surrounded.

Pleased with this thought and delighted with all the arrangements
for the fete, the king gave himself up to an enjoyment which, though
somewhat clouding his character as a deity, was immensely gratifying
to him.

He abandoned himself to the delights of the table! He devoured with
a sort of amiable astonishment the rare and choice dishes which,
even to his experienced and pampered palate, appeared unfathomable
mysteries; luxuries had been procured, not only from Loudon and
Paris, but from every part of the world. He delighted himself with
the gold and purple wines, whose vintage was unknown to him, and
whose odor intoxicated him more than the perfume of flowers. He
requested the count to give the name and history of all these wines.

The count obeyed in that shy, reverential manner in which he was
accustomed to speak. He charmed him by relating the many
difficulties he had overcome to obtain this wine from the Cape of
Good Hope, which had to cross the line twice to arrive at its
highest perfection. He said that for two years he had been thinking
of this gloriously happy day, and had had a ship upon the sea for
the purpose of perfecting this wine. He bade the king notice the
strangely formed fish, which could only be obtained from the Chinese
sea. Then, following up the subject, he spoke of the peculiar and
laughable customs and habits of the Chinese, thus causing even the
proud queen to laugh at his humorous descriptions.

Count Bruhl was suddenly interrupted in an unusual manner.