“‘His Eminence the Cardinal de Rohan.’
“‘Ah, mon Dieu! at Strasbourg?’
“‘At Saverne.’
“‘And you have sent to seek this bottle for me!’ cried the old marshal.
“‘For you, your Grace,’ replied the maître d’hôtel, in a tone which plainly said, ‘ungrateful as you are.’
“The Duke de Richelieu seized the hand of the old servant, and cried, ‘I beg pardon; you are the king of maîtres d’hôtel.’”
The French noblesse of the eighteenth century may have had retainers of the perspicacity and freedom of manners of this servant of the Maréchal de Richelieu, but it is hard to picture them in real life to-day. At any rate, it bespeaks Dumas’ fondness of good eating and good drinking that he makes so frequent use of references thereto, not only in this novel of a later day, but throughout the mediæval romances as well.
Dumas’ knowledge of gastronomy again finds its vent in “The Count of Monte Cristo,” when the unscrupulous Danglars is held in a dungeon pending his giving up the five millions of francs which he had fraudulently obtained.
It is not a very high-class repast that is discussed, but it shows at least Dumas’ familiarity with the food of man.
“At twelve the guard before Danglars’ cell was replaced by another functionary, and, wishing to catch sight of his new guardian, Danglars approached the door again. He was an athletic, gigantic bandit, with large eyes, thick lips, and a flat nose; his red hair fell in dishevelled masses like snakes around his shoulders. ‘Ah! ah!’ cried Danglars, ‘this fellow is more like an ogre than anything else; however, I am rather too old and tough to be very good eating!’ We see that Danglars was quite collected enough to jest; at the same time, as though to disprove the ogreish propensities, the man took some black bread, cheese, and onions from his wallet, which he began devouring voraciously. ‘May I be hanged,’ said Danglars, glancing at the bandit’s dinner through the crevices of the door, ‘may I be hanged if I can understand how people can eat such filth!’ and he withdrew to seat himself upon his goatskin, which recalled to him the smell of the brandy....