I have said that the pleasure of the table, as I have described it, was susceptible of long duration, and I am about to prove it by the history of the longest meal I ever was present at.  It is a bonbon I give the reader as a reward for patient attention to me.  Here it is:-

I had a family of kinsfolk in the Rue de Bac, constituted as follows:  a doctor, who was seventy-eight; a captain, who was seventy-six; and their sister, Jeannette, who was sixty-four.  I used to visit them sometimes, and they always received me kindly.

“PARBLEU!” said Doctor Dubois, rising on his toes one day to tap me on the shoulder; “you have a long time been bragging about your fondues, (eggs and cheese,) and you always make our mouths water.  The captain and I will come to dine with you, and we will see what your famous dish is.” (This took place about 1801.) “Willingly,” said I, “and to enable you to see it in all its glory, I will cook it myself.  I am delighted with your proposition, and wish you to come punctually at ten to-morrow.”

At the appointed time my guests came, clean shaved, and with their heads powdered.  They were two little old men; yet fresh, however, and well.  They smiled with pleasure when they saw the table ready, set with three covers, and with two dozen oysters by each plate.  At the two ends of the table were bottles of Sauterne, carefullly wiped, except the cork, which indicated that it had been long bottled.  Alas!  I have gradually seen oysters disappear from breakfast, though they were once so common.  They disappeared with the abbes, who never ate less than a gross; and the chevaliers, who ate quite as many.  I regret them but as a philosopher.  If time modifies governments, how great must be its influence over simple usages.  After the oysters, which were very good, grilled kidneys, a pate of foie gras with truffles, and then the fondue.

The elements had been put in a chafing-dish, and brought to the table with spirits of wine.  I set at once to work, and my two cousins watched every motion I made.

They were delighted, and asked for the recipe, which I promised, telling them two anecdotes, which the reader will perhaps meet with elsewhere.

After the fondue we had the various fruits which were in season, and a cup of real mocha, made A la du Belloy, which was then becoming fashionable.  We ended with two kinds of liqueurs.

Breakfast being over, I invited my two kinsmen to take a little exercise, and to accompany me through my lodgings, which are far from being elegant, and which my friends, in consequence of their size and splendor, prefer to the gilding and or MOLU of the reign of Louis XV.

I showed them the original bust of my pretty cousin, Mme. Recamier by Chinard, and her miniature by Augustin.  They were so much pleased, that the Doctor kissed the latter with his thick lips, and the Captain took a liberty with the bust of the first, for which I reproved him.  Were all the admirers of the original to do as he did, the bust would soon be in the condition of the famous statue of St. Peter at Borne, which the kisses of pilgrims have worn away.