the hotel of the Lion d'Or at Granpere, and all within the house sat
down together to supper. The supper was spread on a long table in
the saloon up-stairs, and the room was lighted with camphine lamps,-
-for as yet gas had not found its way to Granpere. At this meal
assembled not only the guests in the house and the members of the
family of the landlord,--but also many persons living in the village
whom it suited to take, at a certain price per month, the chief meal
of the day, at the house of the innkeeper, instead of eating in
their own houses a more costly, a less dainty, and probably a lonely
supper. Therefore when the bell was heard there came together some
dozen residents of Granpere, mostly young men engaged in the linen
trade, from their different lodgings, and each took his accustomed
seat down the sides of the long board, at which, tied in a knot, was
placed his own napkin. At the top of the table was the place of
Madame Voss, which she never failed to fill exactly three minutes
after the bell had been rung. At her right hand was the chair of
the master of the house,--never occupied by any one else;--but it
would often happen that some business would keep him away. Since
George had left him he had taken the timber into his own hands, and
was accustomed to think and sometimes to say that the necessity was
cruel on him. Below his chair and on the other side of Madame Voss
there would generally be two or three places kept for guests who
might be specially looked upon as the intimate friends of the
mistress of the house; and at the farther end of the table, close to
the window, was the space allotted to travellers. Here the napkins
were not tied in knots, but were always clean. And, though the
little plates of radishes, cakes, and dried fruits were continued
from one of the tables to the other, the long-necked thin bottles of
common wine came to an end before they reached the strangers'
portion of the board; for it had been found that strangers would