274 THE HIVE OF THE BEE-HUNTER. 



when, to my inexpressible relief, on my left, near the 

 door, at the top of the two long dining tables, was a 

 small round one, at which sat some six or eight gentle- 

 men. A single chair was unoccupied, and without cere- 

 mony, I appropriated it to myself. 



" I never saw a man come in late to dinner who did not 

 endeavor to look around on the company present, with 

 that sort of expression which signifies ' Who cares if I 

 did come in late ? ' I looked that way, and happened to 

 feel so too ; and as I cast my eyes on the gentlemen at 

 my right and left, and before me, I paid no attention 

 whatever to the cold stare I met with, as if intending 

 to make me feel that I was intruding. 



" In this excellent humor with all the world and my- 

 self, I asked the waiter with a loud voice for soup, hot if 

 possible, and I found myself accommodated in the twink- 

 ling of a ladle. I went to work lustily to lay the foun- 

 dation of what my friend in the morning had promised, 

 an extra splendid dinner, 



" Oysters and fish, as a first course, seem to be 

 founded in nature, reason, and taste, — I accordingly 

 made the reflection to the gentleman on my right — he 

 very formally assented to the proj)osition, and ate spar- 

 ingly. I pressed him with great solicitude to follow my 

 example, — and do justice to the viands before him. He 

 suggested that he was troubled with a dyspepsia. This 

 little conversation was received by the whole table with 

 what I remember now, and then for a moment, thought 



