THE ROYAL KITCHEN. 129 



Though I fancy the prince is mainly de- 

 pendent on a tithe of the flocks and herds in 

 his kingdom — a tithe only paid in kind — for 

 his subsistence, he yet feeds daily at his table 

 at least a hundred and fifty retainers, who do 

 little to earn their food, save by swelling the 

 train which lends an air of importance to 

 their lord's progress from place to place. 

 The tithe of cattle is collected in a very rough 

 and ready way by agents of the prince's, and 

 I should think that many a chamois was not 

 more difficult to obtain than the sheep or 

 goat with which the mountain shepherd pays 

 for the privilege of being governed. 



Whilst we sat in the balcony we com- 

 manded an excellent view of the royal kitchen, 

 built gipsy fashion on the lawn at the back of 

 the house, and saw many of the items which 

 went to form the morrow's dinner arrive. 

 From somewhere beyond the hills a peasant 

 and his wife would trudge into sight. By- 



VOL. II. K 



