resolute where he should fix his resting-place;
when a savoury odour of sausages frying in the "Reuten Krantz," quickly
decided his choice. He entered at once, and making his bow to mine host,
with that admirable mixture of deference and command a Frenchman can
always assume, ordered his dinner to be got ready, and a bed prepared
for him.

It was well worth the host's while to stand on good terms with the
officers of rank, who could repress, or wink, at the liberties of the
men, as occasion served, and so the "Rue Garland" did its utmost that
day to surpass itself.

"Je dois vous prevenir," said the colonel, laughing as he strolled from
the door, after giving his directions, "Je dois vous prevenir, que je
mange bien, et beaucoup."

"Monsieur shall be content," said the host, with a tap on his own
stomach, as though to say,--"The nourishment that has sufficed for this,
may well content such a carcass as thine--"

"And as for wine--continued the colonel.

"Zum kissen!" cried the host, with a smack of his lips, that could be
heard over the whole Platz, and which made a poor captain's mouth water,
who guessed the allusion.

I shall not detail for my reader, though I most certainly heard myself
the long bill of fare, by which the Rue Branch intended to astonish the
weak nerves of the Frenchman, little suspecting, at the time, how mutual
the surprise was destined to be. I remember there was "fleisch" and
"braten" without end, and baked pike, and sausages, and boar's head, and
eels, and potted mackerel, and brawn, and partridges; not to speak
of all the roots that ever gave indigestion since the flood, besides
sweatmeats and puddings, for whose genera and species it would take
Buffon and Cuvier to invent a classification. As I heard the formidable
enumeration, I could not help expressing my surprise at the extent
of preparations, so manifestly disproportionate to the amount of the
company; but the host soon satisfied me on this head, by saying, "that
they were obliged to have an immense supply of cold viands always ready
to sell to the other officers throughout the town, whom," he added in
a sly whisper, "they soon contrived to make pay for the heavy ransom
imposed on themselves." The display, therefore, which did such credit to
his hospitality, was made with little prospect of injuring his pocket--a
pleasant secret, if it only were practicable.

The hour of dinner arrived at last, and the Colonel, punctual to the
mom