a tender spring-chicken for the foundation of the curry1 and all the accessories1 ,bombay duck1 that crumpled in our fingers to dust1 paprika cakes1 thinner than a sheet of note-paper1 and chutnees galore1 to add to the savoury mess4 ,it was a genuine ,indian curry1 and the curry cook1 his hands joined in the attitude of polite deference1 stood and watched rather anxiously the ,nabob take his first mouthful4 ,i myself think the ,malay curries the best in the world1 those wonderful preparations of prawns1 fish1 fowl1 meat1 or vegetable1 with one great curry as the foundation swimming in the delicious semi-liquid1 which has always the taste of fresh cocoa-nut1 with half a dozen subsidiary curries1 and then a host of sambals1 little dishes of ota-ota1 which is fish brains pounded in cream1 fresh cocoa-nut and chili1 beans1 shredded ham1 ,bombay duck1 and a hundred other relishes2 and ,i put next to it the ,ceylon curry4 ,but the ,nabob swears by the curries of ,india1 and even the old ,quai ,haies of his club pay attention when he gives his decision on a question of feeding4 ,er1 um1 yes1 good1 said the old gentleman1 and the cook salaamed4 ,good1 decidedly4 ,i don't say as good as we get it at the club--he was bound to say this--but decidedly good4 ,the success of the dinner was made1 and ,i felt relieved in my mind as to the will4 ,the asparagus and the bombe1 with an electrically illuminated ice windmill as a background1 were but the skirmishes after the pitched battle had been won4 ,as ,i lighted a cigarette1 the ,nabob1 who does not smoke1 began again4 ,holkar always invited me and a fellow ,afiz1 whose life ,i saved--that's a devilish good story that ,i must tell you some day--used to make one special curry of lambs' tongues1 which he called after me4 ,pardon me1 uncle1 while ,i pay my bill1 ,i said as a last resource1 and this was the bill ,i paid3--,soup1 #bs42 filet de sole1 #cs42 cte de mouton1 #cs42 haricots verts1 #as4 #f;d42 pommes1 #as42 mousse1 #ds42 curry1 #cs4 #f;d42 asperges1 #gs4 #f;d42 bombe1 #bs42 two cafs1 #bs42 liqueurs1 #cs42 cigarettes1 #as42 wine1 #aes42 total1 #b3 #h3 #f4 #bith ,march4 99 99 99 99 99 ,m4 ,bertini has left the ,cecil and ,mr4 ,a4 ,judah1 young1 alert1 with something of the cavalry-officer in his appearance1 reigns in his stead4 ,mons4 ,franois has deserted ,monte ,carlo and the ,grand ,hotel for the ,strand and the ,cecil1 and now has charge of the restaurant4 ,franois has seen the rise of ,monte ,carlo1 having been a dweller in ,monaco before ,mons4 ,blanc turned a rocky hill into a paradise by establishing a hell in the centre of it4 ,to hear him tell the story of the early days of the ,casino is very interesting4 ,mons4 ,laurent is now the matre d'htel at the ,continental4 ,mr4 ,judah was kind enough to give me the recette for the consomm ,sarah ,bernhardt1 the soup ,i thought so excellent when ,i dined at the ,cecil1 and ,i also asked him to suggest a dinner for six people1 with some specialities of the ,cecil included in it4 ,here is the recette1 and here the menu1 with an asterisk against the dishes which are specialities of the ,cecil cuisine3-- ,caviar frais de ,sterlet4 ,consomm ,sarah ,bernhardt4 99,suprme de truite ,astronome4 99,poularde souffle ,cecil4 ,selle d'agneau de ,pauillac rtie4 ,petits pois nouveaux4 ,caneton de ,rouen la ,presse4 ,salade de curs de ,romaine4 ,asperges de ,lauris4 ,sauce mousseline4 ,pches rafrachies au marasquin4 ,comtesse ,marie glace4 ,paniers de petits fours4 ,fruits4 ,consomm ,sarah ,bernhardt ,,ii faut d'abord avoir un bon consomm de volaille2 le lier avec du tapioca grill1 que l'on jette dedans pendant qu'il bouille1 et laisser cuire environ trois quarts d'heure2 y ajouter une infusion de cerfeuil1 estragon1 coriandre1 avec une pointe de cayenne1 ainsi qu'une ou deux eschalottes et un ou deux champignons mincs revenus au vieux ,madre sec2 verser le tout dans le consomm et laisser cuire environ dix minutes4 ,passer au linge fin ou l'tamine2 garnir de peluches1 de petites quenelles d'crevisses et de ronds de molle coups l'emporte1 pice d'environ un centimtre d'paisseur4 ,you must first have a good stock1 made from poultry1 then add to it roasted tapioca1 which you throw in while the stock is boiling4 ,let it cook for about three-quarters of an hour1 then add to it an infusion of chervil1 tarragon1 coriander1 and a pinch of cayenne pepper1 as well as one or two shallots1 and one or two minced mushrooms1 which have been soaked in old dry ,madeira4 ,pour the whole into the stock1 and let it cook for about ten minutes4 ,pass through fine muslin or a sieve2 garnish with little quenelles of crayfish1 grated bread-crumbs1 and rounds of marrow1 cut out with the cutter1 about three-quarters of an inch in thickness4 ,,chapter ,x ,,gatti',s 7,,the ,,strand7 ,i was somewhat in a quandary4 ,i was going to the new play at the ,st4 ,james's1 and had made up my mind to dine at a little club not far from ,charing ,cross1 of which ,i have the honour to be a member4 ,i went into the sacred portals4 ,i found the hall without a hat or coat hung up in it1 and entering the big room of the club ,i disturbed the meditation of the club servants4 ,there was1 for a wonder1 nobody in the club1 no one had ordered dinner1 and as ,i do not like being a solitary diner at a long table1 with three guardian angels in white jackets hovering round me1 ,i made up my mind to go and have my chop elsewhere4 ,my time was short1 for ,i was anxious not to miss a word of the first act4 ,any of the dinners of the hotels in ,northumberland ,avenue would be too long for my time2 but ,i was within a stone's throw of ,gatti's and thought that ,i would revisit an old haunt and revive memories of my days of subalternhood4 ,when ,i had a large crop of curly hair on my head1 and just enough down to pull on my upper lip1 when a small allowance and a sub-lieutenant's #es4 #c;d4 a day were all my wealth and ,i never entered the portals of ,cox's ,bank without trembling1 ,i used to go much to ,gatti's4 ,if ,i had the felicity of entertaining a lady at a tte--tte dinner my ambition did not rise to the ,caf ,royal--the ,savoy and ,princes' ,hall1 and ,willis's and the rest did not exist at that time--where ,i should have fingered the money in my pocket and should have been desperately nervous when the waiter appeared with the bill4 ,i went instead to ,gatti's4 ,one could get a large amount of good food at a very easy tariff there1 one knew exactly the price of everything from the card1 and there was no smiling head waiter with a nest of plovers' eggs at #gs4 #f;d4 apiece1 or a basket of strawberries for a guinea1 to set one's poverty against one's gallantry4 ,asti spumante1 too1 is much cheaper than champagne1 and ,i think most of the fair sex really like it better4 ,be that as it may1 the financial question was the prominent one1 and ,i sometimes found myself standing waiting at the ,strand entrance alongside a gigantic porter and a huge hound4 ,i made great friends with both the big man and the big dog1 and1 if after a quarter of an hour's waiting1 my fair guest did not appear the big man invariably consoled me with1 ,do not despaire1 saire4 ,perhaps the lady 'as a dronken cabman4 ,gatti's was not then as it is now4 ,there was the straight run in from ,adelaide ,street1 where strange-looking foreigners sat at the marble-topped little tables and made the most of one portion of some dish piled high with macaroni1 and there was the curving entrance-hall leading in from the ,strand1 with its white-clothed tables1 and its steps up to the biggest room1 and between the long gallery with its clothless tables and the aristocratic end of the restaurant the ,messrs4 ,gatti sat at an oval desk to which each waiter brought every dish that was to be served1 and there was a mysterious interchange of what looked like metal tokens4 ,all the theatrical demigods of my subalternhood used to be at the tables too4 ,there ,i first 7off the stage7 saw ,nelly ,power1 whose photograph had adorned my room at ,harrow1 and a gay young fellow called ,toole1 and another named ,lionel ,brough1 and ,h4 ,j4 ,byron1 and half a hundred more4 ,the modern lights of the stage and the dramatists go to ,gatti's still1 and no doubt are furtively stared at now by youngsters such as ,i was then4 ,there were many interesting people at ,gatti's in those days1 as there are now1 and most fascinating to me was an old aide-de-camp of ,garibaldi1 a fine1 white-moustached old man in a slouch hat and voluminous cloak1 with something of the look of his great chief about him1 who always ordered only one dish1 and that of the cheapest4 ,the halfpenny he gave the waiter as a tip was always received with as many thanks as a reckless young swell's half-sovereign would be4 ,the entrance from ,king ,william ,street is new since those days1 and so is the room it leads into1 making ,gatti's1 with its triple entrances1 rather like the crest of the ,isle of ,man4 ,i went in by this new entrance1 noticing that the house next door had also been absorbed into the restaurant1 and found myself again in the familiar scene of bustle4 ,every table was taken2 here a single gentleman1 pegging away at his cut from the joint1 there a family party1 the father with a napkin tucked under his chin1 the child with one tied round its neck4 ,there was a party of girls in much-flowered hats who unmistakably belonged to some theatre2 two dramatists with a bundle of brown-paper-covered manuscript on the table between them2 a little costumier in blue spectacles eating silently1 while a light-bearded gentleman1 who is the best-known perruquier in ,london1 was telling him volubly of the wonderful wigs that ,mdme4 ,sarah ,bernhardt had ordered for her new piece4 ,the dramatists would have had me stay and eat at their table2 but ,i wanted to go if possible to my old seat1 and so went on to the largest room1 the centre of the restaurant1 where ,i used to retain a corner table4 ,not a seat was to be had1 everywhere were parties of respectable citizens and their wives in broadcloth and stuff1 and the bustling waiters in dress clothes and black ties could only look round helplessly when ,i asked them to find me a table4 ,i was the one man in dress clothes in the room1 the waiters excepted1 and ,i began to think1 as ,i stood rather desolately amid all the bustle and clatter1 that ,i should have done more wisely to dine in solitary dignity at the club1 when ,i looked towards the table where the two ,messrs4 ,gatti in old days1 when they were not at the desk1 used to sit1 for they were always together1 and there was the survivor of the two sitting in his accustomed seat4 ,the author of ,captain ,swift1 who had been sitting opposite to him1 talking1 no doubt1 about a coming play for the ,adelphi1 rose at that moment1 and ,mr4 ,gatti1 seeing my dilemma1 motioned me to the vacant seat4 ,we none of us grow younger1 and as ,i shook ,mr4 ,gatti's hand ,i thought that1 though his hair1 brushed straight back from the forehead1 and his moustache are hardly touched with grey1 he was looking very careworn4 ,one of the managers1 in frock-coat and black tie1 was at my elbow with the bill of fare4 ,crote au pot1 printed in bigger letters than the rest of the dishes1 first caught my eye1 and ,i ordered that2 and1 skipping the long list of fish and entres1 ,i was puzzling as to which of the many joints to have a cut from1 when the manager suggested braised mutton1 which ,i thought sounded well1 and for drink ,i would have a big glass of cold lager-beer4 ,i looked round the rooms4 ,except for the new rooms and a new serving-room1 everything seemed very much the same as of past times4 ,the crowd at the marble-topped tables was not quite so picturesque as that ,i remembered of old2 but the great counter1 with its backing of dark wood and looking-glass1 its lager-beer engine1 and its army of bottles1 was there1 the oval desk with its two occupants was there1 the carvers with the big dish-covers running up and down on chains were there4 ,the decorations of blue and gold were of the same colours that ,i recall1 the stained window ,i remembered1 but a new portrait of the late ,mr4 ,terriss1 the actor1 in the well-known grey suit1 looked down on me from the wall4 ,the soup1 strong and hot1 with its accompanying vegetables on a separate plate1 was brought1 and1 having disposed of it1 ,i thought that it was a good opportunity to interview ,mr4 ,gatti as to the transformations of the restaurant and as to his theatrical speculations4 ,i learned that the first state of the ,adelaide ,gallery was a long entrance leading to one big room1 that the floor of the restaurant was where the cellars are now1 and that two balconies at that time ran round the room4 ,bit by bit the various changes were explained to me1 until the advent of the braised mutton1 with white beans and new potatoes1 brought a pause4 ,capital mutton it was--a huge helping too--and the lager-beer delightfully cold and light4 ,a concert season at ,covent ,garden was your first theatrical speculation1 was it not8 ,i had begun1 when my eye caught the clock over the arch4 ,i wanted to hear about ,covent ,garden and the ,adelphi and the ,vaudeville1 and ,i wanted to eat cheese and drink coffee and some of the excellent old brandy the restaurant has2 but the hands of the clock pointed to twenty minutes to eight1 and at a quarter to eight the curtain would rise at the ,st4 ,james's1 so ,i called for my bill4 ,soup1 #as4 #f;d42 entre1 #as4 #d;d42 vegetable1 #d;d42 bread1 #a;d42 beer1 #f;d42 total1 #cs4 #i;d4 #eth ,april4 ,,chapter ,,xi ,,the ,,savoy ,,under ,,mons4 ,,ritz 7,,thames ,,embankment7 ,the first information that ,i received as to ,mrs4 ,charlie ,sphinx having returned from ,cannes was in a little note from the lady herself1 delivered on ,sunday at lunch-time1 to the effect that ,charlie had been asked to dine that evening with his official chief1 and that if ,i was not otherwise engaged ,i might take my choice between dining quietly with the pretty lady at her home1 or taking her out somewhere to dinner4 ,i went to the telephone at once4 ,no4 #ce1dff1 if you please2 and being switched on to the ,savoy1 and having asked for a table1 ,i received the answer ,i expected1 having applied so late1 that every one was taken1 but that the management would do what they could to find space for me in a supplementary room4 ,this meant dining in one of the smaller dining-rooms1 and as at the ,savoy the view of one's neighbours and their wives is no unimportant part of the ,sunday dinner1 ,i went to headquarters at once1 and asked if ,m4 ,echenard1 the manager1 was in the hotel1 and if he was1 would he come to the telephone and speak to me4 ,m4 ,echenard was in the hotel1 and as soon as ,i had secured his ear ,i made an appeal to him that would have melted the heart of any tyrant4 ,i wanted to take ,mrs4 ,sphinx out to dinner1 and he must be aware that it would be quite impossible for her to dine anywhere except in the big room of the restaurant4 ,if it is possible1 it shall be done1 said ,m4 ,echenard1 and1 telling him that ,i would come down by cab at once and order dinner1 ,i switched off the telephone1 wrote to ,mrs4 ,sphinx that ,i should like to have the felicity of taking her out1 and would call for her a little after eight1 and then went down by cab to the ,savoy4 ,in the office on the ground-floor1 an office crowded up with books and papers1 ,i found ,m4 ,echenard--who1 with his little moustache with the ends turned upwards and carefully trimmed beard1 always has something of the look of the ,spanish senores that ,velasquez used to paint--and his spectacled secretary4 ,i could have a table in the big room1 ,i was told1 and1 having achieved this1 ,i wanted to be given one of the two tables on either side of the door of entrance1 tables from which one can see better than any others the coming and going of the guests4 ,this was impossible4 ,there was1 however1 a table for two which had been engaged1 but the taker of which had given up his claim at the last moment2 and though dukes and scions of ,royalty would have to feed in the supplementary rooms1 ,mrs4 ,sphinx should have that table4 ,the ordering of the dinner came next1 and to take on one's self the responsibility of this with such a chef as ,matre ,escoffier in the kitchen is no small matter4 ,hors-d'uvre1 of course1 and then ,i suggested ,bortch as the soup1 for of all the restaurants where they make this excellent ,russian dish the ,savoy takes the palm4 ,timbales de filets de sole la ,savoy1 hinted ,m4 ,echenard1 and though ,i didn't quite know what that was1 it sounded well1 and went down on the slip of paper4 ,i wanted a mousse for the entre1 for ,i know that there are no such mousses to be got elsewhere as the ,matre can make2 and then ,m4 ,echenard suggested ,poulet de grain ,polonaise1 and as he described the method of cooking1 and how the juices of the liver soaked into the bird1 and the essence of the chicken permeated the liver1 ,i gave up my first idea of the celebrated canard en chemise4 ,that was my idea of a little dinner1 but ,m4 ,echenard insisted on the finishing touches being administered by a parfait de foie gras1 ,english asparagus1 and pches glaces vanille4 ,it was a dinner that had1 perhaps1 an unusual amount of cold dishes in it2 but it is one of the customs of ,savoy cookery to have1 if possible1 one cold dish at least in the menu1 for1 the hot dishes being served scrupulously unadorned1 the cold ones give ,m4 ,escoffier and his staff a chance of showing what they can do in the way of decoration4 ,mrs4 ,charlie ,sphinx1 being a soldier's wife1 was ready to the second when ,i called for her1 and during the few moments that ,i had to wait in the ante-room of the restaurant1 with its two fireplaces1 its white-and-gold paper1 great palms in pots1 comfortable armchairs of terra-cotta colour1 and ,satsuma china1 ,i could look with a comfortable superiority on the less lucky men who were sitting staring at the door and looking disappointed each time that the ,african gentleman1 whose place is there1 swung it back to admit some lady who was not the much-expected guest4 ,mrs4 ,sphinx was in blue and white1 and was wearing diamonds and turquoises4 ,she had on for the first time a new diamond crescent1 and looking round the room where everybody was smart ,i was pleased to be aware that the lady ,i had the honour of squiring was quite the smartest there4 ,and the company in the restaurant1 the great room with mahogany panels1 golden frieze and gold and red ceiling1 of the ,savoy on a ,sunday night is as fine a society salad as any capital in the world can show4 ,there was on this particular evening in our immediate vicinity1 a lady who once won celebrity on the stage1 which she left to take a title1 and then become the chatelaine of one of the great historical houses of ,england2 there was a good-looking fellow who was one of the best-known men about town and left fops-alley at the opera for the green-room of a comedy theatre2 there was an ,indian prince1 the first swallow of the dusky1 jewelled flight that comes each summer to our shores2 there was the manager of one of the best-known of our comedy theatres1 with whom was dining one of the most beautiful of our actresses and her husband2 there was a lady who has the notoriety of having nearly ruined the heir to the throne of one of the kingdoms of ,europe1 and whose brown diamonds are the envy of all the connoisseurs of the world2 there was a party of ,south ,african stockbrokers1 who from their appearance did not suggest wealth1 but whose united incomes would make the revenues of half a dozen ,balkan principalities4 ,and around the tables the waiters in their white aprons and the matres d'htel and the silver-chained sommeliers moved noiselessly1 and the master-spirit of the whole1 ,m4 ,ritz1 just back from ,rome1 with his hands clasped nervously1 almost1 with his short whiskers and carefully-clipped moustache1 a duplicate of the present ,secretary of ,state for ,war1 went from table to table with a carefully graduated scale of acknowledgment of the patrons4 ,m4 ,echenard was there also1 and there is no restaurant in the world in which the chain of responsibility from manager to waiter is carried out with greater thoroughness4 ,mrs4 ,charlie ,sphinx was doubtful as to trying the caviar4 ,i should have remembered that she did not care for it2 but the grey-green delicacy in its setting of ice tempted her1 and she owned to almost liking it4 ,about the ,bortch soup there could be no two questions1 and the cream stirred into the hot1 strong liquid makes it1 in my humble opinion1 the best soup in the world4 ,the fish1 a fish-pie1 with its macaroni and shrimps1 was delicious1 and then came the triumph of the dinner4 ,cased in its jelly covering1 served on a great block of ice1 melting like snow in the mouth1 ,matre ,escoffier's mousse was an absolute masterpiece4 ,the poulet1 too1 was as good to eat as it had sounded when ,m4 ,echenard had described it to me1 and the parfait de foie gras was another delight4 ,the asparagus and the ice were but the trifles of the dinner2 but the ice swan that bore the little mock peaches was a very graceful piece of table decoration4 ,mrs4 ,sphinx through dinner1 while sipping her glass of ,clicquot1 had told me all the gossip of southern ,france2 of the dance at the club at ,cannes at which she had arranged the cotillon and led it2 of the races of the big yachts for the various cups2 of a magnificent scheme she had evolved1 by which1 now that the ,guards have been sent on foreign service1 ,gibraltar was to become a second ,monte ,carlo or ,nice1 a scheme which would involve a few batteries and casemates being removed to make way for a casino1 and when we had drunk our caf ,turc1 brought by the brightly clothed ,asiatic1 and when ,i had smoked my cigarette and my guest had despoiled the great basket of roses on the table1 the band1 which plays delightfully1 softly1 and unobtrusively1 had come to the end of its programme1 and it was time to be moving4 ,this was the bill1 a moderate one for such an admirable dinner3--,two couverts1 #as42 bortch1 #cs42 sole savoy1 #fs42 mousse jambon1 #fs42 poulet polonaise1 #hs42 salade1 #bs42 foie gras1 #fs42 asperges verts1 #gs4 #f;d42 pches glaces vanille1 #gs42 one bottle champagne #acc1 #aes42 caf1 #bs42 liqueurs1 #bs42 total1 #c3 #e3 #f4 ,when ,i put ,mrs4 ,sphinx down at her house-door1 her last words were1 ,that mousse was an absolute dream4 #abth ,april4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the following are the recette of the timbale de filets de sole ,savoy1 kindly written out for me by ,matre ,escoffier1 and two menus of typical ,savoy dinners for a party that numbers six or eight1 a dinner-party in fact4 ,timbale de filets de sole ,savoy 7,proportions pour six couverts7 ,avec de la pte foncer1 prparez et cuisez une crote timbale2 aprs l'avoir vide glacez-la intrieurement et tenez l'tuve4 ,prparez une petite garniture de bon macaronis cuit tendre1 li avec de la bchamelle et parmesan rap1 beurr et pince de poivre rouge4 ,prenez huit filets de sole moyenne1 tendre et bien blanche1 aplatissez-les lgrement1 salez-les1 masquez-les avec une mince couche de farce de poisson aux truffes2 roulez-les sur eux-mmes en forme de petit baril1 entourez-les d'une bande de papier beurr4 ,rangez les filets de sole dans une casserole ou plat sauter1 en ayant soin que la casserole soit juste de grandeur pour les maintenir serrs2 mouillez-les avec un bon court bouillon au vin blanc1 faites partir le liquide en bullition1 couvrez la casserole1 laissez pocher sans bouillir douze quinze minutes4 ,mettez dans une casserole dix-huit crevisses moyennes avec beurre1 un demi verre de vin blanc1 sel1 et poivre2 couvrez la casserole et cuisez les crevisses dix douze minutes sur un feu vif2 aussitt vif retirez la chair des queues2 mettez-les dans une casserole avec deux bonnes truffes coupes en lame1 un morceau de beurre1 tenez au chaud4 ,avec les carapaces prparez un beurre d'crevisses4 ,faites rduire quelques cuilleres de bonne bchamelle avec addition de crme double1 passez la sauce a l'tamine et ajoutez le beurre d'crevisses1 tenir au chaud2 au moment de servir garnisser le fonds de la timbale avec le macaronis2 dressez sur le macaronis les filets de sole la garniture de truffes et queues d'crevisses1 saucez le tout avec la sauce prpare au beurre d'crevisses2 recouvrez la timbale et servez bien chaud4 ,illustration ,make a crust 7pte foncer7 for the timbale4 ,bake it and scoop out the inside1 then glaze the inside1 and keep it on the stove4 ,get ready a little garnish of good macaroni1 cooked until it is soft1 add ,bchamel sauce1 grated ,parmesan cheese1 butter and a pinch of red pepper4 ,take eight fillets of medium-sized soles1 tender and very white4 ,bat them out lightly1 salt them1 and just cover with a thin layer of fish stuffing made with truffles4 ,roll the fillets into the shape of little barrels1 and put a band of buttered paper round each4 ,arrange them in a saucepan1 or a shallow pan 7 sauter71 taking care that this saucepan is of such a size that the fillets are all packed quite closely together1 moisten them with a good strong stock1 made with white wine1 and then let all the liquid boil away4 ,put a cover on the saucepan1 and let it simmer but not boil for twelve or fifteen minutes4 ,put in another saucepan eighteen medium-sized crayfish1 half a glass of white wine1 salt and pepper1 cover the saucepan1 and cook the crayfish1 from ten to twelve minutes1 on a brisk fire4 ,then take the flesh of the tails1 put it in a saucepan with two nice truffles1 cut in slices1 and a piece of butter1 and keep warm4 ,with the shells of the crayfish1 prepare a crayfish butter4 ,boil down a few teaspoonfuls of good ,bchamel1 with 7double7 cream1 pass the sauce through a tammy1 add the crayfish butter and keep warm4 ,just before serving1 put the macaroni at the bottom of the timbale1 arrange the fillets of sole on the macaroni1 a garnish of truffles and tails of crayfish4 ,pour over it all1 the sauce already prepared with the crayfish butter4 ,cover the timbale again1 and serve very hot4 ,canaps ,moscovites4 ,pommes d'amour4 ,consomm aux nids d',hirondelles4 ,filets de truite aux laitances4 ,dsirs de ,mascotte4 ,caneton de ,rouen en chemise4 ,petits pois aux laitues4 ,suprmes d'crevisses au ,chteau ,yquem4 ,ortolans ,cocotte au suc d'ananas4 ,curs de ,romaine4 ,asperges l'huile vierge4 ,belle de nuit aux violettes4 ,friandises4 ,caviar4 ,canaps aux crevettes rouges4 ,consomm ,nurette4 ,paillettes au ,parmesan4 ,mousseline d'perlans aux truffes4 ,filets de poulet au beurre noisette4 ,artichauts aux fines herbes4 ,agneau de lait la broche4 ,petits pois frais4 ,nymphes glaces au champagne4 ,cailles aux feuilles de vigne4 ,salade ,mignonne4 ,asperges d',argenteuil4 ,pches de ,vnus voiles de l',orientale4 ,mignardises4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,joseph ,,at ,,the ,,savoy ,drive to the ,strand entrance of the ,savoy1 but don't go into the courtyard1 ,i told my cabman2 but he insisted on driving down1 and his horse slid the last ten yards like a toboggan4 ,it was in the afternoon and few people were about1 and ,i looked into the grill-room to find a matre d'htel1 and to ask him if he could tell me where ,m4 ,joseph was at the moment4 ,smiler1 the curry cook1 appeared instantly4 ,because ,i talk a little bad ,hindustani1 ,smiler has taken me under his protection1 and thinks that ,i should not go to the ,savoy for any other purpose than to eat his curries4 ,it was not ,smiler1 however1 whom ,i wanted to interview1 but ,m4 ,joseph2 and messengers were sent to various parts of the hotel to find the director of the restaurant4 ,a little man1 with rather long grey hair1 bald on the top of his head1 with very dark brown eyes looking keenly out from under strong brows1 with a little grey moustache1 ,joseph arrests attention at once1 and his manner is just the right manner4 ,in a short black coat1 white waistcoat1 and dark trousers1 he came to meet me1 and put himself entirely at my service4 ,i very soon told him what ,i wanted4 ,since the change of dynasty at the ,savoy1 ,joseph1 who temporarily left his ,parisian restaurant1 the ,marivaux1 to come to the banks of the ,thames1 has been the dominating personality among the ,savoyards4 ,that being so1 ,i wanted him to tell me something of his climb up the ladder of culinary fame1 ,i should be much obliged if he would take me through his kitchen1 and as ,i proposed dining in the restaurant that evening1 ,i should be glad if he would think me out a dinner of the cuisine ,joseph4 ,i ended by saying that ,i had invited a lady to dine with me4 ,a lady6 said ,joseph1 in rather a startled tone2 but ,i assured him that the good angel who was to be my guest knew as much of good cooking as any male gourmet1 and was aware that there are some culinary works of art in the presence of which conversation is an impertinence4 ,i will give you soup1 fish1 roast--nothing more1 said ,joseph2 and misinterpreting my silence1 he went on3 ,in ,england you taste your dinners1 you do not eat them4 ,an artist who is confident of his art only puts a small dinner before his clients4 ,it is a bad workman who slurs over his failures by giving many dishes4 ,this is exactly what ,i have been preaching on the housetops for years1 and1 being thoroughly in accord on that subject1 we settled down on a sofa in the corridor for a chat4 ,i am the worst interviewer in the world4 ,i had been told that ,joseph was born in ,birmingham of ,french parents1 that he is an adept at la savate1 and that the one amusement of his life is pigeon-flying2 and when ,i accused him of all this he pleaded guilty to each count4 ,directly we began to talk cookery ,i had no cause to ask leading questions4 ,it is the absorbing passion of ,joseph's life4 ,if ,i had the choice1 he said1 with conviction1 between going to the theatre to see ,coquelin or ,mme4 ,bernhardt and watching the faces of six gourmets eating a well-cooked dinner1 ,i should choose the latter4 ,when ,i referred to the dinner at which some of the great lights of the theatrical world were present1 and he cooked a considerable portion of the dinner in their presence1 ,joseph replied that as it is the art of actors and actresses to make an effect on the public1 he wished to show them that there could be something to strike the imagination in his art also4 ,since '#fg1 when ,joseph entered the kitchen at ,brbant's as a marmiton1 he has given all his mind to cookery4 ,he has been in every position that goes to the making of a real artist1 and even when he walks the streets looking at my boots he is waiting for some flash of inspiration4 ,i cannot sit down in my office and create a new dish to command4 ,an idea comes to me1 and when ,i am free ,i try it in my own kitchen at home4 ,i never experiment on the public4 ,many other things he told me1 of how as a schoolboy he used to peep into the kitchens of the ,anglais and other big restaurants in envy of the cooks1 and of the genesis of some of the dishes in the long list of the specialities of his cuisine4 ,with a sudden turn to the subject of literature1 ,joseph wrote down for me his contribution1 made the day before1 to a young lady's album4 ,this is it3-- ,c'est la premire ctelette qui cota le plus cher l'homme--,dieu en ayant fait une femme4 ,then1 passing the table-d'hte room1 with its great marble chimney-piece and walls with an ,oriental pattern on them1 on our way we went to the kitchens1 where ,m4 ,henri ,thouraud1 the chef1 a tall1 plump1 good-looking ,parisian1 with a light moustache1 received us4 ,first1 ,i was shown the means of communication between the kitchen and various parts of the hotel1 and the close touch kept between ,m4 ,joseph in the restaurant and the chef in the kitchen1 each knowing the other's methods1 for they have worked together off and on for twenty years2 and then my attention was turned to the arrangement of the kitchen and the battalion of cooks1 every man having his duty assigned him1 every man having his place in that chain of responsibility which runs from chef to marmiton4 ,every master of the culinary art has his own ideas as to the arrangement of his kitchen1 and ,m4 ,joseph has made some changes from the arrangements of ,matre ,escoffier in the great white-tiled room in which the roasting and boiling is done4 ,two plump fowls were spinning and dripping before the roasting fire1 there was a steamy heat in the air1 and ,i was rather glad to move into the cooler atmosphere of the rooms on a lower floor1 where ,i was shown all the good things ready to go to the fire or the buffet4 ,it was explained to me that though the ,english beef is good for roasting1 the ,french beef only is used for bouillon1 and looking at the two ,i could understand the reason4 ,the vegetables and all the poultry for the ,savoy come from ,france1 and ,i was beginning to feel quite ashamed of ,england as a food-producing country1 when a handsome compliment to the ,english mutton restored my confidence4 ,the long array of birds1 from turkeys to snipe1 resting on a bed of crushed ice with a free current of air round them1 looked appetising1 and so did the fish and the score of varieties of cold entres1 most of them embedded in amber jelly1 and the petits fours and sweet-meats fresh drawn from the oven4 ,the carving of the harps1 and birds1 and ,prince of ,wales's feathers out of a solid block of ice to form pedestals for ices is artist's work1 and so is the making of baskets and flowers from sugar4 ,m4 ,joseph slightly went beyond his three dishes in the menu ,i found awaiting the good angel and myself3-- ,petite marmite4 ,sole ,reichenberg4 ,caneton la presse4 ,salade de saison4 ,fonds d'artichauts la ,reine4 ,bombe praline4 ,petits fours4 ,panier fleuri4 ,we were among the familiar surroundings1 the walls of mahogany panelling1 the golden ceiling2 but there was one novelty1 and that was that pushed up to our little table was another one1 with on it a great chafing-dish1 some long slim knives1 and a variety of little plates containing lemons1 grated cheese1 and a number of other condiments1 and while we drank our soup1 made with the famous bouillon1 of which ,i had been told the secret1 ,joseph mixed the delicate liquid in which the slices of sole were later to be placed1 soaked the crote in the savoury mixture1 and1 finally1 on the white filets placed the oysters1 pouring over them also the foaming broth4 ,the good angel was equal to the occasion4 ,not only was she radiantly handsome1 but she appreciated the special beauties of this most excellent sole2 and when ,joseph came back to the table to carve the duck1 he knew that his audience of two were enthusiasts4 ,in an irreverent moment ,i was reminded of the ,chinese torture of the ,ling ,chi1 in which the executioner slashes at his victim without hitting a vital part in the first fifty cuts1 as ,i watched ,joseph calmly1 solemnly1 with absolute exactitude1 cutting a duck to pieces with a long1 thin knife2 but irreverence faded when the rich sauce had been mixed before our eyes and poured over the slices of the breast--the wings and legs1 plain devilled1 coming afterwards as a sharp and pleasant contrast4 ,the ,panier ,fleuri1 which ended our dinner1 a tiny fruit-salad in a basket cut by ,joseph from an orange1 was a special compliment to the good angel4 ,the bill was3 ,two couverts1 #as42 champagne1 #ahs42 marmite1 #bs4 #f;d42 sole ,reichenberg1 #es42 caneton la presse1 #ahs42 salade1 #as4 #f;d42 fonds d'artichauts1 #bs4 #f;d42 bombe1 #cs42 caf1 #as4 #f;d42 liqueurs1 #ds42 total1 #b3 #ags4 ,it was no empty compliment when on leaving ,i told ,m4 ,joseph that the dinner was a perfect work of art4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the following are the ,crations de ,joseph3-- ,sole de ,breteuil--,sole la ,reichenberg--,filets de soles ,aime ,martial--,sole d',yvonne--,pomme de terre ,otero--,pommes de terre de ,georgette--7ddi ,mlle4 ,brands7--,sole ,dragomiroff--,pilaff aux moules--,homard la ,cardinal--,homard ,ld4 ,randolph ,churchill--,queue de homard ,archiduchesse--,homard d',yvette--,darne de saumon ,marcel ,prvost--,filets de maquereau ,marianne--,filets de sole ,duparc--,cte de buf ,youssoupoff--,poularde ,marivaux--,poularde ,vladimir--,poulet ,gd4 ,maman--,poulet ,archiduchesse--,caneton la ,presse--,caneton froid ,jubil--,foie gras ,souvaroff 7chaud ou froid7--,bcasse au ,fumet--,filet de laperau la ,sorel--,cailles la ,sand--,aubergines ,tante ,pauline--,crpes du ,diable--,crpes ,christiane--,pches ,cardinal--,pches ,rosenfeld--,le ,souffl d',eve--,fraises la ,marivaux--,ananas ,master ,joe--,ananas de ,daisy--,les paniers fleuris aux quartiers d'orange4 ,,chapter ,,xii ,,the ,,st4 ,,george',s ,,caf 7,,st4 ,,martin',s ,,lane7 ,whenever ,i have come across a ,philistine who has eaten a vegetarian dinner1 he always professes that he narrowly escaped with his life4 ,now this ,i knew must be an invention1 and ,i was anxious to try for myself whether a dinner of herbs meant contentment or whether it did not1 so ,i approached one of the high priests of the order1 and asked which would be the restaurant in ,london at which it would be wisest to try the experiment4 ,the answer ,i received was not of the most encouraging4 ,the high priest had no very great faith in the cooking at any of the restaurants1 and very kindly suggested that1 if ,i wanted to try vegetarian diet1 ,i should come and pay him a visit4 ,if1 however1 ,i preferred the restaurants1 the two he would suggest were the ,ideal ,caf1 #ahe ,tottenham ,court ,road1 or the ,st4 ,george's ,caf1 ,st4 ,martin's ,lane4 ,before trying either ,i thought ,i would reconnoitre both4 ,i passed the ,tottenham ,court ,road caf early in the morning1 when neither people nor cafs look at their best4 ,on the brown brick front was a gilt device telling that it was a social club for gentlemen and ladies1 and ,i gathered from legends on the windows that there was a ladies' chess club1 and that the caf was a restaurant as well2 indeed1 was all things to all eating men and women2 for on the bill of fare exposed in the window there were the prices of fish and fowl1 as well as such entirely vegetarian dishes as haricot and potato pie and mushroom omelette4 ,there was something of the appearance of a pastrycook's about the windows on the ground floor1 and a damsel was dressing one of them with yellow cloth1 to act no doubt as a background to the delicacies presently to be exposed4 ,i caught sight through the window of a counter with tea appurtenances on it4 ,it was in the afternoon that ,i made my second reconnaissance1 this time in the direction of ,st4 ,martin's ,lane1 and ,i found the ,st4 ,george's ,restaurant to be a red brick building of an ,elizabethan type1 with leaded glass windows and with a sign1 whereon was inscribed ,the famous house for coffee1 swinging from a wrought-iron support4 ,the windows on the ground floor had palms in them1 and the gaze of the vulgar was kept from the inner arcana by neat little curtains4 ,from the bill of fare ,i gathered that ,i could obtain such luxuries as grilled mushrooms and seakale cream1 which cost #aj;d41 or mushroom omelette and young carrots saut1 which were #as41 or ,yorkshire pudding with sage and onions and new potatoes for #g;d4 ,before ,i moved on ,i ascertained that here also was a ladies' chess club1 and that on the first floor was a ladies' room4 ,i made up my mind that the ,st4 ,george's should be my dining place1 and the next question was how to secure some one to dine with me4 ,i had to be present that afternoon at a committee for a benefit theatrical performance1 and found half a dozen of my fellow committee-men assembled4 ,during a pause in the business one of them remarked that the ,savoy dinner about which ,i had written seemed to have been an excellent feast4 ,this gave me my opportunity1 and mentioning that ,i was going to do another dinner for publication that evening1 asked if any one would care to dine with me4 ,a pleased look came to at least four faces1 but all were too polite to speak first4 ,then ,i said what the dinner was to be4 ,one man had to go to a ,masonic banquet2 another was dining at a farewell feast to a coming ,benedick2 another had promised his dear old aunt to spend that evening with her3 the guests bidden to the scriptural feast were not more prompt in excuses4 ,i went on to my ,service club and found there a subaltern who1 in old days1 had been in my company1 and who would have followed me1 or preceded me1 into any danger of battle without the tremble of an eyelid4 ,him ,i urged to come with me1 telling him that a man can only die once1 and other such inspiriting phrases1 and had nearly persuaded him when old ,general ,bundobust joined in the conversation and told a story of how ,joe ,buggins1 of the ,madras ,fusiliers1 once ate a vegetarian dinner and swelled up afterwards till he was as big as a balloon4 ,that finished the subaltern1 and he refused to go4 ,i had to go by myself4 ,i opened the leaded glass door of the ,st4 ,george's and found myself in a long room with plenty of palms and a general look of being cared for1 with a counter and many long white-clothed tables1 with seats for about half a dozen at each4 ,there were little black-dressed waitresses flitting about1 and at the tables a fair sprinkling of men1 neither obtrusively smart nor obtrusively shabby1 who were dining1 and who nearly all kept their hats on4 ,i drifted down to the end of the room and sat at a table and told the waitress in rather a feeble way that ,i should like the best vegetarian dinner that the house could give me4 ,the waitress suggested that ,i had better go upstairs to the table-d'hte room1 and ,i gathered up my goods and chattels and went like a lamb4 ,the room on the first floor was a nice bright little room1 with white overmantels to the fireplaces1 with one corner turned into a bamboo arbour1 with painted tambourines and little mandolines and pictures1 and an oaken clock on the light-papered walls1 with red-shaded candles on the tables set for four or six4 ,two pretty girls in black1 one with a white flower1 one with a red1 were in charge1 and another girl peered out from a little railed desk by the door4 ,in the background was a glimpse of a kitchen1 behind a glass screen where some one was whistling ,sister ,mary ,jane's ,top ,note1 and the two little waitresses were constantly hurrying to this screen with a ,hurry up with that pigeon's egg1 or a ,be quick1 now1 with those flageolets4 ,my table was beautifully clean1 with a little bunch of flowers on it1 with a portentously large decanter and an array of glasses4 ,the waitress with the red flower put down a little bill of fare before me1 and ,i learned that my dinner was to be-- ,hors-d'uvre4 ,mulligatawny soup or ,carrot soup4 ,flageolets with cream and spinach4 ,fried duck's egg and green peas4 ,lent pie or ,stewed fruit4 ,mixed salad4 ,cheese4 ,dessert4 ,some olives in a small plate were put down before me1 and through force of habit ,i took up the black-covered wine list on the table4 ,the first items were orange wine1 rich raisin wine1 ginger wine1 black currant wine1 red currant wine1 raspberry wine1 elderberry wine4 ,i put it down with a sigh1 and ordered a bottle of ginger-beer4 ,then while ,i munched at an olive ,i looked round at my fellow-guests4 ,there was a sister of mercy in her black and white1 with her gold cross showing against her sombre garment2 there was a tall1 thin gentleman who would not have done for any advertisement of anybody's fattening food2 there was a young lady in a straw hat with a many-coloured ribbon to it1 who was so absorbed in an illustrated paper that she was neglecting her dinner2 there were two other ladies enjoying their stewed fruit immensely2 and there were two other gentlemen of the type ,i had seen below1 but who were not wearing their hats4 ,the carrot soup1 which was the soup ,i chose1 was quite hot and was satisfying4 ,the spinach was not up to club form and the flageolets topping it did not look inviting1 but ,i made an attack on it and got half through1 not because ,i wanted to eat it1 but because ,i did not want to hurt the waitress's feelings4 ,the duck's egg was well fried1 and ,i enjoyed it1 though the peas were a trifle hard4 ,then ,i fell into disgrace with the waitress1 for ,i would have neither ,lent pie nor stewed fruit1 pleading that ,i never ate sweets4 ,what1 not stewed fruit8 said the little girl with the red rose2 and ,i knew that in her opinion ,i had missed the crown of the feast4 ,a little bowl of lettuce and cucumber1 with a bottle of salad dressing1 was put in front of me1 and ,i mixed my own salad4 ,then ,i ate a slice of ,gruyre cheese1 and finished with some almonds and raisins that were grouped on a platter round an orange4 ,it being1 as the sign-board had told me1 a noted coffee-house1 ,i ordered a small cup of the liquid1 and said ,black1 in reply to the waitress's question4 ,it was capital coffee undoubtedly1 and1 having finished it1 ,i asked for my bill4 ,the waitress pulled out a little morocco-covered memorandum book1 and presented me with this3--,ginger-beer1 #b;d42 coffee1 #b;d42 dinner1 #as4 #f;d42 total1 #as4 #aj;d4 ,i paid at the desk1 and went forth feeling rather empty4 ,as ,i am writing1 twenty-four hours after the event1 ,i may conclude that ,joe ,buggins's1 of the ,madras ,fusiliers1 fate will not be mine4 #aith ,april4 ,,chapter ,,xiii ,,willis',s ,,rooms 7,,king ,,street7 ,i was getting to the end of a tiring day in a dingy office in ,fleet ,street1 and the little printer's devil1 who was sitting on a chair in the corner by the fire playing cat's-cradle1 had brought word that all that was now wanted from me were a few short notes4 ,it is not easy when one is brain-tired to be playfully humorous as to the ,european ,concert1 and ,i had struggled through a few lines1 only to lay down my pen and take up a bundle of exchanges and a pair of scissors1 when one of the clerks in the outer office brought me in a card and a letter4 ,the card was that of ,miss ,madge ,morgan1 with below in a feminine handwriting ,george ,swanston ,clarke1 and the letter was from an old schoolfellow and friend1 a banker in a country town1 asking me to put ,miss ,morgan in the way of seeing one or two places in ,london which she wished to visit4 ,somehow the ,george ,swanston ,clarke seemed familiar1 so ,i told the clerk that ,i would be out in a moment1 the scissors went click1 click1 click1 the printer's devil was dispatched with a silent malediction1 my day's work was done1 and ,i went out to greet ,miss ,morgan and bring her into the office4 ,she was a very neat and very tidy little person1 of a neatness of dress that was almost primness2 but she had dark-brown hair parted in the middle1 with a shine of gold where it rippled1 and dark-brown eyes with a glint of fun in them that were a relief to her general sense of earnestness4 ,i gave her our best chair and asked what ,i could do for her4 ,it had been my bad luck1 it seems1 to have to send ,george ,swanston ,clarke back a short story2 but ,i had added a few words1 which were not unkind1 to the usual formula and that had emboldened her to ask our mutual friend for an introduction4 ,she had come up from the country town where she was one of the chief teachers at the ladies' college to get some local colour for a novel she was going to write4 ,i murmured that ,i should be delighted to do anything ,i could to help her1 and she explained3 ,the novel is to be called ,the ,education of an ,angel4 ,the principal characters in the book are to be two good angels and two bad angels sent again to earth1 and1 as she wished to be up-to-date1 she particularly wanted to see behind the scenes of a variety theatre1 where the temptation was to take place1 and the ,amphitryon ,club1 where the hero and heroine first meet at dinner4 ,i promised her an introduction to ,mr4 ,hitchens1 of the ,empire1 and ,mr4 ,slater1 of the ,alhambra1 smiling mentally at the disappointment in store for her1 for behind the scenes at the two big variety theatres is ruled with an iron discipline1 and told her ,i was sorry that1 as the ,amphitryon had ceased to exist1 ,i could not help her in that4 ,miss ,morgan looked very blank2 evidently the ,amphitryon chapter was one of her pet ones1 and ,i told her1 hoping to comfort her1 that a number of the former patrons of the ,amphitryon now dine regularly at ,willis's rooms2 that ,m4 ,edouard ,fayat1 who was once at the ,amphitryon1 is manager2 and that if she did not mind a very dull dog as host1 and if #h4cj was not too late1 ,i should be very glad if she would dine with me there that evening1 and ,miss ,morgan smiled again and said1 ,thank you very much4 ,i called at ,willis's on my way homeward to dress and saw ,m4 ,fayat1 clean-shaved and rotund1 with a touch of the ,p'tit ,caporal about him and tried to order dinner2 but ,i found my tired brain had no more imagination for a menu than it had for a paragraph1 and when ,m4 ,fayat asked whether ,i would leave the dinner to him ,i was glad to do so1 premising that it must not be an expensive one4 ,all the tables in the upstairs rooms were taken1 but there was a comfortable one downstairs for two which ,i could have1 and to be sure of the celebrities who usually dined ,i looked through the book where the names of the givers of dinners are recorded4 ,at half-past eight to the second my guest drove up in a hansom4 ,i was prepared for a primness of attire1 but instead found the little governess looking very nice in a low-necked black silk dress1 with a tiny diamond heart hung round her neck by a little gold chain4 ,our table had a cross of flowers on it and a two-branched silver candlestick1 the wax candles in which had red shades4 ,we settled ourselves in our places1 the head-waiter placed a mossy nest of plovers' eggs upon the table1 ,miss ,morgan began to look rapidly round her surroundings1 while ,i took up the menu and glanced down it4 ,this was it3-- ufs de pluviers4 ,soupe ,henri ,,iv4 ,barbue au vin de ,bourgogne4 ,noisettes de pr-sal la ,dubarry4 ,haricots verts nouveaux de ,poissy4 ,pommes nouvelles4 ,poulet de grain polonaise4 ,curs de romaine en salade4 ,asperges d',argenteuil4 ,sauce mousseline4 ,fraises l'orange4 ,miss ,morgan would have none of the plovers' eggs1 nor would she be tempted by the other delicacies offered her in their place4 ,have you begun to absorb your local colouring8 ,i asked1 and she was anxious in return to know if it would seem outr to take notes1 and being encouraged thereto produced a workmanlike note-book4 ,did you notice1 as you came in1 the window1 six arched1 with its ',djeuners1 dners1 soupers1 ptissier1' etc41 on it8 and the tall commissionaire and the little page8 ,miss ,morgan nodded her head and jotted all these down4 ,then the soup was brought4 ,a simple soup enough1 as its name would promise1 but excellently hot4 ,now for the interior1 and ,miss ,morgan picked up her pencil again4 ,you might note that it is as close a transcript of a ,parisian restaurant as could be found in ,london1 the white walls with great mirrors let into the shining wood1 the scarlet couches by the wall1 the chairs with their quaint backs and scarlet seats all savour of ,paris1 and ,miss ,morgan jotted all this down4 ,then the brill1 reposing in its brown sauce1 with little hillocks of mushrooms around it1 was shown to us1 a bottle of old hock1 carefully decanted1 was put on the table1 and ,i1 at least1 cared for the time nothing for local colour1 for the sauce vin de ,bourgogne was delicious1 and the hock was golden4 ,but ,miss ,morgan was trifling with her pencil1 and1 looking over her page1 ,i found that she had noted the dumb-waiter in the centre of the restaurant piled high with fruit and bundles of asparagus1 with the duck press of shining silver1 the dame de comptoir in black at her little desk with a little clock above it1 and the great clock of enamel and ormolu1 the principal ornament of the room4 ,the noisettes ,i thought a little too dry2 but ,i could get no opinion from ,miss ,morgan except that she thought the little potato-filled open cases on which they were served were pretty4 ,i pointed out to her1 as a purely ,french touch1 the black apron of the wine waiter1 the distinguishing mark from the others1 all white-aproned3 explained the position of the room upstairs1 and where the distant music of the band came from2 gave her some reminiscences of ,willis's in past days1 and then waxed eloquent over the poulet polonaise1 which1 with its savoury accompaniment of rice and chicken liver1 was excellent4 ,but ,miss ,morgan wanted now to know who all the guests at the tables were4 ,there were two grandes dames1 ,lady ,a4 and ,lady ,b41 there were a couple of ,guardsmen ,i knew1 there was ,sir ,george ,lewis1 the ,british ,fouch--,miss ,morgan noted that--there was a handsome lady in black with many black sequins1 there was an ex-soldier1 now a power on the ,stock ,exchange1 and a number of other well-groomed men whom ,i did not know4 ,but this ,i was aware would not satisfy ,miss ,morgan1 so my previous glimpse at the book of the tables came in useful1 and the unknown men became minor members of the ,ministry1 lords1 poets1 editors1 and composers4 ,miss ,morgan wrote them all down1 and was happy4 ,the asparagus and the strawberries were excellent1 and over the latter1 served in a silver dish over a silver bowl of ice1 ,miss ,morgan for the first time became enthusiastic4 ,the coffee1 too1 and the liqueurs were good4 ,i paid the bill--two dinners1 #a3 #es42 one bottle #aca1 #fs42 caf1 #as42 liqueurs1 #bs4--total1 #a3 #ads42 and in explanation of the lack of detail1 told ,miss ,morgan that in the old days of the ,amphitryon we who were not over-wealthy used1 when we gave a dinner1 to go to ,emile and ask him to do the best he could for us at #abs4 #f;d4 a head4 ,but though ,i told her this ,i was perfectly aware that ,i had been treated too kindly by the management1 and that the bill should have been of larger proportions4 ,i put ,miss ,morgan into a cab1 amid thanks on her part and many messages to our common friend on mine4 ,i shall be interested to read the ,amphitryon chapter in ,the ,education of an ,angel1 by ,george ,swanston ,clarke4 #bfth ,april4 ,,chapter ,,xiv ,,le ,,restaurant ,,des ,,gourmets 7,,lisle ,,street7 ,the superior person and ,i were chatting in the club as to eating generally1 and he was holding forth on the impossibility of discovering any dining place1 as ,kettner's was discovered by our fathers1 where a good meal could be had at a very small price4 ,i turned on him and rent him figuratively1 giving him a list that commenced with ,torino's and ended with the ,htel ,hanover1 and asked him if he had been to any of them4 ,he had not4 ,his system was to go to the ,savoy or ,willis's1 or the ,princes' ,hall1 and then to grumble because he could not get his meals at those places at grill-room prices4 ,i finally pinned him by asking him whether he would1 as a man and a discoverer1 come with me that evening and dine at the ,restaurant des ,gourmets4 ,the name seemed to tickle him1 and he said something about going home to change into dress clothes1 which ,i assured him was unnecessary1 and he then asked where this restaurant was4 ,did he know the stage door of the ,empire8 ,and the superior person looked at me in answer to that question with a look that showed me that he had a full-blown ,nonconformist conscience4 ,i explained that the ,restaurant des ,gourmets was in ,lisle ,street1 as was the stage door of the ,empire1 that ,i was not trying to lure him to meet any fairy of the ballet1 but that if he came with me he would very probably find some members of the ,empire orchestra dining1 and as likely as not ,m4 ,wenzel1 the conductor1 himself4 ,six was the hour ,i proposed to dine1 changing afterwards into dress clothes1 to go to a first night at the ,duke of ,york's1 but the superior person sniffed1 and said that that was too early for any one to eat an evening meal4 ,so ,i left him1 and my ideas having been turned towards the little ,lisle ,street restaurant1 ,i wandered down there4 ,lisle ,street is not exactly an aristocratic locality4 ,there is next door to the ,restaurant des ,gourmets another restaurant which has been newly painted1 and which posts its bill of fare upon its front1 and there is the office of a musical publication2 but most of the rest of the houses are dingy private residences4 ,the outside of the restaurant is not too inviting either4 ,it has a double window with a yellowish curtain hiding the inside from view1 and the woodwork is painted a leaden gray4 ,it is well to be early at the ,restaurant des ,gourmets1 for by half-past six there is rarely a seat to be had at any of the tables4 ,at six to the stroke ,i pushed back the door with its whitened glass panel1 whereon is inscribed ,entre1 and was in the humble home of the connoisseur4 ,a burly ,frenchman with a beard1 another with his hair combed over his forehead in a fringe1 and a third with a slight beard and wearing a little grey cap1 were drinking vermouth at one of the tables2 otherwise the room was empty4 ,i sat down at one of the tables1 and a waiter in dress clothes and a clean shirt put a bill of fare1 written in cramped ,french handwriting on blue paper1 in front of me4 ,the first item on the blue paper was hors-d'uvre--hareng1 saucisson1 sardines1 radis1 beurre1 #b;d41 and ,i ordered these delicacies and some soupe1 pat d',italie1 which also cost #b;d41 and then proceeded to look round4 ,the ,frenchmen1 talking volubly1 had gone out4 ,another waiter with a light moustache had joined the first one1 and both were regarding me with the interest the waiter always has in a chance customer whose tip may be lordly or the reverse4 ,up against the window were piled little bowls of salad1 the green and white telling well against the yellow of the curtain1 and a great stack of long ,french loaves of bread cut into sections which1 with their white ends and brown crust1 had something of the appearance of a pile of little logs4 ,in front of the window was a counter covered with green baize1 on which were some long uncut loaves1 an earthenware bowl1 a kettle1 and a bright metal machine that had a lamp under it1 and contained either coffee or soup4 ,a comely ,frenchwoman in black1 with an apron1 was behind this counter1 and as the waiters gave her an order she shouted it down a little lift1 and the dish was presently hoisted up from the depths below4 ,at the far end of the room is a sloping glass roof1 with panes to lift up for ventilation4 ,the pink paper on the wall under this gives the touch of colour to the picture4 ,the other walls are of plain panelling painted a greyish white with pegs all round to hang up hats and coats upon1 and an occasional mirror in a dark wood frame4 ,placards with ,toutes les boissons doivent tre payes l'avance1 and ,la pipe est interdite are posted round the walls1 and there were some flowers in vases on the mantelpiece4 ,the little tables to hold two or four were round three sides of the room1 with coarse but clean napery1 glass bowls for the pepper and salt1 with little bone spoons1 and thick glasses1 and decanters of water4 ,the couches against the walls were covered with black leather1 the chairs were of ,austrian bentwood4 ,the waiter had put ,l',eclair1 a ,french newspaper printed with the usual abominable ,french type1 in front of me4 ,i nibbled at the bit of herring in a little saucer1 and drank my soup1 which was just as good as if it had cost two shillings instead of twopence1 and then proceeded to order the rest of my dinner1 a proceeding which was regarded with mild interest by the little ,frenchman with a slight beard wearing the grey peaked cap1 who had returned4 ,c'est le patron1 said one of the waiters1 and ,i promptly introduced myself to him1 and began to cross-examine him as to the identity of his clients1 for the room was filling very quickly4 ,m4 ,brice sat on a chair by my table1 which now had its full complement of diners1 for the burly1 bearded ,frenchman1 the other with the hair combed down on to his forehead1 and a third with a carefully curled moustache1 had taken the three vacant places4 ,that1 said ,m4 ,brice1 indicating a dark gentleman with a curled moustache1 is ,chaudoir1 the chef d'orchestre at ,sergeant ,sole4 ,what8 ,i said1 bluntly enough4 ,at ,sergeant ,sole1 where they are blacked4 ,a sudden inspiration that ,sergeant ,sole was ,st4 ,james's ,hall came to me4 ,and that1 pointing to a gentleman with a red tie1 is the gentleman who does the socialistic writing for the ,pall ,mall4 ,three clean-shaven gentlemen were vaguely described as artists1 and after gazing at a lady in black with white hair for some time1 ,m4 ,brice said1 ,that is an old woman4 ,the two gentlemen sitting opposite this lady were the ,messieurs ,chose1 of a firm in ,old ,broad ,street1 and the three ,frenchmen at my table were big men in the greengrocery line1 who come over two or three times a year to ,covent ,garden4 ,a clean-shaven1 prosperous-looking gentleman1 with a young lady in black1 entered just then1 and a note of admiration came into ,m4 ,brice's voice as he told me that this was the coachman of the ,baron ,alfred de ,rothschild4 ,the turbot and caper sauce1 which was the most expensive part of my dinner1 costing as much as #h;d41 ,i did not care for very much2 but1 on the other hand1 the gigot haricot1 which followed it1 was excellent4 ,m4 ,brice1 who kept up a running accompaniment of conversation to my dinner1 told me that all the meat cooked at his restaurant was ,english4 ,there is no such thing as a wine list at the ,restaurant des ,gourmets1 and ,i had ordered at a venture a pint of vin ordinaire1 which the waiter told me would cost sixpence4 ,it is a rough1 strong wine1 and ,i suggested to ,m4 ,brice that it probably was of ,corsican or ,sardinian growth4 ,m4 ,brice shrugged his shoulders and from somewhere produced a pint of claret1 with the name of the late ,m4 ,nicol of the ,caf ,royal1 on it1 and told me that he was able to sell that at a very moderate price4 ,the omelette that ,i had ordered was as light as a ,french cook always makes them1 and the slice of brie that closed my repast was as coulant as it should be4 ,then ,m4 ,brice1 still talking1 made me out my bill on the back of one of the cards of his restaurant4 ,hors-d'uvre1 #b;d42 pain1 #a;d42 potage1 #b;d42 poisson1 #h;d42 entre1 #f;d42 omelette1 #d;d42 fromage1 #b;d42 half ordinaire1 #f;d42 total1 #bs4 #g;d4 #ast ,may4 ,,chapter ,,xv ,,the ,,trocadero 7,,shaftesbury ,,avenue7 ,i dined one day early last week at the ,trocadero1 a little specially-ordered tte--tte dinner over which the chef had taken much trouble--his ,suprmes de sole ,trocadro1 and ,poulet de printemps ,rodisi are well worth remembering--and while ,i drank the ,mot '#hd1 cuve #agad1 and luxuriated in some brandy dating back to #ahae1 the solution of a problem that had puzzled me mildly came to me4 ,an old friend was sending his son1 a boy at ,harrow1 up to ,london to see a dentist before going back to school1 and asked me if ,i would mind giving him something to eat1 and taking him to a performance of some kind4 ,i said ,yes1 of course2 but ,i felt it was something of an undertaking4 ,when ,i was at ,harrow my ideas of luxury consisted of ices at ,fuller's and sausages and mashed potatoes carried home in a paper bag4 ,i had no idea as to what ,jones minor's tastes might be2 but if he was anything like what ,i was then he would prefer plenty of good food combined with music and gorgeousness and excitement to the most delicate mousse ever made1 eaten in philosophic calm4 ,the ,trocadero was the place2 if he was not impressed by the dinner1 by the magnificence of the rooms1 by the beautiful staircase1 by the music1 then ,i did not know my ,harrow boy4 ,jones minor arrived at my club at five minutes to the half-past seven1 and ,i saw at once that he was not a young gentleman to be easily impressed4 ,he had on a faultless black short jacket and trousers1 a white waistcoat1 and a tuberose in his buttonhole4 ,i asked him if he knew the ,trocadero1 and he said that he had not dined there2 but plenty of boys in his house had1 and had said that it was jolly good4 ,when we came to the entrance of the ,trocadero1 an entrance that always impresses me by its palatial splendour1 ,i pointed out to him the veined marble of the walls and the magnificent frieze in which ,messrs4 ,moira and ,jenkins1 two of the cleverest of our young artists1 have struck out a new line of decoration2 and when ,i had paused a while to let him take it in ,i told him that the chef de rception had been a gallant ,australian ,lancer4 ,then ,i asked him what he thought of it1 and he said he thought it was jolly good4 ,mr ,alfred ,salmon1 in chief command1 and the good-looking matre d'htel1 both saw us to our table1 and a plump waiter whom ,i remember of old at the ,savoy was there with the various menu cards in his hand4 ,the table had been heaped with roses in our honour1 and ,i felt that all this attention must impress ,jones minor2 but he unfolded his napkin with the calm of unconcern1 and ,i regretted that ,i had not arranged to have the band play ,see the ,conquering ,hero ,comes1 and have a triumphal arch erected in his honour4 ,i had intended to give him the five-shilling table-d'hte meal2 but in face of this calm superiority ,i abandoned that1 skipped the #gs4 #f;d4 table d'hte as well1 and ordered the half-guinea one4 ,i had thought that three-and-sixpennyworth of wine should be ample for a growing boy1 but having rushed into reckless extravagance over the food ,i thought ,i would let him try seven-and-sixpennyworth of wine4 ,i personally ordered a pint of #bgg1 which is an excellent wine4 ,i told ,jones minor that the doctor told me not to mix my wines1 and he said something about having to be careful when one got old that ,i did not think sounded at all nice4 ,while we paused1 waiting for the hors-d'uvre1 ,i drew his attention to all the gorgeousness of the grand restaurant1 the cream and gold1 the hand-painted ceiling-panels1 on which the ,cupids sport1 the brocades and silks of the wall panels1 the broad band of gold of the gallery running round the room1 the crimson and gold draperies1 the glimpse of the blue and white and gold of the salon seen through the dark framing of the portires2 ,i bade him note the morocco leather chairs with gold initials on the back1 and the same initials on the collars of the servants4 ,it is a blaze of gorgeousness that recalls to me some dream of the ,arabian ,nights2 but ,jones minor said somewhat coldly that he thought it jolly good4 ,we drank our potage vert-pr out of silver plates1 but this had no more effect on ,jones minor than if they had been earthenware4 ,i drew his attention to the excellent band up above1 in their gilded cage4 ,i pointed out to him amidst the crowd of diners two ex-,lord ,mayors1 an ,a4,d4,c4 to ,royalty1 the most popular low comedian of the day1 a member of the last ,cabinet1 our foremost dramatic critic and his wife1 and one of our leading lawyers4 ,jones minor had no objection to their presence1 but nothing more4 ,the only interest he showed was in a table at which an ,irish ,m4,p4 was entertaining his family1 among them two ,eton boys1 and towards them his attitude was haughty but hostile4 ,so ,i tried to thaw him while we ate our whitebait1 which was capitally cooked1 by telling him tales of the criminal existence ,i led when ,i was a boy at ,harrow4 ,i told him how ,i put my foot in the door of ,mr4 ,bull's class-room when it was being closed at early morning school time4 ,i told him how ,i took up alternate halves of one exercise of rule of three through one whole term to ,old ,teek4 ,i told him how ,i and another bad boy lay for two hours in a bed of nettles on ,kingsbury racecourse1 because we thought a man watching the races with his back to us was ,mr4 ,middlemist4 ,and ,i asked him if ,dr4 ,welldon had habitually worn a piece of light blue ribbon at ,lord's4 ,this for a moment thawed ,jones minor into humanity4 ,the story about ,dr4 ,welldon was jolly rot1 and before the boy froze up again ,i learned that ,bowen's had licked some other house in the final of the ,torpid football matches1 and that ,eaton ,faning had composed a jolly good song about the ,queen4 ,the filets mignons1 from his face1 ,jones minor seemed to like2 but he restrained all his emotions with ,spartan severity4 ,he did not contradict me when ,i said that the petites bouches la ,st-,hubert were good2 but he ate three sorbets1 and looked as if he could tackle three more1 which showed me that the real spirit of the ,harrow boy was there somewhere under the glacial surface1 if ,i could only get at it4 ,mr4 ,lyons1 piercing of eye1 his head-covering worn a little through by the worries of the magnitude of his many undertakings1 with little side whiskers and a little moustache1 passed by1 and ,i introduced the boy to him1 and afterwards explained the number of strings pulled by this ,napoleon of supply1 and at the mention of a grub shop in every other street ,jones minor's eyes brightened4 ,when ,jones minor had made a clean sweep of the plate of petits fours1 and had drained the last drops of his glass of ,chartreuse1 ,i thought ,i might venture to ask him how he liked his dinner1 as a whole4 ,this was what he had conscientiously eaten through3-- ,hors-d'uvre varis4 ,consomm ,monte ,carlo4 ,potage vert-pr4 ,petites ,soles la ,florentine4 ,blanchailles au citron4 ,filets mignons la ,rachel4 ,petites bouches la ,st-,hubert4 ,sorbet4 ,poularde de ,surrey la broche4 ,salade saison4 ,asperges nouvelles4 ,sauce mousseux4 ,charlotte ,russe4 ,souffl glac ,pompadour4 ,petits fours4 ,dessert4 ,he had drunk a glass of ,amontillado1 a glass of '#hi ,liebfraumilch1 two glasses of ,deutz and ,gelderman1 a glass of dessert claret1 and a glass of liqueur1 and when pressed for a critical opinion1 said that he thought that it was jolly good4 ,impressed into using a new adjective ,jones minor should be somehow4 ,so1 with ,mr4 ,isidore ,salmon as escort1 ,i took him over the big house from top to bottom4 ,he shook the chef's hand with the serenity of a prince in the kitchen at the top of the house1 and showed some interest in the wonderful roasting arrangements worked by electricity and the clever method of registering orders4 ,he gazed at the mighty stores of meat and vegetables1 peeped into the cosy private dining-rooms1 had the beauties of the noble ,empire ball-room explained to him1 and finally1 in the grill-room1 amid the surroundings of ,cippolini marble and old copper1 the excellent string band played a gavotte1 at my request1 as being likely to take his fancy4 ,then ,i asked ,jones minor what he thought of it all1 and he said that he thought it jolly good4 ,i paid my bill3 ,two dinners1 #a3 #as42 table-d'hte wine1 #gs4 #f;d42 half #bgg1 #gs42 liqueur1 #bs4 #f;d42 total1 #a3 #ahs42 and asked ,jones minor where he would like to go and be amused4 ,he said he had heard that the ,empire was jolly good4 #ajth ,may4 99 99 99 99 99 ,i bearded ,mr4 ,j4 ,lyons in his den one fine spring day and told him that ,dinners and ,diners was going to appear in book form4 ,he showed no visible sign of emotion4 ,next ,i asked him if he would tell me what the plats were that the ,trocadero kitchen prided itself on1 and if he would give me the recette of suprme de sole ,trocadro of which ,i had a pleasant memory4 ,he kindly said that ,i should have a list of the dishes1 and not one but two recettes if ,i wanted them4 ,my remark was ,thank you4 ,caviar glac1 hutres la ,orientale1 potage ,rodisi1 soles la ,glover1 ctelettes de saumon la ,nantua1 chapon de ,bresse la ,trocadro1 poularde la ,montique1 selle d'agneau la ,lyon d'or1 salade d',orsay1 asperges nouvelles ,milanaises form a little list from which an admirable dinner could be designed4 ,these are the recettes of suprme de sole ,trocadro and ,saddle of ,lamb la ,pera-- ,suprmes de ,sole ,trocadro ,take two fillets of soles and stuff them with fish forced meat1 put one slice of smoked salmon on the top of each1 roll them together1 then take a small saut pan well buttered1 and place the fillets in it1 with salt1 pepper1 half a wineglassful of white wine1 and the juice of half a lemon1 cover it and let it simmer for from eighteen to twenty minutes4 ,dress them on a silver dish1 and cover one fillet with real ,dutch sauce mixed with some of the fish gravy1 the second fillet you cover with real lobster sauce4 ,place one slice of truffles on each fillet and serve very hot4 ,saddle of ,lamb la ,pera ,take one saddle of lamb1 and place it in an earthenware roasting-dish and cook for about three-quarters of an hour4 ,prepare carrots1 turnips1 and potatoes in fancy shape1 and half cook them1 place them in bouquets round the saddle and put it back in the oven for twenty minutes4 ,prepare some stuffed aubergines in rows on the top of the saddle1 the peas and ,french beans between each4 ,to be served with a strong sherry sauce4 ,,chapter ,,xvi ,,the ,,american ,,bar1 ,,criterion 7,,piccadilly ,,circus7 ,it was half-past seven1 or it may have been even a little later1 when ,i encountered the recorder of racing romances wandering along the eastern half-mile of ,piccadilly1 and both he and ,i had been too indolent to get into the conventional sables4 ,to him it was a matter of no moment4 ,many racing campaigns had so taken the corners off him that1 like that excellent warrior1 but distinctly casual diner1 ,frederick the ,great1 he could sit himself down in any garb and return grateful thanks to ,heaven for enough salt beef and cabbage for a meal--which may go to prove either that ,frederick should have been enshrined among the martyrs1 or that salt beef has monstrously degenerated4 ,a very good place in the old days for an undress dinner1 the romancer declared when the subject was broached1 was the ,american ,bar at the ,criterion1 and further than this he went by telling me of the men who knew their town1 who swore by the succulent grilled pigs' feet to be had there at supper-time2 so there we went4 ,managers come and managers go at the big caravanserai at ,piccadilly ,circus1 but the ,american ,bar remains the same4 ,the ceiling had been recently renovated1 and the fine patriotic design of the national eagle1 with its talons full of forked lightning1 had been embellished with some extra gold-leaf2 otherwise there is little change4 ,there are the little carved cupids on the outside portals1 the marble-topped tables which are deftly covered with table-cloths by the waiters in the usual ,french garb of white aprons and short jackets when the meal-times approach1 the partitions of brass rail1 the marble columns1 the panels of glazed tiles1 and1 at the end of the room1 the grill with a clock above it1 where1 shielded by a transparent screen1 a stout cook all in white stands and turns the chops and the steaks on the great gridiron where the fat drips through and fizzles on the coals beneath4 ,the great janitors1 both of mighty girth1 who stand at the outer doors1 look in occasionally to give a message1 for from about twelve in the morning to midnight the ,american ,bar is as busy as a beehive1 and each edition of the evening papers is anxiously bought and scanned by most of the habitus1 who have1 as a rule1 a tinge of the racing man about them4 ,after ordering our soup1 a consomm ,nevers that proved good1 though we waited an unconscionable time for it1 my guest fell to pointing out some of the many celebrities who were there1 either sitting at the tables or standing at the bar1 where the many bottles on the shelves make a fine show1 where the lager-beer engine is surmounted by a silvered statuette1 and three white-coated tenders seem continually employed in mixing drinks in tumblers half-filled with crushed ice2 and foremost amongst them was a ,mr4 ,cockburn1 a florid man of distinctly sporting appearance1 whose cheeks still bore the unsightly scars that their wearer got in the now almost forgotten brawl with cutlasses in a house in ,munster ,terrace1 ,regent's ,park4 ,near him was a spare1 dark man1 dressed in grey1 wearing his bowler hat very much over one ear4 ,this was ,saville1 ,cockburn's fellow-sufferer in the battle of the blades1 who1 when the chief assailant1 a ,mexican card-cheat named ,tarbeaux 7now in penal servitude71 was about to return to the attack on ,cockburn1 made the extraordinary appeal1 ,that's enough2 don't twice him6 ,then there was sitting at one of the tables a burly fellow1 broad of back and lavishly bestudded with diamonds1 who the romancer informed me was a redoubtable bookmaker4 ,he it was1 said my philosopher1 who headed the ,birmingham contingent at most of the prize-fights of recent years1 and particularly in evidence were they at the ,smith and ,greenfield and the ,smith and ,slavin encounters at ,le ,vesinet and ,bruges respectively4 ,the names of the other prosperous-looking people who formed a group round the hero of the diamonds have slipped my memory1 but they all seemed to have a nickname of some kind1 and the racing romancer1 when ,i asked for information about any of them1 invariably began1 ,what1 not know old--whatever the name might be8 ,for our second course we took saumon1 sauce ,gervoise1 and very good and well-cooked it was1 though again we had some time to wait for it2 and here it was that many eyes noted the entrance of a well-known ,oriental banker1 a gentleman of great wealth1 and one of the last personages one would have expected to see dining solus and in the plainest manner possible4 ,that it was a favourite resort of his seemed apparent from the fact that he walked straight to a table at which a chair had been turned up1 and the manager of the room himself came forward to proffer those few words of advice which relieve the diner of so much hazardous speculation4 ,yet other newcomers were a stalwart ex-major of the ,royal ,artillery1 and a music-hall agent1 who in the halcyon past had half the proprietors of variety theatres in ,london at his feet4 ,to each and all of them ,charlie1 the well-groomed head bar-keeper with the accurately-parted and immaculately plastered hair1 had something of paramount interest to impart1 and he seemed so bland that one wondered how he ever survived the friendly raids of the olden days when a certain festive youth and his companions were wont to take the place by storm1 and on one occasion escaladed the bar1 took possession of the tills1 and scrambled the shillings among the chronic needy4 ,what wild extravagances were they not capable of6 ,it was here that the undefeated racing man who used to be known as the best-looking youth in ,london1 and was to be seen daily in ,piccadilly with a black poodle decorated with bows of yellow ribbon1 once mixed1 for the entertainment of his friends1 his fearful and wonderful fruit-salads--generally a couple of sovereigns' worth of hothouse fruit steeped in the oldest cognac of ,justerini and ,brooks1 and liqueurs varies1 the effects of which the friends aforesaid found the greatest possible difficulty in sleeping off by dinner-time4 ,but our entre arrives1 a filet saut ,barnaise1 than which ,i desire to eat no better4 ,a new arrival of guests1 most of them fresh from ,kempton1 with their racing-glasses hung over their shoulders1 included a young man with a familiarly known nickname1 who in the first ,jubilee years galloped through his money and earned his jubilant title2 another racing man1 with the name of a philanthropist of a past generation1 who at one time owned a property with two racecourses on it2 and a gentleman who used to drive a yellow-bodied coach with four piebald horses1 which he alluded to humorously as his mustard-pot and guinea-pigs1 who having run through one fortune seems likely to make another4 ,a sporting baronet1 who takes an interest in yachting2 a dramatist1 who has written more than one racing play1 and no doubt finds the ,american ,bar useful for his local colour2 our cleverest caricaturist1 and a dozen or two less well-known people1 formed a solid mass before the bar1 and occupied all the available tables4 ,we had finished our ,burgundy1 which for its price was exceptionally good1 and my guest had eaten some cheddar cheese1 when the roving disposition of the racing romancer asserted itself1 and for our coffee and liqueurs we must needs go to the hospitable ,eccentric ,club across the way1 so ,i called for the bill3 ,two consomm1 #bs42 two salmon1 #ds42 two filets sauts1 #fs42 cheese1 #f;d42 ,burgundy1 #es42 total1 #ags4 #f;d4 #agth ,may4 ,,chapter ,,xvii ,,the ,,hotel ,,continental 7,,regent ,,street7 ,so you are the man who is writing those articles about ',dinners and ,diners1' said old ,sir ,george1 when ,i dined quietly last week with him and ,lady ,carcanet4 ,good ,lord6 ,who'd have thought it6 ,this sounded rather a dubious compliment2 but pretty ,miss ,carcanet1 ,brighteyes as her family nickname is1 began to take more interest in me than she had ever shown before4 ,did ,i go alone1 or did ,i really take the people ,i said ,i did8 she asked4 ,and ,i told her that ,i really did take the people ,i described4 ,why don't you take ,brighteyes to do one with you1 said ,sir ,george4 ,it's her first season1 and she is seeing everything that ,london has to show4 ,she has figured in print after the ,drawing-,room1 and one of the ladies' papers has had a portrait of her as a dbutante of the season4 ,now you might lend your aid to immortalise her4 ,miss ,brighteyes said she would like it immensely1 and though ,lady ,carcanet did not think it at all the thing for a young girl to dine at a restaurant alone with a gentleman1 ,sir ,george said something about there being no harm in being seen with an old buster1 old enough to be her father--which was a doubtful compliment to my grey hair4 ,i1 of course1 was delighted1 and asked ,miss ,brighteyes to choose her day and her restaurant4 ,there was the ,berkeley1 which had then just been reopened1 the ,avondale1 which is going ahead with its new managers1 ,dieudonn's1 the ,continental4 ,i wanted to dine at all of these1 and would she take her choice4 ,is the ,continental the hotel with a ruddy face and red pillars to its portico at the bottom of ,regent ,street8 ,miss ,brighteyes asked1 and when ,i said that it was1 she made that her choice4 ,dear me6 ,isn't that restaurant considered a little--well1 a little fast8 came from ,lady ,carcanet1 who very evidently disapproved of the whole of the proceedings2 but ,i was able to reassure her on that subject4 ,the ladies who sup in the upstairs rooms may not all be duchesses and countesses in their own right2 but there is no more respectable place to dine at1 and there is no better table d'hte than is served in the downstairs room4 ,i told ,miss ,brighteyes that if she wanted to see the restaurant at its best we should have to dine early1 for most of the guests were sure to be going on to the theatre either as spectators or players4 ,on ,thursday ,miss ,brighteyes was going to the ,opera to hear the ,huguenots1 and was to join her aunt there1 so ,i was asked if ,thursday would suit1 and said ,perfectly4 ,lady ,carcanet looked discouragingly on the whole matter2 but said1 very freezingly1 that in that case we had better have the brougham1 which could wait and take ,miss ,brighteyes to the ,opera afterwards4 ,why didn't you come to my ,drawing-,room ,tea8 was the beginning of the cross-examination that ,i went through in the brougham1 on our way to the restaurant2 and ,i explained that as a recorder of dinners ,i considered myself exempt from teas1 an answer which did not satisfy ,miss ,brighteyes1 who pouted1 and said that ,i might have made an exception in her favour4 ,miss ,brighteyes' cloak was deposited in a side room1 my coat and hat were taken from me and put in a locker in the hall1 and we settled ourselves down at a corner table in the room1 dimly lighted by electric globes and by the red-shaded candles on the tables4 ,it is a most effective room1 as ,i pointed out to ,miss ,brighteyes1 with its oil-paintings of figure-subjects framed in dark wood over the mantelpieces1 its line of muslin-draped windows down one side1 and on the other mirrors and the comptoir of dark wood1 where between two palms one catches a glimpse1 under the glow of a red-shaded lamp1 of the pretty face of the lady enthroned there4 ,a screen of old gold comes pleasantly into the scheme of colour4 ,isn't it delightfully improper to be dining alone with a gentleman in a restaurant6 ,i do wish ,madame ,quelquechose could see me now1 ,miss ,brighteyes remarked1 as ,i looked through the three menus1 one at #ajs4 #f;d41 one at #gs4 #f;d41 and one at #fs4 #f;d4 ,madame ,quelquechose was1 ,i may state1 the head of the celebrated ,parisian school at which ,miss ,brighteyes had finished her education4 ,as the young lady had to be at ,covent ,garden at eight1 and it was now seven1 ,i thought the shortest of the menus--the #fs4 #f;d4 one--would suffice4 ,besides1 ,i hold that the best dinners are always short ones4 ,here it is3-- ,hors-d'uvre varis4 ,consomm ,svign4 ,paupiettes de merlans ,hlose4 ,tournedos grills ,judic4 ,poularde rtie4 ,salade4 ,asperges au beurre fondu4 ,souffl glac ,victoria4 ,petits fours4 ,as ,miss ,brighteyes ate her plovers' eggs she wanted to be told who the different people dining at the tables might be4 ,the bearded gentleman was one of the best-known singers1 and his name a household word4 ,the other man with the impress of the artist strong upon him was1 ,i was able to tell her1 the well-known ,wagnerian conductor1 who at the time was constantly travelling backwards and forwards between ,bayreuth and ,covent ,garden4 ,a pleasant-faced gentleman with a dark moustache1 who had smiled at me as ,i came in1 was a well-known comedian and manager2 the gentleman dining with two ladies was a cricketer of fame4 ,there was the ,london correspondent of the ,figaro dining with another ,french gentleman4 ,our soup was excellent4 ,there was in it a savour of the sea which reminded me of the birds'-nest soup of ,china1 and by that alone ,i should have judged ,m4 ,baptiste ,commaille1 the chef1 to be an artist4 ,before the fish arrived my cross-examination was continued4 ,had ,i been to a ,levee8 ,i was asked2 and when ,i said ,i had not1 and that the reason of the not having done so was that my practical study of the art of dining had made my tunic too tight for me1 and that ,i was not sufficiently wealthy just at present to buy another to use for one occasion only in the year1 ,i was told that ,i should learn to bike1 and that if ,i did ,i might come sometimes and take ,miss ,brighteyes to the ,park in the morning4 ,was ,i going to the big charity fancy ball at the ,empress ,rooms1 and if so1 as what8 ,i was not1 ,i regretted to say1 my tunic not suiting better for balls than for levees1 and my figure not being quite in keeping with a ,romeo costume from ,nathan's2 but ,i learned that ,miss ,brighteyes was1 and that she was going in a copy of a costume of one of her ancestresses1 all light blue with the front laced across with pearls4 ,the ancestress had real pearls1 but ,miss ,brighteyes was only to have imitation ones4 ,the fish ,i did not care for much1 a merlan being rather a tasteless denizen of the sea1 but ,miss ,brighteyes admired the cream and pink of the plat immensely1 and thought that there was a suggestion for a dress in it4 ,then ,i heard all about the recent balls1 how charming the pink peonies were at one house1 and the lilies and palms at another1 and so on2 and was given a disquisition on the dresses at the ,drawing-,room1 of which all that ,i can recall is that one lady wore muslin with roses painted on it1 and ropes of wonderful pearls4 ,the tournedos1 with their accompanying quarters of artichokes in batter and scarlet tomatoes1 were excellent1 very excellent indeed1 and so was the chicken1 delightfully brown1 and done to a turn4 ,the souffl glac ,victoria1 which was brought in triumph by ,m4 ,garin1 the matre d'htel1 was encased in a little summer-house of sugar1 with the names of various papers blazoned on it--that of the ,pall ,mall being over the door1 ,i had finished my pint of excellent champagne and ,miss ,brighteyes had sipped her lemon squash1 a sinful drink1 even for a girl in her first season4 ,i was selfish enough to take my coffee and liqueur before ,i told ,miss ,brighteyes that it was ten minutes to eight1 which put her in a flutter1 for she was anxious not to lose the overture4 ,this was the bill2--,two dinners1 #acs42 half #hh1 #gs42 one lemon squash1 #as42 half tasse1 #f;d42 one liqueur1 #as42 total1 #a3 #j3 #f4 99 99 99 99 99 ,there have been changes at the ,htel ,continental since ,i dined there with the intention of putting my experiences in print4 ,there is a new board of directors1 and the dining-room has put off its rather sombre livery of deep reds and browns1 and has adopted instead a bright dress of white and gold and delicate greys4 ,the curtains to the windows are pink1 and the room is as bright now as a flower-garden4 ,mons4 ,laurent has replaced ,mons4 ,garin as matre d'htel4 ,,chapter ,,xviii ,,the ,,avondale 7,,piccadilly7 ,while ,i sat in the anteroom of the ,htel ,avondale and waited for the ,epicure1 whom ,i had asked to come and dine with me1 as a general practitioner would call in a specialist in a delicate case1 ,i pondered over the vicissitudes which1 during the past few years1 have befallen the hotel that has now come into the hands of the two young and energetic men from the ,savoy4 ,it opened with a great flourish of trumpets1 ,i remember1 as the ,cercle de ,luxe1 just at the time that ,society seemed inclined to take to dining clubs1 and the ,amphitryon was always full1 and the ,maison ,dore glittered scarcely a stone's-throw away4 ,i was much impressed then with the gorgeousness of the staircase1 with the walls of reddish marble1 topped by white1 veined with black1 and above that a broad painted frieze1 red in tone1 studded with portraits of ,elizabethan worthies1 which marbles and frieze and portraits remain to this day4 ,there were gorgeous pictures then in the smoking-room1 downstairs1 of ,elizabeth1 or her nobles1 going in ,state on the ,thames1 and hawking and setting out to war1 which pictures1 when ,i peeped into the room before going upstairs1 seem to have vanished4 ,the room in which ,i was waiting for the ,epicure was in those days a drawing-room of excessive gorgeousness1 and ,i can recall that ,i thought that it was not for a simple ordinary man like myself to sit on yellow satin sofas that shone like looking-glasses4 ,now the room has nice panels of old-gold brocade and the sofas and curtains are in deep blue velvet4 ,an ,american flag1 draped over the principal piece of furniture in the room1 shows of what nationality most of the guests at the ,avondale at present are4 ,what was the cause of the non-success of the ,cercle de ,luxe1 ,i do not know1 for the dining-room was charming1 and the cookery was undeniable4 ,the next development of the house was as a cosy hotel1 with the big rooms broken up into little suites of apartments1 the anteroom turned into a dining-room1 where a very good table-d'hte dinner was served1 and a bid made to attract well-to-do couples who liked hotel life4 ,i looked over the hotel at the time of this transformation1 and thought that if ever ,i married ,i would spend my honeymoon in ,no4 #i1 which was a particularly charming suite of apartments4 ,i am1 however1 still in a state of single blessedness1 and ,no4 #i has been converted into the kitchen of the restaurant1 for ,messrs4 ,garin and ,eugne have broken down the partitions1 restored the dining-room to its former proportions1 and are trying to make the ,avondale a little ,savoy in ,piccadilly4 ,the ,epicure arrived on the stroke of the hour1 and we went into the dining-room1 where ,i had retained a table by the window4 ,it is a pleasant room now1 and will be even better when the new decorations have toned down under the influence of the ,london climate4 ,there are pillars of black and white marble with gilded capitals and marble mantels1 and the walls are frescoed by some modern artist4 ,opposite to us on the broadest space of wall a ,diana worked in high relief in plaster was backed by a view of the falls of the ,rhine1 and on either side in panels were a lady in an ,empire dress and a gentleman of the same period teaching a merveilleuse how to look through a telescope4 ,there was an appetising show of fruit on the table in the centre1 the strawberries being on the summit of a great block of ice4 ,a ,moorish gentleman1 who ,i expect does nothing more ferocious than make coffee1 made a fine splash of colour in his crimson and gold4 ,the ,epicure having announced that he was not hungry1 and that he could not drink champagne1 ,i felt that the menu which had been devised by the management1 and had met with my entire approval1 might be too long for him1 and ,i thought regretfully of the bottle of ,mot and ,chandon which ,i had ordered to be put in the ice-pail just long enough to get a chill into the wine4 ,this was our dinner3-- ,hors-d'uvre4 ,bortsch4 ,soles bonne femme4 ,selle d'agneau de lait4 ,petits pois franaise4 ,pommes nouvelles4 ,rouen ,rouennaise4 ,curs de ,romaine4 ,asperges de ,paris4 ,macdoine de fruits au ,kirsch4 ,the ,epicure looked at it1 but said nothing2 and ,i felt that so far ,i1 in company with ,messrs4 ,garin and ,eugne1 had at least escaped censure4 ,the ,epicure approved of the lights on the table1 which were like a bunch of three pink lilies1 the cups all pointing inwards1 but thought that the globes suspended from the ceiling were too bright and might dazzle the eyes1 thereby interfering with the full enjoyment of a dinner4 ,m4 ,garin1 who stood by in an immaculate frock coat1 gave the ,epicure to understand that this should be put right at once4 ,the hors-d'uvre the ,epicure passed without any remarks1 and ,i felt that they at least were satisfactory4 ,bortsch is a soup of which ,i am very fond1 and ,i like the softness that the spoonful of cream mixed with it gives4 ,the ,epicure did not take cream in his1 and ,i wondered why1 but thought it wiser not to ask4 ,he said that the soup was good1 and ,i began to feel reassured as to my dinner1 while the good-looking matre d'htel1 who was hovering round our table1 positively beamed on him4 ,the ,soles bonne femme1 with their sliced mushrooms and excellent sauce1 ,i thought very good2 but the ,epicure felt that it was time to assert himself1 and said that though the dish was undeniably well cooked1 still it was not in sufficient contrast to the soup to be exactly the right plat for a perfect dinner4 ,i did not exactly understand what he meant2 but ,i shook my head and said that no doubt that was so4 ,meanwhile1 the room had been filling up4 ,a well-known newspaper proprietor who is also a celebrity in the hunting-field1 was giving a dinner to two pretty ladies1 one of whom wore a beautiful necklet of diamonds and the other a three-fold rope of pearls1 and to two other men4 ,a magnate of the ,stock ,exchange had brought another member of the ,house to dine1 two or three couples--,americans1 ,i think--the ladies mightily smart1 had come in and taken their places1 and a well-known explorer1 who was giving a dinner-party1 but whose guests had not arrived1 looked in to see that his table was all in order4 ,the saddle of lamb was excellent1 and as the ,epicure ate the delicate white meat1 cooked to a turn by the excellent ,m4 ,dutruz1 the chef1 he launched out into anecdotes as to the great love that real epicures have for these babes and sucklings1 and of the personal inconvenience to which they have even been known to put themselves to obtain their flesh4 ,the peas1 with the suggestion of sugar and onion with them1 also met with high approval4 ,but the ,epicure would not pass the duck4 ,i should have eaten it and seen no harm in it2 but not so the ,epicure4 ,c'est un peu faisand1 he said1 and would not touch it4 ,a cut was brought from another duck2 but he would have none of that either4 ,both ,messrs4 ,garin and ,eugne were on the scene at once1 and explained4 ,all their poultry came from ,paris1 a fresh stock each day1 and they could not imagine how such a thing could possibly be4 ,the ,epicure was stern4 ,he pointed out to them that it was a judgment on them for going to ,paris for their ducks instead of to ,london1 and incidentally lectured us on the method of preparation of the ,rouen ,rouennaise4 ,i wanted to eat my slice of duck1 so ,i scraped off the luscious brown sauce1 and suggesting that it might be the sauce and not the duck that was at fault1 left a bare platter4 ,the ,epicure looked at me as a traveller does at an ,earthman1 but said nothing4 ,the asparagus1 the ,epicure said1 was delicious1 and the atmosphere cleared again1 and he also approved highly of the macdoine4 ,his claret1 he said1 was good1 and ,i know that my champagne was excellent2 but just as a parting salute to ,messrs4 ,garin and ,eugne1 he rubbed some of the liqueur brandy on the palms of his hands1 smelt it1 and used it as a text on which to discourse of the failure of the grape vine in ,cognac and the ravages of the phylloxera4 ,when ,i asked for my bill ,i told ,messrs4 ,garin and ,eugne that ,i thought they had given me an excellent dinner1 and not to distress their minds too much about the duck1 as an epicure1 if he was not severely critical1 would not be an epicure4 ,this was the bill3 ,two dinners at #ajs4 #f;d41 #a3 #as42 one #abg1 #afs42 half #dd1 #cs4 #f;d42 one seltzer1 #f;d42 two caf double1 #as4 #f;d42 liqueurs1 #cs42 cigar1 #as4 #f;d42 total1 #b3 #gs4 #cast ,may4 99 99 99 99 99 ,since writing the above the ,avondale has firmly established itself as one of the fashionable dining-places1 and1 following the example of most of its elder competitors1 has become a company with ,hachett's1 the ,whitehorse cellars1 as a second asset of the company4 ,hachett's1 of which the dining-room1 underground1 has always had a good cheap table d'hte1 is now managed by ,m4 ,eugne1 while ,m4 ,garin is in command at the ,avondale4 ,amongst interesting dinners ,i have eaten at the ,avondale1 one of the most interesting was a ,household ,brigade ,magazine one1 a dinner which the staff of the ,magazine1 written by ,guardsmen for ,guardsmen1 hold from time to time4 ,this was the menu of the feast1 and it is a good example of a dinner1 not a very expensive one1 for some twenty guests-- ,canaps la ,russe4 ,petite marmite4 ,bisque d'crevisses4 ,turbotin4 ,sauce mousseline4 ,volaille ,derby4 ,selle d'agneau ,richelieu4 ,bcassines rties4 ,salade4 ,asperges vertes4 ,bombe ,martinique4 ,ananas glacs4 ,petits fours4 ,souffl ,viennois4 ,i asked ,m4 ,garin to give me the recipe of ,bortsch ,soup1 which ,i always think the best soup in the world1 and here it is1 as written out by ,m4 ,dutruz1 the chef-- ,,bortsch ,,soup ,ayez un bon consomm avec lequel vous manquez un morcelle la marmite comme il est l'usage pour le consomm extra1 faites blanchir un morceau de poitrine de buf que vous ajoutez et une caneton que vous faites rtir pendant quelques minutes1 le tout tant cuit1 coupez les filets du canard et le maigre du buf en petit carr d'un dessin centimtre1 passez votre consomm la serviette1 ayez d'autre part une ,julienne de lgumes1 avec beaucoup de choux4 ,servez notre potage en ajoutant aux lgumes les morceaux de buf et canard plus un jus de betterave rouge de faon de lui donner une couleur rougetre et un peu de poivre moulu frais2 envoyez une saucire de crme part4 ,illustration ,take a good stock1 and nearly fill the saucepan with it1 as is usual in the case of a rich soup4 ,blanch a piece of brisket of beef1 add this1 with a duckling which has been roasted for a few minutes4 ,when all is cooked1 cut some slices off the duck and cut them up into little squares of less than a quarter of an inch1 cutting up the lean part of the beef in the same way4 ,pass your sauce through a linen strainer4 ,have ready some ,julienne made with vegetables1 with plenty of cabbages4 ,serve your soup1 after adding the vegetables1 the pieces of beef and duck1 and also the juice of a beetroot so as to give the soup a red colour1 and a pinch of freshly ground pepper4 ,send up a sauceboat of cream separately4 ,not only did ,m4 ,garin give me the soup recipe1 but he sent me the recette of souffl de filet de sole la d',orlans1 a dish invented by the ,duc d',orlans1 who is one of the best patrons of the ,avondale4 ,it has a double interest1 through being an interesting dish1 and showing ,monseigneur le ,duc as being an expert in the detail of the haute cuisine4 ,,souffl ,,de ,,filets ,,de ,,sole ,,la ,d',,orl,,ans ,choisissez des filets de sole bien blancs1 les parer et ciseler1 les farcir d'une farce de poisson aux truffes et rouler en forme de paupiettes1 faites pocher doucement avec du vin blanc1 faire rduire la cuisson1 ajouter trois cuillres de bchamelle1 le toute tant bien rduit lier avec deux jaunes d'ufs et mlanger votre appareil en ajoutant de belles lames de truffes fraches chauffes au beurre assaisonn de sel et beaucoup de mignonette1 placez vos paupiettes sur un croton trs mince dans une timbale en argent et recouverte de l'appareil souffler1 faites cuire pendant quinze minutes au four en soupoudrant de parmesan 7cheese7 dessus de faon prendre belle couleur4--,ce plat doit tre servi de suite4 ,illustration ,choose very white fillets of sole1 cut and shape them to the proper size1 stuff them with a fish stuffing made with truffles1 and roll them up en paupiettes 7in thin pieces1 with the force-meat inside74 ,well boil down the liquor1 add three spoonfuls of ,bchamel sauce1 and when the whole is well reduced add two yokes of eggs1 and mix in your souffl pan1 adding some nice slices of fresh truffles1 warmed in butter1 seasoned with salt1 and plenty of mignonette pepper4 ,place your paupiettes on a very thin crust in a silver timbale4 ,place in the souffl apparatus1 cover over1 and cook in the oven for fifteen minutes1 first having sprinkled it on the top with ,parmesan cheese so as to make it a good colour4 ,this dish must be served immediately4 ,,chapter ,,xix ,,the ,,mercers' ,,hall 7,,cheapside7 ,it is not the least pleasant part of writing of dinners and those who eat them that it brings me some varied correspondence1 and perhaps the pleasantest letter ,i have received was one asking me if ,i would like to dine with the ,company of ,mercers2 for if ,i would1 my correspondent offered to send me an invitation4 ,if there was one ,city ,company that ,i was anxious to dine with it was the ,mercers1 for most of my forebears had been of the guild4 ,my great-great-uncle1 who was ,lord ,mayor and an ,m4,p41 and who fell into unpopularity because he advocated paying the debts of ,george ,,iv41 was a ,mercer2 my great-uncle was in his turn ,master of the ,company1 and my grandfather1 who was a very peppery and litigious old gentleman1 has left many pamphlets in which he tried to make it warm for everybody all round because he was not raised to the ,court of ,assistants when he thought he should have been4 ,i had looked out ,mercers' ,hall in the ,directory1 and found its position put down as #d ,ironmonger ,lane1 ,cheapside2 so a few minutes before seven o'clock1 the hour at which we were bidden to the feast1 ,i found my way from ,moorgate ,street ,station to ,ironmonger ,lane1 and there asked a policeman which was the ,mercers' ,company ,hall4 ,he looked at me a little curiously and pointed to some great gates1 with a lamp above them1 enshrined in a rather dingy portal4 ,i passed a fountain1 of which two cherubs held the jet and three stone cranes contemplated the water in the basin1 and found myself in a great pillared space4 ,a servant in a brown livery1 of whom ,i asked my way1 pointed to some steps and said something about hurrying up4 ,at the top of the steps a door led me into a passage1 on either side of which were sitting gentlemen in dress-clothes4 ,i looked at them and they looked at me1 and ,i thought for a second that the ,mercers' guests were rather a queer lot2 and then the true inwardness of the situation burst on me4 ,i had come in by the waiters' door4 ,i was soon put right1 my hat and coat taken from me1 and my card of invitation placed in the hands of a ,master of the ,ceremonies1 who in due time presented me to the ,master1 to the ,senior ,warden1 and to the ,house ,warden1 who stood in a line1 arrayed in garments of purple velvet and fur1 and received their guests4 ,the ceremony of introduction over1 ,i was able to look around me and found myself in a drawing-room that took one away from the roar of ,cheapside to some old ,venetian palace4 ,the painted ceilings1 the many-coloured marbles1 the carved wood1 the gilding and inlaying make the ,mercers' drawing-room as princely a chamber as ,i have ever seen4 ,while the guests assembled my host's sons took me away into another room1 which1 with its long table1 might have been a council chamber of some ,doge1 and here were hung portraits of the most distinguished of the ,mercers4 ,dick ,whittington looked down from a gilt frame1 and ,sir ,thomas ,gresham1 and there was ,sir ,roundell ,palmer in his judge's robes4 ,but1 preceded by some one in robes carrying a staff of office1 the ,master was going into the hall1 and the guests streamed after him4 ,it only dates from after the ,fire1 said my host as ,i gazed in admiration at the magnificent proportions of this banqueting house1 the oak almost black with age1 relieved by the colours of the banners that hang from the walls1 by the portraits of worthies1 by some noble painted windows1 by the line of escutcheons which run round the room1 bearing the arms of the ,past-,masters of the ,company1 and by the carved panels1 into all but two of which ,grinling ,gibbons threw his genius1 while the two new ones compare not unfavourably with the old4 ,at the far end of the hall is a musicians' gallery of carved oak4 ,a bronze ,laocoon wrestles with his snakes in the centre of one side of the hall1 and on the other1 on a mantel of red marble1 a great clock is flanked by two bronzes4 ,three long tables run up the room to the high table1 at the centre of which is the ,master's chair1 and behind this chair is piled on the sideboard the ,company's plate4 ,and some of the plate is magnificent4 ,there are the old silver salt-cellars1 there are great silver tankards1 gold salvers1 and the gold cup given to the ,mercers by the ,bank of ,england and the ,lee cup and an ornamental tun and waggon1 the first of which is valued at #gjjj1 and the second at #aj1jjj4 ,pray1 silence for grace1 comes in the deep bass tones of the toastmaster from behind the ,master's chair1 and then all of us settle down to a contemplation of the menu and to a view of our fellow-guests4 ,this was the dinner that ,messrs4 ,ring and ,brymer1 who cater for the ,mercers1 put upon the table3-- ,madeira4 ,tortue4 ,tortue claire4 ,consomm printanire4 ,hock4 ,salade de filets de soles la ,russe4 ,steinberg1 #ahhc4 ,saumon4 ,sauce homard4 ,blanchaille4 ,sauterne4 ,ortolans en caisse4 ,chteau ,yquem1 #ahhg4 ,mousse de foie gras aux truffes4 ,champagne4 ,ponche la ,romaine4 ,pommery1 #ahhd4 ,hanches de venaison4 ,selles de mouton4 ,burgundy4 ,canetons4 ,chambertin1 #ahha ,poulets de grain4 ,langues de buf4 ,jambons de ,cumberland4 ,crevettes en serviette4 ,claret4 ,macdoines de fruits4 ,chteau ,latour1 #ahge ,geles aux liqueurs4 ,meringues la crme4 ,bombe glac4 ,port4 #ahfc ,quenelles au parmesan4 ,i always rather dread the length of a ,city dinner1 but in the case of the ,mercers the ,house ,warden has just hit on a happy compromise1 the dinner being important enough to be styled a banquet1 and not so long as to be wearying4 ,messrs4 ,ring and ,brymer's cook is to be congratulated1 too1 for his ,mousse de foie gras was admirable4 ,there were some distinguished guests at the high table4 ,at the far end1 where ,sir ,cecil ,clementi ,smith1 the ,senior ,warden1 sat1 there were little splashes of colour from the ribbons of orders worn round the neck1 and the sparkle of stars under the lapels of dress-coats4 ,the ,master had on his right a well-known baronet1 and on his left ,silomo4 ,next to the friend of the ,turk was an ex-,m4,p41 and next to him again one of the humorists of the present ,house of ,commons--an ,irish ,q4,c41 with clean-shaven1 powerful face4 ,at the long tables sat as proper a set of gentlemen as ever gathered to a feast2 but with no special characteristics to distinguish them from any other great assemblage4 ,the snow-white hair of a clergyman told out vividly against the background of old oak1 and a miniature volunteer officer's decoration caught my eye as ,i looked down the table4 ,the dinner ended1 the toastmaster's work began again1 and first from the gold loving-cup and from two copies of it1 the stems of which are said to have been candlesticks used when ,queen ,elizabeth visited the ,company1 we drank to each other across and across the table4 ,the taste of the liquor in the cup was not familiar to me1 and when my host told me how it was compounded ,i was not surprised4 ,it is a mixture of many wines1 with a dash of strong beer4 ,grace was sung by a quartet in the musicians' gallery1 and then the company settled down to listen to speeches interspersed with song4 ,by each guest was placed a little cigar case1 within it two cigars2 but these were not to be smoked yet awhile4 ,while we sipped the '#fc port1 we listened to ,silomo gently chaffing himself as he responded for ,the ,houses of ,parliament4 ,later the ,irish ,q4,c41 who spoke for ,the ,visitors1 caught up the ball of fun1 and tossed it to and fro1 and ,madame ,bertha ,moore and ,miss ,marian ,blinkhorn1 and others sang songs and quartets1 and my host told me1 in the intervals1 of the great store of the old clarets and ports that the ,mercers had in their cellars1 which was enough to make a lover of good wine covet his neighbour's goods4 ,and still later1 after the cigars had filled the drawing-room with a light grey mist1 ,i went forth1 this time down the grand oaken staircase1 with its lions clasping escutcheons4 ,i passed into ,cheapside with a very lively sense of gratitude to the ,mercers in general1 and my hospitable host in particular4 #gth ,june4 ,,chapter ,,xx ,,in ---- ,,street ,yet another invitation to dine from an unknown friend1 and this time with a tinge of mystery to give it piquancy4 ,my would-be host offered to give me what he believed to be one of the cheapest obtainable dinners in ,london1 as well as one of the most amusing2 but as an introduction is required before any guest is able to use this dining-place1 ,i was asked1 should ,i describe it1 to give no clue as to its whereabouts4 ,as ,i waited for my host at a club which happened to be not far from the district in which ,i was to dine1 ,i had vague ideas that ,i might be blindfolded and conveyed to our destination in a four-wheeled cab1 and that some blood-curdling oath as to secrecy might be demanded of me4 ,there was none of this4 ,my host and ,i walked through a labyrinth of streets1 and in due time1 in an unpretentious locality1 came to a wine-shop1 the exterior of which somewhat resembled the good bottles of wine to be found within1 in that it was dusty and had a suggestion of crust about it4 ,inside1 the piles of bottles reaching up to the ceiling1 seen in a half-light1 had something of a ,rembrandtesque effect4 ,no sooner had my companion opened the door than we were faced by a lady in black1 her hair parted in the centre1 whom we had caught in a moment of arrested motion1 for she had a bottle in either hand and was going towards the staircase at the corner of the shop4 ,is the dinner to-night at six o'clock or at seven8 my host asked in ,french2 and he was told that it was at six1 and that he was in excellent time1 for as yet there were only three up above2 and then ,i was introduced to ,madame1 and we three climbed the narrow staircase in company4 ,i had been warned that ,i would have to bring into use such ,french as ,i was master of1 for the guests at this dinner were cosmopolitan1 and the language of diplomacy was the currency for conversation2 and so when on entering the room ,i was presented to a ,french lady and her husband1 and to an ,italian gentleman1 and shook hands with them1 ,i expressed my gratification at being admitted into this friendly circle with my best ,parisian accent4 ,i looked round the room4 ,in the centre was a dining table with a clean coarse tablecloth upon it1 knives and forks and spoons and glass salt-cellars--and my attention was called later on to the excellence of the crystals of salt--and an array of black bottles1 which those in the hostess's hands went to join1 and siphons4 ,there were two windows1 with clean muslin curtains1 looking out on the dingy street4 ,through an open door could be seen an inner room1 a bedroom1 with a very large bed showing as the principal object in it4 ,the walls of the dining-room were covered with a brown paper with a little pattern on it4 ,by the fireplace were hung some photographs1 amongst them one of the little ,french gentleman ,i had just been introduced to1 who is a member of the ,covent ,garden orchestra1 and had been taken holding in his hand his musical instrument2 and on the wall opposite were some good portraits1 the work of the ,italian gentleman1 who is an artist4 ,there were lithographs and photographs of scenes in ,paris1 and a print of the head of ,napoleon ,,iii4 ,photographs and china figures were on the mantelpiece1 a cottage piano between the two windows2 a chiffonnier with glasses on it and a glazed cupboard completed the furniture of the room4 ,the guests were punctual1 each lady as she came in1 after the preliminary hand-shaking1 going into the bedroom and putting her wraps upon the big bed2 and soon ,madame cried1 table6 ,we settled down into our places1 leaving space for some late-comers who were expected4 ,at the head of the table was a dark lady with wavy hair1 an actress in a company of ,french comedians playing in ,london4 ,next to her sat on one side the monsieur d'orchestre and his wife--and every newcomer made a point of inquiring after the musician's health1 for he had been1 it seemed1 ill1 and was now convalescent--and on the other side an ,english major1 with a waxed moustache and a flower in his button-hole1 mighty fine1 as old ,pepys would have had it1 and his good-looking wife4 ,other guests at table were a lady with white hair1 who was the mother of a bright-eyed1 good-looking young ,frenchman with a velvet collar to his coat1 who was playing with a troupe of mimes at one of the variety theatres1 and who faced his mother at table2 and the ,italian artist who1 with carefully brushed white hair1 waxed moustache1 and ample cravat1 was as great a beau as the ,english major4 ,under ,madame's superintendence a servant1 bare of arm and in a print dress1 brought in through the bedroom a great soup-tureen1 and we at our end of the table1 who had been drinking vermouth with my host1 soon found platters of excellent crote-au-pot before us4 ,the evening was warm1 and at the request of ,madame la ,majoresse1 as the ,major's wife was called1 one of the windows was opened4 ,the little bustle caused by this was subsiding when a good-looking ,french lady in green made her entrance1 kissed ,mdme4 la ,majoresse1 shook hands with the rest of us1 settled into a place next to the bright-eyed ,frenchman1 and immediately felt a terrible courant d'air4 ,this1 of course1 had to be obviated2 and after some discussion--and we all had our say--it was thought that if the door giving on to the staircase was shut the draught might vanish4 ,the lady in green1 who was a comdienne1 had brought some tickets for stalls for the ,opera1 which she gave to ,madame la ,majoresse2 and this turned the conversation to the ,opera and the artistes singing this year4 ,the bright-eyed little ,frenchman had an anecdote to tell of how ,not1 on the evening of the ,derby ,day1 had from the promenade of the ,empire joined in the refrain of one of the beautiful ,cavalieri's songs1 and how the house recognised his voice and applauded4 ,both the ,italian artist and myself had been at the ,empire that evening1 and while we ate the boiled beef that succeeded the soup we discussed the matter1 the ,italian gentleman not having noticed the incident1 ,i having an impression that something of the kind had happened4 ,then the lady in green made the terrible discovery that we were thirteen at table1 and ,madame1 who had been hovering between the bedroom and the dining-room1 with one eye on the dinner table and the other on the kitchen beyond1 was prayed to sit down at table1 which she did till the arrival of the two other guests--a lady1 who had forsaken the operatic stage for matrimony1 and her husband1 who came in and so broke the spell4 ,a great bowl of macaroni succeeded the beef1 and brought a volley of light-shafted chaff upon the ,italian artist in whose honour it was supposed to be provided1 and then we chinked glasses full of the excellent red wine1 and interchanged international courtesies4 ,a third actress looked in for a moment or two just for a little chat with her friends amongst the diners1 and then1 to ,madame's great grief1 for there was a most excellent poulet to come1 the ,major and the ,majoresse had to depart to dress for the ,opera1 and the bright-eyed young ,frenchman had to be off to the variety theatre4 ,to make up for this deprivation1 however1 another guest made his appearance1 and was hailed with joy4 ,a most merry little ,frenchman1 with a very pretty wit1 the wag of the party1 was the newcomer1 a fumiste into whose hands had been given the rearrangement of the ,savoy kitchen1 and who had also seen to the kitchen of the ,cecil4 ,he was a person of much importance1 but he joked with the bare-armed serving-maid and made her blush1 and threw ,madame into a fit of laughter1 and chaffed all the rest of us just as if he had been an ordinary individual and not a ,european celebrity4 ,the chicken was as admirable as ,madame had said it would be1 and a great bowl of salad accompanied it2 and then there came a sweet of some kind and cheese and excellent coffee--all this we get for two shillings1 the ,italian artist told me--and eventually when1 after much hand-shaking1 the greater portion of the guests had left1 the fumiste came down to my end of the table and talked soldier's talk1 for he had been through the ,great ,war1 calling me ,mon vieux colon1 while my host played the piano softly1 and the lady who had sacrificed fame for the wedding-ring sang gently an old-fashioned ,french berceuse4 #adth ,june4 ,,chapter ,,xxi ,a ,,regimental ,,dinner 7,,hotel ,,victoria1 ,,northumberland ,,avenue7 ,the honorary secretary of the ,regimental ,dinner ,club1 who is the gentleman who1 in one of the little rooms1 somewhat resembling loose boxes1 of ,cox and ,co41 the military bankers1 presides over the ledgers containing the accounts of ,ours1 had sent six weeks ago to every member of the club1 and that means nearly every officer past and present1 a notice that the annual dinner of the regiment would take place at the ,htel ,victoria1 on a certain day in ,ascot week1 at #h ,p4,m4 ,regimental dinner1 sir8 ,yes1 sir4 ,cloakroom third door to the right1 said the impressive porter who1 in gold-banded hat and with gold buttons to his blue coat1 stands at the front door2 and farther on1 at the corner where the long corridor joins the passage1 a waiter with a cherubic face waved a cotton-gloved hand in the direction one was to go4 ,hat and cloak left1 an oval piece of pasteboard taken in exchange1 and a monetary transaction concluded with a gentleman at a little table1 another white-gloved hand was waved towards the drawing-rooms1 and there in the farthest room of the long suite was assembled a collection of gentlemen in dress clothes1 of all ages1 most of them bronzed and clean-shaved1 though a beard here and there belonged to some one who had left the colours4 ,there was a glint of silver from miniature medals and the sparkle of a couple of orders4 ,it was not the ordinary assemblage that waits patiently with legs apart and hands under the coat-tails for dinner to be announced2 it was an assemblage in which much shaking of hands was going on1 and intermingled with greetings were such scraps of conversation as1 ,haven't seen you for years2 ,yes1 a fortnight's leave from ,ireland to do ,ascot2 ,home on sick leave1 but feel fit enough now2 ,a big dinner to-night3 thirty-three dining4 ,there was so much talk that dinner was announced three times before any one took any notice1 and then there was a little block at the door1 for the ,generals hung back for a moment from leading the way1 and the subalterns were not1 before dinner1 sufficiently assertive to take precedence4 ,the stream of black coats set at last down the corridor1 and on our way we caught a glimpse of the bright scene in the table-d'hte room1 where all the little tables were occupied1 and where the band was playing4 ,we passed some pretty girls coming out of the drawing-room--one subaltern audibly regretted that the presence of the fair sex was tabooed at the feast--and we turned into the oak banqueting-room4 ,there was a long table down the middle of the room1 and at the centre of this the ,general who is the colonel-in-chief of the regiment seated himself1 with1 on either hand1 two ,generals who have in their time held the regimental command4 ,the getting into their places of the other guests at the banquet was rather like the game of musical chairs1 and three unfortunates were left seatless4 ,this1 however1 was soon rectified2 there was a general squeezing up to make more room1 and it was found that there was plenty of space at either end of the table for two places to be laid4 ,some one1 beyond the original thirty-three1 had been able to run over at the last moment from ,ireland1 and somebody had come up unexpectedly from the depot1 and somebody else had thought that he had sent in his name to the secretary when he really had not4 ,it is an impressive room4 ,there is a very broad frieze1 on which rosy cupids gambol against a gold background1 above the panels and carving in deep-toned oak4 ,across a large stained-glass window some warm-coloured brown curtains were almost drawn-to2 a tall chiffonnier1 bright with glass and napery1 cut off the serving-room2 clusters of electric lights sparkled in the skylight which forms the roof4 ,a centre-piece and some great silver cups stood among the flowers1 banks of which ran the whole way down the table1 and which were of the colours of the regimental ribbon1 with scarlet poppies to suggest the tint of ,her ,majesty's uniform4 ,there was a buttonhole of the same coloured flowers by each guest's plate1 and the cover of the menu repeated again the familiar colours4 ,this was the list of the feast3-- ,vins4 ,milk ,punch4 ,fine old ,east ,india ,madeira4 ,chteau ,carbonnieux4 ,boll and ,co41 #ahhd4 ,g4,h4 ,mumm and ,co4 ,ex4 ,qual41 ,ex4 ,dry1 ,cuvee '#fe1 #ahhi4 ,haut ,bages1 #ahge4 ,feuerheera's ,zimbro #ahhd ,port4 ,otard's ,old ,liqueur ,brandy4 ,johannis ,water4 99 99 99 99 99 ,hors-d'uvre varis4 ,tortue claire4 ,darne de saumon la ,mathilde4 ,suprmes de filets de sole glacs ,danoise4 ,blanchailles au ,kari4 ,nageoires de tortue ,washington4 ,coquilles de foie gras ,mireille4 ,poularde la ,matignon4 ,selle d'agneau4 ,sauce menthe4 ,haricots verts sauts au beurre4 ,pommes nouvelles fondantes4 ,jambon de ,york la ,kalli4 ,fves de marais ,matre d',htel4 ,sorbet4 ,cailles de vignes et ortolans sur toast4 ,salade ,romaine4 ,asperges en ranches4 ,sauce ,argenteuil4 ,fruits la ,crole4 ,bombe ,japonaise4 ,petits fours4 ,dessert4 ,caf noir4 ,as a privileged grumbler ,i began the dinner with finding fault1 for there were no finger-glasses as an accompaniment to the crevettes1 which were among the hors-d'uvre1 and the ,boll1 which was the champagne ,i tried1 had not been iced sufficiently--if1 indeed1 it had seen the ice-pail at all4 ,but the turtle-soup was soothing1 and the next supply of champagne that came round was of the right temperature4 ,in the pause between the soup and the fish one could gather better than in the crowded dining-room who were present4 ,on the chairman's right was a ,general who had been knighted by ,her ,majesty for his services in an ,african campaign2 on his left the commander of the forces in an island fortress1 who in his time had led a battalion of the regiment on active service2 opposite to him was the lieutenant-colonel1 who has added to the sheaf of the regiment's honours in the latest ,indian campaign4 ,a couple of majors1 home from ,india1 sat together2 a group of retired officers1 now most of them squires on their country estates1 had gathered at a corner to talk over old times1 the ,governor of one of ,her ,majesty's gaols was being much chaffed as to his present employment2 and the rest were chiefly the bronzed1 healthy1 light-moustached young ,englishmen1 cast in the mould that tells the world at once that a man is a soldier1 and fresh from manuvring in ,ireland or guarding the marches at a great ,indian frontier station4 ,the turtle fins and the saddle of mutton were excellent1 and the ortolan ,i secured was as plump a little fellow as ever found the shelter of a vine leaf2 but when we came to the asparagus ,i was constrained to ask the head waiter confidentially what the hard sticks were with a little soft place at the end1 tasting more like a ,brussels sprout than any vegetable that ,i knew of4 ,the poor man1 who wore a worried look1 said that they were the best procurable in ,france1 and turned for confirmation to a manager of many inches1 who1 his hair brushed up to a point1 and wearing a pointed beard1 was leaning with folded arms on the top of the chiffonnier1 and contemplating the scene4 ,our little difference of opinion as to the quality of the asperges d',argenteuil concluded1 the fruits and ice handed round1 the ,general in the chair rose1 and in a few well-chosen words--for soldiers neither care to make long speeches nor to listen to them--proposed the health of the ,queen1 which was drunk standing2 and as loyal subjects who wore1 or had worn1 the scarlet1 we applauded the suggestion of our ,colonel that a telegram should be sent to the proper quarter1 and that ,her ,majesty should know that the officers of one of her oldest regiments had saluted her at their annual gathering4 ,then the diners broke up into groups1 for every one had much to say and much to hear1 and there were more speeches1 and the healths of officers past and present were drunk1 and courtesies exchanged with another regiment dining in the same hotel1 and it was near the stroke of midnight when most of us remembered that we had to be up betimes to go to ,ascot on the morrow4 #bast ,june4 ,,chapter ,,xxii ,,dieudonn',s 7,,ryder ,,street7 ,i thought your ,galatea a superb creation1 and flatter myself ,i gave an entirely new reading of the part of ,chrysos's slave1 ,i said2 and our leading lady was kind enough to say in reply that through force of genius ,i raised the part of ,chrysos's slave into a principal character4 ,i never inflict the fact upon my friends1 but ,i am an amateur actor4 ,i do not play ,hamlet or ,othello1 for owing to the jealousy of casting committees1 those parts are never offered me4 ,i have some original readings which the world will be startled by when ,i do play ,hamlet2 but ,i can1 ,i believe1 get more expression into such sentences as ,my lord1 the carriage waits1 than any other amateur who has ever trodden the boards of ,st4 ,george's ,hall4 ,the leading lady of a troupe of which erstwhile ,i was a member--a little difficulty over the allotment of the part of ,young ,marlowe was the cause of my ceasing to assist them--was anxious to see ,rjane as ,gilberte in ,frou-,frou4 ,her husband1 a worthy man1 but with no taste for the higher dramatic art1 and in the habit of saying sarcastic things as to amateurs and amateur acting1 preferred the ,empire to the ,lyric2 hence ,i had the honour of escorting our leading lady to see ,rjane1 and asked her to dine with me at ,dieudonn's as a preliminary4 ,it was while she trifled with a sardine at the commencement of dinner that ,i remarked that her ,galatea was a superb creation--it really was not at all bad--and she complimented me very justly on my ,chrysos's slave4 ,we had a table close to the window1 and looked over a bank of flowers across to the rather sombre houses on the opposite side of ,ryder ,street4 ,but if the look-out is not of the brightest1 the inside of the room on the first floor is charming--the perfection of a room to dine in on a hot day4 ,it is all in white4 ,the two pillars in the centre of the room are white1 the great dumb-waiter is white1 the walls are white4 ,there are delicately-painted panels1 with gentlemen and ladies in powder and silk and brocade limned upon them2 the ceiling is the work of an artist1 and there is here and there a touch of gold in the framing of a screen or the capital of a pillar4 ,one little shade on each of the bunches of three electric lights1 that are held by brackets from the wall1 is pink1 the others white4 ,on the tables there were flowers in vases of silver4 ,the downstairs room1 which is smaller1 is equally cool-looking and tastefully decorated4 ,m4 ,guffanti1 the proprietor1 slim1 and with a moustache that a cavalryman might envy1 had come to ask whether the table he had reserved for us was to our liking1 the bottle of ,pol ,roger was in the ice-pail within reach of my hand1 and ,i was just going to tell our leading lady with what pleasure ,i recalled her ,lady ,teazle when we played in the schoolroom at ,tadley-on-the-,marsh1 and to ask her candidly what her opinion was of my rendering of the part of ,joseph's valet1 when ,giovanini1 the matre d'htel1 came up with a bunch of flowers in his hand4 ,giovanini1 bushy of eyebrows1 and with whiskers that are almost ,piccadilly weepers1 evidently regarded our leading lady with much respectful admiration2 for he presented her with the bunch of roses4 ,and indeed our leading lady might well compel admiration1 for she was looking superbly handsome1 and was wearing all her diamonds4 ,her appearance reminded me1 as ,i told her later1 of that evening when she made such a hit as the heroine of ,plot and ,passion1 at ,slopperton1 and ,i played1 with some distinction1 ,i trust1 the part of ,grisbouille4 ,what our leading lady's impressions were of my rendering of the valet in ,the ,school for ,scandal ,i shall never know1 for the arrival of the consomm ,nelson turned the conversation1 and ,i was asked as to the identity of all the people who were dining4 ,there were two ladies at a table by themselves--,dieudonn's is one of the places where ladies can dine by themselves1 without fear of any inconvenience--whom ,i put down as country cousins who had come up for a fortnight's shopping and sight-seeing in town4 ,there was a family party3 husband1 wife--a stern lady with spectacles1 who took immense interest in the leading lady when she overheard me call her the ,ellen ,terry of the amateur stage--and two children4 ,there were two colonels and an admiral1 who were going to escort two ladies to the theatre2 there was a large party of ,french people1 a very pretty dark-eyed girl among them2 there were a handsome ,american lady and her husband2 there was a ,royal ,engineer just off to ,malta1 who had played hero's parts with the leading lady--,i should not wonder if he was the fellow who cut me out of the part of ,young ,marlowe2 and there were a dozen other people whose identity ,i could not determine4 ,this was the menu of the dinner1 the customary table-d'hte meal1 a menu to which the leading lady seemed more inclined to devote attention than to my remarks on my own rendering of various characters3-- ,hors-d'uvre varis4 ,consomm ,nelson4 ,crme ,brsilienne4 ,saumon du ,rhin bouilli4 ,sauce mousseline4 ,caneton brais ,fermire4 ,noisettes de ,bhaques ,romaine4 ,poularde de ,surrey la broche4 ,salade4 ,haricots verts l',anglaise4 ,bombe favourite4 ,petits fours4 ,laitances sur toast4 ,salade de fraises4 ,when the creamy-pink salmon was put upon the table1 ,m4 ,guffanti1 going the rounds of the tables1 came and asked if everything was to our satisfaction1 and as ,i thought it might interest the leading lady1 ,i asked him what had become of ,madame ,dieudonn's little room and the pretty things that were drawn and written on its walls4 ,before ,dieudonn's became the handsome hotel and restaurant that it is now1 it was a boarding-house which stood in high favour with such of the ,french artists and sculptors and singers and actors who crossed the silver streak to perfidious ,albion4 ,the table-d'hte dinner1 at which ,mdme4 ,dieudonn took the head of the long table1 was a celebrated institution4 ,no one could come without being vouched for by some of the habitus1 and most of the people who might be found at the board were of ,european celebrity4 ,madame had a little parlour1 which was a kind of holy of holies1 and on the walls of this all the most celebrated of the celebrities who were the amis du maison either drew a sketch or wrote a quatrain1 or dotted down a bar or two of some favourite air1 and the names that were signed below the sketches and the scribblings were some of those that stand highest on the roll of fame4 ,m4 ,guffanti told us that in spite of all precautions the walls were spoilt1 and that ,madame's little parlour was now the ante-room downstairs with the ,watteau panels1 where people sit after dinner and drink coffee4 ,the duck was excellent1 but to be absolutely critical ,i thought that the vegetables had lingered a thought too long by the fire1 and if the weather had not been as muggy and stifling as it was ,i might have suggested that the lamb from which the noisettes were cut would have been better for a little longer hanging4 ,for the rest of the dinner ,i had nothing but praise1 and the salad of strawberries1 as cold as ice could make it1 was delicious4 ,i ordered coffee and some chartreuse in crushed ice for the leading lady1 and some fin champagne for myself and asked for my bill4 ,while disposing of the coffee ,i thought that my chance had come to get the leading lady's real opinion of my conception of the character of ,joseph's valet1 and began explaining at length my method of entry to announce the arrival of ,charles ,surface2 but the leading lady rather brusquely asked for her cloak1 and said we should miss part of the first act of ,frou-,frou4 ,i paid the bill--,two dinners1 #aes42 one bottle #hi1 #acs42 two cafs specials1 #as4 #f;d42 two liqueurs1 #bs42 total1 #a3 #aa3 #f--;and helped the leading lady on with her cloak4 ,i think she might have listened to my ideas as to the valet's entrance4 ,these amateurs--all but myself--are so inordinately selfish4 #eth ,july4 ,,chapter ,,xxiii ,,the ,,berkeley 7,,piccadilly7 ,the white-faced house with gilded balconies that stands at the corner of ,berkeley ,street and ,piccadilly is an old friend with a new face1 for in the year of grace '#ig the old hotel was much altered1 the restaurant almost doubled in size1 and the ,berkeley may now1 in its latest development1 be said to be the blonde beauty among ,london hotels4 ,the ,editor invited me to dinner1 a little dinner for three1 the ,gracious ,lady1 himself1 and myself--the handsome niece who completed the partie carre on a previous occasion was at her cottage in the country and was reported to be accomplishing wonderful feats of cookery with her chafing-dish--and suggested that ,i should interview ,jules as to the menu4 ,when ,i sent in word to ,jules that ,i should like to see him1 ,i had plenty of employment1 during the few moments ,i was kept waiting1 in looking at the new ante-room to the right of the entrance-hall1 a very handsome apartment1 with old gold as the dominating colour everywhere4 ,first1 there came to me ,emile1 the matre d'htel whom ,i remember of old at the ,bristol4 ,m4 ,jules would not keep me waiting a moment1 he said2 and even as he spoke ,m4 ,jules1 in frock-coat1 with a little sheaf of papers in his hand1 came in4 ,the ,editor is coming to dine here to-morrow night1 and wants a little dinner for three1 ,i began1 and ,m4 ,jules selected one of the papers from his sheaf and handed it to me4 ,he had heard in some way of the ,editorial advent1 and had put his suggestions as to a little dinner upon paper4 ,they ran as follows3-- ,melon ,cantaloup4 ,crme d'or4 ,truite froide au court bouillon4 ,sauce verte4 ,caneton ,nantais la ,drexel4 ,selle de pr-sal rtie aux lgumes4 ,petits pois la ,franaise4 ,salade la ,st-,james4 ,ananas glac ,sibrienne4 ,corbeille de petits fours4 ,croustade ,victoria4 ,i read the menu down1 and when ,i came to the caneton la ,drexel ,i paused1 and looked interrogatively at ,m4 ,jules4 ,it is new1 he said2 it will be the second time that ,i have served it2 and ,i thought how honours were reserved for editors which are not given to simple correspondents4 ,i should not wonder if some day ,jules actually named a dish after the ,editor4 ,the ,gracious ,lady and the ,editor arrived on the stroke of eight--punctuality is the preliminary courtesy to a good dinner--and there was ,m4 ,jules waiting to show us to the very best table in the dining-room1 the table by the corner window which looks out to the ,green ,park across the road4 ,emile was there also1 smiling1 and a waiter1 with a thin line of gold edging his collar1 placed the slices of iced melon before us as we sat down4 ,m4 ,jules regretted that we had not dined at the ,berkeley the night before1 for it had been an evening on which the restaurant had been full of interesting people--so full1 indeed1 that a noble lord who had given a dinner party in honour of a prima donna could only be accommodated with a table in the ante-room4 ,we did not altogether share in ,jules's regret1 for we might have had to dine in the passage1 and looking round at the diners at the other tables we came to the conclusion that though there were no lords1 so far as we knew1 nor prima donnas among them1 they were1 on the whole1 a very smart and good-looking set4 ,a pretty little grass widow was being entertained by a young soldier--we invented quite a ,kiplingesque story about the pair2 a rector up for the ,oxford and ,cambridge match was having his last dinner in town before he went down to his country parsonage again2 two ladies going on to the opera were dining by themselves--the ,berkeley is a place where ladies can dine and lunch without an escort2 two gentlemen1 who from their speech were ,australian--,colonial ,premiers the ,gracious ,lady called them--were giving a dinner to two very smart ladies2 there was another lady with six men at her table1 all of whom she was keeping amused2 there was a pretty girl1 with hair of the sheen of copper and a great spray of roses1 dining tte--tte with a bored-looking man with a bald head 7un mariage de convenance was the ,gracious ,lady's decision72 and there was a family party commanded by a stern lady with spectacles4 ,very good soup indeed1 said the ,editor1 as he laid down his spoon1 and ,jules1 who was within hearing1 smiled as if the wish of his life had been accomplished1 while ,emile beamed as if he had come in for a fortune4 ,and indeed it would have been difficult1 if we had been in a fault-finding mood1 to have discovered the slightest matter to carp at in either room or dinner4 ,the room1 with its light oaken boarding1 topped by a deep red frieze1 its tall fireplaces with blue tiles1 its white ceiling ornamented with strange devices1 somewhat resembling ,whistler's butterfly signature1 its wooden pillars and beams1 its clusters of electric lights and revolving fans1 is a perfect banqueting-room4 ,our table1 gay with orchids and with sweet peas strewn in the shape of a heart1 and lighted by electric globes held by a stand of wrought iron1 was the best in the room1 as ,i have written above1 and nowhere in ,england or abroad could we have been given a better dinner4 ,indeed1 from my point of view1 it was too good a dinner1 for there was no weak spot in it to fasten a criticism on4 ,the trout1 in a silver boat cased in ice and ornamented with paper-paddles and a flag at bow and stern1 was delicious1 and ,jules1 with enthusiasm1 described its cooking3 the white wine1 the pepper1 the little drop of vinegar1 the method of cooling4 ,but the dish of the evening was the caneton la ,drexel4 ,no great bird of ,rouen1 but a delicate little fellow from ,nantes was this duck1 the breast cut into fillets and the inside full of a glorious mixture in which foie gras played a leading rle4 ,it is the second time only that ,i have served it1 said ,jules again1 when we complimented him2 and we all fully appreciated the great honour that was being paid4 ,the salade ,st-,james1 of hearts of lettuce1 tomatoes1 and ,french beans1 pleased the ,gracious ,lady much1 and she told us to notice how the beans absorbed the flavour of the tomatoes4 ,the ice made its appearance as a pineapple with something which looked like a bridal veil over it1 and with a base of transparent ice fashioned to represent a snake among leaves4 ,inside the pineapple was the ice4 ,the snake set the ,editor a-telling tales of the gorgeous ,east4 ,the biggest snake ,i ever saw1 he began1 was killed in my house at ,allahabad under the ice-box4 ,i glanced across to the ,gracious ,lady1 who sat unmoved1 apparently used to the ,editor's snake stories4 ,i glanced at the jug of hock cup1 but the ,editor had only had his fair share4 ,then ,i clenched my teeth and settled down to listen1 for one has to stand anything1 even snake stories1 from one's ,editor4 ,the dinner ended1 the coffee and old brandy absorbed by the ,editor and myself1 a long cigar1 which he said was very good1 placed in the ,editor's mouth1 and one of ,savory's cigarettes in mine1 a passion for exploring came upon us1 and1 with ,jules as guide1 we set off on a tour of the basement1 the ,gracious ,lady holding up her skirts out of the way of the sawdust with which the floors were strewn4 ,we went through the beautifully clean kitchen1 lustrous with white tiles1 over which ,m4 ,herpin holds sway1 through the pantry with its glass-fronted cupboards1 through the cool rooms where the meat and fowls are stored1 and through the bakery where three batches of bread are baked each day4 ,we reascended1 and then the ,editor1 who was going on to a theatre1 paid the bill3--,three dinners at #ajs4 #f;d41 #a3 #aa3 #f2 two hock cups1 #afs42 three cafs1 #bs4 #c;d42 liqueurs1 #bs42 cigars1 #as42 total1 #b3 #ab3 #i4 #abth ,july4 99 99 99 99 99 ,i am bound to say that ,i think that the ,editor was let off very lightly in his bill2 but then editors are always better treated than the ordinary everyday man4 ,m4 ,jules has been kindness itself in noting for me the dishes that are specialities of the ,berkeley1 indicating their construction in all cases1 and in most giving complete recettes4 ,if in some cases the ,english of the lady who assisted me by translating the recettes has quailed before some of the technical terms1 ,i trust that she and ,i may be excused1 for the ,french of the haute cuisine requires some equivalent in ,english which our barbarous tongue does not possess4 ,these are some of the specialities of the ,berkeley--,poule au pot la ,franaise1 ,crme d'or1 ,petites marmites la ,russe1 ,truite en gondole au court bouillon1 sauce verte1 suprme de sole ,alice--a very dainty dish named after ,m4 ,jules's little daughter--selle d'agneau de ,pauillac aux primeurs1 homard l',amricaine1 noisette d'agneau ,berkeley1 caneton la ,drexel1 poularde ,berkeley1 salade ,st-,james1 asperges vertes la ,milanaise1 ananas glacs ,sibriennes1 souffl ,mercds 7diabl71 croustade ,victoria1 canaps ,berkeley4 ,herewith the recettes1 commencing with ,petite marmite la ,russe ,julienne de lgumes compose de carottes1 navets1 poireaux1 oignon1 cleri et choux 7braiss selon le rgle71 mouillez avec un bon consomm de canard clarifi1 ajoutez des morceaux de canard fortement blanchis1 faites bouillir doucement pour dpouiller1 cuire et amener la petite marmite un got parfait4 ,servir de la crme aigrette en mme temps4 ,a ,julienne made with carrots1 turnips1 greens1 leeks1 onions1 celery4 ,the vegetables should be braised as usual1 then moisten them with stock in which there is plenty of duck4 ,add the pieces of duck1 and let it boil gently1 so that it can be well skimmed1 and the delicious flavour brought out carefully4 ,serve cream at the same time4 ,crme d',or ,d'un fond de sole et volaille faites un velout bien dpouill1 et le tenir leger2 lier avec un beurre de homard1 le passer crme et beurre extra fin pour finir1 le goter 7il doit tre de haut got comme le bisqu71 garnissez d'une ,royal au beurre de homard et hutres frachement poches1 et leur cuisson4 ,stock made with sole and poultry1 rich and smooth to the taste4 ,skim very lightly1 and mix with lobster butter1 cream1 and a little fresh butter4 ,pass it through a silk sieve1 taste it1 and garnish it with a royale made with lobster butter1 oysters freshly stewed and their own liquor4 ,truite en gondolier la ,monseigneur ,pocher au vin du ,rhin avec lgumes et aromates1 dresser dans un gondolier assez large pour contenir la garniture suivante3 ufs pochs glacs1 petites truffes1 pommes au naturel1 grosses quenelles1 crevettes piques sur la truite mme1 bouquet de queues de crevettes1 champignons tourns1 crevisses dresses2 tenir le tout trs chaud1 glacez la truite et la garniture1 saucez part une sauce genevoise faite avec le fond du poisson4 ,stew the fish in ,rhine wine1 with vegetables and spices1 arrange in a gondolier large enough to hold the following garnish3 poached eggs glazed1 little truffles1 boiled apples1 large quenelles1 prawns 7piques sur la truite mme74 ,flavour with shrimps' tails and mushrooms1 and arrange crayfish on it4 ,keep it all very hot4 ,glaze the trout and the garnish4 ,serve separately a ,genevoise sauce1 made with the liquor in which the trout were cooked4 ,selle d'agneau de ,pauillac aux primeurs ,selle d'agneau de lait rtie et garnie de lgumes nouveaux4 ,saddle of lamb 7young71 roasted and garnished with young vegetables4 ,homard l',amricaine ,homard vivant1 dcoup2 les pattes casses1 sautes au beurre clarifi flamb au cognac1 teint au vin blanc 7trs sec71 rduire et ajoutez chalotte1 civette1 un verre de vin blanc1 tomates concasses1 persil1 sel1 poivre frais moulu1 piment hach trs fin1 une pointe de cayenne1 trois cuilleres de sauce tomate1 demi litre de fond 7thim et lauriers71 moiti poissons et moiti veau4 ,cuire pendant vingt-et-cinq minutes1 sortez les morceaux de homard en les dressant1 et rendez le plat aussi lgant que possible4 ,rduisez la sauce1 liez au dernier moment1 avec le corail gard cru1 et manier avec beurre de homard1 civette hache1 un petit morceau de glace de viande4 ,gotez avant de servir4 ,a live lobster1 cut up2 the claws cracked and fried 7saut7 in clarified butter4 ,boil down1 and add shallot1 chives1 a glass of white wine1 crushed tomatoes1 parsley1 salt1 pepper 7freshly ground71 allspice chopped very fine1 a pinch of cayenne1 three teaspoonfuls of tomato sauce1 a little less than a pint of stock1 thyme and laurel leaves1 the stock to be made partly with fish and partly with veal4 ,cook for twenty-five minutes1 take out the pieces of lobster1 arrange them and make the dish look as elegant as possible4 ,boil down the sauce1 and add at the last minute1 with the uncooked coral of the lobster1 mixed with lobster butter1 chopped chives and a little piece of meat glaze4 ,taste before serving4 ,poularde la ,berkeley 7,pour une jolie poularde7 ,deux cents grammes de riz ,caroline revenu au beurre mouill au fond blanc1 assaisonnez de bon got 7bouquet garni72 cuire dix-huit minutes1 alors le riz doit se trouver sec2 le lier avec un velout rduit et legrement mont la crme1 un peu de glace de viande2 ajoutez gros ds de truffe et foie gras4 ,vider la poularde par le haut1 l'assaisonner et la farcir du riz dj prpar1 brider soigneusement pour viter que la poularde garde une jolie forme1 la citroner1 la barder et la rouler dans une petite serviette4 ,cuisez grand fond blanc quarante-cinq cinquante minutes1 finissez de cuire en la laissant pocher dans le cuisson4 ,dbarrassez de la serviette1 la barde1 dressez sur un plat rond orn d'une bordure en pain du ,argent du ,nouilly1 saucez suprme et envoyez une saucire de sauce a part4 ,a young fowl1 drawn1 well-seasoned1 garnished with ,carolina rice2 place the rice in butter1 with a little water1 so that it is covered to twice its height4 ,cook seventeen or eighteen minutes1 add some glaze and cream1 and let it cool4 ,add foie gras and truffles cut in large dice1 or in quarters1 mix well with the rice1 and season with salt and pepper freshly ground4 ,it should be well seasoned4 ,stuff the fowls with this preparation1 tying them up very securely4 ,cover the birds with thin strips of bacon1 and flavour with lemon4 ,wrap them in little serviettes4 ,cook in good white stock for forty-five minutes1 and let them finish stewing in their own liquor4 ,take off the cloths and the bacon1 and arrange the birds on a round dish1 avec couronne1 pour over them a good sauce suprme1 and serve the rest of the sauce separately4 ,caneton la ,drexel ,brid en entre1 le passer de cinq huit minutes four vif pour rafermir les chairs1 enlever la poitrine1 et bien parer la carcasse1 l'assaisonner1 la remplir d'un appareil souffl de canard cru1 garni en abondance de gros quartiers de truffes et foie gras de faon reformer le canard en y ajoutant la poitrine enleve2 cuire vingt-cinq minutes1 dcoupez les aiguillettes du caneton2 et servez avec le propre fond1 dgraiss et rduit au madre et porto2 legrement li avec un peu de demi-glace garnissez1 de tranches de citron4 ,place the duckling in a quick oven for from five to eight minutes1 to make the flesh firm4 ,take off the breast1 clean the inside well1 season it1 fill it with a souffl preparation garnished with truffles cut in quarters and foie gras4 ,in order to give the duckling its original form put back the breast4 ,cook for twenty-five minutes4 ,cut the duckling in slices1 and serve with its own stock and a little ,madeira and port4 ,ananas glac ,sibrienne ,ananas frais1 enlevez la tte1 videz l'ananas l'aide d'une cuillre1 mettez au rafrachissoir1 d'autre part avec les chairs de l'ananas faites une glace ananas kirsch et marasquin1 remplissez l'ananas1 ajoutez la tte comme couvert1 servez sur un rocher de glace1 et garni de fleurs naturels4 ,take a fresh pineapple1 remove the crown4 ,clear out the fruit with the help of a spoon1 and put it in the refrigerator2 then with the flesh of the pineapple make a pineapple ice with kirsch and maraschino4 ,fill up the pineapple again1 replace the head as a cover1 serve it on a block of ice1 and ornament it with natural flowers4 ,rocher de mandarines glaces ,dressez sur un socle en glace1 videz les mandarines1 faites une glace avec l'intrieur1 regarnissez les mandarines et bien dressez sur le socle4 ,arrange on a block of ice4 ,take out the insides of the mandarin oranges1 make them into an ice-cream4 ,put back the insides again into the oranges1 and arrange upon the block of ice4 ,souffl diabl la ,mercds ,un souffl glac au parmesan avec laitance d'harengs l'intrieur garnie de petites lames de truffes1 passer au four4 ,a souffl glazed with ,parmesan cheese1 with the soft roes of herrings in the inside1 garnished with little slices of truffle1 baked in the oven4 ,timbale ,parisienne ,pt brioches lev dans des moules ,charlotte cuite1 regarnir de la pt intrieur1 en rservant le couvercle1 que l'on glace la glace ,royale1 et dcore aux fruits de clemont 7ou confis72 d'un autre ct vous cassonez vos timbales au sucre color de couleurs ardentes4 ,coupez des fruits frais tel que ananas1 poires1 bananes1 abricots1 muscat1 cerises1 mettez ces fruits dans une sauce abricots au kirsch et marasquin1 chauffez bien et remplissez vos timbales1 servez sans faire attendre la timbale4 ,illustration ,pt brioches 7puff pastry871 baked in ,charlotte moulds4 ,remove the paste from the inside1 leaving a lid1 which must be glazed with ,royale jelly1 and decorated aux fruits de clemont1 or preserved fruits4 ,sugar over your timbales on the other side with coloured sugar1 choosing very brilliant colours4 ,cut up some fresh fruits1 such as pineapples1 pears1 bananas1 apricots1 cherries1 and grapes4 ,put these fruits into an apricot sauce1 with kirsch and maraschino4 ,heat well1 and fill your timbales4 ,serve without any delay4 ,,chapter ,,xxiv ,,the ,,ship 7,,greenwich7 ,it was pleasant to see ,miss ,dainty's 7of all the principal ,london theatres7 handwriting again4 ,she had read all the ,dinners and ,diners1 she told me1 and did not think that any of them were as good as the one when ,i had the inspiration or her presence4 ,she had been very ill--at the point of death1 indeed--owing to a sprained ankle1 which prevented her going to ,ascot1 for which race-meeting she had ordered three dresses1 each of which was a dream4 ,why did ,i take out to dinner nobody but ,editors and ,society ladies now8 ,the parrot was very well1 but was pecking the feathers out of his tail4 ,she had some new pets--two goldfish1 whose glass bowl had been broken and who now lived in a big yellow vase4 ,the cat had eaten one of the love-birds1 and was ill for two days afterwards4 ,the pug had been exchanged for a fox-terrier--,jack1 the dearest dog in the world4 ,jack had gone up the river on the electric launch and had fought two dogs1 and had been bitten over the eye1 and had covered all his mistress's white piqu skirt with blood2 but for all that he was a duck and his mother's own darling4 ,this1 much summarised1 was the pretty little lady's letter1 and ,i wrote back at once to say that the pleasure of entertaining a princess of the blood-royal was as nothing to the honour of her company1 and if the foot was well enough1 would she honour me with her presence at dinner anywhere she liked8 ,and1 as the weather had turned tropical1 ,i suggested either ,richmond or ,greenwich or the restaurant at ,earl's ,court4 ,greenwich the fair lady gave her decision for1 and then ,i made a further suggestion3 that1 if she did not mind unaristocratic company1 the pleasantest way was to go by boat4 ,this suggestion was accepted1 and ,miss ,dainty in the late afternoon called for me at a dingy ,fleet ,street office4 ,i was delighted to see the little lady1 looking very fresh and nice as she sat back in her cab1 and ,i trust that my face showed nothing except pleasure when ,i perceived a small fox-terrier with a large muzzle and a long leash sitting by her side4 ,miss ,dainty explained that as she had allowed her maid to go out for the afternoon she had to bring ,jack1 and of course ,i said that ,i was delighted4 ,we embarked at the ,temple pier on a boat1 which was as most river boats are4 ,there were gentlemen who had neglected to shave smoking strong pipes2 there were affable ladies of a conversational tendency1 and there were a violin and harp2 but there were as a compensation all the beautiful sights of the river to be seen1 the cathedral-like ,tower ,bridge1 the forest of shipping1 the red-sailed boats fighting their way up against the tide1 the line of barges in picturesque zig-gag following the puffing tugs2 and all these things ,miss ,dainty saw and appreciated4 ,there was much to tell1 too1 that ,miss ,dainty had not written in her letter1 and ,jack was a never-failing source of interest4 ,jack wound his leash round the legs of the pipe-smoking gentlemen1 was not quite sure that the babies of the conversational ladies were not somethings that he ought to eat1 and at intervals wanted to go overboard and fight imaginary dogs in the ,thames4 ,arrived at ,greenwich1 at the ,ship 7the tavern with a rather dingy front1 with two tiers of bow windows1 with its little garden gay with white and green lamps1 and with its fountain and rockery which had bits of paper and straws floating in the basin71 ,i asked for the proprietor4 ,mr4 ,bale1 thickset1 and with a little moustache1 came out of his room1 and whether it was that ,fleet ,street and the ,thames had given me a tramp-like appearance1 or whether it was that he did not at once take a fancy to ,jack1 ,i could not say1 but he did not seem overjoyed to see us4 ,yet presently he thawed1 told me that he had kept a table by the window for us1 and that our dinner would be ready at #f4cj1 as ,i had telegraphed4 ,in the meantime ,i suggested that we should see the rest of the house4 ,would it not be better to leave the dog downstairs8 suggested ,mr4 ,bale1 and ,jack was tied up somewhere below1 while we went round the upper two stories of dining-rooms--for the ,ship is a house of nothing but dining-rooms4 ,it is a tavern1 not a hotel1 and there are no bedrooms for guests4 ,we went into the pleasant bow-windowed rooms on the first floor1 in one of which a table was laid ready1 with a very beautiful decoration of pink and white flowers1 and in the other of which stand the busts of ,fox and ,pitt4 ,we looked at the two curious wooden images in the passage1 at the chairs with the picture of a ship let into their backs1 and at the flags of all nations which hang in the long banqueting-room2 and all the time ,jack1 tied up below1 lifted up his voice and wept4 ,i asked if ,jack might be allowed to come into the dining-room and sit beside his mistress while we had dinner1 giving the dog a character for peacefulness and quiet for which ,i might have been prosecuted for perjury2 but it was against the rules of the house1 and ,mr4 ,bale suggested that if ,jack was tied up to a pole of the awning just outside the window he would be able to gaze through the glass at his mistress and be happy4 ,a fine old ,britannic waiter1 who looked like a very much reduced copy of ,sir ,william ,vernon-,harcourt1 put down two round silver dishes1 lifted up the covers1 and there were two souchs1 one of salmon and one of flounder4 ,i helped ,miss ,dainty to some of the salmon and filled her glass with the '#hd ,pommery1 which1 after much thought1 ,i had selected from the wine list4 ,but she touched neither2 her eyes were on ,jack outside1 for that accomplished dog1 after doing a maypole dance round the pole1 had now arrived at the end of his leash--and incipient strangulation4 ,miss ,dainty went outside to rescue her pet from instant death1 and ,i1 having eaten my souch1 followed4 ,jack wanted water1 and a sympathetic hall porter who appeared on the scene volunteered to get him a soup-plateful1 and tie him somewhere where he could not strangle himself4 ,the souchs had been removed1 and some lobster rissoles and fried slips had taken their place4 ,miss ,dainty took a rissole and ate it while she watched the hall porter put ,jack's plate of water down1 and ,i made short work of a slip and was going to try the rissoles when ,jack1 in a plaintive tone of voice1 informed the world that something was the matter4 ,his mistress understood him at once4 ,the poor dear would not drink his water unless she stood by2 and this having been proved by actual fact1 ,miss ,dainty1 with myself in attendance1 came back to find that whiting puddings and stewed eels had taken the place of the former dishes4 ,miss ,dainty took a small helping of the eels1 looked at it1 and then turned her eyes again to ,jack1 who was going through a series of gymnastics4 ,i ate my whiting pudding1 which ,i love1 in fevered haste1 and had got halfway through my helping of eels1 when ,miss ,dainty discovered what was the matter with ,jack4 ,the boys on the steps below were annoying him1 and the only way to keep him quiet would be to give him some bones4 ,the sympathetic hall porter again came to the rescue1 and ,jack1 under his mistress's eye1 made fine trencher play with two bones4 ,there was a look of reproach in the veteran waiter's eye when we came back and found the crab omelette and salmon cutlets l',indienne were cooling4 ,i tried to draw ,miss ,dainty's attention away from ,jack4 ,i told her how ,mr4 ,punch had called her ,faustine1 and had written a page about her2 but when she found there was nothing to quote in her book of press notices she lost all interest in the hump-backed gentleman4 ,with the advent of the plain whitebait a new danger to ,jack arose4 ,a turtle was brought by three men on to the lawn and turned loose1 and ,miss ,dainty had to go out and assure herself that ,jack was not frightened1 and that the turtle was not meditating an attack upon him4 ,the turtle was found to be a harmless and interesting insect1 and having been shown1 with practical illustrations1 how the beast was captured by savages1 ,miss ,dainty took great pity on it1 collected water in the soup-plate from the fountain1 poured it over its head1 and tried to induce it to drink1 which the turtle steadfastly refused to do4 ,the veteran waiter was stern when we returned and found the devilled whitebait on the table4 ,i told him to bring the coffee and liqueurs and bill out into the garden1 because ,miss ,dainty1 having been separated from her dog so long1 wanted to nurse and pet him4 ,this was the bill3--,two dinners1 #ads42 one ,pommery '#hd1 #ahs42 two liqueurs1 #as4 #f;d42 coffee1 #as42 attendance1 #as42 total1 #a3 #ae3 #f4 ,we sat and watched ,st4 ,paul's stand clear against the sunset1 and ,miss ,dainty1 her dog happy in her lap1 suddenly said1 ,if you give this place a good notice1 ,i'll never speak to you again4 ,why8 ,i replied4 ,the whitebait was delicious1 the whiting pudding capital1 the omelette good4 ,i liked the fried slips and the rissoles4 ,yes1 perhaps1 said ,miss ,dainty1 with a pout4 ,but they wouldn't let me have my dog in the dining-room6 #aith ,july4 ,,chapter ,,xxv ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,commons ,i have a vague remembrance of having as a small boy been taken round the ,houses of ,lords and ,commons as a holiday treat4 ,the ,houses cannot have been sitting at the time1 and the only thing that ,i remembered was the fact that the ,lords sat on red seats1 the ,commons on green4 ,i did once1 in later years1 make an attempt to gain admission to hear a debate2 but1 after some waiting1 the legislator to whom ,i had sent in my card came out with rather a long face4 ,he had moved heaven and earth1 he said1 to find a place for me1 but it was impossible4 ,however1 he suggested1 brightening up1 there was nothing to prevent our going together to the ,aquarium over the way1 which we should find much more amusing4 ,the ,house of ,commons was1 therefore1 quite new ground to me1 and ,i was very pleased when the ,rising ,legislator asked me if ,i would not dine some night with him in the ,house and hear a debate afterwards4 ,the ,house of ,commons is a nice comforting address to give a cabman1 and as ,i drove down ,westminster wards ,i felt that in the eyes of one individual ,i was that glorious person1 an ,m4,p4 ,but1 if my cabman thought ,i was the member for somewhere or another1 he was soon undeceived4 ,we bowled into ,palace ,yard as if the place belonged to me1 and pulled up at an arched door1 where a policeman was on guard4 ,i mentioned the ,rising ,legislator's name1 but the policeman1 who1 though hard-hearted1 had excellent manners1 could not admit me except on the personal appearance of my host4 ,then where am ,i to go8 ,i said1 appealing to the better side of that policeman's nature1 and he told me to go out of the yard and turn to the right1 and ,i would be admitted at the first door4 ,the cabman1 who had been listening1 must have been satisfied with the fare ,i gave him1 for he invited me to get into the cab again1 and said he would take me round to the right place in a jiffy4 ,though friendly1 there was a distinct familiarity now in the cabman's manner4 ,i had ceased to be an ,m4,p4 in his eyes4 ,the policeman at this other door was not hard-hearted1 and directed me up a long lobby1 on either side of which were gentlemen of various periods1 in very white marble4 ,every policeman ,i passed ,i mentioned the ,rising ,legislator's name to1 just as a guarantee of good faith1 and ,i was passed on to a central lobby1 where a small selection of the public1 looking very melancholy1 were sitting patiently on a stone bench1 and where gentlemen of noble appearance--,i do not wish to be brought up at the bar of the ,house for saying anything disrespectful of any member of the ,house--were in converse with others1 whom ,i took to be influential constituents4 ,some ladies in evening dress were being shown about by smart gentlemen4 ,there were policemen guarding an entrance1 and whenever anybody of the outside crowd approached it they were warned away with a kind of stand out of the draught motion4 ,it is1 no doubt1 some deadly crime to get in the way of an ,m4,p4 in his own ,house4 ,a policeman directed me to write the ,rising ,legislator's name on the back of my card1 and1 having scrutinised it to see whether ,i had spelled the name correctly1 handed it over to a gentleman in dress clothes with what looked like a gilt plate with the ,royal arms on it at the ,v of his waistcoat4 ,i waited some little time and inspected the statues1 some of which were rather comic1 in the ,lobby4 ,presently the ,rising ,legislator appeared1 and apologised for being somewhat late4 ,a chat with a ,cabinet ,minister was the cause4 ,i felt a sort of reflected glory in this4 ,we passed the sacred portals1 and1 as we did so1 ,i gave the policeman a glance as much as to say4 ,you see1 ,i didn't deceive you2 ,i really do know him6 ,and ,i set my hat on the side of my head with more of a cock4 ,it is the custom for no one except the members of the ,house to wear their hats here1 said the ,rising ,legislator2 and ,i relapsed again into humility4 ,we peeped through a door and ,i was shown the ,speaker in the chair1 whom ,i looked at with due awe2 and then we went down a long1 panelled passage1 the panels being the lockers1 of which each member has one1 and presently we were in a lofty room with three great windows1 and the ,rising ,legislator was asking for the table that had been reserved for him4 ,it is a fine room1 this ,strangers' ,dining-,room4 ,the ceiling is nobly ornamented1 and the clusters of electric lights dropping from it illumine the room cheerfully4 ,on the walls is a paper with a pattern in which heraldic roses and fleurs-de-lys play the principal part2 the curtains to the windows are of a soft green1 and at about the height of a man's head1 topping the oak panelling1 is a fine work of art1 a broad border of carvings of such things as furnish the good fare of the table4 ,the great windows1 looking out on the ,terrace and the river1 have massive stone frames1 and inside they have as well a second wooden framing1 with all the modern appliances for letting in fresh air4 ,there is a little desk1 with an accountant sitting at it4 ,beyond him1 through an open door1 there is a glimpse of the ,members' ,dining-,room4 ,the chairs are covered with green leather1 and have stamped on their backs a gilt portcullis4 ,it is in most things just like the dining-room of some big club4 ,i had asked to be given the ordinary dinner2 but the ,rising ,legislator insisted on our having either a duck or a chicken in our menu4 ,he ordered consomm ,brunoise1 which1 looking at the bill of fare with him1 ,i saw would cost him #e;d4 a portion2 whitebait2 noisettes de mouton aux haricots verts1 two portions of which would cost him half a crown4 ,from the price list ,i gathered1 too1 that hon4 members can have a dinner1 at fixed price1 of two courses for #as4 #i;d41 three for #bs4 #c;d41 four for #cs4 ,there was a difficulty about the duck1 or chicken1 and the waiter had to go from the table to the desk a couple of times before it was discovered that the ,rising ,legislator could have a duck2 and a fine fat duck it was when it appeared4 ,i have got to speak to-night1 said the ,rising ,legislator1 and therefore we must have champagne1 and he ordered some '#hi ,clicquot to be put on ice4 ,while the pourparlers as to the duck were in progress ,i had time to look round at the little tables and the people dining at them4 ,there were but few diners yet2 but two of the faces at the table next to ours caught my eye at once as being familiar4 ,the hair1 with a streak of grey in it1 the long face1 the spectacles1 the straight beard1 belonged to ,mr4 ,dillon1 and the man opposite to him with the penthouse brows and the sleeve pinned up on to his coat was ,michael ,davitt4 ,the little stout gentleman with a moustache1 fingering his pince-nez1 who came up presently to speak to them1 was ,dr4 ,tanner4 ,just as the duck difficulty was settled and our soup put before us1 somebody entered the room and mumbled something in a loud voice4 ,speaker has left the chair1 said the ,rising ,legislator in explanation1 and immediately the tables began to fill4 ,mr4 ,walter ,long and two friends were the first to enter2 then1 in succession1 baldish of head1 bearded1 and in a very long frock-coat1 ,sir ,william ,wedderburn2 ,mr4 ,morrell1 broad of face2 ,mr4 ,yoxall1 champion of the ,n4,u4,t41 thin and lightly bearded2 ,mr4 ,sam ,smith1 with a big white beard2 and burly ,mr4 ,henniker-,heaton1 the ,imperial ,postmaster-,general of time to come--all familiar public figures easy to recognise4 ,mr4 ,austen ,chamberlain1 in a grey ,ascot suit and a blue-and-white shirt1 hovered about the desk by the entrance1 as if waiting for some one who did not appear4 ,the whitebait was excellent1 the duck in life must have been a bird of aldermanic figure1 the noisettes in size would have satisfied a hungry man and in tenderness have pleased a gourmet1 and we had come to the strawberry-ice stage when again there was a loud mumble1 and the ,rising ,legislator told me that the ,speaker was in the chair4 ,from strawberry ice we had progressed to coffee and old brandy1 when behind the wainscotting there was a ringing as of many bicycle bells1 and about half of the diners rose1 grasped their hats1 and ran as swiftly as if they were going to a fire4 ,it is a count1 said the ,rising ,legislator4 ,we will go down on to the ,terrace and smoke a cigar before ,i find you a place to listen to the debate4 ,down a staircase with beautiful dark old panelling of the napkin pattern we went until we came to the dimness of the ,terrace1 where a policeman stood at ease to mark the spot sacred to members only1 and where the ladies who had dined in the ,house formed the centres of groups4 ,we watched the lights twinkle in the great hospital across the dark flood1 and the red and green eyes of a launch that came slipping down the river4 ,presently1 with a sigh1 the ,rising ,legislator threw away his cigar4 ,i suppose we must go in and hear what they are talking of1 he said4 #bfth ,july4 ,,chapter ,,xxvi ,,earl',s ,,court ,in the morning1 with my shaving water1 was brought a note in a dashing feminine handwriting4 ,it was from the little ,american prima donna to say she was sorry that she had forgotten1 but she was engaged to dine with some friends who were leaving ,england1 and would ,i take her out some other night instead2 and she considerately suggested two evenings on which she should have known that ,i would be out of town for ,goodwood4 ,i felt inclined to reply1 like ,uncle ,gregory1 that ,i knew those friends--they cum fr' ,sheffield2 but ,i did nothing worse than to write that of course ,i would take her out with pleasure on the first evening she had vacant when ,i came back to town4 ,i had arranged to drive her down to ,earl's ,court to give her dinner at the ,quadrant1 to take her on to the lawn of the ,welcome ,club for coffee and liqueurs1 and then to go the round of the side shows4 ,it is not easy in ,august to find a lady to take out to dinner at twelve hours' notice4 ,mrs4 ,charlie ,sphinx was at ,carlsbad1 and ,miss ,dainty was taking a holiday from the wear and tear of resting at some ,french watering-place4 ,i sent a note round by a cab to ,sir ,george to ask if ,i might take ,miss ,brighteyes out to dinner2 but the man came back saying that the house was all shut up1 and that he could make no one hear4 ,at the worst1 ,i thought1 ,i could pick up a man at the club2 but the few men in the smoking-room had either to go back to their wives or had some dinner engagement4 ,so it came that ,i started alone for ,earl's ,court4 ,i had written for a table to be kept for me at eight o'clock1 and a few minutes before the hour ,i disembarked at the entrance by the lake4 ,it was between the lights1 and the great white globes aglow with electricity looked garish against the delicate opal of the sky1 and cast strange reflections on the water4 ,i paused for a moment to listen to the blue-coated musicians on their island bandstand commencing the march from ,ada1 and then went past the bronze ,gordon on his camel1 past a buffet where a little crowd were dining frugally off sandwiches and pale ale1 over the long bridge1 through the gardens1 and at last to the restaurant4 ,in front of the broad awning which stretches before the restaurant1 standing by a red rope1 which keeps the public from coming too near1 are two janitors1 who1 in their dark blue and peaked caps1 look rather like warders3 a clerk at a desk1 with a big open book before him1 sits opposite to the entrance4 ,had ,i booked a table8 the clerk asked me as ,i came up4 ,certainly ,i had4 ,i had written that ,i wanted a particularly good table at eight o'clock4 ,the clerk looked up at a tall gentleman with a reddish beard and moustache who stood behind him1 ,m4 ,gerard1 ,messrs4 ,spiers and ,pond's manager1 and the gentleman with the beard looked at his watch4 ,it was a quarter-past eight4 ,m4 ,gerard explained that no tables were kept after eight1 and drew a vivid picture of a well-dressed but famished crowd standing outside at the red ropes and threatening to tear down the place if they were not admitted to the vacant places4 ,my table had been given to an eminently respectable couple who did not look as if they would tear down anything1 and ,i was about to go over the way to the ,welcome1 in wrath1 when it was found that there was a table for four1 right up against the barrier1 vacant2 and ,i settled down in solitary dignity at one of the best tables in the place4 ,a smart young waiter1 in white apron and brown coat with pink facings1 put the menu in front of me4 ,i ordered a pint of ,deutz and ,gelderman to be put in ice1 and then looked round me4 ,immediately behind me a party were being entertained by two young barristers4 ,i could hear but not see them4 ,they were telling legal stories1 and there was one as to ,inderwick and the ,house of ,lords that set their table in a roar4 ,opposite to me was a little family of father1 mother1 and son1 and a pretty girl came bustling in to complete the party1 with1 from her manner1 a tale of misadventure and delay to be told4 ,a bald-headed1 smart-looking soldier1 a cavalryman from his bearing1 was giving dinner to a youngster who might be at a crammer's--they were among the few men wearing evening dress2 there was an engaged couple who gazed into each other's eyes across the table1 and there was a fat gentleman1 who ,i should think was a ,jewish financier1 who was giving dinner to a girl with many rows of pearls round her throat and a glint of diamonds on her dress4 ,the financier was drinking the girl's health1 and as he held back his head to drain his glass she made1 lightning quick1 a face at him1 which said more than pages of history4 ,i had eaten my hors-d'uvre1 and the waiter brought me the clear soup ,i had chosen4 ,it was not as hot as it should have been2 but the kitchen is some way off from the tables at the far edge of the awning1 and1 with one of the most wonderful outlooks in the world1 one is not prepared to be over particular as to cookery4 ,the opal tints in the sky had died out and had left it a sheet of steel4 ,on the right the tall white building in which is the panorama was already shining with electric light2 the canvas buttresses and towers1 looking solid enough now1 stood black against the grey4 ,in the bandstand in the centre of the promenade ,dan ,godfrey and his crimson-coated musicians were playing a waltz air1 and a crowd1 dimly seen1 was moving round and round this centre of attraction4 ,the ,welcome ,club1 with its lighted windows1 was away to the left1 and1 above all1 the ,great ,wheel1 starred with lights1 moved its circle very gently and silently4 ,men in the half light were running hither and thither with long sticks with a flame at the end1 and lights green1 white1 and rose began to twinkle on all sides4 ,the choice had been given me between saumon1 sauce ,rubens and filet de merlan frit1 sauce ,ravigote4 ,i chose the whiting1 and had the cook only been more careful in boning his fish ,i should have called it excellent4 ,the engaged couple had left their table1 and a merry party1 two nice-looking girls1 a young1 clean-shaven man1 and a grey-haired bon vivant1 had taken their places4 ,the girls1 who had evidently come out to enjoy themselves thoroughly1 were laughing already4 ,the financier had ordered another bottle of champagne2 the girl with the pearls opposite to him1 her chin on her fist1 was gazing out at the sky from which the light had faded4 ,a big party1 the men in evening dress1 passed through under the awning to the big room of the restaurant1 a room decorated with paintings of ,indian gods and heroes and rajahs1 and the red shades of the candles on their table made a pleasant note of warm colour4 ,my waiter brought the pigeon brais ,dmidoff4 ,i looked at it and it appeared nice2 but ,i sent it away1 for ,i was not hungry1 and there were other dishes still to come4 ,the sky now was all light indigo1 with the clouds deeper patches of the same colour4 ,all the little lamps in the garden were alight1 twinkling in great curves against the black of the battlements4 ,the bandstand was outlined with rose3 the ,welcome ,club was ablaze with green3 the trees under all this light had a strange metallic shine4 ,the rays from the searchlight came sweeping overhead3 the ,wheel with its circle of stars still turned solemnly4 ,amidst all the lights one inscription in green and white lamps1 ,infant ,incubator1 fixed itself on my attention1 and ,i found myself wondering what an infant incubator could be like4 ,the crowd outside had increased in number4 ,there seemed to be many ladies in white with white hats amongst it2 there was occasionally a gleam of white shirt fronts2 little boys in straw hats and ,eton collars dived into the thick1 and then reappeared2 the programme boys1 in grey ,early ,victorian dress1 came and went4 ,the band was hammering away at the ,mikado4 ,two pretty girls in black dresses with wide white collars1 one with a white sailor hat1 one with a black one1 paused outside to watch us dining4 ,i should have liked to ask them in to dine1 for ,i was feeling very lonely1 but ,i remembered ,british conventionality1 and forbore4 ,the ctelette d'agneau la ,bellevue which the waiter brought me was hot and well cooked1 but ,i do not think that the chicken1 a wing of which succeeded the cutlet1 could have lived a very happy life4 ,i think it must have been consumptive4 ,the restaurant was beginning to empty now1 the guests filing out in twos and threes1 and vanishing into the parti-coloured crowd2 and still the ,wheel1 with its silent power1 turned1 and still the ,infant ,incubator danced before my eyes4 ,the beans1 the ice1 and the peach with which ,i finished my dinner were all good--,i refused the pouding ,victoria which was on the menu2 and after sipping my coffee and paying my bill--one dinner1 #gs4 #f;d42 one pint #bci1 #fs4 #f;d42 liqueur1 #bs42 total1 #afs4--,i obeyed an irresistible impulse and went over to see what an infant incubator was like4 #crd ,august4 ,,chapter ,,xxvii ,,the ,,star ,,and ,,garter1 ,,richmond ,the little ,american prima donna was not so faithless as ,i thought1 for when1 ,goodwood being over1 ,i wrote to her and asked her if she would not take pity on a poor bachelor stranded in a deserted town1 and drive down to ,richmond and dine1 she telegraphed back a ,yes1 and told me that ,i might come and pick her up at the ,htel ,cecil4 ,the covered-in space before the big caravanserai in the ,strand in ,june and ,july1 is almost as representative of ,english life as is church parade in the ,park4 ,in ,august it is more like the hall of an hotel at some big ,american watering-place1 for our cousins from across the herring-pond take possession of all the seats1 and sit all day long drinking iced drinks through straws1 and listening to the band4 ,i found the little prima donna1 looking very fresh and cool in pink1 rocking herself in a chair1 and was immediately denounced for being in dress clothes when ,i had wired to her not to change into evening dress4 ,i explained that dress clothes with a man are a very different thing from evening dress with a lady1 and also that it was the custom4 ,some of your ,english customs do tire me1 was the remark with which the prima donna closed the discussion1 and then told me that ,i might have a cocktail if ,i thought that it would make me feel good4 ,this libation in honour of the great republic performed1 we started4 ,the little prima donna1 the dress clothes forgiven1 was prepared to be pleased4 ,she had a remark to make as to everything that we passed1 and reconstructed for me the ,fulham ,road as it would be in an ,american city4 ,in time she thought we might learn how to build a town4 ,the groups of ponies coming back from ,ranelagh1 where the last match of the season had been played between the ,butterflies and a home team1 interested her immensely1 as also did some of the players driving back in their neat little carts at a great pace1 and later on a glimpse of the club grounds with the great elms1 the glint of water through a thicket1 and the smooth green of the polo ground1 set her talking of ,american polo grounds1 ,myopia1 and other names which were strange to me2 and though she was quite sure that the boys over in ,america could whip our ,british players every time1 still she allowed that they had nothing there quite like the grey old house with its elms and its water4 ,the conversion of the little prima donna was commencing4 ,the sun set1 a red ball dipping into the brown heat mist1 as we passed over ,barnes ,common1 and when the little prima donna said that we had nothing in ,england like the sunsets over the ,hudson1 ,i felt that on this day1 at least1 the sun was not behaving well in his manner of setting4 ,we came to ,richmond ,park in the afterglow1 and going in through the ,sheen gate1 drove through the ,park1 which was glorified by the rosy dimness which lingers so long at the close of a hot ,august day4 ,the mysterious light was on the great trees and the stretches of bracken and the rolling distances of sward4 ,the deer were moving through the fern1 and there was a drowsy silence1 broken only by the calling of the birds and the faint hum of the outside world shut away beyond this fairy paradise4 ,the little prima donna sat with parted lips and wide-open eyes1 drinking in all the scene and whispering at intervals1 ,beautiful6 beautiful6 ,i had no need to ask her whether there was anything like this in her country across the ocean4 ,presently the bicyclists came drifting down the road in shoals4 ,these swift1 silent travellers put a modern note into the picture of old-time woodland1 and suddenly we came to the iron gates1 and the tall1 grey house1 and the little prima donna said that her drive through fairyland had given her an appetite4 ,the ,star and ,garter has as many appearances and moods as a pretty woman4 ,on a ,sunday afternoon1 when the bicycles are piled in tens of scores outside the building1 when the gravel is crunched continuously by carriages coming and going1 when every table in both dining-rooms has its full complement of guests1 and little groups stand outside the glass panelling watching for their turn to come1 when the coffee-drinkers sit at the round tables in the passage1 and the terrace is bright with girls' dresses1 and rings with laughter1 when far below1 the face of the river is crowded with boats1 and a crowd streams along the towing-path1 then the ,star and ,garter is frankly1 merrily ,cockney4 ,but on a summer night when the moon is at the full1 when the windows of the ball-room are alight1 and the whisper of a waltz tune comes down to the terrace1 when the river runs a ribbon of silver through the misty landscape1 then the ,star and ,garter becomes an enchanted palace4 ,it was a quiet evening on the day that ,i drove down with the little prima donna1 but had ,i not telegraphed early in the day we should not have got the table for two by the open window that looked out on to the terrace and to the ,thames in the valley below4 ,the little prima donna stood by the window and gazed out4 ,she felt the charm of the scene1 but fought against it1 for she was a little piqued that she had never seen anything quite like it before1 that the ,united ,states did not hold its exact parallel4 ,i guess it is that your landscapes are so small and so easily filled up that makes them so different from ours1 was her explanation2 but that was not what she meant4 ,the manager of the restaurant had told me that he had ordered a little dinner for me1 some hors-d'uvre1 petite marmite1 red mullet1 tournedos1 pommes sautes1 a duckling1 salad1 and some ices2 and ,i told him that that would do very nicely4 ,the hors-d'uvre were on the table1 but it was difficult1 hungry as she was1 to induce the little prima donna to leave her first view of the river1 a river now grown steel-colour in the growing darkness1 and to turn to the prosaic side of life1 and dinner4 ,it is a comfortable dining-room1 with its green curtains to the big bow-window1 its paper with a flower pattern1 its mirrors and its great panes of glass through which the arched looking-glasses of the hall can be seen4 ,of our fellow-diners there was no one whose face is well known to the world4 ,there was a young man with gold buttons to his coat and a suggestion of the ,georgian period in his full head of hair1 who was dining tte--tte with a pretty dark-haired lady2 there was a bald-headed gentleman entertaining a family party2 there were three young gentlemen dining by themselves very merrily2 the rest were the people one sees at any good hotel4 ,the soup was excellent--though why managers of restaurants always seem to think that petite marmite is the only soup in existence ,i do not know2 but the prima donna was glad to put down her spoon and look out of the window again4 ,she had read that morning1 she told me1 all the descriptions she could find of ,richmond1 in prose and verse2 but the real thing was more beautiful than any description of it had prepared her for4 ,i felt that the conversion of the little ,american was progressing4 ,the fish was not a success4 ,the weather was very hot1 and1 as the prima donna put it1 this mullet1 ,i guess1 has not been scientifically embalmed4 ,the waiter1 deeply grieved1 spirited the fish away1 and put the tournedos1 which were excellently cooked1 in their place4 ,the pine outside the window was black now against the sky1 and a chilly breeze came up from the river4 ,the little prima donna felt the chill1 and drew her cloak over her shoulders4 ,the duck was plump and tender1 and when she had trifled with a wing1 the prima donna1 hoping that nobody would be horrified1 asked for a cigarette4 ,the ice and coffee and liqueurs finished1 ,i called for the bill--hors-d'uvre1 #bs42 marmite1 #as4 #f;d42 tournedos1 #ds42 pommes1 #as42 caneton1 #hs4 #f;d42 salade1 #as42 ices1 #bs42 coffee1 #as42 one bottle ,deutz and ,gelderman1 #abs4 #f;d42 cigarettes1 #as42 liqueurs1 #bs4 #f;d42 couverts1 #as42 total1 #a3 #ahs4--and then suggested that we should go down on to the terrace4 ,the prima donna leant over the balustrade1 her cigarette making a point of light1 and gazed in silence at the darkened landscape4 ,the river1 visible still amidst the darkness1 had caught and held in its bosom the reflections of the summer stars and of a newborn moon4 ,presently she threw away the little roll of paper and tobacco1 and began quoting in a low voice--a speaking voice as musical as singing--the lines of poor ,mortimer ,collins's swan song3-- ,stern hours have the merciless fates ,plotted for all who die2 ,but looking down upon ,richmond aits1 ,where the merles sing low to their amorous mates1 ,who cares to ask them why8 ,the conversion of the little ,american was complete4 #ith ,august4 ,,chapter ,,xxviii ,,the ,,cavour 7,,leicester ,,square7 ,i first met ,arthur ,roberts in the buffet of the ,cavour1 and first heard there the tale of ,the ,old ,iron ,pot4 ,on that occasion ,i was taken by a friend into the buffet1 a long room with a bar decorated with many-coloured glasses1 a broad divan running along the wall1 and many small tables by it4 ,seated on the divan was a thin1 clean-shaven little man1 talking to a very tall man1 also clean-shaven4 ,so immersed in their conversation were the two that they hardly acknowledged me when ,i was introduced to them2 they being ,messrs4 ,arthur ,roberts and ,long ,jack ,jervis1 both of them then playing in ,black-eyed ,susan at the ,alhambra1 almost next door4 ,as far as ,i could make out1 the entrancing story that ,mr4 ,arthur ,roberts was telling1 had as its central figure an old iron pot4 ,he was in deadly earnest in his recital4 ,mr4 ,jervis and my friend were thoroughly1 almost painfully1 interested1 and accompanied the story with little exclamations of surprise and sympathy1 but for the life of me ,i could not follow the narrative4 ,all sorts and conditions of people suddenly were introduced into the tale by name1 and as suddenly disappeared out of it4 ,arthur ,roberts finished1 and the other two broke into speeches of congratulation1 saying how thoroughly interested and affected they had been4 ,i1 in a bewildered way1 commenced to ask questions1 when the mouth of the merry comedian began to twitch up on one side1 and his eyelids to blink4 ,then ,i understood4 ,i was another victim to the tale of ,the ,old ,iron ,pot4 ,it was in this buffet1 which remains now as it was then1 that ,arthur ,roberts invented the game of spoof1--but that is a very long story4 ,there has always been a savour of ,bohemianism around the ,cavour1 and therefore it was only right and proper that the six of us who sat down to dinner there one ,august evening1 should all in our time have wandered through the pleasant paths of the country of free-and-easiness4 ,with grey hairs has come ballast1 and one of the party is now a great landowner1 doing his duty as high sheriff of his county2 two of the others are chairmen of boards controlling great theatrical enterprises2 a fourth1 who won renown originally as a ,jehu1 now coins money in successful speculation2 and the fifth is the trusted adviser of a well-known plutocrat4 ,one of the chairmen1 who can claim the title of successful dramatic author as well1 and is not unknown on the ,stock ,exchange1 was the giver of the feast4 ,our gathering came about through an argument on the relative merits of cheap and expensive restaurants1 and whether there was value received for the difference in the price of the dinners4 ,the chairman was a warm upholder of the cheap dinner1 and concluded the argument by saying1 ,when ,i go to the ,savoy or ,princes' ,i am prepared to pay for my surroundings and company2 when ,i want food only ,i go to ,philippe of the ,cavour1 and ask him to add something to his three-shilling dinner1 and to give me five-shillings-worth1 and if you fellows will come and dine with me there you shall try for yourselves4 ,and we fellows said like one man that we would4 ,the ,cavour1 which shows its clean white face1 adorned with golden letters1 to ,leicester ,square1 has grown immensely since ,i first made its and ,m4 ,philippe's acquaintance4 ,there comes first a narrow little room1 with a big counter on which fruit and flowers and cold meats are displayed1 and behind which a lady in black stands4 ,here ,m4 ,philippe1 shortish1 grey-haired1 with a little close-clipped moustache1 black coat1 and turned-down collar1 with a black tie1 generally waits to usher his patrons in1 and find them seats4 ,then comes the big room1 the walls in light colour1 brass rails all round to hold hats1 on the many mirrors a notice pasted1 ,our table d'hte ,sundays1 #f to #i2 in the centre a big square table with a palm in the middle of it1 the table at which1 when the room is crowded1 lone gentlemen are set to take their dinner1 and around the big table a cohort of smaller tables4 ,the ceiling mostly consists of a skylight1 the windows in which always keep the room cool4 ,beyond this room is another one1 newly built1 also light in colour1 and with many mirrors4 ,as soon as we were seated1 ,m4 ,philippe came bustling up4 ,he is a very busy man1 for he believes in the adage as to doing things well2 and1 therefore1 he is up at five every morning1 and goes the round of the markets1 and in his own restaurant is his own matre d'htel4 ,yet1 busy as he is1 he finds time to devote much attention to ,freemasonry1 and his list of subscriptions to the various ,masonic charities has generally the biggest total of any sent in4 ,he was supposed in this charitable competition to have been1 on one occasion1 outstripped by another worker in the cause1 and we immediately began to chaff him on the subject4 ,m4 ,philippe acknowledged that a march had been stolen on him2 but to make up for it he had been eminently successful in securing the admission of a little girl to one of the masonic institutions4 ,she got in on top of our poll1 was his way of putting it4 ,the feast he had prepared for us was as follows3-- ,hors-d'uvre4 ,la petite marmite4 ,filets de soles ,mornay4 ,whitebait4 ,poulet saut ,portugaise4 ,ctes de mouton en ,bellevue4 ,canetons d',aylesbury4 ,petits pois ,franaise4 ,salade4 ,haricots verts4 ,fromages4 ,dessert4 ,i noted that the petite marmite--,i seem doomed always to be given petite marmite--was good1 and was more enthusiastic than that over the fillets of sole1 for those1 ,i thought1 were very good4 ,the whitebait1 erring on the right side1 were a trifle too soft4 ,the poulet saut ,portugaise was a triumph of bourgeois cookery1 but so rich that ,i was glad that the good doctor who takes an interest in the state of my liver was not one of our party4 ,the ,aylesbury ducklings were fine1 plump young fellows1 who must have lived a youth of peace and contentment4 ,we drank with this substantial dinner some '#hi ,pommery4 ,there is always a bustle at the ,cavour1 and a coming and going of guests4 ,directly a table is vacated plates and glasses are whisked away1 fresh napkins spread1 and in a few seconds ,m4 ,philippe has personally conducted some incoming guests to their seats4 ,the table d'hte is served from five to nine4 ,first to the feast comes a sprinkling of actors and actresses1 making an early meal before going to the theatre4 ,then comes an incursion of white-shirt-fronted gentlemen and ladies in evening dress1 dining before going to the play4 ,lastly comes the steady stream of ordinary diners1 good bourgeois most of them1 who choose to dine as they have come from their ,city offices1 in frock-coats or other unostentatious garb4 ,as we settled down to our meal1 a theatrical manager1 who had been giving one of the prettiest ladies of his company dinner1 was leaving4 ,a well-known amateur coachman1 just up from the country1 had time to give his wife something to eat before going off to catch another train2 a white-bearded gentleman was entertaining two pretty daughters in evening dresses1 and was desperately afraid that they would not get to the theatre in time to see the curtain rise4 ,a very pretty lady1 with a hat of peacocks' feathers and a great bow rising from it1 was an actress resting4 ,the rest of the diners who filled the room were all good1 respectable citizens and citizenesses1 in fine broadcloth and silk1 but none of their faces was familiar to us through the pages of the illustrated papers4 ,this was the bill paid by the chairman3--,six dinners at #es41 #a3 #ajs42 three bottles ,pommery1 '#hi1 #b3 #bs42 one seltzer1 #f;d42 five cafs1 #bs4 #f;d42 six liqueurs1 #ds4 #f;d42 total1 #c3 #ai3 #f4 ,m4 ,philippe has a little pleasure-ground attached to the restaurant1 a plot of kitchen garden and an orangery1 the vegetables and herbs and fruit from which must cost him about a thousand times their value at ,covent ,garden4 ,but it is ,philippe's hobby1 and he likes to be able to give any favoured customer a bunch of mignonette grown in a garden within thirty yards of ,leicester ,square4 ,at night the blazing cressets of the ,alhambra and the gas decorations of ,daly's light this strange little bit of rus in urbe1 and when one wonders at a practical man keeping such desirable building land for such a purpose1 ,m4 ,philippe shrugs his shoulders and says1 ,the earth he grow every day more valuable4 #afth ,august4 ,,chapter ,,xxix ,,the ,,caf ,,royal 7,,regent ,,street7 ,my sister-in-law is the daughter of a dean4 ,i do not make this statement through family pride1 but because it is pertinent to what follows4 ,man and boy1 these six years or so1 ,i have known little ,oddenino1 who now rules the destinies of the ,caf ,royal4 ,the little man1 with his quiet1 rather nervous manner and big serious eyes1 went from the management of the ,east ,room at the ,criterion to the ,washington in ,oxford ,street1 then to the big hotel at ,cimiez1 and has now put the ,caf ,royal into shape4 ,during the summer of #ahig1 ,i was one day1 towards lunch-time1 pacing up and down the passage which leads from the pillared door in ,regent ,street to the caf and grill-room portion of the big establishment1 a passage which has on one side the bookstall where the ,french papers are on sale1 and on the other the manager's offices1 when a door opened and ,oddenino appeared4 ,i asked him what he was doing in the ,caf ,royal1 and he told me that he had come as manager4 ,then he put his head on one side and considered me4 ,with the utmost politeness he suggested that ,i was waiting for a lady1 a soft impeachment which ,i admitted1 and that ,i was not in the best of tempers1 which was also true4 ,he was deeply grieved1 but tried to console me by saying that when ,i came back to town in the autumn ,i should find a comfortable room upstairs to wait in1 and went on to tell me of the other improvements he intended to make4 ,one great grief he had1 and that was that some people thought that the company that frequented the restaurant was rather ,bohemian4 ,how anybody could think so1 ,i told him1 ,i could not understand1 and as a triumphant proof of this ,i told ,oddenino that the first lady whom ,i would bring to dine in the redecorated restaurant should be my sister-in-law1 the daughter of a dean4 ,in the autumn the opportunity arrived for carrying out my promise4 ,my brother was away slaughtering many driven partridges in ,wiltshire1 and my sister-in-law--did ,i mention that she is the daughter of a dean8--was left in solitary dignity in town4 ,i went in the afternoon of the day we were going to dine to apprise ,oddenino of our impending visitation--that word has a comforting clerical sound--and to order dinner4 ,my sister-in-law is not partial to shellfish1 so the oysters with which ,i should have begun the feast were not to be thought of1 nor were most of the most delicate ways of cooking a sole to be considered4 ,my sister-in-law has always said that my idea of a perfect dinner is semi-starvation1 so ,i included two entres instead of one in the menu4 ,this was the dinner which ,i1 in consultation with ,oddenino1 settled upon3-- ,hors-d'uvre ,russe4 ,pot au feu4 ,sole ,waleska4 ,noisette d'agneau ,lavallire4 ,haricots verts l',anglaise4 ,parfait de foie gras4 ,caille en cocotte4 ,salade4 ,pole nord4 ,when ,i suggested an ice1 and ,oddenino wrote down pole nord1 ,i asked him what particular ice that meant4 ,it was only a cream ice served on a pedestal of clear ice1 he said2 but he thought that pole nord to end a menu sounded grand and mysterious4 ,i should1 out of compliment to my sister-in-law1 have liked to have driven up to the ,caf ,royal in an equipage such as dignitaries of the ,church use1 with a hammer-cloth and a white-wigged coachman2 but a humble coup had to suffice4 ,we went up the staircase1 which has been regilt and refurbished1 and has more flowers and plants than of yore1 and into the little waiting-room at the top of the stairs1 which ,oddenino had promised to have built for me to save wear and tear of my temper4 ,it is not a very large waiting-room1 a promise only of better things to come1 a slice of the first of the big rooms partitioned off by a screen of mirrors4 ,some easy-chairs look comforting even to a hungry man1 and1 no doubt1 not only my temper1 but that of others1 will profit by it in the future4 ,a table had been kept for us in the first room1 and when my sister-in-law had settled down she began looking carefully at the diners at the other tables4 ,i asked if there was any one whom she expected to see1 and was told that she was looking for the actresses ,i had promised to point out to her4 ,our table commanded a fine view of the room we were in and the big room1 the windows of which look on to ,glasshouse ,street4 ,there was scarcely a vacant table1 but nowhere could ,i see an actress to point out to my sister-in-law4 ,there was a celebrated doctor1 clean-shaven and with white hair1 dining tte--tte with his wife2 there was a well-known barrister1 invincible in licensing cases1 who was giving a dinner to his wife and daughter2 there was a big dinner-party of men all hailing from the ,stock ,exchange2 there was a smart little lady talking hunting to three entranced youths2 but nowhere could ,i see a face that ,i recognised as belonging to an actress4 ,my sister-in-law thought that she had been defrauded1 but luckily the fat waiter1 an old ally of mine1 appeared at the right moment with the caviar1 and the sommelier was anxious to know whether ,i would have the ,clicquot vin rose1 which poor ,m4 ,nicol used to say was the best champagne in the cellar1 iced4 ,my sister-in-law approved highly of the soup1 and indeed it was excellent1 simple and strong4 ,then came the sole ,waleska1 and ,i was anxious to see whether my sister-in-law--who1 ,i have omitted to state1 is the daughter of a dean--appreciated the delicacy of the sauce and the almost imperceptible flavouring of cheese4 ,she did1 and ,i forgave her on the spot for not liking oysters4 ,the noisette d'agneau was not quite on a par with the glory of the remainder of the dinner1 for the tiny morsels of lamb1 the foundation of the plat1 might have been more tender2 but ,i am sure that if the dear departed geese of ,strassburg could have looked upon their livers1 placed snugly in a great terrine1 to which the blocks of truffle gave a half-mourning effect1 and covered decently with a fair coating of transparent jelly1 they would have been consoled for all their over-eating and subsequent demise4 ,at this period of our dinner little ,oddenino came up1 and ,i asked him to point out some of the alterations to my sister-in-law4 ,he showed her the new lamps1 which cast a pleasant rosy light on the tables2 the new carpet2 sent the matre d'htel to fetch samples of the new china and glass and silver which by now have been taken into use2 explained how the kitchen1 which is under the rule of ,m4 ,charles1 has been doubled in size2 and how the serving arrangements1 which of old were coram populo1 and carried out with an accompaniment of shrill female voices and much clashing of plates1 were now safely concealed behind a wall of mirrors4 ,i told ,oddenino that ,i thought that even now too much noise came through the open door which leads to the serving-room2 for ,i hold a really good dinner to be so sublime a thing that the homage of absolutely silent attendance is due to it2 and the little man1 looking suddenly as sorrowful as if he had lost a near relation1 promised to have swing doors put up1 so that not a whisper should penetrate to the dining-rooms4 ,the quails were delicious4 ,their flesh almost melted in one's mouth1 as my sister-in-law remarked4 ,when the pole nord came the ice proved not to be an ordinary one1 but a semi-fluid delicacy cased in harder cream ice4 ,the ice pedestal was in the shape of a bird resting on rocks1 and when ,i made a feeble little jest about ,andre's pigeons my sister-in-law laughed4 ,i reproved her austerely1 telling her that if she laughed thus she would be taken for an actress4 ,whereon she retorted that she did not want to be taken for an actress1 but that she wanted to be one4 ,i opened my eyes in a query1 and she said that if actresses were given every night such a dinner as she had eaten she wanted to be an actress4 ,i paid my bill while my sister-in-law admired the beautiful flower-decked ,minton china1 a trayful of which was brought to her1 the glasses with a golden ,n and a crown on them and the heavy silver4 ,the bill was3 two couverts1 #as42 hors-d'uvre1 #bs42 pot au feu1 #bs42 sole ,waleska1 #cs4 #f;d42 suprme d'agneau1 #cs4 #f;d42 haricots verts1 #as4 #f;d42 parfait de foie gras1 #ds42 caille cocotte1 #es42 salade1 #as42 pole nord1 #bs4 #f;d42 caf1 #as4 #f;d42 one bottle '#fg1 #aes42 liqueurs1 #bs42 total1 #b3 #d3 #f4 ,i told my sister-in-law that if we were not to miss the first act of the play we were going to see1 we had better be going1 so she laid down the straw through which she had been sucking her crme de menthe1 and with a sigh1 a tribute of remembrance to the quails1 put on her gloves4 ,i have now a sister-in-law who is the daughter of a dean1 but who wants to become an actress4 #ast ,november4 99 99 99 99 99 ,since writing the above the ,caf ,royal has definitely taken its place once again as one of the first-class restaurants of ,london4 ,little ,oddenino has continued making improvements1 putting in a lift1 making a cloak-room1 and adding generally to the comfort of the place4 ,i asked the little man to send me the menu of a dinner given to the late ,mr4 ,barney ,barnato before he started on his ill-starred journey to the ,cape1 and also to ask ,m4 ,charles to give me the recette of the soles ,waleska4 ,m4 ,oddenino sent me a menu1 which is a good specimen of a ,caf ,royal dinner for a large party2 but which ,i do not recognise as the ,barnato menu1 and also the recette for filets de sole ,st-,augustin--named after him1 for his front name is ,august--the very latest delicacy in fish4 ,here are menu and recette-- ,solera #aheb ,hors-d'uvre ,russe ,hutres natives ,consomm ,prince de ,galles ,turbotin la ,polignac ,veuve ,clicquot #ahhi ,suprme de volaille la ,montpensier ,ctelette d'agneau de lait la ,rgence ,corbeille de pommes souffle ,giesler #ahhd ,parfait de foie gras ,extra dry ,bcassine rtie sur canap ,salade de cur de laitue ,chteau ,lafite #ahge ,nageoires de tortue l',amricaine ,martinez #ahfc ,asperges nouvelles ,anglaise4 ,sauce mousseline4 ,ananas glac ,souffl au fromage ,grande ,fin ,champagne1 ,corbeilles de fruits ,waterloo #ahae ,caf ,here is the recette of the filets de sole ,st-,augustin1 to which both ,m4 ,charles1 the chef1 and ,m4 ,oddenino1 its godfather1 have set their signature-- ,recettes de filets de sole ,st-,augustin ,prenez une belle sole bien frache1 enlevez-en les filets1 pliez-les en deux1 mettez-les dans une casserole avec un morceau de beurre1 sel1 poivre et un bon verre de champagne4 ,faites cuire les filets de sole1 aussitt prts retirez-les et faites rduire la cuisson aux trois-quarts1 ensuite ajoutez-y une demie-pinte de crme et laissez rduire un moment le tout ensemble4 ,mettez part dans une casserole vingt-quatre queues d'crevisses avec une truffe frache emmincie1 un peu de beurre1 sel et poivre1 faites chauffer le tout doucement et mlangez ensuite votre sauce avec la garniture4 ,dressez les filets de sole sur un plat rond1 saucez par dessus1 ajoutez un peu de fromage rap pardessus1 faites glacer au four et servez trs chaud4 ,illustration ,take a large1 perfectly fresh sole4 ,fillet it4 ,fold the fillets in two1 and put them in a saucepan1 with a piece of butter1 salt1 pepper1 and a glassful of champagne4 ,let the fillets cook until they are done1 then take them out1 and boil down the stock to three-quarters1 then add to it half a pint of cream1 and boil it all down together1 for a moment4 ,in another saucepan 7a silver one71 put the tails of twenty-four crayfish1 with a truffle1 freshly cut up1 a little butter1 and a little salt and pepper4 ,let this get hot very slowly1 and mix your sauce with the garnish4 ,arrange the fillets of sole on a round dish and glaze them over4 ,serve very hot4 ,,chapter ,,xxx ,,frascati',s 7,,oxford ,,street7 ,i am beginning to flatter myself that ,i am a success in clerical circles4 ,one week ,i took out to dinner my sister-in-law--who1 ,i omitted to state1 is the daughter of a dean2 and the next week ,i successfully entertained a dear1 simple-minded1 white-haired old clergyman who had come from his parish in the ,north to ,london on business4 ,two little boys home from ,harrow are sitting at a table by an open window1 looking through the frame of rose sprays and streamers of virginia-creeper to the turn of the road in the foreground1 where the black wood of the sun-dial1 put up to commemorate the battle of ,waterloo1 stands out against the rose red of the old brick wall behind it1 where one of the posts of the village stocks still exists as a warning to evildoers1 with beyond1 in the middle distance1 the great horse-chestnuts and the village cricketing ground1 which serves as a promenade for the postmaster's geese4 ,the whole landscape is closed in by a great forest of firs1 on the outskirts of which red roofs and the tarnished gold of thatch chequer the dark green4 ,behind the two little boys stands a curate fresh from ,oxford1 who is trying to hammer into their thick little heads the translation of ----cur apricum oderit campum---- his own thoughts all the time1 like theirs1 being on the cricket-ground1 and not with ,quintus ,horatius ,flaccus4 ,that is the picture that always comes to me when ,i think of my old clerical friend4 ,he was a keen cricketer1 and bowled underhand with a cunning break from the off which was too much for the yokels of the teams that our village eleven annually held battle with2 and those daily two tiresome hours over1 our holiday task done1 he would bowl1 at the net put up in the neighbouring field1 as long as we chose to bat4 ,his one dissipation now is a visit to ,london annually to see the ,oxford and ,cambridge cricket-match1 and he always stays when he comes to ,london at my mother's house4 ,unexpected business had brought him south last week1 and one evening he would have been alone had ,i not offered to take him out somewhere4 ,where to take him was a puzzle4 ,i did not think that he would appreciate the delicacy of ,savoy1 or ,cecil1 or ,prince's1 or ,verrey's cookery2 the refinements of the ,berkeley and the ,avondale1 and the light touch of ,m4 ,charles's hand would be as naught to him4 ,luckily ,i remembered that last ,july he had been taken to dine at ,frascati's1 by a friend and old parishioner of his1 and that the place and the dinner had made so great an impression on him that his conversation for the next day consisted chiefly of praise of the gorgeous palace in which he had been entertained4 ,if ,frascati's had proved such a success once1 ,i saw no reason why it should not be so again1 and suggested that we should dine there1 a suggestion which met with decided approval2 so ,i telegraphed to ask that a table might be reserved for me upstairs4 ,my previous experiences of ,frascati's had been chiefly confined to the grill-room1 a gorgeous hall of white marble1 veined with black1 with a golden frieze and a golden ceiling1 where ,i often eat a humble chop or take a cut from the joint before going to listen to ,dan ,leno or some other mirth-provoker at the ,oxford next door2 but looking at the great restaurant after we had settled down into our seats ,i could quite understand that the building would appear as gorgeous as a pantomime transformation-scene to the eyes of any one not blas by our modern nil admirari ,london4 ,there are gold and silver everywhere4 ,the pillars which support the balcony1 and from that spring up again to the roof1 are gilt1 and have silver angels at their capitals4 ,there are gilt rails to the balcony1 which runs1 as in a circus1 round the great octagonal building2 the alcoves that stretch back seem to be all gold and mirrors and electric light4 ,what is not gold or shining glass is either light buff or delicate grey1 and electric globes in profusion1 palms1 bronze statuettes1 and a great dome of green glass and gilding all go to make a gorgeous setting4 ,the waiters in black1 with a silver number in their button-holes1 hover round the tables2 somewhere below a string band1 which does not impede conversation1 plays4 ,my old tutor rubbed his hands gently and smiled genially round at the gorgeousness1 while ,i told the light-bearded manager that what ,i required was the ordinary table-d'hte dinner1 and picked out a ,chteau ,margaux from the long lists of clarets4 ,this was the menu of the table-d'hte dinner3 ,hors-d'uvre varis4 ,consomm ,brunoise4 ,crme ,fontange4 ,escalope de barbue ,chauchat4 ,blanchaille4 ,filet mignon ,victoria4 ,pommes sautes4 ,riz de veau ,toulouse4 ,faisan rti au cresson4 ,salade4 ,pouding ,singapore4 ,glac vanille4 ,fromage4 ,fruits4 ,a platter divided into radiating sections held a great variety of hors-d'uvre1 the rosy shade of the lamp threw its light upon a magnificent bunch of grapes on the summit of a pile of other fruits1 and the manager in the background kept a watchful eye upon the waiter who was putting the consomm ,brunoise on the table4 ,i could not help wondering whether my telegram had not in some way divulged the fact that ,i carried a fork under the banner of the ,press1 and that ,i was getting in consequence a little better treatment than the ordinary4 ,certainly my bunch of grapes looked like the one that the ,israelitish spies brought back from ,canaan1 in comparison with the ones on the other tables1 and the chef had no niggard hand when he apportioned the truffles and little buttons of mushrooms to our dishes of the escalope de barbue and the riz de veau ,toulouse4 ,my old tutor was considering the diners at the other tables benignantly1 and having quite an unjustifiable belief that ,i know the face or everybody in ,london1 asked me who they were4 ,whether we had come to dine on an exceptional night ,i do not know1 but all our fellow-guests were in couples3 the men1 ,i should fancy1 principally gentlemen who spend their days in offices in the ,city1 or in banks1 fine specimens1 most of them1 of young ,england2 and the ladies with them1 either their wives or ladies who will eventually honour them by becoming so1 as handsome representatives of ,british womanhood as ,i have ever seen collected under one roof4 ,out of all this gathering of stalwart men and pretty ladies there was not a single face that ,i recognised1 and ,i am afraid ,i went down in the good old man's estimation as being a walking dictionary of ,london celebrities4 ,my old tutor said that the escalope de barbue was excellent1 and it certainly looked good4 ,i tried the whitebait1 and found it too dry4 ,the fillet was good4 ,the chef had surrounded the riz de veau with truffles and tiny mushrooms and many other good things1 and my old tutor1 who ate it1 said that it was excellent4 ,the little tables on the ground floor had all filled by now1 and the lady behind the long bar1 with piles of plates on it1 and with a long line of looking-glasses behind it reflecting many bottles1 was very busy4 ,a subdued hum of talking and the faint rattle of knives and forks against crockery mixed with the music of the band4 ,the pheasant was a fine plump bird2 the ice was excellent4 ,i insisted on my old tutor having a glass of port to end his dinner1 and after much pressing--for one glass of wine is all he allows himself as a rule at a meal--he was over-persuaded4 ,then he rubbed his hands and beamed1 and told me stories of his own schoolboyhood3 how he once fought another boy1 now a ,colonial ,governor1 and smote him so severely on the nose that it bled2 and of a dreadful escapade1 which still weighs on his mind--nothing less than going to see a race-meeting1 and being subsequently soundly birched4 ,this was the bill ,i paid3--,two dinners at #es41 #ajs42 one bottle #f;,a1 #gs42 half-bottle #fa1 #es4 #f;d42 total1 #a3 #b3 #f4 ,my old tutor went away with his enthusiasm of the summer still unimpaired2 and when next ,i have a country cousin to take out to dinner ,i shall go to ,frascati's4 #hth ,november4 ,,chapter ,,xxxi ,,the ,,freemasons' ,,tavern 7,,great ,,queen ,,street7 ,the ,victory ,chapter of the ,knights of the ,pelican and the ,eagle1 perfect and puissant princes of ,rose ,croix1 has been closed1 and gentlemen in evening clothes are being helped into their great-coats in the entrance corridor of ,mark ,masons' ,hall by the rotund sergeant who keeps guard there in a glazed box4 ,most of these gentlemen have mysterious flat tin cases1 which they hand over to the sergeant or another official to be taken care of for them until spring brings round again another meeting of the ,chapter4 ,there is no unnecessary waiting in the ,mark ,masons' ,hall1 for it is now a quarter-past seven1 and dinner has been ordered next door1 at the ,freemasons' ,tavern1 at seven4 ,a few yards of pavement only lie between the lamps of ,mark ,masons' ,hall and the glass shelter before the doors of the ,tavern1 and in twos and threes the gentlemen in evening dress hurry from one door to the other4 ,great ,queen ,street is quite a ,masonic quarter1 for opposite to the ,tavern are two shops in which there is a brave show of ,masonic jewellery1 great candelabra1 pillars1 swords1 highly-coloured pictures1 and other adjuncts of ,masonry4 ,a humble house of refreshment1 which also appeals to ,freemasons for custom1 faces the ,tavern4 ,the ,tavern is not what the name implies4 ,it is a restaurant1 with a public dining-room1 with a fine ballroom1 and with many private dining-rooms4 ,its outside is imposing4 ,two houses stand side by side4 ,one is of red brick1 with windows set in white stone1 and is ,elizabethan in appearance4 ,the other1 of grey stone1 is of a style of architecture which might be called ,masonic4 ,from the pillars of the second story there rises an arch on which are carved the figures of the zodiac4 ,in front of this are stone statues representing four of the ,masonic virtues1 of which ,silence1 with her finger on her lip1 is the most easily identified4 ,in all the details of the building there is some reference to ,freemasonry and its attributes4 ,at the entrance to the ,tavern stand two great janitors4 ,facing the doorway1 at the end of a wide hall1 is a long flight of stairs broken by a broad landing and decorated with statues4 ,up and down this ladies and gentlemen are passing1 and ,i ask one of the janitors what is going on in the ballroom4 ,german ,liederkranz4 ,private entertainment4 ,what dinner1 sir8 ,victory ,chapter4 ,drawing-room1 is the condensed information given by the big man1 and he points a white-gloved hand to a passage branching off to the right4 ,on one side of the passage is a door leading into a bar where three ladies in black are kept very busy in attending to the wants of thirsty ,freemasons4 ,on the other side is a wide shallow alcove in the wall fitted with shelves and glazed over1 and in this is a curious collection of plate1 great salvers1 candelabra1 and centrepieces4 ,beside the alcove is a glass door1 and outside it is hung a placard with ,gavel ,club4 ,private upon it4 ,at the end of the passage a little staircase leads up to higher regions1 and on the wall is an old-fashioned clock with a round face and very plain figures1 and some oil paintings dark with age4 ,on the first landing there is a placard outside a door with ,victory ,chapter on it1 and higher up outside another door another placard with ,perfection ,chapter on it4 ,from the stream of guests and waiters which is setting up the stairs it is evident that there are many banquets to be held to-night4 ,the drawing-room is white-and-gold in colour4 ,four ,corinthian pillars1 the lower halves of which are painted old-gold colour1 with gold outlining the curves of their capitals1 support a highly-ornamented ceiling1 the central panel of which is painted to represent clouds1 with some little birds flitting before them4 ,the paper is old-gold in colour with large flowers upon it4 ,there is some handsome furniture in the room--a fine cabinet1 a clock of elaborate workmanship1 and some good china vases4 ,the curtains to the windows are of red velvet4 ,at the end of the room farthest from the door is a horseshoe table with red and white shaded candles on it1 ferns1 chrysanthemums1 and heather in china pots1 pines1 and hothouse fruits1 and at close intervals bottles of champagne and ,apollinaris4 ,at the other end of the room1 where stands a piano1 with a screen in front of it1 the gentlemen in evening clothes are chatting1 having put their coats and hats on chairs and piano wherever room can be found4 ,the waiters1 in black with white gloves1 are putting the last touches to the decorations4 ,dinner is announced2 a move is made to the table1 and each man finds his place marked for him4 ,there is a precedence in ,freemasonry1 as at ,court1 and this is adhered to in arranging the places at table4 ,the ,victory is a ,chapter which is very much in touch with the army and navy1 and looking round the table1 the company1 but for the sombreness of their attire--for one or two ,orders at the buttonhole1 and here and there a decoration at the throat1 are the only spots of colour--might be hosts and guests at some military mess dinner4 ,the ,most ,wise1 who sits at the head of the table1 does not belong to either of the services1 but on one side of him is the heir to a dukedom1 who led at one time a troop of the ,household ,cavalry1 and on the other one of the most popular of our citizen soldiers1 equally at home on parade as in his civic chair when ,master of one of the ,city ,companies4 ,these are flanked again by a well-known brigade-surgeon and a cheery ,admiralty official4 ,the gentleman who has just said grace1 in two ,latin words1 left very pleasant recollections behind him when as ex-,lord ,mayor he left the ,mansion-,house4 ,all round the table are faces with the sharp soldierly cut or naval bluffness4 ,the ,grand ,secretary has ordered the dinner1 and in the whole length and breadth of the world that hospitable ,freemasonry covers1 no man knows better how to construct a menu than he does3-- ,crevettes4 ,tortue clair4 ,filets de sole ,meunire4 ,vol-au-vent aux hutres natives4 ,faisan ,souvaroff4 ,selle de mouton4 ,cleri brais ,bordelaise4 ,laver4 ,pommes ,parisienne4 ,poularde rtie4 ,lard grill4 ,salade4 ,bombe glace ,duchesse4 ,os la molle4 ,dessert4 ,caf4 ,i have eaten some good dinners at the ,freemasons' ,tavern1 and others not so good4 ,to-night the cook is not up to his best form1 and has not responded to the inspiration of the menu4 ,the turtle soup is not like that of the excellent ,messrs4 ,ring and ,brymer1 or that of ,mr4 ,painter2 the faisan ,souvaroff is dry1 and the cook's nerve has failed him when the truffles had to be added2 but1 on the other hand1 the sole ,meunire and the vol-au-vent are admirable1 and the marrow-bones are large and scalding-hot4 ,the genial old custom of taking wine is part of all ,masonic dinners1 and after the ,most ,wise has drunk to the other guests1 much friendly challenging takes place4 ,the marrow-bones having been disposed of1 the ex-,lord ,mayor1 the ,chaplain of the ,chapter1 says a grace as short as that before meat1 and then follow the loyal toasts4 ,it is the custom of the ,chapter that speeches should be short1 and the toasts of ,her ,majesty and the ,prince of ,wales1 and the few ,masonic toasts that follow1 occupy very little time4 ,then the cigars are lit1 and the formal order at table is broken up and little knots are formed4 ,one by one the guests who have an appointment elsewhere1 or who are going to the theatre1 say good-night and go off2 but a remnant still remain1 and these make an adjournment to a cosy little clubroom on the top story of ,freemasons' ,hall1 where good stories are told1 and soda-water-bottle corks pop until long after midnight4 #aeth ,november4 99 99 99 99 99 ,there is a small ,masonic dining-club1 called the ,sphinx ,club1 which dines at the ,freemasons' ,tavern1 and which ,i mention because the dinner ,i last ate in company with my brother ,sphinxes was one of the best efforts of the chef and of the manager ,mons4 ,blanchette--which means that it was very good indeed4 ,the club was founded as an antidote to the large amount of soft soap that ,freemasons habitually plaster each other with in after-dinner speeches4 ,no ,sphinx is allowed to say anything good of any brother ,sphinx1 and when a candidate is put up for the club his proposer says all the ill he knows or can invent about his past life4 ,a candidate can only become a member of the club by being unanimously blackballed4 ,it is needless to say that the best of temper and good fellowship is the rule amongst the ,sphinxes1 and the ,freemasons' ,tavern seems to always have a very good dinner for them4 ,this was the menu of their last banquet-- ,hutres4 ,tortue clair4 ,rouget la ,grenobloise4 ,caille la ,souvaroff4 ,agneau rti4 ,sauce menthe4 ,choux de mer4 ,pommes noisettes4 ,bcasse sur canap4 ,pommes paille4 ,salade de laitues4 ,os la molle4 ,petit souffl glac rosette4 ,fondu au fromage4 ,dessert4 ,caf4 ,,chapter ,,xxxii ,,scott',s 7,,piccadilly ,,circus7 ,he was the junior subaltern when ,i commanded ,h company in the old regiment1 and a very good subaltern he was4 ,it was only the other day that ,i read how in one of the first skirmishes in an ,indian trouble he had distinguished himself by standing over a wounded man and keeping off the hillmen till assistance came2 and it seemed strange to meet him now in crumpled1 sun-scorched clothes1 with a soft handkerchief round his neck1 and with a very thin white face1 walking up the ,haymarket4 ,they hit me1 you know1 he said1 in answer to a question4 ,the wound in my shoulder healed directly1 but the wound in the neck gave a lot of trouble1 and the doctors packed me home as soon as they could4 ,i particularly wanted to hear of the deed that the boy had done1 and asked him to come and dine at a club2 but his dress clothes were stored away somewhere in the ,punjab--where1 he did not know--with the heavy baggage of the regiment1 and his ,london tailor had not made him new ones yet4 ,besides1 he would not be able to put on a collar for weeks1 perhaps months1 and though he would be glad to dine quietly with me1 he asked that it might be somewhere where he would not feel uncomfortable at not being in dress clothes4 ,we were standing at the top of the ,haymarket1 my eye caught the two great smoked salmon hung up in ,scott's window1 and ,i asked the junior subaltern if oysters and a lobster l',amricaine were to his taste4 ,he had not eaten any oysters1 except the ,karachi ones1 which are brought in ice to the towns of the ,punjab1 since he left ,england six years ago2 and though he did not know what his surgeon and doctor would say to his eating lobster1 he was prepared to risk their wrath4 ,half-past seven was the hour ,i appointed to meet him1 and then ,i went into ,scott's to secure a table and to order dinner4 ,scott's1 springing from its ashes1 has become a gorgeous place1 with pillars of some material which looks like black marble inlaid with mother-of-pearl1 with stained glass and much ornamentation in worked brass1 and with a great plate-glass window which displays a show of ice and fish and lobsters and crabs and salad-stuff that looks most appetising4 ,inside1 it may be said to be divided into four parts4 ,there is the wide entrance hall1 at either side of which are marble counters with many plates and little bottles upon them1 and piles of sandwiches made with fish delicacies1 and piles of slices of brown bread and butter4 ,behind the counters stand men in white samite1 who are constantly opening oysters1 and behind them are mirrors with1 on shelves above the glass1 piles of little kegs which suggest how suitable a small barrel of oysters is as a ,christmas present4 ,in the midst of this entrance hall sacred to the oysters a staircase leads down to the lower regions1 ,the ,dive1 as it is labelled1 where there are comfortable curved divans with a little table as the pearl in the midst of these brown leather shells1 and on the walls a ,japanese fantasy in tiles where strange fish swim in and out of weeds4 ,upstairs on the first floor are the regular dining-rooms with red blinds1 red shades to the electric lamps1 and a warm red paper2 and behind the hall1 with its oyster bars1 is the grill-room1 shut off from draughts by a great screen of glass and brown wood which reaches from floor to ceiling4 ,i ordered our dinner in the grill-room4 ,a dozen of oysters1 some mock-turtle soup1 homard l',amricaine1 and a steak4 ,at #g4cj to the second the junior subaltern was there1 and ,i smiled inwardly as ,i recognised the cut of the ,calcutta tailor in his black coat1 well creased by having been jumped on to make it fit into a bullock trunk4 ,i took him into the grill-room1 where the manager had kept a corner table for us1 and after a look round at the neat little room1 with its mirrors framed in white marble veined with black2 its red marble pilasters with gilt capitals2 its grill1 at which the white-clothed cook1 with a table of chops and steaks at his elbow1 stands2 its little glass case in the corner1 in which a lady in black keeps accounts in big books2 its stained glass skylight2 its yellowish-brown cornice with many figures upon it2 its many little tables at which stolid and respectable citizens were giving their wives dinners1 or1 if alone1 were reading the evening papers3 he turned his attention to his oysters4 ,the first time that a man tastes a native oyster after six years of exile is a solemn moment1 and ,i would not disturb him while he ate them2 but when there were only empty shells on his plate1 and he had drunk his glass of ,chablis1 ,i began to ask questions4 ,tell me all about that day on the spur ,i have read of1 and how you came to be recommended for the ,v4,c41 ,i said4 ,the junior subaltern took a great gulp of the mock turtle and began4 ,you remember ,j4 ,smith--he was a lance-corporal when you commanded the company4 ,corporal1 ,i amended4 ,well1 corporal4 ,he did ripping well that day4 ,he's colour-sergeant of the company now1 and there was one time when1 as we were retiring1 some of the devils got right on our flank and enfiladed us4 ,well1 ,colour-,sergeant ,smith just gave one yell and went for them1 and old ,kelly1 who used to be your bat-man1 and ,pat ,grady went with him1 and they killed six of the ,mamunds4 ,my boy1 ,i said1 ,i want to know what you did1 and not what ,colour-,sergeant ,smith did4 ,this is ripping good soup1 said the subaltern4 ,it was very good soup4 ,the cook1 divining that ,i had an invalid as a guest1 had put a liberal mixture of real turtle with the mock turtle1 and it was practically turtle soup4 ,i had sipped the ,beaune1 and found it a little tart1 and the manager brought us a fresh bottle before ,i opened my second parallel with the advent of a really splendid dish of lobster4 ,i want to know now1 ,i said1 with a touch of the manner with which ,i used to ask him if all the entries in the small books of his half-company were brought up to date1 what happened when you stood over that wounded man1 and three big hairy hillmen all made a rush at you at once1 and got to close quarters before the men could get back to bayonet them4 ,the junior subaltern was very much occupied with his steak4 ,old ,major ,so-and-,so was just senior to you in the regiment8 he asked at last1 and ,i said that that was so4 ,well1 he was ripping cool that day1 and he made a joke that the men talked about afterwards4 ,we had destroyed the mud huts that they called a village1 and we were waiting till the wounded had got well to the rear before retiring4 ,the ,major was in command of our companies that day1 for the ,colonel was with the companies in reserve4 ,well1 the ,major was sitting on a great rock1 looking at the country---- ,what sort of country is it8 ,i interposed4 ,oh1 just mountains and ravines and nullahs1 and that sort of thing--a beastly sort of a place1 the subaltern said1 believing that he was conveying the fullest information1 and then went on4 ,well1 the ,major was sitting on the rock smoking that old meerschaum of a nigger's head which he'd had for years4 ,a bullet came and smashed the pipe to atoms4 ,he spat out the pipe-stem and then shook his fist at the place where the shot had come from4 ',you blackguards1' he said1 'you're not fit company for a gentleman to smoke a meerschaum with2 ,i'll only treat you to clays in future4' ,well1 the men were amused by this1 and---- ,young man1 ,i said severely1 ,i knew that pipe1 and it is a good thing it is gone4 ,that steak you have disposed of was good1 and these herring-roes ,i have ordered for you while you were blathering are excellent4 ,eat them1 and then get to business at once4 ,the junior subaltern ate the roes1 which were perfect2 and when the coffee and the brandy were brought1 he looked at me to see if ,i was really in earnest1 and began again1 ,do you remember ,james ,pilch1 who was the company's cook8 ,no1 my boy1 ,i said1 ,i do not remember ,james ,pilch1 nor do ,i want to4 ,waiter1 my bill4 ,the bill was brought4 ,oysters1 #cs42 lobster1 #hs42 soup1 #bs42 grill1 #cs42 vegetables1 #f;d42 wine1 #gs42 bread and butter1 #d;d42 coffee1 #as42 liqueurs1 #es42 roes1 #bs42 total1 #a3 #aa3 #aj4 ,this paid ,i turned to the subaltern4 ,young man1 ,i said1 ,i am now going to personally conduct you to the club smoking-room1 and if ,i have to sit up with you all night with a stick ,i intend to be told how you came to be recommended for the ,v4,c4 ,the junior subaltern groaned4 #bbnd ,november4 ,,chapter ,,xxxiii ,,the ,,east ,,room 7,,criterion1 ,,piccadilly ,,circus7 ,i want father to take me to see ',the ,liars1' said pretty ,miss ,carcanet 7,brighteyes to her friends71 but he says that he sees too many of them as it is in his club smoking-room1 and won't go with me4 ,there was naturally only one thing to do1 and that was to offer to take ,lady ,carcanet and ,miss ,brighteyes to the play at the ,criterion4 ,sir ,george was evidently relieved at not having to go to the theatre1 and thanked me4 ,it is just the play that ought to suit you1 he added1 for ,i hear it's all about menus and sauces4 ,lady ,carcanet1 however1 could not go to the play4 ,she was retiring to ,brighton to escape the fogs1 and did not know when she would come back4 ,sir ,george settled it all1 however1 over the walnuts and the port4 ,he had to preside at a political dinner one day in the coming week1 and if ,i would take ,miss ,brighteyes out to dinner and to the play that night it would take a responsibility off his shoulders4 ,let the old woman get away to ,brighton1 and don't say anything till she's out of the way4 ,i am all for letting the girl enjoy herself freely2 but ,maria thinks that no unmarried girl should stir without two chaperons and a maid to guard her4 ,i nodded assent to ,sir ,george's opinions1 but ,i knew that he would never have dared to call ,lady ,carcanet the old woman to her face4 ,i bought the tickets for ,the ,liars1 and on the morning of the day ,i was to have the responsibility of chaperoning ,miss ,brighteyes ,i went to the ,criterion1 to the ,east ,room1 to order my dinner and choose my table4 ,m4 ,lefvre1 the manager1 is an old acquaintance of mine1 for once before the ,east ,room was under his direction1 and now1 with ,m4 ,node and ,alfred as his adjutant and sergeant-major1 he still keeps a watchful eye over all that takes place there4 ,he is an enthusiast on cookery1 and should one day write a book on the introduction of good foreign cookery into ,england1 for he talks of ,m4 ,coste and ,matre ,escoffier1 and the other great pioneers of culinary progress1 with real enthusiasm4 ,there are three tables1 one of which ,i always take1 if possible1 when ,i dine in the ,east ,room4 ,one is the little table in the corner by the entrance from the ante-room1 another a table sheltered by a glass screen1 and the third a table in the corner at the far end of the room4 ,i told ,alfred to keep me the table at the far end of the room2 and then ,m4 ,lefvre--tall1 with a thin beard1 with strong1 nervous hands1 that he clasps and unclasps as he talks--arrived1 and we talked over our menu4 ,caviar ,i preferred to oysters1 for ,i did not know whether ,miss ,brighteyes cared for shellfish1 and then we passed to the consideration of the soup4 ,i suggested that it should be a consomm1 as ,i did not want a heavy dinner1 and ,m4 ,lefvre hit on exactly the right thing1 a consomm de gibier4 ,next came the fish1 and as the details of the fillet of sole with soft herring-roe1 and the sharp taste of prawn and crayfish to make the necessary contrast were unfolded1 ,i nodded my head4 ,cailles la ,sainte ,alliance we settled on at once1 and then came the difficulty of the entre4 ,i wanted a perfectly plain dish1 and in a grilled chicken wing and breast we found our way out of our difficulty4 ,there was a novelty1 a method of cooking bananas that ,m4 ,lefvre1 who believes that bananas are not sufficiently appreciated1 wanted us to try4 ,the menu completed read thus3-- ,caviar4 ,potage consomm la ,diane4 ,filets de sole aux dlices4 ,suprmes de volaille grills4 ,carottes nouvelles la crme4 ,laitues braises en cocotte4 ,cailles la ,sainte ,alliance4 ,salade de chicore frise4 ,crotes la ,caume4 ,souffl glac la mandarine4 ,then1 having nothing in particular to do for a quarter of an hour1 ,i walked round the building with ,m4 ,lefvre1 looked in at the ,great ,hall where the statue of ,shakespeare gazes contemplatively down upon the chairman's head at big public dinners2 the hall next to it1 which is only one degree smaller in size2 the ,masonic temple and the ,chapter-room2 and the prettiest room of all1 the room in which the ,french dinner is served1 on the walls of which is an ,oriental design of roses which would not have been out of place in one of the pleasure chambers of ,akbar at ,agra4 ,in the evening1 before ,miss ,brighteyes1 who was to be escorted as far as the ante-room to the ,east ,room by ,sir ,george1 arrived1 ,i had a few minutes in which to go and see that all was ready at my table1 and to look round to see whether there was anybody whom ,i knew dining4 ,it was1 ,i should think1 the first occasion on which ,i have dined in the ,east ,room and have not recognised a single face2 but all the ladies appeared very smart1 all the men were well groomed1 the usual type of diners at a good restaurant4 ,if ,i had looked at the book in which the names of people ordering dinners are noted1 ,i should no doubt have found that there were a dozen people among the well-dressed diners whose names are familiar in our mouths as household words4 ,the little ante-room1 with its green and cream walls1 its mirrors1 its big fireplace1 and its comfortable chairs1 is cosy enough to have a soothing effect on a worse-tempered man than myself2 and my patience was not much tried1 for ,sir ,george formally handed over ,miss ,brighteyes to me not five minutes after the time at which ,i had ordered dinner4 ,miss ,brighteyes looked very delightful in a dress of some white gossamer material with spangly adornments1 which resembled diamonds1 scattered over it4 ,she wore a diamond brooch and a necklet of pearls with a diamond clasp1 which had been her birthday presents from her father on her seventeenth and eighteenth birthdays4 ,when ,miss ,brighteyes gets up on her society high horse she reduces me to comparative silence4 ,while ,i was being given some details as to beautiful decorations at ,st4 ,george's on the occasion of her cousin's wedding1 ,i tried in vain to make ,miss ,brighteyes understand that the caviar she was eating deserved some attention1 but she was not to be turned from her account of an aisle decorated with chrysanthemums and palms4 ,had a man dared to talk to me about the ,grafton ,supper ,club while he was drinking the delicious consomm ,i should have reproved him1 and asked him to reserve conversation for the interludes of the repast2 but ,miss ,brighteyes1 not thinking in the least of the serious responsibility of eating a good dinner1 chattered gaily of ,miss ,mary ,moore's black and white dress at the supper a week gone by1 and reeled off a catalogue of names from the ,peerage of the men who had been her partners at the little informal dance that followed the supper4 ,while ,i ate with appreciation the dlices de sole1 ,i was told why ,miss ,brighteyes preferred ,princes' to ,niagara as a skating-rink1 or vice versa1 ,i forget which4 ,with the suprme de volaille ,i was given a short account of a party at the ,bachelors' ,club to see a magic-lantern entertainment1 and when the cailles la ,sainte ,alliance were brought up ,miss ,brighteyes was beginning to tell me of some charades1 at her aunt's house1 acted by children4 ,but the quails were a dish in the presence of which ,i felt that small talk must cease4 ,miss ,brighteyes1 ,i said gravely1 cast your eyes around this room4 ,you see dainty panels of dark green traced over with gold1 you see red and gold cornices1 a ceiling of cream and gold studded with lights innumerable1 bronze velvet curtains1 yellow-shaded lamps1 fine napery1 glass1 and silver4 ,all this is but the framing to what is contained in this little earthen terrine4 ,into the interior of a little ortolan ,m4 ,gastaud himself1 the chef cuisinier1 has introduced a little block of truffle and other delicacies4 ,that little ortolan has been imbedded in a quail1 and this sacred alliance1 over which ,m4 ,jeannin1 chef des cuisiniers1 has smiled1 has been served up cooked to the instant for your delectation4 ,is this a moment1 then1 young lady1 to talk of children's charades8 ,is not thankful silence better8 ,miss ,brighteyes appreciated the solemnity of the moment1 and also ate the bananas--which she said were very good--in silence4 ,it was not until she had begun her souffl that she found voice to tell me about a new and very smart cycling club of which she had been asked to be an original member4 ,i paid the bill3 couverts1 #bs42 caviar1 #ds42 potage1 #bs42 filets de sole1 #cs42 suprmes de volaille et lgumes1 #hs42 cailles1 #ajs42 salade1 #as42 crotes la ,caume1 #bs42 souffl glac1 #bs42 vin1 '#fb 7a capital bottle of claret71 #es42 eau minrale1 #f;d42 liqueurs1 #cs42 caf1 #f;d42 total1 #b3 #cs4 ,now1 ,i said to ,miss ,brighteyes1 we will go down to the theatre and listen in comfort to a discussion as to sauce ,arcadienne and sauce ,margurite4 #bith ,november4 99 99 99 99 99 ,since ,i wrote the above ,mons4 ,lefvre has had1 through temporary ill-health and overwork1 to resign his position as manager at the ,criterion1 being succeeded by ,mons4 ,gerard4 ,mons4 ,cassignol has succeeded ,mons4 ,jeannin as the king of the kitchen4 ,the decorations of the ,east ,room have been altered1 and it is now resplendent in white1 gold1 and moss-green4 ,the ,west ,room is now all pink1 and a gilt musicians' gallery has been put up in the redecorated entrance-hall4 ,mons4 ,lefvre being an enthusiast on the subject of bananas in cookery1 ,i asked him if he would give the recette of the crotes la ,caume1 and as he said certainly1 and seemed pleased to do it1 ,i put in a request for the recette of the filets de sole aux dlices1 and that was given me as well4 ,i also asked ,mons4 ,lefvre to draw out for me two menus of what he would consider distinctive east-room dinners for four people and for ten4 ,they were sent to me and admirably thought out dinners they are4 ,this is the feast for four-- ,caviar4 ,consomm ,prince de ,galles4 ,crme de sant4 ,truites de rivire la ,cloptre4 ,epaule d'agneau de lait la ,boulangre4 ,petits pois nouveaux la crme4 ,caneton ,nantais farci la ,rouennaise4 ,salade ,victoria4 ,souffl glac l'orange4 ,friandises4 ,and this for ten-- ,hutres natives4 ,potage clair la tortue4 ,crme ,raphal4 ,darne de saumon au court-bouillon4 ,cassolettes de laitances l',amricaine4 ,cailles la ,mascotte4 ,noisettes de chevreuil la ,cumberland4 ,haricots verts nouveaux4 ,pure de champignons4 ,chapons du ,mans la truffe4 ,salade la crme4 ,asperges d',argenteuil4 ,sauce mousseline4 ,glac ,alaska4 ,diablotins la ,joinville4 ,dessert4 ,suprmes de soles aux dlices ,rangez vos filets de soles dans un plat beurr2 arrosez-les de vin blanc et faites-les pocher pendant dix minutes4 ,egoutez ensuite vos filets et dressez-les sur un plat oval4 ,faites rduire rapidement la cuisson avec un peu de bon velout et un morceau de beurre d'crevisses4 ,quand votre sauce est prte1 jetez-y des queues d'crevisses et recouvrez en vos filets de soles4 ,dressez aux extrmits du plat des quenelles d'crevisses dcores la truffe1 et servez4 ,arrange your filleted soles on a buttered dish1 sprinkle them with white wine1 and cook them for ten minutes4 ,then drain the fillets1 and arrange them on an oval dish4 ,boil down the liquor rapidly1 with a little good velout sauce and a piece of crayfish butter4 ,when your sauce is ready1 throw into it the tails of the crayfish1 and cover the fillets of sole with it4 ,round the edge of the dish place quenelles of crayfish decorated with truffles1 and serve4 ,crotes la ,caume ,vous prparez vos crotes avec de la brioche en tranches d'un centimtre d'paisseur1 que vous faites rtir lgrement au four aprs les avoir saupoudres au sucre4 ,vous les dressez en couronne sur un plat rond1 au milieu1 mais avec quelques losanges d'ananas au centre4 ,vous prenez des bananas pas trop mres1 mais surtout bien saines4 ,vous les jetez avec leur peau dans de l'eau froide que vous mettez a bouillir4 ,aprs deux minutes d'bullition1 les bananes sont cuites4 ,vous les retirez1 vous les pluchez1 et les rangez sur votre plat autour des crotons4 ,vous arrosez l'ananas et les bananes d'une sauce abricot parfume au ,kirsch1 et vous servez bien chaud1 aprs avoir dcor de quelques fruits confits4 ,c'est trs simple4 ,toutes les mnagres peuvent faire a4 ,c'est cependant la faon la plus exquise de manger la banane4 ,illustration ,you prepare your pieces of bread1 or brioche1 in slices about half an inch in thickness1 and bake 7or toast7 them lightly in the oven1 after having sprinkled them with sugar4 ,arrange them in the form of a crown upon a round dish1 placing them in the middle1 but with some pieces of pineapple in the centre4 ,take some bananas1 not too ripe1 but perfectly sound and good1 throw them into cold water with their skins on1 and let them boil4 ,after boiling for two minutes the bananas will be done4 ,take them out of the water1 peel them1 and arrange them on the dish1 round the crotons4 ,sprinkle the pineapple and the bananas with apricot sauce flavoured with kirsch1 and serve very hot1 after having ornamented the dish with preserved fruits4 ,,chapter ,,xxxiv ,,the ,,monico 7,,shaftesbury ,,avenue7 ,he1 a gentleman on the ,stock ,exchange1 who has generally a stock of good stories1 mentioned in the course of a letter to me that he had heard a really good tale of the last bye-election1 and would tell it to me the next time that we met1 as it was too long to write4 ,now1 that particular election is fast becoming ancient history1 and if that story had to be retailed to my circle of country friends1 it would have to be done quickly4 ,therefore ,i wrote to my stockbroker1 who lives in ,shaftesbury ,avenue1 and asked him to name a day to come across the way1 and dine at the ,monico4 ,the day settled1 ,i went to the ,monico and interviewed the manager1 ,signor ,giulio ,c4 ,nobile1 a gentleman of stalwart figure1 with a pleasant smile1 and a small but carefully-tended moustache4 ,i wanted to kill two birds at a stone--to hear the story and to see what the ,monico and its cooking were like1 for it is a restaurant which somehow or other has not fallen within the circle of my usual dining-places4 ,i asked ,signor ,nobile what he considered the speciality of the great restaurant over which he presides2 and though he was anxious to give me a specially ordered dinner1 ,i came to the conclusion that ,i could best test what the establishment could do by trying the #es4 table d'hte in the ,renaissance room on the first floor4 ,dinner at #g4cj for two1 if you please1 and pray remember that ,i want exactly the table d'hte dinner that all your customers get1 was my last request to ,signor ,nobile1 and he smiled and said that that should be so4 ,at #g4cj my facetious stockbroker friend1 ruddy of face1 his moustache carefully curled1 and his expansive white waistcoat garnished with gold-and-coral buttons1 appeared on the scene4 ,as the lift1 engineered by a smart page1 took us up to the first floor he began3 ,it's the funniest story you ever heard1 and will make you die of laughter4 ,there was a doubtful elector and---- ,but the lift stopped1 and there was ,signor ,nobile bowing and smiling on the landing4 ,we have five minutes to spare1 ,signor ,nobile1 ,i said1 and while they are putting the hors-d'uvre on the table1 will you take us round the house and show us the different rooms8 ,the ,signor led1 ,i followed1 and my friend the stockbroker brought up the rear4 ,first we went into a great hall on the first floor1 where a smoking-concert was in progress1 and thunders of applause were greeting a gentleman in evening dress who had just concluded a song4 ,it is some one going abroad1 and they are giving him a send-off1 was ,mr4 ,nobile's explanation4 ,next we went down to the ground-floor through a hall1 where people were sitting at little round-topped tables drinking various beverages1 and down some steps into a ,german beer saloon1 with pigmies and other strange creatures painted on the walls4 ,up again to the first floor1 through a long grill-room with little white-clothed tables in four rows1 then a peep into a restaurant1 and a flight in the lift up to the second floor1 where solemn gentlemen in black were eating a dinner of ceremony in a very pretty saloon with an ,egyptian room as a reception-room next door4 ,our five minutes were over1 we had seen most of the big rooms of the house1 and1 descending1 we took our places at a table by one of the windows in the ,renaissance ,saloon4 ,now for that story1 ,i said2 but my stockbroker was puffing and blowing4 ,give a fellow a few minutes to get his breath1 after rushing him up and down stairs at racing pace1 he said2 so ,i turned my attention to the room1 the menu1 and the company4 ,the room is a symphony in old gold and grey4 ,the paper has a gold pattern on a grey ground1 the long line of windows have soft grey curtains4 ,at one end of the room is a great clock above a large mirror4 ,the ceiling is a series of square frames enclosing circular painted panels4 ,the orchestra is in a balustraded balcony1 with an arch above it1 held high by two pillars4 ,in the centre of the room1 among the little tables1 a palm grows out of a great vase4 ,there are blue glass shades to the electric globes that drop from the ceiling1 and the silver lamps that stand on the table are curtained with crimson4 ,waiters in white waistcoats and black coats1 and white-aproned sommeliers1 with great silvered badges1 come and go past the clerks' desk1 which stands below the orchestra4 ,the diners1 mostly in pairs1 were fitting occupants of the handsome room4 ,there was a very beautiful lady with a big diamond where the centre parting of her hair left her forehead2 and another lady in a mantilla1 who would have many gallants with guitars below her windows had she lived in ,seville4 ,most of the couples were evidently going to the theatre1 and left soon after we arrived4 ,this was the menu3-- ,hors-d'uvre varis4 ,consomm ,bortsch4 ,crme la ,reine4 ,soles la ,nantua4 ,poularde ,valencienne4 ,tournedos ,princesse4 ,canards sauvages4 ,sauce ,port wine4 ,salade4 ,biscuits ,monico4 ,petits fours4 ,dessert4 ,when my stockbroker had drunk his ,bortsch1 which was well made1 he began3 ,it is rather a long story1 but it will make you die of laughing4 ,there was a---- but at that moment ,signor ,nobile1 who had been smiling in the distance1 came up with a leaflet on which was inscribed the names of the ,royalties who have from time to time honoured the ,monico with their presence4 ,there are evidently some regiments with ,royal colonels who always go to the ,monico for their annual dinner4 ,go on with your story1 ,i said1 when ,signor ,nobile had once more smiled himself into the background2 but a waiter had just then shown us a tempting dish of filets de sole la ,nantua1 a plat really admirably cooked1 and as my stockbroker took up his fork he said1 ,yes1 and be pilloried by you in print for talking to you while you are eating4 ,not me4 ,the poularde1 a fine fat bird reposing in a bed of rice1 satisfactorily disposed of1 ,i told the waiter not to bring the tournedos for a few minutes1 and settled back in my seat to hear the story of the doubtful elector4 ,it's a long story2 but you'll die with laughing when you hear it1 my stockbroker began again4 ,there was a voter1 and he would tell nobody---- ,just then the band commenced the overture to ,guillaume ,tell4 ,now1 it is an excellent band1 and ,m4 ,paul ,bosc1 the conductor1 is an admirable soloist on the violin2 but when it gets to work at a ,rossini overture the music takes the place of conversation1 and my stockbroker stopped abruptly and waited for a better opportunity4 ,before the band had concluded the waiter had given us our tournedos4 ,the wild duck we were given la presse1 and when we had eaten our slices of the breast ,i said1 like ,demetrius1 ,i wonder2 for ,i was wondering whether all the pretty ladies and good-looking gentlemen had been treated as well as we had been4 ,five shillings is not a very large sum4 ,chickens and wild-duck cost money1 even when bought wholesale1 and we had been given a whole chicken and a whole wild-duck4 ,if ,i were you1 said the stockbroker1 philosophically1 ,i shouldn't trouble to wonder4 ,i should either eat my dinner--and it has been a good one so far--or else ,i should listen to an interesting story as to the doubtful elector4 ,i took his advice1 in so far as eating my dinner was concerned1 for the biscuit was capital4 ,signor ,nobile came up to ask if the dinner had been satisfactory1 and ,i had only pleasant words to say to him4 ,then my stockbroker drew a long breath1 and was about to begin1 when once more ,i interrupted him4 ,pardon me1 ,i said1 let me order coffee and liqueurs1 and pay my bill4 ,the orchestra is enjoying ten minutes' interval1 and there will be1 once the bill is paid1 nothing to interrupt the flow of your discourse1 nothing to mar my enjoyment of it4 ,this was the bill3--,two dinners1 #ajs42 one bottle #baj1 #afs4 #f;d42 liqueurs1 #es42 coffee1 #as42 total1 #a3 #ab3 #f4 ,this paid1 ,i prepared to enjoy a really good story4 ,there was a voter who would tell no one on which side he was going to vote1 ,i commenced1 to gently lead my stockbroker up to his story4 ,but he looked at his watch4 ,very sorry1 my dear boy1 he said1 but ,i have an appointment in two minutes' time ,i daren't break4 ,i must tell you the story another day4 ,it's a bit long1 but you'll die with laughter when you hear it4 ,i have not as yet heard that voter story1 and am still alive4 #fth ,december4 ,,chapter ,,xxxv ,,goldstein',s 7,,bloomfield ,,street7 ,,hors-,d',,uvre4 ,smoked ,salmon4 ,solomon ,gundy4 ,olives4 ,,soups4 ,frimsell4 ,matsoklese4 ,pease and beans4 ,,fish4 ,brown stewed carp4 ,white stewed gurnet4 ,fried soles4 ,fried plaice4 ,,entr,,es4 ,roast veal 7white stew74 ,filleted steak 7brown stew74 ,,poultry4 ,roast capon4 ,roast chicken4 ,smoked beef4 ,tongue4 ,,vegetables4 ,spinach4 ,sauerkraut4 ,potatoes4 ,cucumbers4 ,green salad4 ,,sweets4 ,kugel4 ,stewed prunes4 ,almond pudding4 ,apple staffen4 ,when ,i looked at the above ,i groaned aloud4 ,was it possible1 ,i thought1 that any human being could eat a meal of such a length and yet live8 ,i looked at my two companions1 but they showed no signs of terror1 so ,i took up knife and fork and bade the waiter do his duty4 ,the raison d'tre of the dinner was this3 ,thinking of untried culinary experiences1 ,i told one of the great lights of the ,jewish community that ,i should like some day to eat a kosher dinner at a typical restaurant1 and he said that the matter was easily enough arranged2 and by telegram informed me one day last week that dinner was ordered for that evening at ,goldstein's restaurant in ,bloomfield ,street1 ,london ,wall1 and that ,i was to call for him in the ,city at six4 ,when ,i and a gallant soul1 who had sworn to accompany me through thick and thin1 arrived at the office of the orderer of the dinner1 we found a note of apology from him4 ,the dinner would be ready for us1 and his best friend would do the honours as master of the ceremonies1 but he himself was seedy and had gone home4 ,on1 in the pouring rain1 we three devoted soldiers of the fork went1 in a four-wheeler cab1 to our fate4 ,the cab pulled up at a narrow doorway1 and we were at ,goldstein's4 ,through a short passage we went towards a little staircase1 and our master of the ceremonies pointed out on the post of a door that led into the public room of the restaurant a triangular piece of zinc1 a ,mazuza1 the little case in which is placed a copy of the ,ten ,commandments4 ,upstairs we climbed into a small room with no distinctive features about it4 ,a table was laid for six4 ,there were roses in a tall glass vase in the middle of the table1 and a buttonhole bouquet in each napkin4 ,a piano1 chairs covered with black leather1 low cupboards with painted tea-trays and well-worn books on the top of them1 an old-fashioned bell-rope1 a mantelpiece with painted glass vases on it and a little clock1 framed prints on the walls1 two gas globes--these were the fittings of an everyday kind of apartment4 ,we took our places1 and the waiter1 in dress clothes1 after a surprised inquiry as to whether we were the only guests at the feast1 put the menu before us4 ,it was then that1 encouraged by the bold front shown by my two comrades1 ,i1 after a moment of tremor1 told the waiter to do his duty4 ,i had asked to have everything explained to me1 and before the hors-d'uvre were brought in the master of the ceremonies1 taking a book from the top of one of the dwarf cupboards1 showed me the ,grace before meat1 a solemn little prayer which is really beautiful in its simplicity4 ,with the ,grace comes the ceremony of the host breaking bread1 dipping the broken pieces in salt1 and handing them round to his guests1 who sit with covered heads4 ,of the hors-d'uvre1 ,solomon ,gundy1 which had a strange sound to me1 was a form of pickled herring1 excellently appetising4 ,before the soup was brought up1 the master of the ceremonies explained that the ,frimsell was made from stock1 and a paste of eggs and flour rolled into tiny threads like vermicelli1 while the ,matsoklese had in it balls of unleavened flour4 ,when the soup was brought the two were combined1 and the tiny threads and the balls of dough both swam in a liquid which had somewhat the taste of vermicelli soup4 ,the master of the ceremonies told me ,i must taste the pease and beans soup which followed1 as it is a very old-fashioned ,jewish dish4 ,it is very like a rich pease-soup1 and is cooked in carefully-skimmed fat4 ,in the great earthenware jar which holds the soup is cooked the kugel1 a kind of pease-pudding1 which was to appear much later at the feast4 ,goldstein's is the restaurant patronised by the froom1 the strictest observers of religious observances1 of the ,jewish community1 and we should by right only have drunk unfermented ,muscat wine with our repast1 but some capital hock took its place1 and when the master of the ceremonies and the faithful soul touched glasses1 one said ,lekhaim1 and the other answered the greeting with ,tavim4 ,then1 before the fish was put on the table1 the master of the ceremonies told me of the elaborate care that was taken in the selection of animals to be killed1 of the inspection of the butcher's knives1 of the tests applied to the dead animals to see that the flesh is good1 of the soaking and salting of the meat1 and the drawing-out of the veins from it4 ,the many restrictions1 originally imposed during the wandering in the desert1 which make shellfish1 and wild game1 and scaleless fish unlawful food--these and many other interesting items of information were imparted to me4 ,the white-stewed gurnet1 with chopped parsley and a sauce of egg and lemon-juice1 tempered by onion flavouring1 was excellent4 ,in the brown sauce served with the carp were such curious ingredients as treacle1 gingerbread and onions1 but the result1 a strong rich sauce1 is very pleasant to the taste4 ,the great cold fried soles standing on their heads and touching tails1 and the two big sections of plaice flanking them1 ,i knew must be good2 but ,i explained to the master of the ceremonies that ,i had already nearly eaten a full-sized man's dinner1 and that ,i must be left a little appetite to cope with what was to come4 ,very tender veal1 with a sauce of egg and lemon1 which had a thin sharp taste1 and a steak1 tender also1 stewed with walnuts1 an excellent dish to make a dinner of1 were the next items on the menu1 and ,i tasted each2 but ,i protested against the capon and the chicken as being an overplus of good things1 and the master of the ceremonies--who ,i think had a latent fear that ,i might burst before the feast came to an end--told the waiter not to bring them up4 ,the smoked beef was a delicious firm brisket1 and the tongue1 salted1 was also exceptionally good4 ,i felt that the last feeble rag of an appetite had gone1 but the cucumber1 a noble ,dutch fellow1 pickled in salt and water in ,holland1 came to my aid1 and a slice of this1 better than any sorbet that ,i know of1 gave me the necessary power to attempt1 in a last despairing effort1 the kugel and apple staffen and almond pudding4 ,the staffen is a rich mixture of many fruits and candies with a thin crust4 ,the kugel is a pease-pudding cooked1 as ,i have written above1 in the pease and beans soup4 ,the almond pudding is one of those moist delicacies that ,i thought only the ,french had the secret of making4 ,coffee--no milk1 even if we had wanted it1 for milk and butter are not allowed on the same table as flesh--and a liqueur of brandy1 and then1 going downstairs1 we looked into the two simple rooms1 running into each other1 which form the public restaurant1 rooms empty at #i ,p4,m41 but crowded at the mid-day meal4 ,mr4 ,goldstein1 who was there1 told us that his patrons had become so numerous that he would soon have to move to larger premises1 and certainly the cooking at the restaurant is excellent1 and ,i do not wonder at its obtaining much patronage4 ,what this ,gargantuan repast cost ,i do not know1 for the designer of the feast said that the bill was to be sent to him4 ,i think that a kosher dinner1 if this is a fair specimen1 is a succession of admirably cooked dishes4 ,but an ordinary man should be allowed a week in which to eat it4 #acth ,december4 ,,chapter ,,xxxvi ,,the ,,tivoli 7,,the ,,strand7 ,la ,princesse ,lointaine was passing through town on her way to ,rome1 to her husband's palazzo--to the great grim building where the big suisse stands on guard by the entrance1 and soft-footed servants in black move noiselessly about the high tapestried rooms4 ,her note with the tiny monogram and the coronet on it said that she was at the ,savoy for a few days1 and would ,i come and dine1 on her last evening in ,england1 and talk of old days8 ,i always call the pretty lady who has the honour of bearing the name of one of the oldest families of ,italian nobility1 la ,princesse ,lointaine1 for the glint of sunlight her presence brings comes so rarely and vanishes so quickly4 ,it was at the old ,delmonico's1 at one of the assemblies1 that ,i first met her1 an ,american heiress in her second season1 light-haired1 large-eyed1 with that perfect tact that comes naturally to ,american and ,french women4 ,i had letters of introduction to her father1 and she1 taking entire charge of me as the stranger in the land1 made me feel at home1 and stamped that ball in my memory as one of my pleasantest recollections4 ,she was married a year later in ,rome1 and ,i thought never to see her again2 but one day at ,fort ,william1 in ,calcutta1 ,i got a note with a little monogram and coronet1 brought by a peon from the ,great ,eastern ,hotel1 and ,i found that my ,princesse ,lointaine and her husband1 travelling round the world1 were making a fortnight's stay in the city by the ,hugli1 before going on to ,china and ,japan4 ,i showed her and her husband the forlorn grandeur of the empty palaces of the dead ,king of ,oude1 the spot where the ,black ,hole was1 the church by the river where the first sturdy ,british traders left their bones1 and all the other sights of ,calcutta4 ,they sailed away1 and the next time that ,i saw her was at ,venice one summer when ,queen ,marguerite had gone there for the bathing1 and the grave husband1 in some office about the court1 had gone there also4 ,once again ,i saw her in her ,roman home4 ,and now1 passing through from ,new ,york to the grim palazzo in ,rome1 she had written me a couple of lines to tell me to come and talk to her4 ,i would not let her give me dinner at her hotel2 for in ,london she was the stranger and my foot was on my native flagstones1 and ,i suggested that if she would not mind a very quiet dinner she should do me the honour of dining with me almost next door at the ,tivoli1 where ,i knew we should be quiet1 where the dining-room is a very charming one1 where the music is not loud enough to interfere with conversation1 and where1 with ,m4 ,aubanel in supreme command1 ,i felt sure that the cooking would be good4 ,if she cared to go on to a theatre1 ,i would take a box somewhere4 ,a line in reply told me that ,i might pick her up at the ,savoy and take her on to dinner1 but that after dinner she would sooner sit and talk than go to a theatre1 for there was much packing to be superintended before bedtime4 ,i could not1 as ,i was taking la ,princesse ,lointaine away from the ,savoy and ,matre ,escoffier's masterpieces of cookery1 leave my dinner to chance1 so in the afternoon ,i went and interviewed ,m4 ,aubanel1 the manager1 who1 mustachioed1 with a full head of black hair brushed off from his forehead1 is as well known on the ,riviera1 where he has an hotel1 as he is in town4 ,as one of the cooks under ,m4 ,racoussot1 the chef1 is a ,russian1 and was one of the great ,cubat's assistants1 ,i knew ,i was safe in ordering ,russian hors-d'uvre4 ,a very plain soup1 sole 7cooked in any fashion that did not include moules1 of which shellfish ,i remembered that the ,princesse was afraid71 a very plain entre of meat1 snipe1 asparagus1 and an ice1 were my requirements1 and the menu1 as ,m4 ,aubanel sketched it out1 ran thus3-- ,zakouski4 ,poule au pot4 ,filets de sole ,florentine4 ,cte de buf aux lgumes printaniers4 ,bcassines rties4 ,salade ,romaine4 ,asperges vertes4 ,sauce mousseline4 ,bombe ,princesse4 ,dessert4 ,the ,princesse was waiting for me when ,i drove up to the ,savoy4 ,she was wearing a magnificent cloak lined with ermine1 and ,i could catch the glint at her throat of the diamonds and pearls which had been heirlooms in her husband's family for many generations4 ,i felt at the sight of so much grandeur almost ashamed at the simplicity of the dinner ,i had ordered4 ,the ,palm ,room at the ,tivoli has been decorated so as to form an excellent background to a pretty and well-dressed woman4 ,the walls are panelled with some soft material of two shades of dark green which looks like stamped velvet4 ,there is a breast-high decoration of soft coloured marbles4 ,the pillars are chiefly of gold1 and the ceiling1 the pattern of which is formed by palm leaves1 is white and gold4 ,there are soft dark green portires and curtains1 and the chairs are upholstered in dark green velvet4 ,orange shades to the electric globes which hang from the ceiling diffuse a soft warm light over everything4 ,and no prettier subject for a handsome background to show up could be found than the ,princesse when she had shed her furs4 ,two little light curls came down upon her forehead1 the pearls and diamonds were her throat ornaments1 and her dress was all white and silver4 ,the lace of the bodice looked to me as if it were one of the wonders of ,benares make1 and round her white arms were three broad bands of silver lace4 ,the hors-d'uvre1 on a second small table1 were placed alongside the round table1 prettily decorated with flowers1 which had been arranged for us in one corner of the room1 and one of these delicacies1 a soft1 creamy pt1 in which the taste of anchovies dominated the other ingredients1 was excellent4 ,the ,princesse was in high spirits and brimming over with gossip about ,new ,york4 ,i heard all about the glories of the latest mammoth hotel1 and was told of the lovely decorations of the new ,delmonico's1 and of the dinner-party the ,princesse gave there on its opening night4 ,i was given a description of most of this year's dbutantes in the city of ,gotham1 and was entrusted with the whole truth as to the anonymous letter scandal4 ,many other things also ,i was told1 most of which ,i have forgotten4 ,the soup was plain and good4 ,the filets de sole1 with the taste of parmesan1 the thin slices of truffle1 the thick green sauce and fried soft roe were excellent1 though1 to be severely critical1 the taste of the cheese in the plat was just a little too pronounced4 ,from ,new ,york the ,princesse jumped to ,rome4 ,she dilated on all the pleasures of the coming season in the ,city of the ,seven ,hills1 trying to induce me to make holiday after ,christmas and exchange ,bond ,street for the ,corso4 ,rome1 it seems1 is to be exceptionally gay this winter1 and ,i assured the ,princesse that it was not the will that was wanting to change the sight of fog-blurred streets for the view of the swell of snow-topped ,soracte through the sparkle of the ,roman air4 ,the cte de buf1 served like a gigantic cutlet with a paper frill on the bone1 was very tender1 and the snipe were succulent morsels4 ,the asparagus was rather hard1 but asparagus in ,december is not a dish to be captious about4 ,the bombe was a magnificent erection1 looking like a wedding-cake1 and the ,princesse1 accepting its name as a compliment to herself1 insisted on taking the sugar flowers it was decorated with back to her hotel with her as a trophy4 ,we sat and sipped our coffee and ,curaao ,marnier and chatted1 while the band1 behind a gilt grille1 played pianissimo music1 and the diners at the other tables gradually went off to theatres and music-halls4 ,our fellow-diners were not very smart4 ,indeed1 the monde qui dine does not seem yet to have taken to the ,tivoli1 which deserves a trial1 for the cook is first class and the dining-room a beautiful one4 ,at last the ,princesse ,lointaine said that she must go home and pack1 so ,i asked for my bill4 ,i am afraid that ,m4 ,aubanel treated me too kindly in the matter of prices1 but ,i could hardly argue that matter out while the ,princesse waited to be taken back to her hotel4 ,one ,mot1 cuve '#cf1 #acs42 hors-d'uvre1 #as42 poule au pot1 #bs42 filets de sole1 #bs4 #f;d42 cte de buf1 #ds42 bcassines1 #ds42 salade1 #as42 asperges1 #es42 bombe1 #bs42 caf1 #as42 liqueurs1 #bs42 total1 #a3 #ag3 #f4 ,you won't come to ,rome1 then1 this winter8 said la ,princesse ,lointaine as she bade me good-bye1 and ,i sorrowfully answered that ,i only wished ,i could4 #bjth ,december4 99 99 99 99 99 ,mr4 ,a4,a4 ,tate is now manager and proprietor of the ,tivoli restaurant1 and a #cs4 table-d'hte dinner in the palm-room and good plain cooking in the grill-room seem now to be the specialities of a restaurant which at one time entered into competition with the ,savoy1 the ,princes'1 the ,cecil1 and the other restaurants of la haute vole4 ,,chapter ,,xxxvii ,,the ,,gordon ,,hotels 7,,northumberland ,,avenue7 ,,my ,,dear ,,aunt ,,tabitha--,first1 let me thank you for the tracts entitled ,the ,converted ,clown and ,the ,journalist ,reclaimed2 they will have my attention4 ,it was no doubt your nephew ,john's conscience which impelled him to place my devotion to ,shakespeare1 and other dramatic authors of like calibre1 and my efforts to improve humanity through the press1 before you in the light he has done4 ,when ,i have an opportunity of a personal interview with him ,i shall attempt to change his opinions4 ,that ,i shall have the pleasure of seeing you in ,london soon after the ,new ,year is indeed good news4 ,my cousin ,judith ,i shall have the honour and privilege of meeting for the first time4 ,it must1 indeed1 be a pleasure for a young lady1 the curriculum of her studies in ,switzerland at an end1 to be returning via ,paris2 and your notion of meeting her in ,london1 receiving her from her escort1 conveying her to an hotel near the station of arrival1 and affording her the delight of witnessing such entertainments in ,london as may be edifying1 is1 ,i think1 an admirable one4 ,there are1 as you rightly suppose1 hotels in the ,northumberland ,avenue1 which is within a stone's-throw of ,charing ,cross1 and in answer to your request ,i will give you1 to the best of my power1 a short description of each4 ,i am not aware of ,miss ,judith's disposition1 whether it be lively or of a serious complexion2 but if ,i write to the utmost of my ability the characteristics of the three hotels--the ,grand1 the ,victoria1 and the ,mtropole--you should be the best judge as to which would most thoroughly suit your needs4 ,i regret that ,i cannot inform you as to whether the new-fashioned or the old-fashioned doctrines are favoured by the three managers4 ,as to the distribution of tracts1 ,i would very dutifully suggest that you should mark out the persons in the hotel whom you think should be so benefited1 and allow me1 after your departure1 to see that the tracts reach a suitable destination4 ,the ,grand ,hotel1 with which ,i will begin1 as it lies nearest to ,charing ,cross1 presents a curved face both to ,trafalgar ,square and ,northumberland ,avenue1 and from its windows a fine view can be seen of the pillar erected to the hero ,nelson1 whose deeds you have been good enough to admire while reprobating the frailties of his life4 ,i inspected the sitting-rooms on the first floor1 and saw some1 notably a room decorated in white colour1 with a fine view over the ,square1 and well within hearing of the bells of the neighbouring church1 which would suit you admirably4 ,but ,miss ,judith might prefer the stir and gaiety of the public rooms to a private apartment1 and the great dining-room with its white marble pillars with gold capitals1 its mirrors set in a frame of deep-coloured velvets1 its roof of stained glass1 its many tables covered with white napery1 is a most chaste yet withal cheerful apartment4 ,a smaller dining-room in which alabaster pillars support the roof1 is also a delightful room4 ,the hall1 which has pillars of white and black marble1 is handsome1 and has absorbed what was once the reading-room4 ,should you desire to give a family dinner during your stay--for which ,i am not anxious1 as ,i can hardly imagine how ,i could meet at present my cousin ,john with those feelings ,i should like to entertain towards him--there is a very delightful suite of rooms1 known as the ,walnut ,rooms1 where the head cook of the hotel--who previously cooked for the members of that politically misguided1 but excellently appointed club1 the ,reform--has had the honour of serving meals to princes of the ,royal blood4 ,as for the company at the ,grand1 ,i should take it that it is chiefly of old country families1 or the heads of great firms in the ,north4 ,somewhat farther down the ,avenue towards the river1 and on the side opposite to the ,grand1 is the ,victoria ,hotel1 and should ,miss ,judith be of a lively disposition1 the coming and going of well-dressed and polite folk in this hotel would please her mightily4 ,most of the road coaches--the continuance of the mode of travelling by which does much to sustain the high perfection of that noble animal the horse--start from the ,victoria ,hotel1 and it is a stirring scene at eleven in the morning to view the passengers depart4 ,the hall is gorgeous with brown and yellow and green marbles1 and many of the guests of the hotel sit there to watch the coming and going of the ladies of fashion and their cavaliers4 ,many ,americans and ,australians1 liking the brightness of the place1 give it their custom4 ,the long line of drawing-rooms is on the ground floor1 and is profusely decorated with that tint known as old gold4 ,but if ,miss ,judith is an amateur of music1 the dining-room will please her most1 for here1 in a great and really splendid apartment1 which has pillars of white and gold with fine foundations of brass1 a band of stringed instruments plays most excellent music during the dinner1 and many people of distinction come here--as indeed also to the other two hotels--from great distances in ,london to partake of the dinner of the table d'hte4 ,there is a very cosy little sanctum for serious conversation on the first landing of the great staircase1 and the private sitting-rooms on the first floor1 decorated in a variety of styles1 are very comfortable4 ,the ,mtropole ,hotel1 which is built in the form of a triangle1 one of the points of the angle touching the ,thames ,embankment1 is the largest of the three hotels1 accommodating as many as #hjj guests4 ,it is an hotel the solid comfort of which attracts many of those fortunate people who have acquired large sums of money in business2 and indeed it is no rare news to be told of some family who have made this hotel their home for years4 ,the especially delightful nooks and corners1 filled by lounges1 with which this hotel abounds1 have always pleased me much2 and there is1 on the ground-floor1 a drawing-room with a most dignified decoration of painted silk panels1 a very noble room1 with a fine view over the ,thames1 where ladies who are pleased to do so make their own dishes of tea4 ,the great dining-room may be thought by some to be a whit gloomy2 but the saloon1 in which the dinners are served1 to use a ,french term1 la carte1 is a bright and withal handsome apartment1 panelled to the ceiling with oak1 and with tapestry spread on the walls4 ,i fear that you do not approve of the game of billiards2 but there is a very delightful room for the pursuit of that game in this hotel1 and an ante-room of much comfort1 from whence ladies watch the strokes and cannons4 ,the private rooms are most excellently appointed4 ,after your strictures as to excessive addiction to writing of1 and partaking of1 rich and delicate food--strictures prompted1 ,i fear1 by my cousin ,john--,i feel some diffidence in writing of the dinners served at these hotels4 ,yet ,i must say that from experience ,i have found that at all three hotels the tables are well served2 the dinner of the table d'hte being in each case five shillings in price4 ,for an instance1 at the ,grand ,hotel on the day of my inquiry1 among other delicacies1 whitebait1 and the curry of ,madras1 pheasants1 and the toothsome pigeon were served2 while at the ,mtropole dominos de foie gras would have tempted your appetite1 and you would have ended a capital dinner with partridges and various sweets4 ,this is how you would have fared at the ,hotel ,victoria3-- ,canaps de caviar ,moscovite4 ,consomm ,marquise4 ,crme ,chantilly4 ,sole ,montreuil4 ,blanchailles la ,diable4 ,zphires de faisan ,princesse4 ,tournedos ,ventadour4 ,selle de mouton au laver4 ,dindonneau ,baltimore4 ,haricots verts sauts au beurre4 ,pommes fondantes4 ,pluviers dors bards sur crotes4 ,salades panaches4 ,mince pies4 ,biscuits glacs vanille4 ,langue de chat4 ,dessert4 ,i need scarcely say1 my dear aunt1 how pleased ,i shall be to be of any service to you and my cousin ,judith during your stay in the ,metropolis1 and remain1 your very dutiful and obliged ,,nephew4 #cjth ,december4 ,,chapter ,,xxxviii ,,the ,,queen',s ,,guard 7,,st4 ,,james',s ,,palace7 ,the best dinner in ,london1 sir6 was what our fathers always added when1 with a touch of gratification1 they used to tell of having been asked to dine on the ,queen's ,guard at ,st4 ,james's2 and nowadays1 when the art of dinner-giving has come to be very generally understood1 the man who likes good cooking and good company still feels very pleased to be asked to dinner by one of the officers of the guard1 for the old renown is still justified1 and there is a fascination in the surroundings that is not to be obtained by unlimited money spent in any restaurant4 ,past the illuminated clock of the ,palace1 the hands of which mark five minutes to eight1 in through an arched gate1 across one of the courts1 and in a narrow passage where a window gives a glimpse of long rows of burnished pots and pans1 is a black-painted door with1 on the door-jamb1 a legend of black on white telling that this is the officers' guard4 ,up some wooden stairs with leaden edges to them1 stairs built for use and not for ornament2 and1 the guests' coats being taken by a clean-shaved butler in evening clothes1 we are at once in the officers' room4 ,it is a long room1 lighted on one side by a great bow-window1 flanked by two other windows4 ,at the farthest end of the room from the door is a mantel of grey and white marble4 ,the walls are painted a comfortable green colour1 and there are warm crimson curtains to the windows4 ,there are many pictures upon the walls2 and a large sofa1 leather-covered armchairs1 and a writing-table in the bow of the window give an air of comfort to the room4 ,a great screen1 which1 in its way1 is a work of art1 being covered with cuttings of all periods1 from ,rowlandson's caricatures to the modern style of military prints1 is drawn out from the wall so as to divide the room into two portions4 ,on the door side of the screen stands in one corner the regimental colour of the battalion finding the guard1 and here1 too1 are the bearskin head-dresses of the officers4 ,on the fireplace side of the screen is a table ready set for dinner1 the clear glass decanters at the corners being filled with champagne1 a silver-gilt vase forming the centre-piece1 and candles in silver candelabra giving the necessary light4 ,by the fireplace the officers of the guard1 in scarlet and gold and black1 are waiting to receive their guests4 ,in addition to the officers of the ,st4 ,james's guard1 the adjutant and colonel of the battalion that finds the guard1 the two officers of the ,household cavalry on guard at the ,horse ,guards1 and some of the military officials of the ,court have a right to dine4 ,but it is rarely that all entitled to this privilege avail themselves of it1 and the captain and officers of the guard generally are able to ask some guests4 ,as1 on the stroke of eight1 on the evening ,i am writing of1 we sat down to dinner my host told me that he had ordered a typical meal for me4 ,this was the menu3-- ,potage crote au pot4 ,eperlans l',anglaise4 ,bouches la molle4 ,ctelettes de mouton4 ,pure de marrons4 ,poularde la ,turque4 ,hure truffe4 ,sauce ,cumberland4 ,pluviers dors4 ,pommes de terre ,anna4 ,champignons grills4 ,omelette souffle4 ,hutres la ,diable4 ,the hand of ,m4 ,gautier1 the messman1 was to be recognised throughout2 and the spatchcocked smelts1 the boar's head1 with its sharp-tasting sauce1 and the souffle1 ,i recognised as being favourite dishes on the ,queen's ,guard4 ,on this evening the wearers of the black coats1 as well as the red1 had served ,her ,majesty1 at one time or another1 in various parts of the world1 and our talk drifted to the subject of the various officers' guards all over the ,british world4 ,in hospitality the ,castle ,guard at ,dublin probably comes next to the guard at ,st4 ,james's1 for the officers of the guard fare excellently there at the ,viceregal expense4 ,the ,bank guards1 both in the ,city and at ,college ,green1 have compensating advantages1 and the officer's guard at ,fort ,william1 ,calcutta1 has helped many an impoverished subaltern to buy a polo pony4 ,the story goes that some rich native falling ill close to the gate of ,fort ,william1 the subaltern on guard took him up to the guard-room and treated him kindly1 and in consequence1 in his will1 the native left provision for a daily sum of rupees to be given to the subaltern on guard4 ,these rupees are paid every day minus one1 retained by the babus as a charge for stationery1 and though all the little tin gods both at ,calcutta and ,simla have exerted themselves to recover for the subaltern that rupee1 the power of the babu has been too strong1 and the stationery item still represents the missing rupee4 ,we chatted of the ,malta guard1 with its collection of pictures on the wall2 of dreary hours at ,gibraltar1 with nothing to do except to construct sugar-covered fougasses to blow up flies2 and of exciting moments at ,peshawar1 when the chance of being shot by one's own sentries made going the rounds a real affair of outposts4 ,then ,i asked questions about the gilt centre-piece1 which is in the shape of an ,egyptian vase with sphinxes on the base1 and was told that the holding capacities of it were beyond the guessing of any one who had not seen the experiment tried4 ,some of the other plate which is put upon the table at the close of dinner is of great interest4 ,there is a cigar-lighter in the shape of a grenade given by ,his ,royal ,highness the ,prince of ,wales1 a silver cigar-cutter1 a memento of an inter-regimental friendship made at manuvres1 and a snuff-box made from one of the hoofs of ,napoleon's charger ,marengo4 ,which hoof it was is not stated on the box1 but the collective wisdom of the table decided that it must have been the near hind one4 ,excepting on days when the ,scots ,guards are on guard1 ,her ,majesty's health is not1 ,i believe1 drunk after dinner--though ,i fancy that ,h4,r4,h4 the ,prince of ,wales1 dining on guard1 broke through this custom4 ,the regiment from across the ,border was at one time suspected of a leaning towards ,jacobitism1 and while the officers were ordered to drink ,his ,majesty's health they were not allowed to use finger-glasses after dinner1 lest they should drink to the ,king over the water4 ,dinner over1 the big sofa is pulled round in front of the fire1 and a whist-table and a game of drawing-room cricket each claims its devotees4 ,i asked my host to be allowed to inspect the pictures which pretty well cover the walls4 ,the most important is an excellent portrait of ,her ,majesty in the early part of her reign4 ,it is the work of ,lieut4-,col4 ,cadogan1 and was begun on the wall of a guard-room--at ,windsor1 ,i fancy4 ,the surface of the wall was cut off1 the picture finished1 and it now hangs1 a fine work of art but a tremendous weight1 in the place of honour4 ,there is an admirable oil-colour of the old ,duke of ,wellington1 showing a kindly old face looking down1 a pleasant difference from the alert aquiline profile which most of his portraits show4 ,there are prints of other celebrated generals1 mostly ,guardsmen1 and an amusing caricature of three kings dining on guard4 ,it is a very unfurnished guard-room1 with a bare floor1 in which their ,majesties are being entertained1 but the enthusiasm with which the officers are drinking their health makes up for the surroundings4 ,a key to the print hangs hard by1 but the names attached to the various figures are said to have been written in joke4 ,many of the pictures are sporting prints and hunting caricatures2 but the original of ,vanity ,fair's sketch of ,dan ,godfrey is in one corner2 and a strange old picture of a battle1 painted on a tea-tray1 hangs over the door4 ,on either side of the looking-glass1 above the mantelpiece1 are the list of officers on duties and the orders for the guard1 the latter with a glass over them1 which is supposed to have been cracked in ,marlborough's time4 ,some very admirably arranged caricatures1 with explanatory notes1 are bound into a series of red volumes and kept in a glazed set of shelves1 and these1 with a number of blue-bound volumes of the ,pall ,mall ,magazine1 form all the library available for the officers on guard4 ,as the hands of the clock near eleven1 the butler1 who has been handing round pegs in long tumblers1 takes up his position by the door4 ,military discipline is inexorable1 and we 7the guests7 know that we must be out of the precincts of the guard by eleven o'clock4 ,we say good-night to our hosts1 and as we go downstairs we hear the clank of swords being buckled on4 ,outside in the courtyard a sergeant and a drummer and a man with a lantern are waiting for the officer to go the rounds4 #crd ,january4 ,,chapter ,,xxxix ,,the ,,coburg 7,,carlos ,,place7 ,there were some portions of my aunt ,tabitha's letter from the ,north which were distinctly satisfactory4 ,she was kind enough to say that both she and my cousin ,judith1 the most delightfully demure little lady possible1 had enjoyed their short stay in ,london1 and had appreciated the oratorio1 the museums1 and the picture galleries ,i had escorted them to4 ,she animadverted on the strange conduct of my cousin ,john1 who went to call on the old lady after being up all night at a ,covent ,garden ball1 where ,i detected him clothed as a monk1 with a false nose and spectacles4 ,she sent me half a dozen works of the fiercest fire-and-brimstone type1 asking me to forward them to him--which ,i shall be delighted to do1 and also sent a bundle of miscellaneous tracts for the servants of the ,northumberland ,avenue ,hotel1 at which hostel she stayed1 and some specially selected ones for some of the guests staying at the hotel--these1 ,i fear1 may be mislaid4 ,the principal item of news in her letter1 however1 was that ,simon ,treadwell1 her solicitor1 was coming to ,london on business for her1 and that she wished him to consult me as to certain investments she intended to make4 ,there was a decidedly comforting sound in this1 and ,i was only too ready to do all honour to ,mr4 ,treadwell4 ,i had memories of him as a very grave gentleman1 clean-shaved1 with a wealth of long white hair1 and with gold-rimmed pince-nez attached to a broad black ribbon4 ,he came of ,quaker stock1 and though ,i wished to entertain him1 for it is so much easier to talk business over the dinner-table than anywhere else1 ,i felt perplexed as to where to ask him to dine with me4 ,the bustle and the music of the fashionable restaurants would not be in keeping with the staidness of this grave old gentleman4 ,the ,coburg occurred to me4 ,the name in itself commands respect1 and there is dignity in the appearance of the red brick ,elizabethan building that shows a curved front to ,carlos ,place4 ,from previous experience ,i knew that ,i might expect good cooking1 and that we should dine with unhurried calm in the panelled dining-room4 ,so in writing to my aunt ,tabitha to say that ,i should be delighted to meet ,mr4 ,treadwell again1 ,i suggested that he should dine with me at the ,coburg1 and named the date and time4 ,mr4 ,simon ,treadwell1 my aunt wrote1 would be delighted to dine on the date named4 ,thinking of our after-dinner entertainment1 ,i looked out in my morning paper the most classical concert ,i could find advertised for that date1 and took tickets for it4 ,then ,i went to the ,coburg1 and in consultation with the manager ordered a dinner which ,i thought should suit my guest1 accepting the item of petite marmite with resignation3-- ,caviar4 ,petite marmite4 ,filets de soles ,waleska4 ,tournedos ,nioise4 ,pommes ,anna4 ,perdreau ,prigourdine4 ,salade ,victoria4 ,bombe ,patricienne4 ,friandises4 ,on the appointed evening ,i waited in the lounge which leads off from the entrance-hall1 rather wondering as to whether my stock of conversation would last out a dinner with the very grave person ,i had to entertain4 ,the lounge is a very comfortable room1 painted oak-colour1 with warm red curtains and a warm red carpet4 ,from it one looks through a white arch into the white panelled hall1 with its dead gold roof and the oak staircase1 which1 through its white arch1 with a plentiful supply of palms to break the straight lines1 would appeal to any artist's eye4 ,i heard my name spoken in the hall1 and went out to receive my venerable guest4 ,i was astonished1 however1 to find a young gentleman1 black of hair1 clean-shaven1 with an eyeglass1 and in the most modern cut of dress clothes4 ,i am afraid that my face showed my astonishment1 for my guest said1 ,i am ,mr4 ,simon ,treadwell1 junior4 ,did you expect to see my father8 ,i wondered how the classical concert would suit my new acquaintance1 as ,i piloted him down the white-panelled passage1 where a little fountain in a recess lets fall a tinkling stream of water1 and into the dining-room4 ,we were quiet1 as ,i expected to be4 ,the room1 with its panelling of deep red wood1 with a frieze of tapestry1 its pillared overmantel1 its recess curtained in1 its soft red carpet1 its high-backed chairs of dark-green leather with a golden ,c on them1 its clusters of electric globes filling the room with a soft1 luminous glow1 is all in keeping with a certain sensation of stateliness1 and the perfect silence of the service1 a very good point1 adds to this feeling4 ,the diners at the other tables were1 ,i should say1 all guests staying at the hotel4 ,i had not the curiosity to ask who they were1 but ,i should have expected to be told that their names were all to be found in ,debrett4 ,mr4 ,treadwell was taking stock of me1 as ,i was doing of him1 and when the caviar in its bowl of ice and the petite marmite1 strong and hot1 had been served1 he told me of the very simple business as to which he had been instructed to ask my advice1 and that matter satisfactorily disposed of1 we1 with the sole ,waleska1 which1 with its accompanying slices of truffle1 is always a favourite dish of mine1 fell on to general subjects1 and ,i tentatively asked ,mr4 ,treadwell whether he had a taste for classical music4 ,not so much for classical music as for a good song1 said ,mr4 ,treadwell1 urbanely2 and after a short pause he mentioned that he had heard that ,arthur ,roberts was very amusing4 ,i mentally tore up the tickets for the classical concert4 ,with the tournedos ,mr4 ,treadwell told me that he had wired down to the ,palace for two seats for the next night in order to hear ,marie ,lloyd's new songs1 and asked my advice as to where he had better dine deux1 and whether ,romano's1 or ,princes'1 or the ,savoy was the most chic place to take a lady to supper at4 ,i filled up ,mr4 ,treadwell's glass from the nicely chilled bottle of ,perrier-,jout1 and he almost winked at me as he told me of my cousin ,john's delinquencies3 how1 after he1 ,john1 had hypocritically warned my aunt ,tabitha that ,i took a delight in theatrical performances and attempted to raise the ready smile in journalism1 he had been so indiscreet as to appear before my aunt on an occasion when he had evidently come home with the milk4 ,mr4 ,treadwell went so far as to call him a garden jackass2 and1 my heart warming to the young solicitor1 ,i told him of the ,covent ,garden ball and how ,i had discovered my cousin there1 and of the tracts that had been sent to me by my aunt to give him4 ,with the partridge1 excellently cooked1 ,i gave ,mr4 ,treadwell my opinions as to the merits of the various pantomimes1 and asked him to lunch with me next day1 and to go and see a matine at a music-hall4 ,after the ice came coffee and old brandy1 and ,mr4 ,treadwell said that he would like to smoke a cigar4 ,the other diners had all finished their dinners1 and we were the only occupiers of the big room1 in luxurious quiet4 ,mr4 ,treadwell lay back in his chair and pulled at his cigar with the air of a man enjoying life4 ,i paid my bill3 two dinners1 #a3 #as42 one bottle '#hc1 #aes42 two coffees1 #as42 two fine champagne1 #cs42 cigar1 #f;d42 total1 #b3 ,o3 #f4 ,this done1 ,i asked ,mr4 ,treadwell where he would like to go and finish the evening2 and he1 waking from a day-dream1 said1 ,anywhere where they have a ballet4 ,heads the ,empire1 tails the ,alhambra1 ,i said as ,i tossed the coin1 and it fell heads4 ,i wish ,i had not been so hasty in buying those classical concert tickets4 #ajth ,january4 ,,chapter ,,xl ,,the ,,midland ,,hotel 7,,st4 ,,pancras7 ,the dramatic moment of the evening came when ,juliette1 the new ,french maid1 with despair painted on her face1 out of breath1 and with her bonnet on one side of her head1 came running into the dining-room at the ,midland ,hotel1 and told ,miss ,dainty that the dog had escaped4 ,miss ,dainty for one moment was overwhelmed1 for she pictured ,jack in fierce combat with every big dog in ,london2 but1 recovering herself1 said that she wanted boy messengers4 ,the wild duck was getting cold1 the manager was beginning to look unhappy1 the waiter was sympathetic but helpless1 the ,french maid was weeping4 ,if messenger boys could straighten out the difficulties ,miss ,dainty should have had a dozen2 but she said that she only wanted three4 ,so three little boys stood in a row and received their instructions4 ,one was to go1 in a cab1 to ,miss ,dainty's flat to see whether ,jack had returned there2 another1 in a cab1 was to go round to all the places that ,jack had been taken to during the day1 chiefly milliners' and dress-makers' and bonnet-makers' shops1 to see whether he had wandered away to any of those localities2 the third was1 in a cab1 to go to all the places where ,jack had special canine enemies to see whether he had gone to fight a parting fight with any of them4 ,the three small boys were sent on their way1 the weeping maid dismissed to mount guard over the pile of baggage1 and then ,i told the manager to serve us our duck and he smiled again1 while the waiter allowed the look of sympathy to die out in his face and woke to sudden activity4 ,miss ,dainty was going out to ,america to play what she called a thinking part1 with an ,english company on tour there4 ,she was to have gone to ,liverpool by a morning train1 and a little crowd1 male and female1 assembled to see her off1 to give her the customary bouquets1 and to wish her the customary good voyage4 ,but no ,miss ,dainty arrived4 ,in her place appeared an agitated ,french maid1 who explained that her mistress could not possibly go by this train1 because one of her new hats had not been sent home4 ,the lady section of the crowd was sympathetic1 the male section gave their bouquets to the maid to take back to ,miss ,dainty1 and we all went our separate ways4 ,in the afternoon ,i got this telegram3 ,alone in ,london and starving4 ,going night train4 ,will you give me dinner8--,,dainty4 ,i was of course delighted to give the little lady dinner2 telegraphed to her that ,i would meet her at the station and give her dinner at the ,midland ,grand ,hotel1 and sent a note to the manager of the ,french restaurant at the hotel asking him to keep a table for me1 and to order a small dinner for two4 ,a cab with a pile of boxes on the top brought ,miss ,dainty with her bouquets1 and her maid1 and ,jack1 the fighting dog1 to the station4 ,are you going to take the dog8 ,i asked2 and ,miss ,dainty said1 ,certainly4 ,i am going to take him to bite the ,custom-house officers if they interfere with my sealskin cloak4 ,of course1 such a reason as this was unanswerable4 ,the maid and the baggage and the dog were left on the platform1 the former being given strict injunctions to keep a watchful eye on the two latter1 and ,i took ,miss ,dainty off to the hotel4 ,through the long curving corridor1 with its brightly-painted walls and blaze of electric light1 we went to the lift1 and were quickly deposited on the first floor1 where the restaurant is4 ,as a rule one does not expect to get a good dinner at a railway hotel2 but ,i knew that the ,midland was one of the exceptions which prove the rule1 and that ,i had not done wrong in asking ,miss ,dainty to dine with me there4 ,the room1 a fine large saloon1 has a comfortable red paper with handsomely framed mirrors to break the monotony of its surface1 and what painting there is on pillars and cornice has something of an ,egyptian brilliancy of colour4 ,at one end a semicircular screen of curtains shuts off the serving-room4 ,at the other end great doors lead into a drawing-room4 ,the chairs1 of red velvet1 have a comfortable look4 ,the lights on the tables are electric globes with yellow shades4 ,this was the dinner that the manager had ordered for us4 ,when ,i saw petite marmite on the menu ,i groaned4 ,i am beginning to believe that it is a sort of fetish that restaurant managers worship3-- ,natives4 ,petite marmite4 ,sole ,portugaise4 ,filet ,rossini4 ,pomme souffle4 ,canard sauvage la presse4 ,salade de laitue4 ,pouding la reine4 ,bombe ,midland4 ,petits fours4 ,fruits4 ,with the soup1 which was strong and hot1 ,miss ,dainty told me how she had boarded out her pets for the time of her absence1 and it seemed to me that the gold-fish1 the parrot1 the cat1 and the love-birds had1 with ,miss ,dainty's usual perverseness1 been sent to people who would loathe the sight of them4 ,jack was to go with his mistress to protect her from all perils in an unknown land and to bite ,custom-house officers4 ,when the sole and its rubicund surrounding of tomatoes appeared1 ,i inquired whether ,miss ,dainty contemplated matrimony during her travels1 and was politely snubbed by being told that that was a matter in which she would not think of moving without first asking my consent4 ,as ,miss ,dainty toyed with the truffles of the excellently-cooked fillet1 she informed me that ,america is a country which understands and admires art1 and ,i gathered that she looks forward to returning to ,england as a second ,bernhardt or ,duse1 and that the bags of dollars which1 with their hands and hearts1 endless swains are sure to offer her1 are but a secondary consideration4 ,then came the wild duck2 and as the manager was squeezing the rich brown fluid from the silver press the frightened maid came bustling into the room1 and we heard the awful news that ,jack was lost4 ,by the time that ,miss ,dainty had sent off her little army of boy-messengers and had ordered the maid back to her post on baggage guard1 our table was the centre of attraction to the room4 ,the old ,anglo-,indian colonel1 whose pretty daughter was sitting opposite to him1 the family party of mother and son and daughter1 the young honeymoon couple1 the half a dozen old gentlemen dining in solitary state1 all were taking an interest in the hunt for ,jack4 ,i shall not leave ,london until ,jack is found1 said ,miss ,dainty1 as her slice of the duck's breast was put in front of her4 ,but your boat starts to-morrow1 ,i protested4 ,the boat must wait1 said ,miss ,dainty decisively4 ,i don't go without ,jack4 ,we ate our pudding in silence4 ,i expect the poor dear is fighting half a dozen dogs now1 was the only remark that ,miss ,dainty made with the ice4 ,i called for my bill3 ,two dinners1 #abs42 one bottle #cdc1 #aes42 two cups of coffee1 #as42 total #a3 #hs4 ,i am going now1 said ,miss ,dainty1 as she drew on her gloves1 to send ,juliette and the boxes back to the flat1 and then you shall drive me round to all the police-stations in ,london to see if ,jack is at any of them4 ,as we walked down the long corridor ,i was thinking of the pleasant evening ,i was going to spend1 when there was a patter of little feet behind us1 and the next moment ,miss ,dainty was hugging ,jack1 an unrepentant1 muzzleless dog1 with a great cut over one eye1 and an ear bitten through4 ,when the train containing ,miss ,dainty and the bouquets and the boxes and the maid and the dog steamed out of the station ,i sighed a great sigh1 which had something of relief in it4 #agth ,january4 ,,chapter ,,xli ,,kettner',s 7,,church ,,street7 ,i have no amusement at all now1 said little ,mrs4 ,tota--we always called her ,mrs4 ,tota up at ,simla1 for she was as bright and perky as her little namesake1 the ,indian parrot4 ,george says that the night air brings on his fever1 and refuses to go out after dinner4 ,george looked up from behind his paper and grunted2 but there was a quiver of his left eyelid which looked very like a wink4 ,i never go to a dance now1 and you know ,i love dancing4 ,i never have any fun like we used to have at the ,black ,hearts' masked balls at ,simla2 the only kala jugga ,i ever go into is the coalhole4 ,i never eat a nice little dinner like you used to give us at the ,chalet4 ,i never do anything1 or see anything1 and all because ,george thinks he might suffer from imaginary fever4 ,george from behind the paper moaned a mocking moan4 ,if ,george wouldn't mind1 ,i said1 ,i should be delighted to take you out some evening1 give you a little dinner1 take you to a box at some theatre1 and to a ,covent ,garden masked ball afterwards4 ,mind6 said ,george1 reappearing from his paper with great suddenness4 ,mind6 ,why1 my dear fellow1 if you will only be so kind as to do that ,i shall not be abused for a week4 ,take her out1 and give her dinner and supper1 a box at a theatre and a dance1 and my blessing shall be with you all the days of my life4 ,mrs4 ,tota clapped her hands4 ,george1 for once in your life1 you're nice1 she said4 ,we'll have a regular ,simla evening1 ,i suggested4 ,the nearest thing ,i can think of to the dining-room in the little ,u4,s4 ,club chalet would be a private room at one of the restaurants4 ,mrs4 ,tota looked to ,george for approval1 and then nodded in acquiescence4 ,the ,savoy private rooms would be too big for our little party of two4 ,romano's has some charming ,japanese private dining-rooms4 ,there is the turret-room at ,scott's1 which looks down on to ,piccadilly and the ,haymarket4 ,there are two sweet little corner rooms at the ,trocadero1 the bow windows of which command ,shaftesbury ,avenue4 ,there are---- ,you seem to know a good deal about the private rooms of all the restaurants1 said ,mrs4 ,tota4 ,i have an elderly relative who dislikes noise1 so when ,i take him out to dine---- ,oh1 him6 interrupted ,mrs4 ,tota4 ,go on with your list4 ,there are some very handsome little rooms at the ,caf ,royal1 and ,kettner's1 and a lot more4 ,what's ,kettner's1 anyway8 queried ,mrs4 ,tota2 and ,i told her of the snug little restaurant buried away in ,church ,street1 which was first discovered by two well-known journalists1 a restaurant of comfortable nooks and corners1 a restaurant of such individuality that when it was necessary to rebuild it a few years ago it was rebuilt as nearly as possible on the old lines1 with its three or four public dining-rooms below1 and its network of passages and warren of little rooms above4 ,i told her of ,louis1 now in supreme charge1 who has been part of ,kettner's since ,kettner's first became known to ,london2 and of ,henri1 who has charge of the upstairs dining-rooms1 and who1 with his peaked beard and clean-shaven upper lip1 is the type of matre d'htel that all the ,french artists who record the life of the boulevards love to draw4 ,mrs4 ,tota said that it sounded nice4 ,she liked the name2 ,kettner's sounded a little unusual1 and she liked the description of the old-fashioned place4 ,then ,i summed up3 ,you will very kindly pick me up at the club2 we will dine at ,kettner's1 then go across the way to the ,palace ,theatre1 where ,i will have a box2 after that back to ,kettner's to put on your domino1 which we will leave there2 and then on to the ,covent ,garden ball1 where we will sup in our box and stay until after the procession4 ,mrs4 ,tota declared that ,i was a dear1 and ,george grunted a few words of genuine thankfulness4 ,i went down to ,kettner's and interviewed ,henri4 ,the nicest possible little dining-room and a very simple little dinner were what ,i wanted4 ,henri put his head on one side1 like a wise magpie1 and suggested oysters as hors-d'uvre4 ,i said that the idea was novel1 but that ,i preferred caviar4 ,then ,henri relapsed into deep thought4 ,petite marmite was his next suggestion1 and on this ,i turned on him and rent him1 figuratively1 for every matre d'htel in the world seems to think that petite marmite or crote au pot is the only possible beginning to a small plain dinner4 ,friendly relations were re-established1 and this was our final effort so far as the menu was concerned-- ,caviar4 ,consomm la ,colbert4 ,filets de sole la ,joinville4 ,langue de buf aux champignons4 ,epinards4 ,pommes ,anna4 ,poulet la ,parmentier4 ,salade4 ,asperges4 ,sauce mousseline4 ,biscuits glaces4 ,dessert4 and a bottle of ,mot '#hi1 just chilled1 to drink with it4 ,room ,a was the dining-room that ,henri thought would suit us4 ,so ,a was the room selected4 ,mrs4 ,tota1 in a very charming black dress with a pattern of tiny steel sequins on it1 with a gorgeous ermine cloak and a mysterious bundle that ,i knew must contain the domino1 picked me up at the club and drove me down to ,church ,street4 ,she was delighted at the appearance of the cosy little houses and the narrow entrance4 ,before we went to our dining-room above ,i asked ,louis to take us through the kitchen1 which1 with its walls of white tiles and perfect cleanliness1 is well worth seeing1 and we peeped into all the public dining-rooms on the ground-floor4 ,isn't this quite wrong8 said little ,mrs4 ,tota1 who was evidently enjoying herself4 ,oughtn't we to have slipped up the stairs like a couple of guilty things8 ,do you take your elderly relative round the kitchen8 ,at that moment ,henri appeared and said that our dinner was ready1 and we went up the narrow stairs4 ,a little room1 with a paper in which old gold and soft browns and green mingled1 three windows with warm-coloured curtains to match the paper1 bronze ornaments on the mantelpiece1 oil paintings of ,italian scenery on the walls1 a tiny sideboard1 a square table lighted by gilt candelabra holding electric lights--,room ,a is a very snug place to dine in4 ,h'm1 yes1 said ,mrs4 ,tota4 ,not quite like the room in the dear old ,chalet2 but quite near enough4 ,henri had taken us under his special protection1 and had added half a dozen hors-d'uvre to the menu besides the caviar1 and when the time came for our slices of tongue he appeared bearing a whole tongue lavishly garnished4 ,it was a capital dinner1 well cooked throughout1 and as ,mrs4 ,tota praised each dish ,henri beamed more and more upon us4 ,and ,mrs4 ,tota chattered like her namesake4 ,we talked about the famous masked ball at ,simla1 at which ,field-,marshal ,lord ,roberts1 disguised in mask and domino1 went up to a humorous ,irish lady1 and1 in a feigned voice1 asked her for a dance1 receiving a reply that she hadn't time to be dancing with boys to-night4 ,we talked of gymkhanas at ,annandale1 and picnics at ,mashobra1 of ,a4,d4,c4 theatricals and town-hall balls1 and we effectually brought the scent of the deodars into ,soho4 ,mrs4 ,tota finished her coffee and ,curaoa ,marnier1 and sighed as she drew on her gloves4 ,those were good days1 she said1 and ,i nodded assent4 ,i told ,henri to bring me the bill4 ,two dinners1 #a3 #as42 one ,mot1 #aes42 two cafs1 #as42 two liqueurs1 #bs42 total1 #a3 #ais4 ,henri1 ,i said1 you have let me off too lightly4 ,it should be more than this2 whereat ,henri went through an expressive pantomime which meant that to undercharge me was the last thing the management would think of doing4 ,we left the domino in ,henri's charge1 and ,mrs4 ,tota thought she would walk the few yards to the ,palace4 ,if all dinners in private rooms are as pleasant as that1 ,i rather think that ,i envy your elderly male relative1 said ,mrs4 ,tota as we emerged into ,church ,street4 #bdth ,january4 ,,chapter ,,xlii ,,pagani',s 7,,great ,,portland ,,street7 ,if you will dine with me on ,sunday night ,i will give you dinner in the most interesting private dining-room that any restaurant in ,london can show1 ,i said to little ,mrs4 ,tota4 ,she'll do nothing of the sort1 said ,george1 her husband1 from behind his paper4 ,george6 said little ,mrs4 ,tota1 and there was a mixture of astonishment1 query1 and reproof in the way she spoke her husband's name4 ,george laid down his newspaper4 ,since you took her to dine in that private room at ,kettner's nothing has been good enough for her4 ,she would like a matre d'htel and a head waiter dancing round her at every meal1 and she can't go out of the front door without looking round to see if there is a manager there to bow her out4 ,you are perfectly horrid1 ,george1 said little ,mrs4 ,tota with some asperity4 ,you won't take me out yourself1 and when other people are kind enough to offer to do so you are as cross and sarcastic as you can be4 ,george looked at me with the corners of his mouth drawn up by a suppressed smile1 and his left eyebrow twitched as if he felt inclined to wink4 ,i poured oil on the troubled waters4 ,if ,mrs4 ,tota1 with her husband's permission1 would dine with me at ,pagani's on ,sunday we would dine in the public dining-room on the first floor1 and look afterwards at the drawings and signatures in the celebrated little room on the second floor4 ,it is real good of you to take the wife out1 said ,george1 as he saw me off the premises4 ,i hate going out at night1 as you know1 but she enjoys it all thoroughly4 ,she chattered about that last dinner for a good month4 ,on the ,saturday ,i went to ,pagani's1 secured a table for the next evening in the room on the first floor1 a very pretty dining-room with soft blue curtains to the windows1 a blue paper on the walls1 shaded electric lights1 and a little bow-window at the back1 which makes the snuggest of nooks4 ,then ,m4 ,giuseppe ,pagani1 one of the two proprietors1 having appeared1 we talked over the important matter of the menu4 ,the difficulty that vexed our minds was whether filets de sole ,pagani or turbot la ,pellegrini would best suit a lady's appetite4 ,finally the sole won the day4 ,i hesitated a moment over the ,bortsch soup1 for it has become almost as much a standing dish as crote au pot in most restaurants2 but ,bortsch is the customary ,sunday soup at ,pagani's1 so it had to be included in the menu4 ,this was our list completed3-- ,hors-d'uvre varis4 ,potage ,bortsch4 ,filets de sole ,pagani4 ,tournedos aux truffes4 ,haricots verts sauts4 ,pommes croquettes4 ,perdreau ,voisin4 ,salade4 ,souffl au curaoa4 ,at eight o'clock on ,sunday ,i was waiting for ,mrs4 ,tota in the arched entrance which is one of the distinctive features of the modern ,pagani's4 ,glazed grey tiles front the whole of the ground floor1 the rest of the building being red brick1 and the deep entrance arches are supported by squat little blue pillars4 ,the curve of the arches are set with rows of electric light1 which give the little restaurant the appearance of having been illuminated for a fte every night4 ,now mind1 ,i want to see everything1 and be told who everybody is1 said ,mrs4 ,tota as she got out of the cab1 and ,i promised to do my best to carry out her wishes1 and suggested that we should peep into the room on the ground floor before we went upstairs4 ,the long room1 with its golden paper1 its mirrors painted with flowers and trellis-work1 its little counter piled with fruit1 was crowded with diners1 not one of the many little tables being vacant4 ,a great hum of talk fell on our ears1 and many of the gentlemen at the tables were gesticulating as only foreigners can4 ,i told ,mrs4 ,tota that at least half the guests were musicians or singers1 and immediately she was all attention4 ,one gentleman1 with long hair and a close-clipped beard1 she recognised as a well-known violinist2 and a gentleman with a black moustache and a great bush of rebellious hair1 she identified as a celebrated baritone1 though he looked strange1 she thought1 without a frock-coat1 lavender kid gloves1 and a roll of music in his hands4 ,in the blue room on the first floor the tables were mostly occupied by couples1 and ,mrs4 ,tota wished to know if this was where the married musicians came4 ,the gentleman with the clean-shaven face at the next table to ours1 deep in conversation with a very pretty lady in a fur toque1 was certainly a doctor1 and the gentleman with a white moustache1 who had secured the table in the little bow-window1 was evidently a soldier2 the two ladies dining tte--tte did not look musical1 but on the first floor1 as on the ground floor1 the majority of the guests were evidently of the artistic temperament4 ,the ,bortsch was excellent1 and when the sole ,pagani made its appearance ,m4 ,meschini1 the partner of ,m4 ,pagani1 came to our table to ask whether the dish was approved of4 ,it is beautiful1 said little ,mrs4 ,tota4 ,what are the wonderful little pink things with such a delicious taste8 ,m4 ,meschini1 without moving a muscle of his face1 told her that they were shrimps1 which1 with fresh mushrooms and moules1 help to give a distinctiveness to this excellent dish4 ,how was ,i to know a shrimp without his head and tail and scales8 said ,mrs4 ,tota1 when ,m4 ,meschini had moved on4 ,mrs4 ,tota ate some of the tournedos truffs1 and gave her opinion that the truffles were perfectly heavenly2 but ,i preferred to wait for the partridge and its casserole1 with all its savoury surroundings4 ,m4 ,notari1 the chef1 is an artist in his kitchen1 and nowhere in ,london could we have found a better-cooked bird4 ,to establish my claim to be critical1 ,i said that ,i had tasted better souffls1 but ,mrs4 ,tota1 telling me that ,i was a pampered ,sybarite1 ate her helping with perfect content4 ,the two pints of ,veuve ,clicquot we drank were excellent1 and with a ,biscuit ,pagani1 two cups of ,caf ,pagani and liqueurs1 we ended a very good dinner4 ,i paid my bill3 bread and butter1 #d;d42 hors-d'uvre1 #f;d42 soup1 #as4 #f;d42 fish1 #bs42 joint1 #bs42 game1 #es42 vegetables1 #as42 sweets1 #as4 #f;d42 ices1 #as42 salad1 #aj;d42 wine1 #ads42 coffee1 #as42 liqueurs1 #bs4 #f;d42 total1 #a3 #ac3 #b1 and then asked ,m4 ,meschini to take us upstairs and show us the private dining-room1 which is known as the artists' room4 ,when we came to the little room with its ruby velvet curtains and mantel drapings1 its squares of what looks like brown paper1 at about the height of a man's head1 covered with drawings and writings1 and protected by glass1 its framed drawings and paintings1 ,mrs4 ,tota turned to me and asked me if ,i often brought my invalid maiden aunt to dine here4 ,invalid maiden aunt8 ,i said with astonishment1 but remembered in a second that ,i had mentioned some such relative 7or was it an uncle87 when we dined in the private room at ,kettner's4 ,mrs4 ,tota laughed and turned to ,m4 ,meschini1 who was beginning to explain the various works of art4 ,the name of ,julia ,neilson1 written in bold characters1 catches the eye as soon as any other inscription on these sections of a wall of days gone by2 but it is well worth while to take the panels one by one1 and to go over these sections of brown plaster inch by inch4 ,mascagni has written the first bars of one of the airs from ,cavalleria ,rusticana1 ,denza has scribbled the opening bars of ,funiculi1 ,funicula1 ,lamoureux has written a tiny hymn of praise to the cook1 ,ysaye has lamented that he is always tied to notes1 which1 with a waiter and a bill at his elbow1 might have a double meaning4 ,phil ,may has dashed some caricatures upon the wall1 a well-meant attempt on the part of a ,german waiter to wash one of these out having resulted in the sack of the said waiter and the glazing of the wall4 ,mario has drawn a picture of a fashionable lady1 and ,val ,prinsep and a dozen artists of like calibre have1 in pencil1 or sepia1 or pastel1 noted brilliant trifles on the wall4 ,paderewski1 ,pucchini1 ,chaminade1 ,calv1 ,piatti1 ,planon1 ,de ,lucia1 ,melba1 ,menpes1 ,tosti1 are some of the signatures2 and as little ,mrs4 ,tota read the names she became as serious as if she were in church1 for this little chamber is in its way a temple dedicated to the artistic great who have dined4 #agth ,december4 99 99 99 99 99 ,i asked ,m4 ,meschini if he would be so kind as to give me the recette for the filets de sole ,pagani1 and here it is just as he wrote it down for me4 ,filets sole ,pagani ,the sole is first of all filleted1 and with the bones1 some mussels1 and a little white wine1 a fume de poisson is made in which the fillets of the sole are then cooked4 ,the cook takes this cuisson1 and by adding some well-chopped fresh mushrooms1 makes with that what he calls a rduction2 to this he adds some velout1 little cream1 fresh butter1 some lemon juice1 pepper and salt1 and cooks the whole together till well mixed1 then passes it l'tamine4 ,with this the sauce is made4 ,the cooked fillets of sole and eight or ten mussels are then placed ready on a silver dish1 and the above made sauce poured over them4 ,the top is well sprinkled with fresh ,parmesan cheese1 and after allowing them to gratiner for a minute or two1 are ready to be put on the customer's table4 ,,chapter ,,xliii ,,claridge',s 7,,brook ,,street7 ,the ,princess was passing through town1 and wrote that she would graciously deign to dine with me4 ,the responsibility of giving dinner to a ,princess1 even though she be not a ,british ,princess1 but the bearer of an ,italian title1 is no light one4 ,claridge's1 the home of kings1 occurred to me at once as the right restaurant at which to entertain ,her ,highness1 for the new and stately hotel that has sprung up in ,brook ,street has a quiet grandeur that is in keeping with its old nickname4 ,the ,claridge's of the past was a comfortable hotel with convenient suites1 but its outside was as philistine as any doctor's house in the street4 ,now the towering red-brick structure1 with its granite columns1 looks like a veritable palace4 ,the proprietor in old days was very much in evidence4 ,he felt the responsibility of having ,royalty under his roof1 and was always waiting in the hall to make his bow4 ,so keenly did he appreciate his proud position that once1 when an enterprising artist took a room at ,claridge's1 so as to be able to observe a ,royal personage who was going to be gently caricatured in a weekly paper1 he being made aware that the crime of lse-majest was being committed1 politely but firmly insisted on the artist taking his portmanteau and paint-brushes elsewhere4 ,royalty might be caricatured1 but it should never be said that the crime was committed at ,claridge's4 ,nowadays ,claridge's is in the hands of a company1 and though1 no doubt1 ,m4 ,mengay1 the manager1 is present to make his bow when ,royalty arrives1 he would not dream of expelling an inquisitive artist2 indeed1 all the caricaturists in ,europe would be welcome if they had the wherewithal to pay their bills1 for ,royalty in the new ,claridge's is given a separate house1 and so is effectually shielded from prying eyes4 ,the right touch of grandeur is given in the porte-cochre1 where the roadway is paved with indiarubber1 so that even the horses shall go softly1 and where the pavement is of marble4 ,it takes a great number of men--six1 ,i think--to open the doors of ,claridge's1 and to show the visitor into the hall2 and as a great number of servants to do very little is one of the characteristics of ,royal residences1 the home of kings in this way asserts itself at its gates4 ,i went in the afternoon to order dinner and secure a table4 ,the six men let me in1 and two higher officials were at my service to direct me to the restaurant2 but ,i did not need any guidance1 for when the new ,claridge's was opened ,i had wandered at will through all the rooms1 had admired the great stone fireplace in the smoking-room1 had passed through the many suites on the higher floors2 ,louis ,quinze suites1 ,louis ,seize suites1 ,empire suites1 ,sheraton and ,adams suites1 and had peeped into the ,royal suite with its blue and green and crimson rooms1 and mahogany furniture4 ,in the restaurant ,i found an old acquaintance in the shape of ,m4 ,deminger1 the matre d'htel4 ,all the small side-tables for the evening were taken1 he said2 but a table for four should be converted into a table for two in order that ,i might be accommodated4 ,the dinner ,i left to ,m4 ,nignon1 the chef de cuisine1 whose handiwork ,i knew well when he was at ,paillard's1 and ,m4 ,nobile1 the manager1 asking only that the dinner should be short1 and saying that though ,i wanted a good dinner ,i did not1 as ,i am not a crowned head or a very wealthy man1 want an inordinately expensive one4 ,at eight punctually the ,princess arrived1 and was received with ceremony by the six at the doors4 ,she was wearing her sable cloak1 which always seems to me to be longer and handsomer than the furs worn by other women1 and a dress of delicate black lace over some soft white material4 ,the pearls and diamonds that are one of the heirlooms of her husband's family1 were round her throat1 and there was a sparkle of diamonds amidst the lace of her dress4 ,the restaurant at ,claridge's is a dignified room4 ,the windows are draped with deep red curtains and purple portires2 the carpet carries on the scheme of quiet reds1 and the chairs have morocco backs of vermilion1 with the arms of the hotel stamped on them in gold4 ,the white plaster ceiling is supported by great arches1 the bases of which and the walls of which are panelled with darkish oak1 into which patterns in olive wood are set4 ,the quiet-footed waiters in evening clothes1 with the arms of the hotel as a badge on the lapels of their coats1 are in keeping with the room4 ,it is a restaurant that is essentially quiet1 a restaurant where hurry on the part of the diners would be out of place1 a restaurant where good digestion should be inseparable from appetite4 ,the music of the band under ,meyer van ,praag lends itself to the benevolent atmosphere of the place4 ,it is soft enough and far away enough not to interfere with conversation4 ,one of the lessons that most restaurant managers refuse to learn is that an aggressive band spoils a good dinner4 ,this was the menu that ,m4 ,rouget1 the second matre d'htel1 laid down by my plate as we took our seats3-- ,hors-d'uvre varis4 ,crme ,princesse4 ,sole d',aumale4 ,poulet de grain la ,carifnon4 ,dlice de jambon frapp au champagne4 ,bcassine flambe ,empire4 ,salade d'endive4 ,asperges ,anglaises la d',yvette4 ,bombe ,claridge4 ,petits fours4 ,while ,i was reading this through with appreciation the ,princess was looking round the room and at the people dining4 ,the wide spaces left between the tables met with her thorough approval1 for the fact that one's neighbours hear every word that one says at many of the ,london restaurants is not an incentive to conversation4 ,a lady in white at the next table to ours also met with approval1 and the ,princess1 serenely secure in the consciousness of being perfectly dressed1 could afford to praise another woman's gown4 ,four men dining together at the tables drew from the ,princess what sounded to me like a long extract from ,debrett1 and ,i added an item of information as to the owner of a handsome face that was to be seen at one time on the stage1 and which marriage withdrew from the gaze of the public4 ,while we trifled with the hors-d'uvre the manager came to our table1 and in the course of conversation told us that the ,portuguese ,ambassador had entertained ,h4,r4,h4 the ,prince of ,wales in one of the private dining-rooms the evening before4 ,i felt inclined to say that ,i1 too1 entertained the great ones of the earth at ,claridge's1 but ,i reflected that humility was becoming in me1 even though a ,princess had been kind enough to dine with me4 ,the thick soup was good2 but in no way remarkable4 ,i do not care for thick soups1 and the ,princess only took a few spoonfuls from her plate4 ,the sole1 with its oysters and truffles1 was very well cooked1 and so was the chicken1 with its savoury stuffing of macaroni and truffles4 ,the dlice de jambon was a triumph1 light and dainty1 with a delicate blending of flavours1 a dish which marked the man who made it as an artist in his calling4 ,the bcassine was a toothsome mouthful1 the asparagus was good1 and the bombe ,claridge was as admirable in its way as the dlice had been4 ,an excellent dinner1 as a whole1 with two dishes that were supreme works of culinary art4 ,we drank the wine of the good widow ,clicquot4 ,i paid my bill4 ,two couverts1 #bs42 hors-d'uvre1 #bs42 crme ,princesse1 #ds42 sole1 #ds4 #f;d42 poulet de grain1 #abs42 mousse jambon1 #ds4 #f;d42 bcassine1 #ajs42 salade1 #as4 #f;d42 asperges1 #hs42 bombe1 #cs42 caf1 #bs42 liqueurs1 #cs4 #f;d42 wines1 #aes42 total1 #c3 #abs4 ,dinner over1 we sat in the comfortable reading-room1 where the chairs of blue silk striped velvet match the cerulean tint of the walls1 until the brougham was announced1 and the ,princess was duly ushered out by the faithful six4 #bdth ,december4 99 99 99 99 99 ,m4 ,nignon1 the chef of ,claridge's1 was in days past the chef at ,paillard's in ,paris1 the best-known perhaps of all the restaurants there4 ,he has brought with him to ,claridge's many specialities in cooking4 ,this is a list of the dishes which he has given me as specialities of the ,claridge's cuisine4 ,potages ,bortsch la ,russe--,consomm ,madrileine--,consomm la ,parme--,consomm ,czarmina--,consomm veloutine l',imprial--,crme ,comtesse--,crme ,waleska--,crme de chapon ,virien--,crme ambassadrice4 ,poissons ,truite saumonne la d',artois--,truite saumonne la ,villard--,turbotin souffl la ,marchale--,turbotin au vin du ,rhin l',allemande--,sole la d',aubigny--,sole au madre la ,valois--,suprme de sole la ,valira--,suprme de sole en pigramme la ,mondaine--,suprme de sole la d',orlans--,d',artois de sole la ,polignac--,hutres la ,kotchoubey4 ,entres ,noisettes de filet de buf la ,ropan--,noisettes de filet de buf la ,colbert--,tournedos la ,valencia--,tournedos la ,chancellire--,tournedos la ,cambacres--,tournedos la ,valence--,mdaillon de pr-sal ,chanford--,mdaillon de pr-sal la ,clo de ,mrode--,noisettes d'agneau ,ainlie--,noisettes d'agneau ,beaumanoir--,cte de buf flambe ,empire--,filet de buf flamb la ,brechlair--,cur de filet de buf ,canclan--,poularde ,rozollie--,poularde souffl la ,royale--,poularde la bire la ,russe--,poularde ,st-,cloud--,poulet reine au fumet la ,carignon--,poulet reine la ,florentine4 ,chaudes et ,froides4--,mousseline de jambon chaude au champagne--,mousse de poularde au porto dor--,mousseline d'pinards la ,maintenon--,mousse de langue chaude l',ecarlate--,mousse de foie gras chaude la ,parisienne4 ,froides4--,jeannette de poularde--,dlices de pois--,ballotine de volaille sur socle4 ,entres ,froides ,ris de veau la ,norvgienne--,aspic de volaille la ,ducale--,caneton de ,rouen la ,claridge--,caneton de ,rouen en surprise--,ramequin au nid--,poularde cendrillon--,terrine de foie gras au porto la ,savaraff--,croustade de blanc de volaille ,chtelaine4 ,poissons ,froids ,darne de saumon la ,pickla--,truite saumonne la ,sudoise--,truite saumonne ,ratelire--,langouste la ,csarine--,homarde la ,parisienne--,escalopes de turbot ,bagration--,turban de suprme de sole ,victoria--,turbotin la ,moscovite--,queues d'crevisses en chartreuse--,mousse de homard ,le ,run--,salade de poisson la ,russe4 ,entremets ,ponchardrin la ,bourdalouse--,souffl ,palfit--,souffl ,vizir--,souffl ,metternich--,mignon souffl l',orange4 ,glaces ,bombe ,claridge--,bombe ,suzette--,bombe ,prince de ,galles--,biscuit ,tortone--,cremolata--,pain d',espagne ,comtesse ,marie--,pices ,vnitiennes--,tutti frutti--,trauch ,canelli--,orange crmeuse--,fraises ,archiduchesse4 ,,chapter ,,xliv ,h,,tel ,,de ,,paris 7,,leicester ,,place7 ,he is a rising young artist with an idea1 an idea which is1 or was1 to make him and me rich beyond dreams of avarice2 all that is wanted now being a publisher who will see matters in the same light that the rising young artist does1 and who will spend a hundred thousand pounds to back his belief4 ,gentlemen1 do not all speak at once4 ,the rising young artist wanted to talk to me quietly for an hour1 to unfold his brilliant idea1 and it seemed to me that it would be an economy of time to eat dinner and learn how a fortune can be made at one and the same time4 ,let us go to some very quiet place1 then1 said the rising artist1 for if any one were to overhear he might forestall us1 and then---- ,the rising artist shrugged his shoulders and spread out his hands2 and ,i saw the possibilities of a steam yacht1 and a shooting-box in ,scotland1 and a couple of horses in training at ,newmarket all vanishing into air4 ,such a calamity as being forestalled should not occur if ,i could help it1 ,i said3 and appointed a meeting at a club whence we would walk to a dining-place2 and the particular dining-place ,i had in my mind's eye was the ,htel de ,paris1 in ,leicester ,place1 which is quiet1 has no disturbing element in the form of a band1 and is almost entirely patronised by ,french people1 who probably would not have understood the rising artist's idea1 even if they had overheard it4 ,the ,htel de ,paris does not thrust itself upon the public gaze4 ,you pass between the two great restaurants that are springing into existence in ,leicester ,square4 ,to the right is the modest faade of the ,french ,embassy chapel4 ,to the left a lamp1 with ,htel de ,paris on it1 marks the hotel1 and a large framed bill of fare shows that here also is the restaurant4 ,passing through a little hall1 where a page and hall-porter bow with exceeding politeness1 you turn to the right and find a glass door1 with the word ,restaurant on it1 facing you4 ,the rising artist was punctual to his appointment1 and by a quarter to eight we were settled down at a table for two in the restaurant1 a ,t-shaped room1 with two arches where the upright of the ,t joins the cross-line2 and ,m4 ,conrarie1 the manager1 his moustaches turned upwards and his frock-coat of the neatest1 was standing by1 while a waiter1 in plain evening clothes1 submitted to us the menu of the table-d'hte dinner for the day4 ,this was it3-- ,printanier ,royal4 ,crme de cleri4 ,cabillaud4 ,sauce ,hollandaise4 ,blanchille4 ,poulet au riz4 ,tte de veau en tortue4 ,filet de buf4 ,tomates farcies4 ,epinards la crme4 ,panier ,chantilly4 ,dessert4 ,we made our selection of dishes1 and ,i ordered a bottle of #ahhi ,perrier-,jout2 for the building up of a fortune could not be talked over with the accompaniment of any meaner wine than champagne4 ,the rising artist looked carefully round the rooms4 ,it is a pretty restaurant1 with a paper of gold sprays of foliage on a blue background1 with many mirrors1 with the green of palm-leaves by the two arches1 with painted-glass windows1 with electric lights dependent from the papered ceiling and in red and yellow shaded lamps on the tables4 ,the tables are dotted about the room at convenient distances1 and it was at the diners sitting at these tables that the rising artist was looking curiously to assure himself that what he was going to say would not be overheard4 ,the diners1 with the exception of ourselves1 were all foreigners4 ,an old ,frenchman1 with a white moustache and black silk cravat tied in a great bow1 was giving dinner to a smooth-faced youth who probably was his son4 ,next to them was a gentleman with a peaked beard who looked like a musician2 then three young men with down on their chins talking eagerly and gesticulating vehemently4 ,a gentleman with a very long beard who talked ,english with a foreign accent to the waiter1 and who possibly was a ,russian1 was at the table next to us1 and through the arches we could see a hat with black feathers and a dainty little profile of a face with a tip-tilted nose1 as well as more ,frenchmen1 fat and thin1 bearded and clean-shaven4 ,the rising artist was apparently satisfied with his scrutiny2 and1 as ,i dallied with a sardine and he with some other hors-d'uvre1 he opened the proceedings by asking me what ,i intended to do with my half of the fortune we were going to make4 ,being a practical and prudent man1 ,i said that that depended upon the number of tens of thousands a year that we should realise1 but that ,i had already decided on buying a large steam yacht and hiring a moor in ,scotland and having a few horses in training4 ,the soup then made its appearance1 and did not meet with our approval1 for the chef had remedied a lack of strength by a liberal sprinkling from the sauce-bottle4 ,it was not in keeping with the excellently-cooked dishes that followed4 ,the rising artist was going to spend his thousands in a different manner4 ,he thought of building such a house and studio as ,london had never seen before4 ,his collection of modern pictures was going to be small but very good1 while a few chefs-d'uvre of the old masters--,velasquez1 ,van ,dyck1 and ,rembrandt for choice--would satisfy him4 ,he did not care about racing or shooting1 but his carriage horses would be the best obtainable1 and he thought of building a tennis-court when he bought a little house in the country4 ,the whitebait was excellently cooked1 and led us into conversation as to the cooks we should presently require4 ,a ,frenchman who had at some time served under the great ,cubat and understood ,russian dishes was my idea of what would be my requirements1 while the rising artist simply thought of going to ,matre ,escoffier and asking him for the best cook he had under him at the time4 ,the rising artist said that the poulet au riz was well cooked1 and my tte de veau was succulent and beautifully hot4 ,i began to think that it was about time that my young friend propounded his idea2 but he lingered lovingly over the details of his studio and tennis-court1 and seemed more inclined to tell me how to spend the money than how to make it4 ,the filet de buf was cooked exactly to a ,frenchman's taste1 a trifle too much for an ,englishman's2 the tomatoes and spinach were all that could be wished4 ,now1 ,i said1 let's hear all about your wonderful idea4 ,the rising artist looked round again to be sure that nobody1 not even a waiter1 was within hearing1 and then whispered across the table the broad lines of the plan he had conceived for making our joint fortune4 ,when he had finished he leaned back in his chair with the triumphant air of a man who has laid the ace1 king1 queen1 and knave of trumps on the table4 ,i was thinking that the champagne was far too good for the idea4 ,the cream in its bread casing was put before us and ,i ordered coffee and liqueurs4 ,where do you expect to find a publisher who'll risk tens or hundreds of thousands to do this8 ,i asked4 ,oh1 any publisher with any pluck will jump at it1 said the rising artist airily4 ,it will be part of your share of the work to find our man4 ,i paid the bill3 two dinners1 #fs42 two cafs spciaux1 #as42 champagne1 #ads42 two fine champagnes1 #as4 #f;d42 total1 #a3 #b3 #f2 shook hands with the rising artist1 and told him ,i was going out to try and find that publisher4 ,if any one knows of a publisher who would be likely to risk1 say1 #ajj1jjj in carrying out an artistic idea1 ,i should be glad of his name and address4 #bhth ,january4 ,,chapter ,,xlv ,,the ,,walsingham ,,house 7,,piccadilly7 ,oh1 yes1 said my maiden aunt4 ,i read of your going out to dinners and taking actresses and grass-widows and other pretty ladies to dine4 ,i wonder you are not tired of so much frivolity4 ,i answered meekly that the worthlessness of my life was often felt seriously by me1 and that ,i took actresses and grass-widows out to dinner because they were kind enough to say that they enjoyed such little outings2 but that ,i would really prefer much more serious company4 ,my aunt drew down the corners of her mouth and looked at me through her spectacles with supreme disapproval4 ,if ,i could only1 ,i went on1 revelling in my wickedness1 secure a missionary lady1 or a captain in the ,salvation ,army1 or a shining light of the ,pioneer ,club1 or even one of my maiden aunts1 as a dining companion1 do you think for a moment that ,i would dally with the butterflies of the pasture or the stage8 ,my maiden aunt was so angry that she sniffed4 ,as if you would think of asking us6 she said with a snap4 ,i have noticed you have been facetious at the expense of an imaginary invalid aunt2 but you would be very sorry to ask me out really4 ,but ,i do ask you4 ,it would be one of the greatest honours of my life to entertain you at dinner4 ,my aunt sat silent for a moment or two1 her lips so tightly shut that they were almost white4 ,then there came a tiny twinkle in her eyes4 ,very well1 she said1 when you name an evening ,i'll come--just to punish you4 ,i felt afterwards that ,i had done a bold thing1 and while ,i was about it ,i rather regretted that ,i had not asked my grave and spectacled relative to sup at a ,bohemian restaurant--the contrast would have been as delicious as a souffl en surprise2 but dinner it had to be1 and as the good lady told all the rest of the family that ,i had asked her to dinner1 but was meanly trying to get out of the offer1 ,i wrote a formal invitation requesting the pleasure of her company at the ,walsingham ,house at #h ,p4,m41 and to this ,i received a formal answer of acceptance4 ,the ,walsingham ,house restaurant is in the house which the ,isthmian ,club occupied so long1 and it forms part of the block of chambers and hotels that stretches from the ,green ,park to ,arlington ,street4 ,its name in great gilt letters stands out boldly on the red-brick face2 and the twin entrances1 with glass shelters1 one to the dwelling-house1 the other to the restaurant1 have become well-known features of ,piccadilly4 ,a flight of steps leads up from the door to the restaurant1 and at the top of these stairs there is a comfortable ante-room2 but ,i preferred to wait by the fireplace in the hall1 so as to be on the spot when my aunt arrived4 ,she came in a four-wheeler1 the driver of which is a special retainer of hers4 ,he is sober and he goes to church1 and as the possessor of these two cardinal virtues1 he is retained to drive my aunt on all special occasions4 ,i saw the glint of her spectacles through the cab window1 and went out to welcome her4 ,well1 ,i've come1 you see1 she said with a certain amount of grimness2 and when ,i said that that was the proudest moment of my life1 she bridled and tossed her head to show how much faith she put in speeches of that kind4 ,i told the faithful cabman that he had better be in evidence at half-past nine1 and then ,i waited on the landing while my aunt went up to the region of the second floor to leave her cloak4 ,when she reappeared1 ,i found that she was in her raiment of ceremony1 and felt duly honoured4 ,she was wearing her best black silk dress1 a dress of such richness of silk that--so the family tradition goes--it will stand up of itself1 and her most highly ornamented lace cap4 ,she had her thick gold chain on1 her brooch of rose diamonds1 and her long enamel earrings4 ,i ushered her in to the table for two1 which ,i had reserved1 and she settled down with a rustle1 and then looked round somewhat defiantly4 ,are you well known here8 she asked1 and ,i said that ,i occasionally lunched or dined in the restaurant4 ,i only hope that they won't take me for one of your actress friends--that's all1 she said1 and1 do what ,i could1 ,i could not prevent the corners of my mouth from twitching4 ,i was told severely that it was no laughing matter2 and1 putting her fan down by her plate1 my aunt took up the menu and read it through3-- ,hors-d'uvre4 ,crote au pot4 ,mock turtle4 ,filets de sole ,dutru4 ,tournedos ,walsingham4 ,pommes souffles4 ,suprme de volaille ,jeannette4 ,canard sauvage4 ,salade4 ,artichauts ,hollandaises4 ,glaces ,napolitaines4 ,patisserie4 ,my respected relative knows what constitutes a good dinner as well as anybody does2 and though she would have dearly loved to be able to pick a hole in the menu1 she put it down with a satisfied expression1 and1 indeed1 except for the crote au pot1 which is to me what ,king ,charles's head was to poor ,mr4 ,dick1 it was a very well-considered dinner4 ,i ate the mock turtle1 very good soup1 but still a foreigner's idea of what is a thoroughly ,britannic dish1 and while ,i did so my aunt1 who had refused soup1 sat and watched me4 ,you have been getting terribly stout of late years1 she said1 as ,i put down my spoon1 and for a man with a neck like yours that is dangerous4 ,there is apoplexy in the family2 one of your poor dear great-uncles died in an apoplectic fit4 ,he always ate and drank too much1 poor fellow4 ,the filets de sole1 with their slight flavouring of cheese and accompanying shrimps and moules1 were excellent4 ,my aunt supped her champagne1 and the corners of her mouth relaxed4 ,but she still had some ammunition to fire away4 ,you were not at church last ,sunday1 she said with severity2 but that was a matter ,i declined to discuss while eating dinner1 and1 to change the subject1 ,i drew her attention to the beauties of the room1 the deep frieze admirably painted with subjects of the chase1 showing how our skin-clad ancestors collected their venison and game birds1 the cunningly concealed lights1 the panelling of inlaid woods1 the white pillars and cornices just touched with gold1 the comfortable brown-red carpet and chairs to match it1 the curtains of deep crimson velvet1 the ceiling with its little cupids floating on roseate clouds2 and the old lady nodded her head in approval4 ,m4 ,renato1 the spick-and-span little manager2 the waiters with white waistcoats1 gold buttons to their coats1 and a thin piping of gold on their collars2 the band playing subdued music1 the brass candelabra on the table with red shades1 the fine napery and glass1 were all noted by her4 ,i told my aunt that the coat-of-arms on the china1 supported by two griffins scratching their backs with their noses1 were the arms of the ,de ,greys1 and with a ,hoity-toity6 ,i was requested not to give her lectures in heraldry4 ,the tournedos ,walsingham1 with truffles1 fonds d'artichauts and a pink sauce so cunningly mixed that one could not tell what the ingredients were1 showed the artistic hand of ,m4 ,dutru2 and the cold entre1 the suprme de volaille served on a rock of glass1 was excellent4 ,my aunt by now was in an inquiring mood1 and wanted to know if there were any of my actress friends among the many diners--for by half-past eight nearly every table was occupied4 ,i was sorry that ,i could not show her any lights of the stage1 but ,i could tell her of the ,irish lord who was giving a family dinner-party1 of the old general dining tte--tte with his son1 and of the three foreign attachs who were inventing fables as to the ,dreyfus case for each other's benefit4 ,the duck1 the artichokes1 and the ice were all that they should be1 and my aunt was thoroughly pleased1 for she told me1 smilingly1 that she had always considered me the scapegrace of the family4 ,i paid my bill4 ,two dinners1 #aes42 two cafs doubles1 #as4 #f;d42 champagne1 #aes42 liqueurs1 #bs42 total1 #a3 #ac3 #f4 ,the faithful cabman was waiting outside1 and as my aunt got into the cab she tapped me on the arm with her fan1 and said that she had enjoyed herself4 ,perhaps1 after all1 the old lady will remember me in her will4 #bast ,january4 99 99 99 99 99 ,i asked ,mons4 ,gelardi1 the manager of the ,walsingham ,house1 if he would be so kind as to give me the recette for the tournedos ,walsingham1 and ,m4 ,dutru very kindly wrote it out for me4 ,tournedos ,walsingham ,faire sauter les tournedos feu vif3 dresser sur fonds d'artichauts et saucer d'une sauce madre avec lames de truffes2 envoyer part une saucire de ,barnaise la tomate et pommes4 ,illustration ,cook your tournedos over a quick fire1 place them on fonds d'artichauts and add ,madeira sauce and sliced truffles4 ,serve separately ,barnaise sauce la tomate and potatoes4 ,m4 ,gelardi also told me of a dinner for fifty people that was to be served at the ,walsingham the next night1 and showed me the menu4 ,hors-d'uvre4 ,caviar4 ,saumon fum4 ,tortue claire4 ,velout printanier ,royal4 ,truite saumone glace au champagne4 ,sole la ,meunire4 ,filets de poulet aux truffes4 ,petits pois l'anglaise4 ,selle d'agneau de ,galles4 ,artichauts aux frais herbes4 ,suprme de cailles ,valsingham4 ,timbale d'crevisses ,amricaine4 ,sorbet au ,clicquot ,ros4 ,caneton de ,rouen ,rouennaise4 ,salade ,rachel4 ,asperges d',argenteuil hollandaise4 ,cerise ,jubil4 ,bombe ,alaska4 ,friandises4 ,souffl au ,paprica4 ,dessert4 ,,chapter ,,xlvi ,,challis',s 7,,rupert ,,street7 ,i felt like an extract from a ,christmas story after the manner of ,charles ,dickens4 ,i was the unfortunate1 desponding individual driven at ,christmas time to eat a solitary dinner in a deserted club1 and as ,i sat down to the little table1 with three waiters regarding me with placid curiosity1 ,i felt a savage discontent that no spirit of a dead sweetheart of days gone by1 no child-angel1 would appear to me as they always do to the morose heroes of ,christmas stories4 ,i had been reduced to solitude1 moroseness1 and a club dinner by the possession of two tickets for ,barnum and ,bailey's great show at ,olympia4 ,it was the day after ,boxing ,day1 and ,i felt sure in the afternoon that ,i should find a companion eager to see the performance and previously to dine quietly at some little restaurant where dress-clothes would not be en rgle4 ,somehow or other ,i found it very difficult to secure my man4 ,it was the dream of the life of every man ,i met to go to ,olympia2 but not to go there on ,tuesday night4 ,if ,i could change the tickets for others for ,wednesday1 or ,thursday1 or ,friday night ,i could have had a choice of fifty companions1 but on ,tuesday all the married men said they had to dine at home with their wives2 all the unmarried ones had some other engagement4 ,i began to feel that ,i was shunned by mankind1 and instead of thinking that ,i was conferring a great favour by an offer of the spare ticket1 ,i adopted an almost imploring tone1 begging for companionship4 ,i wandered from club to club1 taking a gloomy pleasure in the sloppy streets and the vestiges of the gale of the night before4 ,they fitted well with my growing melancholy4 ,it was too late to send the tickets back and to go home and dine4 ,i had to dree my weird1 and1 like the ,wandering ,jew1 ,i moved on from place to place1 seeking a companion and finding none4 ,at the last club ,i went to--a little ,bohemian club--,i found my man4 ,he was playing dominoes4 ,when ,i interrupted the game to ask him if he would dine with me and come to ,olympia1 instead of making an excuse1 as the others had done1 he said that nothing in the world would please him better4 ,he had to go home for a minute or to1 but would be back1 he said1 at the club at a quarter to seven4 ,we would stroll over to some bright1 cheap restaurant and have a mouthful of food1 and then take cab and see the horses and gymnasts1 freaks and miniature warships4 ,i felt ,i had at all events one friend in the world4 ,a quarter to seven came and the club was deserted by everybody except a member asleep in an armchair and myself4 ,i sat and watched the clock1 and three waiters stood by the little tables at the end of the room and looked at me and talked in whispers to each other4 ,the minute-hand drew gradually up to the hour1 and as it did so ,i sank down into the depths of despondency4 ,my friend had deserted me1 basely deserted me1 or else he was killed1 run over perhaps1 or struck by a falling chimney4 ,the minute-hand went on to five minutes past1 the member in the armchair snored gently and regularly1 the waiters seemed to look at me pityingly4 ,pity from a waiter ,i could not endure4 ,i got up and went over to one of the little tables and sat down4 ,the waiters looked placidly pleased4 ,i was relieving the monotony of their lives4 ,i said ,i would take the club dinner and a whisky-and-soda1 and when two of the waiters faded away1 the other remained on guard4 ,i put my elbows on the table1 and my head in my hands1 and felt that ,i was indeed the morose hero of pathetic ,christmas magazine literature4 ,my soup was brought1 and a whisky-and-soda deposited tenderly by the side of the plate1 when the door was flung open1 and in came my missing friend clothed in evening dress and radiant4 ,there was an engagement he had forgotten3 he was taking a lady to dine at ,challis's--new little place of ,baker's--a thousand apologies--,i must cancel club dinner and come over--couldn't keep the lady waiting--see me again in two minutes4 ,and he was out of the room again like a well-dressed whirlwind4 ,i did cancel the rest of my club dinner1 to the suppressed grief of the three waiters1 who saw thus the only relief to their boredom vanish4 ,i put on hat and coat and walked through the darkness and slush to ,rupert ,street1 where two great ornamental lamps made a brave splash of light in the gloom1 and where a tablet of opal glass with ruby lettering on it1 dependent from a highly-ornamental glass and metal door-shelter1 set forth that here was the restaurant of ,challis's ,hotel4 ,to go from the darkness of the street by the direct door into the restaurant is like the transition in the pantomime from the ,realms of the ,demon ,gloom to the ,glittering ,palace of the ,good ,fairy2 and1 in my splashed boots and morning attire1 ,i felt like the solitary scene-shifter who is generally discovered in the midst of the glittering scene when the front cloth rises4 ,challis's ,restaurant consists of two rooms1 opening one into the other1 one decorated after the manner of the ,louis ,,xiv4 period1 and the other after the manner of the ,louis ,,xv4 period4 ,both are as pretty as a bride-cake or a silk ,watteau fan4 ,white and gold and soft colour are everywhere4 ,the ceilings are painted with clouds and little roseate deities1 and echoes of ,fragonard1 and the other courtly painters of dainty sylvan dreams are in the panels of the wall4 ,the place blazes with electric light1 a starry constellation in the ceiling1 lights shaded with blue and pink and old-gold shades in brackets on the wall1 and on the table candle-lamps crowned with deep red shades4 ,a palm topping a little chiffonnier of white wood1 a fireplace with pillars of white-and-gold1 and little bronzes on the mantelpiece2 chairs of dark wood1 in keeping with the period2 a carpet of deep red1 and in one corner a little counter of white wood1 with a pretty little lady behind it4 ,such was as much as ,i can remember of the setting of a scene in which ,i should not have been the least surprised to have seen little abbs and marquises feasting on syllabub and various dainties1 and dancing pavanes and minuets and gavottes between the courses4 ,a waiter in white waistcoat and with gold buttons to his coat1 was waiting to take my coat and hat1 and my friend was beckoning me to a table where he was sitting with a pretty lady in evening dress4 ,i was introduced1 but did not catch the pretty lady's name4 ,she seemed to look upon it as being the most natural thing in the world that ,i should have been brought away half-way through one dinner to eat another1 and so did my friend2 and as it all seemed to be part of a ,christmas story1 it all became natural to me4 ,if ,santa ,claus and ,st4 ,george and the ,dragon had come in and taken seats at one of the neighbouring tables ,i do not think that on that particular night ,i should have thought the matter called for any particular remark4 ,every man but myself was in dress clothes1 and ,i felt very like the ,ugly ,duckling2 but the unknown pretty lady did not allow me to be ill at ease4 ,she talked1 and talked admirably1 on subject after subject1 gliding from pictures to theatres1 from books to music1 with perfect ease and knowledge4 ,my friend sat in silent contentment1 and ,i in a dazed state of wonder as to who this clever pretty lady might be1 and how it was my friend could have forgotten his appointment with her1 and ,i felt very thankful to her for being at the trouble to talk to a mud-splashed outcast like myself4 ,this was the menu-- ,hors-d'uvre varis4 ,consomm aux ,profiterolles4 ,crme ,jackson4 ,blanchailles4 ,civet de livre la ,franaise4 ,aloyau la moderne4 ,poulet rti au cresson4 ,salade4 ,choux la crme4 ,glace aux apricots4 ,petits fours4 ,dessert4 ,the whitebait1 which was the first dish ,i tasted1 was good4 ,the beef and the chicken were both as good as the market affords4 ,we drank a light hock which was eminently drinkable1 and when ,m4 ,coccioletti1 in explanation1 as he presented the bill1 said to my friend1 ,three dinners at #cs4 #f;d41 it struck me that ,i had eaten a very good dinner for that price4 ,good-bye1 old fellow--explain next time we meet--hope you'll have a good time at ,olympia1 was what my friend said as he helped the fair unknown into a brougham1 and got in after her4 ,she smiled at me4 ,i was left on the doorstep with the awful responsibility of those two tickets for ,barnum and ,bailey's show4 #cast ,december4 ,,chapter ,,xlvii ,,epitaux',s 7,,the ,,haymarket7 ,the handwriting on the letter was familiar4 ,the letter bore a ,u4,s4,a4 stamp4 ,i wondered why ,miss ,dainty1 of all the principal ,london theatres1 whom ,i had seen off one day last summer from ,st4 ,pancras1 whence she started for the land of ,dollars1 and from whom ,i had not heard since1 should have suddenly found reason to correspond with me4 ,miss ,dainty informed me that she was having a high old time in the ,states1 that she was drawing a princely salary1 that ,jack1 the fighting fox-terrier1 was very well and as pugnacious as ever1 and that she had not yet made up her mind which of the many wealthy men who had laid their money-bags at her feet she was going to marry4 ,the real reason of the letter lay in the last sentence1 in which she told me that a real nice girl who had been her room-mate on tour1 was coming to ,england1 to join a theatrical company1 by the steamer that would carry her letter1 and would ,i1 she wrote1 be of any service to the fair stranger ,i could1 for her sake4 ,i wrote to the theatre introducing myself1 at ,miss ,dainty's desire1 asking if ,i could be of any service1 and suggesting to ,miss ,belle that if she would be kind enough to let me talk to her for half an hour1 ,i should like to do so on ,sunday across a dinner-table1 and proposing ,epitaux's in the ,haymarket as being quiet and bright4 ,miss ,belle1 in a little letter ending1 ,yours cordially1 wrote that she would be pleased to dine1 and added that ,miss ,dainty had often spoken of me4 ,in one matter ,epitaux's is deficient--there is no entrance lounge or waiting-room4 ,a very smart little buffet1 with ornamental glass windows1 faces the street1 and alongside this a narrow entrance passage1 gorgeous in white and gold1 leads to a short flight of steps and the glass doors which shield the restaurant4 ,i had asked ,miss ,belle to dine at eight1 and ,i waited at the street entrance1 hoping that instinct would point her out to me when she arrived4 ,two men drove up in a hansom4 ,a brougham disgorged a married couple4 ,then a hansom came with a clatter down the ,haymarket1 pulled up1 and a lady1 good-looking and very becomingly attired1 opened the doors and prepared to get out4 ,the commissionaire put the guard over the wheel1 and ,miss ,belle1 for there could be no doubt that it was she1 jumped down before ,i had time to introduce myself and offer a hand4 ,miss ,belle said a pretty word or two as to the invitation to dinner1 and hoped she was not late2 and as we went up the entrance passage she told me that she considered ,miss ,dainty the sweetest girl upon earth1 and that she would have recognised me from the picture that ,miss ,dainty had shown her4 ,miss ,belle allowed me to help her off with her coat1 while ,i explained that ,i had chosen ,epitaux's for our dining-place because it is comparatively small1 and that ,i was not likely to miss her arrival1 as might have happened at ,princes' or the ,savoy4 ,the pretty lady1 looking round the dainty bonbonnire of a restaurant--with its walls of the lightest cream colour1 its pilasters and cornices picked out with gold1 its panels of deep blue-green stamped velvet1 its musicians' gallery filled with palms1 under which in a glass-enclosed room a young lady in black serves out the wines and liqueurs1 its blaze of electric lights on the walls and its shaded lights on the tables--approved thoroughly of my choice4 ,she had been at parties at ,princes' and the ,savoy1 the ,cecil and ,romano's1 since she arrived a fortnight ago2 but she thought ,epitaux's1 which was new to her1 very snug and nice4 ,i hoped that ,miss ,belle had had a good passage1 but she had not2 and ,i trusted that to make up for bad weather she had had pleasant fellow-passengers2 but the passengers seemed to have been as indifferent as the weather4 ,messrs4 ,costa and ,rizzi1 the two proprietors--one tall1 with a moustache that a cavalryman might envy2 the other short1 with a grizzled beard--had been hovering by the table1 and the head waiter1 with the carte de jour in one hand1 and the menu of the table-d'hte dinner in the other1 was waiting for orders4 ,i chose the table-d'hte dinner-- ,hors-d'uvre varis4 ,crote au pot4 ,crme ,dubarry4 ,filets de sole ,portugaise4 ,whitebait4 ,ctelettes d'agneau aux pointes d'asperges4 ,canard sauvage4 ,salade4 ,cleri la molle4 ,biscuit glac au chocolat4 ,canap de laitances la ,diable4 ,dessert4 --and ordered a bottle of ,g4,h4 ,mumm1 #ahhi4 ,miss ,belle1 having settled down into conversational mood1 told me that she had rooms in a house in ,bloomsbury in which some of the other ladies of the company lived4 ,we girls go about together4 ,we go everywhere1 and nobody ever says anything to us4 ,yes1 sir4 ,that is one thing ,i will say about ,englishmen1 as a rule they are not fresh4 ,she was quite surprised that ,english girls did not do the same4 ,in the security of this sisterhood there was nowhere she and the other girls could not go4 ,the night before1 five of them had taken a private room at the ,trocadro1 and had supped by themselves with great content1 rejoicing in the absence of man4 ,the ,london policemen were the institutions that in your dirty old town met with thorough approval from ,miss ,belle4 ,she warranted them polite and ready to answer questions4 ,if you ask anything of a ,new ,york policeman you get a hard look back and that's all4 ,the crote au pot was strong1 but too salt4 ,i am1 perhaps1 prejudiced against the eternal crote au pot and petite marmite4 ,miss ,belle1 who took the thick soup1 approved of it highly4 ,the filets de sole ,portugaise were admirable4 ,we had a table at the far end of the room from the kitchen1 which accounted for the whitebait1 excellently cooked as it was1 not being as hot as whitebait should be4 ,i felt that ,i had cross-examined ,miss ,belle as much as politeness allowed1 so ,i told her something of the history of ,epitaux's2 how the site was originally that of ,foote's ,theatre in the ,haymarket--,foote the witty buffoon1 who was a big enough man in his day to pose as a rival to ,garrick--and how at a later period it became the ,caf de l',europe4 ,here1 in the ante-early-closing days1 after the midnight farce at the ,haymarket ,theatre next door1 the stern critics of the pit would come to eat their chop1 or ,welsh-rabbit1 or tripe and onions1 and talk learnedly of plays and players till two in the morning4 ,and ,i told ,miss ,belle of the old ,epitaux's in the ,opera colonnade1 the name of which has been transferred to the new establishment in the ,haymarket2 how in the early ,victorian days it was one of the very few restaurants where good ,french cookery could be found1 and how the ,iron ,duke1 and other famous men used to give little dinner-parties there4 ,then ,miss ,belle took up the running1 and told me of the restaurants of modern ,new ,york1 of the up-town ,delmonico's1 which has been built since ,i crossed the herring-pond1 and of ,sherry's1 ,martin's1 ,burns's1 and ,shandley's1 the three latter ,bohemian1 but not the less comfortable for that4 ,the cutlets were excellent1 and the asparagus the best ,i have tasted this winter1 while the duck was cooked to an absolute nicety4 ,the biscuit glac au chocolat was as delightful and evanescent as a good dream4 ,altogether it was a very good dinner1 though the cook did have a little accident with the salt-cellar in preparing the crote au pot4 ,miss ,belle told me of her tour in the same company with ,miss ,dainty1 of adventures at one-night stands1 of cowboys who brought their bronchos for the ladies of the company to ride1 and other tales that amused me much while we drank our coffee and liqueurs4 ,guess ,i've talked a streak1 she said1 when in a pause ,i asked for my bill4 ,two dinners1 #aes42 two cafs1 #as42 champagne1 #ads42 liqueurs1 #bs42 total #a3 #abs41 was what ,i paid4 #dth ,january4 ,,the ,,end ,printed by ,r4 ,r4 ,,clark1 ,,limited1 ,edinburgh 99 99 99 99 99 ,,all ,,doctors ,,agree that ,max ,greger's ,hungarian ,wines are ,,rejuvenating and ,,invigorating ,,baron ,,liebig1 in a letter which excited much attention at the time1 announced boldly the reason of his belief in the use of ,hungarian ,wines4 ,recommended1 alike for the ,anmic and the ,robust1 by the highest ,medical ,authorities for over #ce years4 ,see that every cork bears the brand ,,max ,,greger1 without it the ,wine is not genuine4 ,in ,bottles and ,screw-,stoppered ,flagons4 ,from #aes4 to #fjs4 per doz4 ,,of ,,all ,,wine ,,merchants4 ,sole ,proprietors3 ,,septimus ,,parsonage ,co41 ,ltd41 #de1 ,st4 ,thomas ,street1 ,,london1 ,s4,e4 99 99 99 99 99 ,mustard ,manufacturers by ,special ,warrant to the ,queen ,colman's ,d4 ,s4 ,f4 ,mustard ,,see ,,that ,,the ,,name ,,is ,,on ,,the ,,tin ,colman's ,corn ,flour ,,for ,,blanc ,,manges1 ,,custards1 c4 ,colman's ,self,rising ,flour ,,for ,,making ,,bread1 ,,pastry1 ,,cakes1 ,,puddings1 ,,scones1 c1 c4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,scott',s ,telegraphic ,address--,,scott',s1 ,,london4 ,telephone ,no4 #beac ,gerrard4 ,rebuilt #ahic4 ,,oysters ,,and ,,lobsters4 ,cuisine of the ,highest ,quality4 #ah1 #ai1 #bj ,coventry ,st4 ,,and #a #b ,gt4 ,windmill ,st4 ,top of the ,haymarket4 ,suppers after the ,theatres a ,speciality4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,hotel ,,cecil ,,restaurant1 ,,strand1 ,w4,c4 ,largest and ,most ,magnificent ,hotel in ,europe4 ,,bedrooms ,,from #f_/- ,,per ,,day ,,including ,,light ,,and ,,attendance4 ,the ,dinner of ,london--,,the ,,cecelia at #aj_/f4 ,telegraphic ,address--,,cecelia1 ,,london4 ,a4 ,,judah1 ,manager4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,walsingham ,house ,hotel ,restaurant ,piccadilly1 ,w4 ,overlooking the ,green ,park1 and occupying the finest position in ,london4 ,,tariff ,single ,bedroom from #g_/f ,bed ,sitting-,room from #ab_/f ,sitting-,room and ,bedroom1 ,self-contained from #be_/- ,extra ,bed from #b_/f ,children's ,cot from #a_/f ,,special ,,terms ,,for ,a ,,prolonged ,,stay4 ,plain ,breakfast #b_/- ,plain ,breakfast with ,eggs #b_/f ,breakfast with ,fish or ,meat #c_/f ,cup of ,tea1 ,bread and ,butter #a_/- ,cup of ,coffee 7demi ,tasse7 #f;d4 ,day ,fire #b_/- ,evening ,fire #a_/- ,,table ,d',h,,te ,,dinner is served in the ,salle ,manger1 from #f to #h1 as per daily ,bill of ,fare1 at #g_/f per ,head4 ,,american and ,,continental ,visitors will find ,the ,walsingham with its ,private ,rooms1 ,restaurant1 ,terrace1 and ,garden1 overlooking the ,park1 one of the most comfortable and recherch resorts in ,london4 99 99 99 99 99 ,illustration ,charing ,cross ,turkish ,baths 7,nevill's47 ,gentlemen's ,entrance1 ,,northumberland ,,avenue4 ,,separate ,,baths ,,for ,,ladies4 ,,entrance--,northumberland ,avenue1 ,craven ,street1 ,strand4 ,,pronounced ,,to ,,be ,,the ,,finest ,,in ,,london4 ,admission3 #i a4m4 to #g p4m41 #cs4 #f;d42 after #g p4m41 #bs4 ,these ,baths stand on what was formerly part of the grounds of ,northumberland ,house1 occupied nearly three years in building1 and involved an expenditure of #cj1jjj4 ,they comprise a suite of ,bath ,rooms1 having a floor space of about twelve thousand feet for gentlemen1 with a smaller set in a separate contiguous building for the exclusive use of ladies4 ,the cooling rooms1 which are surmounted by a lofty dome designed to permit the free circulation of air and to ensure perfect ventilation1 are fitted in a most luxurious manner2 the whole of the decorations of both cooling and hot rooms have been designed by most eminent authorities2 while the heating and ventilation of the hot chambers are brought to a state of perfection by the use of the system first introduced by the ,proprietors4 ,and at ,,london ,,bridge1 ,,new ,,broad ,,street1 ,,aldgate1 ,,and ,,edgware ,,road4 ,,prospectus ,,post ,,free4 99 99 99 99 99 ,princes' ,restaurant1 ,piccadilly1 ,admittedly the ,most ,fashionable in ,london4 ,,table ,d',h,,te ,,luncheon1 #ds4 #f;d42 ,,dinners ,,la ,,carte2 ,,suppers1 #es4 ,finest ,wines and ,cuisine only4 ,bocchi's ,famous ,orchestra ,performs ,daily4 ,a large ,banqueting ,hall1 seating #aej ,people1 is now open for ,regimental and ,city ,dinners1 ,wedding and other ,receptions2 also smaller ,dining ,rooms for ,parties1 and ,institute ,picture ,galleries for ,balls4 ,managing ,director--,,gustave ,,fourault4 ,also a ,nice and ,comfortable ,hotel1 the ,entrance of which is in ,jermyn ,street4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,restaurant ,,dieudonn1 ,,ryder ,,street1 ,,st4 ,,james',s4 ,,handsomely ,,decorated ,,in ,,the ,,louis ,,xv4 ,,style1 ,,celebrated ,,for ,,its ,,excellent ,,and ,,delicate ,,cuisine ,,and ,,its ,,large ,,stock ,,of ,,fine ,,wines4 ,,luncheon1 #c_/- ,,the ,,theatre ,,dinner1 #e_/f ,couvert1 #f;d4 ,,special ,,dinner1 #g_/f ,,theatre ,,supper1 #d_/f4 ,dinners1 ,luncheons1 and ,suppers la ,carte4 ,special ,menu on ,sunday4 ,great attention paid to the #c_/- ,luncheon1 which is pronounced to be the best in ,london4 ,telegraphic ,address1 ,guffanti1 ,london4 ,telephone ,no4 #ebfe ,gerrard4 99 99 99 99 99 ,highest ,honours at all ,exhibitions4 ,,chocolat-,,menier ,illustration ,,for ,breakfast ,luncheon ,,and ,supper ,,average ,,daily ,,sales1 #ej ,,tons4 ,the ,largest ,factory in the ,world4 ,,works3 ,,noisiel-,,sur-,,marne1 ,,paris4 ,,sold ,,retail ,,everywhere4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,romano',s ,,restaurant1 #cii--,,strand--#djj4 ,,luncheons1 ,,dinners1 ,,suppers4 ,table d',hte or la ,carte4 ,service at separate ,tables4 ,this palatial restaurant has been entirely rebuilt1 and lighted throughout by electricity4 ,the decorations1 lighting1 and ventilation have rendered ,romano's one of the sights of ,london4 ,veritable cuisine ,parisienne4 ,choicest wines4 ,elite orchestra4 ,quietude1 comfort1 personal supervision of ,a4 ,,romano1 ,proprietor1 ,c4 ,a4 ,,antonelli1 ,manager4 ,telephone ,no4 #edbh4 ,telegrams3 ,romano1 ,strand1 ,london4 #cii--,,strand--#djj4 ,,romano',s ,,restaurant4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,verrey',s ,,restaurant1 #bbi ,,regent ,,street 7,corner of ,hanover ,street74 ,the ,new ,persian ,room is the ,most ,beautiful ,dining-,room in ,london4 ,,dining ,,la ,,carte4 ,,la ,,haute ,,cuisine ,,fran,,aise4 ,,open ,,sunday ,,evenings ,,also4 ,to ,reserve ,tables apply to ,manager4 ,telephone ,no4 #agdb ,gerrard4 99 99 99 99 99 ,illustration ,,aug4 ,,michel1 ,,strasbourg ,p,t,s ,,de ,,foie ,,gras and ,,strasbourg ,,specialities ,purveyor to several ,royal ,households4 #dj ,gold ,medals and ,diplomas of ,honour4 ,p,t,s ,,de ,,foie ,,gras aux truffes du ,prigord ,p,t,s ,,de ,,gibier au foie gras truff ,,pur,,es ,,de ,,foie ,,gras et ,,gibier ,,etc41 ,to be ,found ,everywhere4 ,,london ,,agency3 #ah1 ,,cullum ,,st41 ,,fenchurch ,,st41 ,e4,c4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,queen's ,hotel and ,restaurant1 ,,leicester ,,square4 7,,baker ,,and ,,co41 ,,proprietors47 ,manager1 ,,mons4 ,g4 ,,guillot4 ,chef de ,cuisine1 ,,ma,,tre ,,charpentier4 ,this magnificent ,hotel and ,restaurant is ,,now ,,open for the reception of guests4 ,the building is planned and decorated upon the most approved modern principles1 and has been furnished throughout by ,messrs4 ,,maple ,,co4 ,a ,,table ,d',h,,te ,,luncheon ,served at #cs4 #f;d4 per head in the ,grand ,hall from #a to #b4cj p4m4 ,,table ,d',h,,te ,,dinner ,at #es4 per head from #f to #i p4m4 ,,suppers ,after the ,theatre 7 la carte7 served in ,grand ,hall4 ,tables may be reserved by ,telephone ,no4 #bjhh ,gerrard4 ,,the ,,grill ,,room is open from #ab a4m4 to #ab4cj midnight4 ,,the ,,queen',s ,,orchestra1 under the direction of ,mr4 ,meyer ,van ,praag1 will play ,,daily in the ,grand ,hall and ,grill ,room4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,restaurant4 ,,the ,,old ,,blue ,,posts ,no4 #ac ,,cork ,,street 7,close to ,burlington ,house1 between ,bond ,street and ,regent ,street47 ,,dinners ,,and ,,luncheons ,,la ,,carte4 ,coffee-,room1 ,private ,dining-,rooms for ,large and ,small ,parties4 ,special ,hot ,english ,dishes from #a to #c #a_/f ,dinner from the ,joint #b_/f ,genuine ,first-,class ,cuisine4 ,the very best ,vintage ,wines and the ,choicest ,brands of ,cigars4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,schlette',s ,,hotel1 #ad ,cork ,street1 ,burlington ,gardens1 ,w4 ,,single ,,bedrooms from #d_/- per day4 ,,small ,,suites ,,of ,,rooms from #b ,guineas per week4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,of ,,all ,,high-,,class ,,provision ,,dealers4 ,illustration ,denny's ,star ,brand ,bacon and ,hams ,to guard against the substitution of other bacon1 and especially ,foreign and ,colonial1 see the brand as here shown4 ,,henry ,,denny ,,sons1 ,ltd4 7,established considerably over half a century71 ,,are ,,the ,,largest ,,curers ,,in ,,the ,,kingdom4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,savoy ,,hotel1 ,,london4 ,overlooking ,river and ,embankment ,gardens4 ,by ,day the most beautiful ,garden and ,river ,view in ,europe4 ,by ,night a ,fairy ,scene4 ,,savoy ,,restaurant of ,gastronomic ,fame4 ,under the direction of the famous ,matre d',htel ,joseph4 ,,dinners ,,la ,,carte4 ,,private ,,rooms ,,for ,,parties4 ,,the ,,savoy ,d,,jeuner1 #es4 ,,the ,,opera ,,supper1 #es4 ,,prix ,,fixe ,,dinner 7#gs4 #f;d47 ,,served ,,in ,,the ,,new ,,salle ,,manger4 ,the ,orchestra plays during ,dinner and ,supper4 ,the ,,grand ,,hotel1 ,,rome1 is under the same direction4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,claridge',s ,,hotel1 ,,london1 ,,brook ,,street1 ,,grosvenor ,,square1 ,w4 ,in the centre of fashionable ,london4 ,the old ,royal ,hostelry resuscitated4 ,,the ,,orchestra ,,plays ,,in ,,the ,,restaurant ,,during ,,dinner4 ,,suites ,,of ,,rooms ,,of ,,all ,,sizes4 ,over #cjj ,rooms4 ,nearly #ajj ,bathrooms4 ,general ,manager-- ,,mr4 ,h4 ,,mengay4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,the ,,ship1 ,,greenwich4 ,telephone #bja ,deptford4 ,,high-,,class ,,dinners and ,,rare ,,vintage ,,wines4 ,public and ,private ,rooms facing the ,river4 ,al-fresco dining in the very hot weather4 ,telegrams and ,letters1 ,address ,,bale4 99 99 99 99 99 ,illustration ,,lerina ,,the ,,liqueur4 ,,liqueur made by the ,monks of the ,,abbey ,,of ,,our ,,lady ,,of ,,lerins ,on the ,island of ,st4 ,honorat1 ,,cannes 7,alpes ,maritimes74 ,well known to all ,visitors to the ,riviera4 ,,essentially ,,digestive4 ,,lerina ,,the ,,liqueur4 ,,can ,,be ,,obtained ,,from ,,all ,,stores ,,and ,,wine ,,merchants4 99 99 99 99 99 ,adjoining the ,haymarket ,theatre and opposite ,her ,majesty's ,theatre4 ,,epitaux',s ,,restaurant1 ,,late ,,caf ,,de ,l',,europe1 #i #aj ,,haymarket1 ,s4,w4 ,this famous ,restaurant has been reconstructed and appointed in the most recherch style1 and is now open for ,luncheons at #b_/f1 ,dinners la ,carte or at fixed prices1 and ,suppers at #c_/-1 after the theatres 7speciality74 ,also on ,sundays1 from #f till #aa p4m4 ,the ,high-class ,cuisine is under the personal superintendence of the proprietor1 and the well-known cellars of ,m4 ,,costa1 late of the ,washington1 ,oxford ,street1 have been carefully removed to this establishment4 ,telephone ,no4 #adhf ,gerrard4 ,,epitaux',s ,,restaurant1 #i #aj ,,haymarket1 ,s4,w4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,pagani',s ,,restaurant1 #dd #dh ,,great ,,portland ,,street ,haute ,cuisine at ,moderate ,prices4 ,telephone--#bgaj ,gerrard4 ,telegrams--,souffl1 ,london4 ,,renowned ,,french ,,italian ,,cuisine4 ,luncheons1 ,dinners and ,suppers la ,carte4 ,open from #h a4m4 till #ab4cj p4m4 ,the ,famous ,,artist ,,room can be ,reserved for ,private ,parties1 etc4 ,best ,vintage ,wines4 ,m4 ,g4 ,,pagani1 ,proprietors4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,the ,,equitable ,life ,assurance ,society ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states4 ,,assets exceed #ec ,,millions ,,sterling4 ,,surplus over all ,,liabilities exceeds #aa ,,millions ,,sterling4 ,paid to ,policyholders during #ahih-- ,over #d1ihj1jjj ,sterling4 ,paid to ,policyholders in less than #dj years-- ,over #fb1bgj1jjj ,sterling4 ,the ,policies of the ,equitable of the ,united ,states secure3-- #a4 ,a ,lucrative ,investment4 #b4 ,protection for a ,wife4 #c4 ,endowment for ,children4 #d4 ,education for ,children4 #e4 ,provision for ,old ,age4 ,amounts of ,cash ,surrenders1 ,loans1 ,paid-up ,assurance are written in the ,,equitable',s ,policies and ,guaranteed4 ,head ,office for ,great ,britain and ,ireland3 #f ,,princes ,,street1 ,,bank1 ,,london4 ,a4 ,,munkittrick and ,w4 ,,triggs1 ,general ,managers4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,criterion ,restaurant1 ,,piccadilly1 ,,london4 ,,the ,,east ,,room1 ,entirely remodelled and charmingly redecorated in ,louis ,,xv4 style1 is now one of the most elegant ,restaurant ,salons in the world1 and overlooks ,piccadilly4 ,cuisine ,vritablement fine4 ,djeuners1 ,dners et ,soupers la ,carte1 or at fixed prices4 ,,the ,,west ,,room ,has also been remodelled and redecorated in ,louis ,,xvi4 style1 and can be strongly recommended for its comfort and elegant service4 ,academy ,luncheon at #b_/f4 ,dner parisienne at #e_/-4 ,,grand ,,hall4 ,a most excellent dinner is served at the very moderate price of #c_/f4 ,,restaurant4 ,on the ground floor for the service la ,carte1 or at fixed popular prices4 ,the ,magyar ,honved ,band plays in the ,central ,minstrels' ,gallery a selection of high-class music during ,luncheon1 ,dinner1 and ,supper4 ,,buffet ,,and ,,american ,,bar4 ,,large ,,and ,,small ,,banqueting ,,rooms4 ,,the ,,grill ,,room ,on the lower ground floor1 with two special entrances in ,jermyn ,street1 can be strongly recommended for its quick service and very moderate prices4 ,attention is called to the ,new ,private ,entrance in ,jermyn ,street1 affording most convenient access to all floors4 ,quick travelling ,lifts at both ,entrances4 ,the ,criterion ,restaurant1 ,,piccadilly1 ,,london4 ,,spiers ,,pond1 ,,ltd41 ,proprietors4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,flowing ,bowl3 ,a ,treatise on ,drinks of all ,kinds and of all ,periods1 interspersed with sundry ,anecdotes and ,reminiscences ,by ,,edward ,,spencer ,,with ,,cover ,,designed ,,by ,,phil ,,may ,illustration3 ,the ,cover-drawing of ,,the ,,flowing ,,bowl4 ,small #dto4 ,cloth1 #es4 ,,grant ,,richards #i ,,henrietta ,,street1 ,,covent ,,garden1 ,w4,c4 99 99 99 99 99 ,most useful companions to the traveller4--,,punch4 ,,grant ,,allen',s ,,historical ,,guides ,fcap4 #hvo 7,pocket ,size71 ,limp ,cloth1 ,round ,corners1 #cs4 #f;d4 net each4 ,,volumes ,,now ,,ready4 ,,paris4 ,,florence4 ,,cities ,,of ,,belgium 7,bruges1 ,ghent1 ,brussels1 ,antwerp74 ,,venice4 ,,volumes ,,in ,,preparation4 ,,munich ,,cities ,,of ,,north ,,italy 7,milan1 ,verona1 ,padua1 ,bologna1 ,ravenna74 ,,dresden 7with ,nuremberg1 etc474 ,,rome1 ,pagan and ,christian ,,cities ,,of ,,northern ,,france 7,rouen1 ,amiens1 ,blois1 ,tours1 ,orleans74 ,some ,opinions of the ,press4 ,,the ,,times4--,such good work in the way of showing students the right manner of approaching the history of a great city4444 ,the execution of the little volumes is1 on the whole admirable4444 ,these useful little volumes4 ,,the ,,guardian4--,from the point of view of really intelligent sight-seeing1 the two little volumes that have already appeared are better than anything that we yet have2 and if the holiday-maker will only take them with him to ,paris or ,florence1 he will probably feel that he has learnt more of the real city than in all his former visits4 ,,the ,,spectator4--,a visitor to ,florence could hardly1 we imagine1 do better than provide himself with this volume4 ,a great amount of matter--and good matter1 too--is compressed into a small space1 for the book is light1 and such as can go into a pocket of moderate capacity4 ,mr ,grant ,allen not only guides his reader's judgment1 but disposes of his time for him2 he must not only not do much at once1 but must arrange his sight-seeing in an economical and intelligent way4 ,,grant ,,richards1 #i ,,henrietta ,,street1 ,,covent ,,garden1 ,w4,c4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,pall ,mall ,magazine4 ,the ,finest ,illustrated ,magazine of the ,day4 ,,edited ,,by ,,lord ,,frederic ,,hamilton4 ,the ,,pall ,,mall ,,magazine is published on the #ahth of each month4 ,it numbers among its contributors all the leading writers and artists of the day4 ,the exquisite illustrations form a special feature of this beautiful ,magazine4 ,during the next few months ,stories and ,article will be written by-- ,h4,g4 ,wells4 ,gilbert ,parker4 ,w4,e4 ,henley4 ,h4,b4 ,marriott ,watson4 ,e4 ,nesbit4 ,louis ,becke4 ,f4,c4 ,burnand4 ,mrs4 ,f4,a4 ,steel4 ,william ,archer4 ,g4,s4 ,street4 ,the late ,chas4 ,yriarte4 ,edgar ,jepson1 etc41 etc4 ,illustrations in ,half-tone and in ,colour will be supplied by-- ,l4 ,raven ,hill4 ,a4,s4 ,hartrick4 ,g4 ,denholm ,armour4 ,e4,j4 ,sullivan4 ,grenville ,manton4 ,frank ,craig4 ,s4,h4 ,sime4 ,max ,cowper4 ,a4,h4 ,buckland4 ,h4 ,granville ,fell4 ,abbey ,altson4 ,maurice ,greiffenhagen4 ,edgar ,willson4 ,claude ,shepperson1 etc41 etc4 ,,photogravure ,,frontispieces4 ,with each number is included a fine ,frontispiece1 printed on plate-paper4 ,during the next few months ,,photogravures will be published by ,,gainsborough1 ,,reynolds1 ,,rembrandt1 ,,burne-,,jones1 ,,albert ,,moore1 etc41 etc4 ,other features of the ,pall ,mall ,magazine will include papers on the ,,historic ,,houses ,,of ,,great ,,britain2 ,,capitals ,,of ,,the ,,empire2 ,articles on ,,sport ,,and ,,travel2 and many finely ,illustrated ,,poems4 ,,reproductions of fine ,pictures in the ,,national ,,collections both in ,england and ,abroad will also be published4 ,these will be reproduced by the newest and best ,,processes4 ,,price ,,one ,,shilling4 ,offices3 #ah ,,charing ,,cross ,,road1 ,,london1 ,w4,c4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,magazine de ,luxe4 ,the ,pall ,mall ,magazine4 ,illustrated by the best ,black-and-,white ,work of the ,day4 ,,edited ,,by ,,lord ,,frederic ,,hamilton4 ,in its ,pages will shortly appear3-- ,stories of the ,year #bjij4 ,six ,stories4 ,by ,h4,g4 ,,wells1 ,author of ,the ,time ,machine1 etc4 ,anglo-,egyptian ,tales4 ,six ,stories4 ,by ,,gilbert ,,parker1 ,author of ,the ,seats of the ,mighty1 etc4 ,the ,american ,stage4 ,three ,articles4 ,by ,f4,c4 ,,burnand1 ,editor of ,punch4 ,american ,architecture-- ,chicago4 ,,peter ,b4 ,,wight4 ,boston4 ,,montgomery ,,schuyler4 ,readers are respectfully requested to order the ,,pall ,,mall ,,magazine to be supplied to them regularly through a ,bookseller or ,newsagent1 or from a ,railway ,bookstall1 rather than to rely upon a chance purchase1 with the risk of disappointment1 recent numbers having been sold out within a short time of issue4 ,offices3 #ah ,charing ,cross ,road1 ,london1 ,w4,c41 and ,astor ,court ,building1 ,new ,york4