ttle things we
might happen to require. As the company consisted of my private
friends, not inhabitants of our town, Madame Miau herself--attired in
a Bolognaise cap, long gold earrings, cross, fluted lace tucker up to
her collar bones, and black silk gown--condescended to wait upon and
carve for us. She had each dish and its proper accompaniments brought
by Rose to the side-table, where all was neatly divided into portions,
and handed round, one dish at a time, hot from the fire. We had,
first, ox-tail soup; second, fried soles; third, oyster _pates_;
fourth, Maintenon cutlets and cauliflower; fifth, roast lamb and
potato-ribbons; sixth, pheasant, with both bread-sauce and toast.
Tartlets and creams followed, and a cream-cheese finished the repast;
then we were left to our dessert and conversation, the latter of which
we soon resolved to terminate with our coffee in the drawing-room,
where a purer atmosphere awaited us. All went off quietly and
comfortably; no noise, no bustle, no asking will you have this or
that; everything was brought round without questioning, and
conversation was never for an instant interrupted. My fastidious
cousin, Jack Falconbridge; his foolish fine-lady sister; her
common-place lord; and her 'talented and travelled friend,' Miss
Scribbleton, expressed themselves equally pleased, although there was
nothing _recherche_, nothing expensive, nothing extraordinary. At the
rich Mr Goldscamp's, where they had dined the day before, things were,
they all agreed, very far inferior. Five or six inexperienced young
footmen jostled against each other, whilst rushing about with sauces
and condiments; the table groaned under a gorgeous display of plate,
and loads of unnecessary glass and china.

'I was,' said Miss Scribbleton, 'really quite afraid to move, lest I
should overturn or break something, and felt like a bull in a
china-shop.'

'The cookery,' continued the Honourable John, 'was atrocious;
everything half cold, and we rose hungry, to partake of watery coffee
and lukewarm tea.'

'Ah!' sighed his sister, 'I was bored to extinction by everything and
every person.' And then followed compliments to me upon my little
unpretending entertainment, which I felt were sincere, for everything
was good of its kind, and I presented nothing that Rose could not cook
perfectly under Madame Miau's directions, except the soup and _pates_,
which the pastry-cook supplied--all was hot, and all was quiet.

I have for