Alfred; or, The Adventures of a French Gentleman — page 141: what you’re looking at

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116 ALFRED; CR ADVENTURES little distance: but the moment he saw the young lady approach, he quitted his work, and ran to meet her, the unbounded muniticence of Mr. Clayton having entirely dispelled his sorrow, and made him even bless the accident which had been so productive; for the worthy Louis Dorval had already calculated upon increasing his stock of sheep and cattle with at least one third of the fifteen thou- sand franes so liberally restored, and upon building a commodious dwelling with the remainder. His salutation was therefore obse- quious, and his politeness remarkable in the extreme, when Eloise addressed him relative to the breakfast. ‘¢T thought about it halfan hour ago, mademoiselle,” returned the peasant, cap in hand, ‘‘and had prepared a fire in the dairy, which is a small building on the other side of the farm—you cannot see it from the spot where I have the honour to speak to you—when a strange looking man, accompanied by one of the gentlemen who arrived late last night, rushed into the room, seized the pots and saucepans, cut up the cold meat, and fell to peeling the potatoes, telling me at the same time that he was the first cook in Europe, and that he had once kept the Cadran Gris or Cadran Jaune, I dont exactly recollect which, at Paris. It was in vain that I of- fered to dress the breakfast: he assured me I was as ignorant as an owl relative to all culinary matters, and insisted upon preparing the meal himself. The gentleman who was with him, desired me to humour the stranger’s whims, and to fetch him a night-cap. J accordingly obeyed; and there he is at this moment surrounded with pots, kettles, and food, and cooking enough provisions to serve a whole regiment of Swiss guards, in as many different ways as there are letters in the alphabet.” No sooner had Louis Dorval uttered these words than Champig- non made his appearance, with a cotton night-cap upon his head, an apron round his waist, a copper saucepan in one hand and a soup ladle in the other. The moment he caught sight of Eloise, he made a most polite bow, and muttered some compliment between his teeth. He then turned to the farmer and desired him to procure a multi- tude of articles which he stated to be absolutely necessary for his dishes; viz. onions, thyme, parsley, sorrel, tarragon, &c. &e. Dor- val hastened to obey the gastronomer’s directions ; Champignon himself returned to his kitchen ; and Eloise hastened to seek her mother in the barn, while De Rosann and Mr. Clayton stood con- versing at a short distance. CHAPTER XVI. THE BREAKFAST. ‘© My dear friend,” said Mr. Clayton to De Rosann, when they — had retired from the spot where Eloise still lingered a few minutes, to follow them with her eyes—for the affectionate girl was never tired of gazing upon her lover: ‘¢ My dear friend, you must nerve EGOmicbooks (E()