The room was a grand site indeed, crimson [48] ]and scarlet and red and vermilion, very odd, with purpley curtains like pretty ink.
“And what do you think of our fireplace?” went on Rupert, blinking his green eyes.
It was all made of white stone carved out into dogs and monkeys and things like that with a great face in the middel, twinkley drop things of sparkling glass stood at each end of it and a gold clock in the middel under a shade.
“That is very nice,” politely replied Selia.
“Yes, it cost a good bit,” Rupert said.
He then past them some salmon done up with bits of egg and greenery and they ate that, and then some ham with hot pickels, and then some nice boiled pudding with jam on it and some frute tart with blobs of stiff cream and a few ices after (wrapped up in lace paper they were too), and some very costly kinds of fruits like aprycots and grapes which they washed down with every kind of wines [49] ]and beer for as soon as Selia and Mr. Withersquash had emtied a glass of wines or beer a pink housemaid came and filled it up again, because the butler who was leaning against the wall at the back told them to. But the brothers Majpottel ate almost nothing which is a very polite thing to do, and in that case you have it in the pantry or up in your bedroom later on.
When they had eaten all they could they pushed back from the tabel and had a bit of talk.
“And are you glad now, dear Withersq that you got made head poet?” asked Rupert in a polite tired voice.
“Oh yes, that I am” said Mr. Withersq, “for I dearly want to get on.”
“And so do I,” lisped Selia “although it is not all plane sailing, alas.”