course of the kitchen steam
which entered by the door next it; this piece of furniture was covered
with prints, some caricatures of other days, some sporting
sketches--breaking cover--the Derby--fast coaches--the ring, &c.--some
opera beauties, on whom sportive and original ensigns had depicted
enormous moustaches, and others of rather an equivocal description.

At a given signal, the covers were removed, and some dozen of
iron-heeled soldiers, dressed in various liveries, commenced
scattering the soup and fish about with the same reckless indifference
to consequences with which they would have stormed a breach. While
Meynell was gradually coughing himself into a recovery from the
effects of some fiercely peppered mulligatawney, he was asked by the
stiff colonel to take wine, when the fat captain, and all the others
at brief intervals followed the example. For some time, there was
steady attention paid to eating and drinking, and but few words
spoken, beyond "mutton if you please--thank you--rather under
done--glass of sherry--with pleasure--your health--I'll trouble you
for a wing, &c." But as the dinner progressed, and the fiery wine
began to tell, horses and dogs, wine and women, guards and grievances,
promotion and patronage, began to exert their influence on the
discourse, and by the time the cloth was removed, every one seemed to
talk louder than his neighbour, and the din was almost insupportable.
Then, through the roar of the many voices, was heard an ominous
shuffling behind the screen, now extended all across the room; an
attuning scream of the clarionet, moan of the violin, and grunt of the
bassoon, faintly foretold the coming storm, which in a few seconds
burst upon the ears in the most furious form of the "overture to
Zampa" by the regimental band; this continued, with variations, but
scarcely a lull, for a couple of hours.

Meanwhile the bottles pass freely round, and the roar of voices
continues louder and thicker than ever; some of the younger officers,
mere boys, have yielded to their potent draughts, and sought their
rooms; others, maddened with the wine and din, shout snatches of
songs, argue vociferously, and loudly offer absurd bets, which the
sporting gentlemen, who are strong in billiards, note down in little
pocket-books. The band retires, whist tables are laid, brandy and
water and cigars make their appearance, and the mess-room is soon in a
cloud. After a couple of rubbers of whist, the colon