eral
expressed himself; then partridges in aspic and a poulet au riz,
followed by young cabbages with baked eels, which, the Captain said
playfully, had only gone into his net for my sake. As plat doux,
we had a pudding with the wonderful sauce Francis had been called
into the kitchen to make; and to wind up, a complete dessert. It was
difficult for me to reconcile all this with the idea of people living
in straitened circumstances.

The different kinds of wine, furnished in over-great abundance and
variety by the Captain, who acted as butler, completed the luxuries
of the table. The wines were of the best brands, and my host and
his aide-de-camp took care to call my attention to them. My habits
of abstinence obliged me to exercise great moderation, and I could
plainly see that they were disappointed at my want of enthusiasm.

Neither the crockery nor the table-linen was in keeping with the
luxury of the courses. The former was French china, dating from the
same period as the furniture and the golden leather tapestries, and
had evidently suffered a good deal from rough usage and servants. It
was cracked, riveted, incomplete; and modern blue ware had been
purchased to supply deficiencies, thus enhancing its splendour and
emphasizing the contrast. The large damask tablecloth, that represented
the marriage of a Spanish Infanta, had certainly done duty when Aunt
Sophia ruled as mistress of the establishment. It was exceedingly
fine but worn, and the rents had not always been neatly darned. As for
the silver, the speed with which Francis sent the forks and spoons to
the kitchen and ordered them back, proved to me that the dozens were
not complete. On the other hand, there was an abundance of cut glass,
to which the Captain directed my attention lest I should overlook it,
adding, however--

"I do not attach much value to such things. Many a time during the
campaign I have drunk beer out of a milk-pail, and champagne out of
teacups; and I did not enjoy it the less for that."

"Provided the cups were not too small," interrupted Francis.

"But the General," continued Rolf, without noticing the remark,
"the General would rather go without Yquem than drink it out of a
common glass; and as our Major (I mean Freule, the commander-in-chief)
always manifests the greatest indifference in this respect, I have
charged myself with the care of the General's wine-cellar."

I neither liked nor approved the tone of the Captain's observ