The table was set exactly as in Colonel Duval’s day, and very prettily set, Croyden thought, with napery spotless, and china that was thin and fine. The latter, if he had but known it, was Lowestoft and had served the Duvals, on that very table, for much more than a hundred years.
There was cold ham, and cold chicken, lettuce with mayonnaise, deviled eggs, preserves, with hot corn bread and tea. When Croyden had about finished a leisurely meal, it suddenly occurred to him that however completely stocked Clarendon was with things of the Past, they did not apply to the larder, and these victuals were undoubtedly fresh and particularly good.
“By the way! Moses,” he said, “I’m glad you were thoughtful enough to send out and purchase these things,” with an indicating motion to the table. “They are very satisfactory.”
“Pu’chase!” said the darky, in surprise. 59 “Dese things not pu’chased. No, seh! Dey’s borro’d, seh, from Majah Bo’den’s, yass, seh!”
“Good God!” Croyden exclaimed. “You don’t mean you borrowed my luncheon!”
“Yass, seh! Why not, seh? Jose jes’ went ovah an’ sez to Cassie—she’s de cook, at de Majah’s, seh—sez she, Marster Croyden don’ cum and warns some’n to eat. An’ she got hit, yass, seh!”
“Is it the usual thing, here, to borrow an entire meal from the neighbor’s?” asked Croyden.
“Sut’n’y, seh! We borrows anything we needs from the neighbors, an’ they does de same wid us.”
“Well, I don’t want any borrowing by us, Moses, please remember,” said Croyden, emphatically. “The neighbors can borrow anything we have, and welcome, but we won’t claim the favor from them, you understand?”
“Yass, seh!” said the old darky, wonderingly.