ight's rest had given me an appetite; so I
expressed my thanks for the kind hospitality of my lord abbot, and he,
sitting down opposite to me on the divan, proceeded to prepare his dish.
"This," said he, producing a shallow basin half-full of a white paste,
"is the principal and most savoury part of this famous dish; it is
composed of cloves of garlic, pounded down, with a certain quantity of
sugar. With it I will now mix the oil in just proportions, some shreds
of fine cheese [it seemed to be of the white acid kind, which resembles
what is called caccia cavallo in the south of Italy, and which almost
takes the skin off your fingers, I believe] and sundry other nice little
condiments, and now it is completed!" He stirred the savoury mess round
and round with a large wooden spoon until it sent forth over room and
passage and cell, over hill and valley, an aroma which is not to be
described. "Now," said the agoumenos, crumbling some bread into it with
his large and somewhat dirty hands, "this is a dish for an emperor! Eat,
my friend, my much-respected guest; do not be shy. Eat; and when you
have finished the bowl you shall go into the library and anywhere else
you like; but you shall go nowhere till I have had the pleasure of
seeing you do justice to this delicious food, which, I can assure you,
you will not meet with everywhere."

I was sorely troubled in spirit. Who could have expected so dreadful a
martyrdom as this? The sour apple of the hermit down below was
nothing--a trifle in comparison! Was ever an unfortunate bibliomaniac
dosed with such a medicine before? It would have been enough to have
cured the whole Roxburghe Club from meddling with libraries and books
for ever and ever. I made every endeavour to escape this honour. "My
Lord," said I, "it is a fast; I cannot this morning do justice to this
delicious viand; it is a fast; I am under a vow. Englishmen must not eat
that dish in this month. It would be wrong; my conscience won't permit
it, though the odour certainly is most wonderful! Truly an astonishing
savour! Let me see you eat it, O agoumenos!" continued I; "for behold, I
am unworthy of anything so good." "Excellent and virtuous young man!"
said the agoumenos, "no, I will not eat it. I will not deprive you of
this treat. Eat it in peace; for know, that to travellers all such vows
are set aside. On a journey it is permitted to eat all that is set
before you, unless it is meat that is offered to idols. I admi