Alfred de Rosann — page 47: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

38 ALFRED DE ROSANN. ‘A short fat man, with a red nose, and a white night-cap,’? added the servant; “he insisted upon tasting my soup, declared there was no tarragon in it, and when I remonstrated, the wretch replied, that ¢ I must not contradict the best cook in Europe.’ ”’ Mr. Clayton’s eye now fell for the first time on the kitchen dresser; and his astonishment was not a little excited by the objects that met his view. He instantly suspected the real truth, snatched the bill out of his sister-in-law’s hands, and when he saw it was receipt- ed, uttered an emphatic oath, which we shall suppress for the sake of delicacy, and on account of our regard for the fair sex. Suffice it to say, Champignon had so amply supplied Mr. Clayton’s larder with all the most costly luxuries of the season, that there could not remain a doubt as to the whole family being provided for during the next fortnight. Mrs. Clayton had paid the pefzt memozre, which amounted to the moderate sum of four hundred and seventeen francs, because the bearer produced her brother-in-law’s card; and al- though she could not comprehend the reason of such an expensive outlay, she did not for an instant suspect the justice of the demand. ‘This day’s work,”’ said Mr. Clayton, “ will be a good lesson to me for the future, not to stroll into shops when I am in an ill humour.”’ “If we were only thus regaled,’’ observed the amiable Eloise, ‘every time you are out of temper, my dear uncle, it would not be very often.” CHAPTER V. THE DINNER-PARTY. PRECISELY as the clock struck six, Alfred De Ro- sann was ushered into the drawing-room at the mag- nificent abode of Mr. Robson. An elderly lady and two young ones were seated with the banker before a Go .IOOKS. GoM =) a