Breakfast was ordered for one o'clock. At noon I had arrived at Bruhl, a
country house of the Elector's, with nothing remarkable about it save its
furniture. In this it is a poor copy of the Trianon. In a fine hall I
found a table laid for twenty-four persons, arranged with silver gilt
plates, damask linen, and exquisite china, while the sideboard was
adorned with an immense quantity of silver and silvergilt plate. At one
end of the room were two other tables laden with sweets and the choicest
wines procurable. I announced myself as the host, and the cook told me I
should be perfectly satisfied.

"The collation," said he, "will be composed of only twenty-four dishes,
but in addition there will be twenty-four dishes of English oysters and a
splendid dessert."

I saw a great number of servants, and told him that they would not be
necessary, but he said they were, as the guests' servants could not be
admitted.

I received all my guests at the door, confining my compliments to begging
their pardons for having been so bold as to procure myself this great
honour.

The breakfast was served at one exactly, and I had the pleasure of
enjoying the astonishment in my mistress's eyes when she saw that I had
treated them as well as a prince of the empire. She was aware that
everybody knew her to be the chief object of this lavish outlay, but she
was delighted to see that I did not pay her any attentions which were at
all invidious. The table was seated for twenty-four, and though I had
only asked eighteen people every place was occupied. Three couples,