said one. "Ha! do you smell the feast? I'll
engage it will be fit to set before two and twenty
kings."

"I hope," said another, "it will be, mainly,
good substantial joints, surloins, spareribs, and
hinder quarters, without too many kickshaws. If
I thought the good lady would not take it amiss,
I should call for a fat slice of fried bacon to
begin with."

Ah, the gluttons and gormandizers! You see
how it was with them. In the loftiest seats of
dignity, on royal thrones, they could think of
nothing but their greedy appetite, which was the
portion of their nature that they shared with
wolves and swine; so that they resembled those
vilest of animals far more than they did kings
if, indeed, kings were what they ought to be.

But the beautiful woman now clapped her
hands; and immediately there entered a train
of two and twenty serving men, bringing dishes
of the richest food, all hot from the kitchen fire,
and sending up such a steam that it hung like a
cloud below the crystal dome of the saloon. An
equal number of attendants brought great flag-
ons of wine, of various kinds, some of which

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p186 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p187w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p188

v?