“I’m off in a few hours for Constantinople,” he called out from his boat, “and shall be back in a week. Good-bye.”
The sentinels, as usual, cried—“All’s well.” I must say, I did not think it was all well with me. “What can I do,” said I to myself, “for an event of historical importance?” Neither Mr. Crockford nor the captain could assist me, when an idea struck me:—“If you can’t give me an idea,” said I to my friends, “at any rate lend me a dish.”
“That I will,” said the captain.
“Recollect, I want a large one.”
“You had the largest for your salad yesterday.”
“That one will do; it will hold enough for twenty-five persons.
“Then here goes,” said I, writing. “To-day I shall dress in it the Macédoine Lüdersienne à l’Alexandre II.”
“A very good name in honour of the event,” said Mr. Crockford. “But pray, of what is it to be composed?”
“Oh! for that,” said I, “if I were to implore the Genius of Gastronomy, from Lucullus to Apicius and Vitellius, or Vatel to Ude and Carême, I could get nothing from them but inspiration; while what I require is something substantial, and not artificial. It strikes me that a word from you to your head man at Kadikoi (as you will not be there to-morrow) would do more for me in a few minutes than the whole of those defunct celebrities, whom I am not now inclined to trouble upon so material a subject. Pray give me carte blanche to get anything you may have and I require for the composition of this modern Babylon, which must be constructed upon a base sufficiently strong to resist the joint attack of the heads of three of the most powerful armies in the world, and only be destroyed after having conquered the conqueror’s place d’armes, the stomach, so called in military parlance.”
The order was readily given by my friend Mr. Crockford, and we then lay down to sleep, being both completely exhausted with the fatigues of what was called a day of pleasure. We had hardly closed our eyelids, when morning caused them to be reopened; so up we got. My friend started for Constantinople, and I for head-quarters. On my way I called upon Major Ross, who kindly lent me a pony, and told me of the message left with him. I started immediately—bought a few things in Balaklava market—called at Crockford’s store at Donnybrook, which I ransacked and despoiled of condiments of every description. Instead of going direct to head-quarters, I changed my mind and went home to prepare, having decided, as the time was so short, to produce one good dish only, instead of several small and insignificant ones. This was, however, to be worthy of the occasion. I was well aware that General Codrington’s cook, under the liberal management and command of Captain Ponsonby, would turn out something worthy of the event. Upon arriving at my hut, I sent two of my cooks to assist him, despatched my groom on horseback to Kamiesch for various things, and then began the construction of my Lüdersienne upon the lid of my new field-stoves, the dish I had brought from the Alar being too small.