ide. The French marquis,
who thought the honour of his nation was concerned at this declaration,
professed his sorrow for what had happened, so contrary to the
established character of the people, and undertook to see the
delinquents severely punished, provided he could be informed of their
names or places of abode.

The mutual compliments that passed on this occasion were scarce
finished, when a servant, coming into the room, announced dinner; and
the entertainer led the way into another apartment, where they found a
long table, or rather two boards joined together, and furnished with a
variety of dishes, the steams of which had such evident effect upon the
nerves of the company, that the marquis made frightful grimaces, under
pretence of taking snuff; the Italian's eyes watered; the German's
visage underwent several distortions of features; our hero found means
to exclude the odour from his sense of smelling, by breathing only
through his mouth; and the poor painter, running into another room,
plugged his nostrils with tobacco. The doctor himself, who was the only
person present, whose organs were not discomposed, pointing to a couple
of couches placed on each side of the table, told his guests that he was
sorry he could not procure the exact triclinia of the ancients, which
were somewhat different from these conveniences, and desired they would
have the goodness to repose themselves without ceremony, each in his
respective couchette, while he and his friend Mr. Pallet would place
themselves upright at the ends, that they might have the pleasure of
serving those that lay along. This disposition, of which the strangers
had no previous idea, disconcerted and perplexed them in a most
ridiculous manner; the marquis and baron stood bowing to each other,
on pretence of disputing the lower seat, but in reality with a view of
profiting by the example of one another, for neither of them understood
the manner in which they were to loll; and Peregrine, who enjoyed their
confusion, handed the count to the other side, where, with the most
mischievous politeness, he insisted upon his taking possession of the
upper place.

In this disagreeable and ludicrous suspense, they continue acting a
pantomime of gesticulations, until the doctor earnestly entreated them
to waive all compliment and form, lest the dinner should be spoiled
before the ceremonial could be adjusted. Thus conjured, Peregrine took
the lower couch on the left-hand-si