to form a guess. There was nothing for it, but to watch their manner and conversation.

After speaking a moment in whispers, Smith said to his companion, "We must go look after our nags for ten minutes, and allow Chaubert to do his office."

"Will he not appear, and minister before us, then?" said Ganlesse.

"What, he?-he shift a trencher-he hand a cup? -no, you forget whom you speak of. Such an order were enough to make him fall on his own sword ―he is already on the borders of despair, because no craw-fish are to be had."

"Alack-a-day!" replied Ganlesse. "Heaven forbid I should add to such a calamity! To stable, then, and see we how our steeds eat their provender, while ours is getting ready."

They adjourned to the stable accordingly, which, though a poor one, had been hastily supplied with whatever was necessary for the accommodation of four excellent horses; one of which, that from which Ganlesse was just dismounted, the groom we have mentioned was cleaning and dressing by the light of a huge wax-candle.

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"I am still so far Catholic," said Ganlesse, laughing, as he saw that Peveril noticed this piece of extravagance. "My horse is my saint, and I dedicate a candle to him."

"Without asking so great a favour for mine, which I see standing behind yonder old hencoop,' replied Peveril, "I will at least relieve him of his saddle and bridle."

"Leave him to the lad of the inn," said Smith: "he is not worthy any other person's handling: and I promise you, if you slip a single buckle, you will so flavour of that stable duty, that you might as well eat roast-beef as ragouts, for any relish you will have of them."

"I love roast-beef as well as ragouts, at'any time," said Peveril, adjusting himself to a task which every young man should know how to perform when need is; " and my horse, though it be but a sorry jade, will champ better on hay and. corn, than on an iron bit."

While he was unsaddling his horse, and shaking down some litter for the poor wearied animal, he heard Smith observe to Gañlesse,-" By my faith, Dick, thou hast fallen into poor Slender's blunder; missed Anne Page, and brought us a great lubberly post-master's boy."

"Hush, he will hear thee," answered Ganlesse; "there are reasons for all things-it is well as it is. But, prithee, tell thy fellow to help the youngster.

"What," replied Smith, "d'ye think I am mad? --Ask Tom Beacon-Tom of Newmarket-Tom of ten thousand, to touch such a four-legged brute as that? Why, he would turn me away on the spot --discard me, i'faith. It was all he would do to taken in hand your own, my good friend; and if you consider him not the better, you are like to stand groom to him yourself to-morrow.".

"Well, Will," answered Ganlesse, "I will say that for thee, thou hast a set of the most useless, scoundrelly, insolent vermin about thee, that ever eat up a poor gentleman's revenues.

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"Every

"Useless? I deny it?" replied Smith. one of my fellows does something or other, so exquisitely, that it were sin to make him do any thing else-it is your jacks-of-all-trades, who are masters of none..

one.-But hark to Chaubert's signal! The coxcomb is twangling it on the lute, to the tune of Eveillez vous, belle endormie.-Come, Master What d'ye call, (addressing Peveril,)-get ye some water, and wash this filthy witness from your hand, as Betterton says in the play: for Chaubert's cookery

is like Friar Bacon's Head-time is-time wastime will soon be no more.

So saying, and scarce allowing Julian time to dip his hands in a bucket, and dry them on a horse cloth, he hurried him from the stable back to the supper chamber.

Here all was prepared for their meal, with an epicurean delicacy, which rather belonged to the saloon of a palace, than the cabin in which it was displayed. Four dishes of silver, with covers of the same metal, smoked on the table; and three seats were placed for the company. Beside the lower end of the board, was a small side-table, to answer the purpose of what is now called a dumb waiter; on which several flasks reared their tall, stately, and swan-like crests, above glasses and rummers. Clean covers were also placed within reach; and a small travelling-case of morocco, hooped with silver, displayed a number of bottles, containing the most approved sauces that culinary ingenuity had then invented.

Smith, who occupied the lower seat, and seemed to act as president of the feast, motioned the two travellers to take their places and begin. "I would not stay a grace-time," he said, "to save a whole nation from perdition. We could bring no chauffettes with any convenience; and even Chaubert is nothing, unless his dishes are tasted in the very moment of projection. Come, uncover and let us see what he has done for us.-Hum!-ha!-aysquab-pigeons-wild-fowl-young chickens-venison cutlets-and a space in the centre, wet, alas, by a gentle tear from Chaubert's eye, where should have been the soupe d'ecrivisses! The zeal of that poor fellow is ill repaid by his paltry ten louis per month."

"A mere trifle," said Ganlesse; "but like yourself, Will, he serves a generous master."

The repast now commenced; and Julian, though he had seen his young friend the Earl of Derby, and other gallants, affect a considerable degree of interest and skill in the science of the kitchen, and was not himself either an enemy or a stranger to the pleasures of a good table, found, that on the present occasion, he was a mere novice. Both his companions, but Smith in especial, seemed to consider that they were now engaged in the only true and real business of life; and weighed all its minutiæ with a proportionable degree of accuracy. To carve the morsel in the most delicate manner-and to apportion the proper seasoning with the accuracy of a chemist-to be aware, exactly, of the order in which one dish should succeed another, and to do plentiful justice to all-was a minuteness of science to which Julian had hitherto been a stranger.

At length Ganlesse paused, and declared the supper exquisite. "But, my friend Smith," he added, "are your wines curious? When you brought all that trash of plates and trumpery into Derbyshire, I hope you did not leave us at the mercy of the strong ale of the shire, as thick and muddy as the squires who drink it?”

"Did I not know that you were to meet me, Dick Ganlesse?" answered their host. "And can you suspect me of such an omission? It is true you must make Champagne and Claret serve, for my Burgundy would not bear travelling. But if you have a fancy for sherry, or Vin de Cahors, I have a notion Chaubert and Tom Beacon have brought some for their own drinking."

Perhaps the gentlemen would not care to impart," said Ganlesse.

"Oh fie!-any thing in the way of civility," replied Smith. They are, in truth, the best natured lads alive, when treated respectfully; so that if you would prefer

"By no means," said Ganlesse-"a glass of Champagne will serve in a scarcity of better."

"The cork shall start obsequious to my thumb,"

said Smith; and as he spoke, he untwisted the wire, and the cork struck the roof of the cabin. Each guest took a large rummer glass of the sparkling beverage, which Peveril had judgment and experience enough to pronounce exquisite.

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"Give me your hand, sir," said Smith; it is the first word of sense you have spoken this evening."

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"Wisdom, sir," replied Peveril, is like the best ware in the pedlar's pack, which he never produces till he knows his customer."

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Sharp as mustard," returned the bon vivant; "but be wise, most noble pedlar, and take another rummer of this same flask, which you see I have held in an oblique position for your service-not permitting it to retrograde to the perpendicular. Nay, take it off before the bubble bursts on the rim, and the zest is gone."

“You do me honour, sir," said Peveril, taking the second glass. "I wish you a better office than that of my cup-bearer."

"You can not wish Will Smith one more congenial to his nature," said Ganlesse. "Others have a selfish delight in the object of sense. Will thrives and is happy, by imparting them to others."

"Better help men to pleasures than to pains, Master Ganlesse," answered Smith, somewhat angrily.

"Nay, wrath thee not, Will," said Ganlesse; "and speak no words in haste, lest you may have cause to repent at leisure. Do I blame thy social concern for the pleasures of others? Why, man, thou doest therein most philosophically multiply

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