146 THE SPORTSMAN IN FRANCE. 



letter from the Marquis's steward, in- 

 forming him that this much vaunted wine 

 was not drinkable ; a request was added, 

 that Monsieur Hubert would send a con- 

 fidential person in his employ over to 

 England to satisfy himself as to the fact. 

 Monsieur Hubert's head cooper was ac- 

 cordingly shipped off to this country, 

 and on his arrival in London found 

 every bottle of the celebrated wine as 

 ropy as linseed tea. 



At the wine cooper's request a large 

 vat was procured, into which the whole 

 of the wine w^as emptied ; by a certain 

 process, known only to this cooper, he 

 recovered the precious liquid, and re- 

 stored it to its pristine excellence. The 

 champagne was re-bottled, corked, wired, 

 and resined ; and I have no doubt that the 

 creaming nectar w^hich the noble Marquis 

 distributes, with his wonted liberality, 

 to the guests at his hospitable board comes 



