“I have two leetl menus weez me,” said Cavalcadour to Mrs. Gashleigh.
“Minews—yes,—oh, indeed?” answered the lady.
“Two little cartes.”
“Oh, two carts! Oh, we,” she said. “Coming, I suppose?” And she looked out of the window to see if they were there.
Cavalcadour smiled. He produced from a pocket-book a pink paper and a blue paper, on which he had written two bills of fare—the last two which he had composed for the lamented Hauncher—and he handed these over to Mrs. Fitzroy.
The poor little woman was dreadfully puzzled with these documents, (she has them in her possession still,) and began to read from the pink one as follows:—
“DINER POUR 16 PERSONNES.
Potage (clair) a la Rigodon.
Do. a la Prince de Tombuctou.
Deux Poissons.
Saumon de Severne Rougets Gratines
a la Boadicee. a la Cleopatre.
Deux Releves.
Le Chapeau-a-trois-cornes farci a la Robespierre.
Le Tire-botte a l'Odalisque.
Six Entrees.
Saute de Hannetons a l'Epingliere.
Cotelettes a la Megatherium.
Bourrasque de Veau a la Palsambleu.
Laitances de Carpe en goguette a la Reine Pomare.
Turban de Volaille a l'Archeveque de Cantorbery.”
And so on with the entremets, and hors d'oeuvres, and the rotis, and the releves.
“Madame will see that the dinners are quite simple,” said M. Cavalcadour.
“Oh, quite!” said Rosa, dreadfully puzzled.