. The life of Bismarck, private and political;. dignity, Count was Homeric laughter. The magistrate said, You aredischarged; one must overlook a little from any one bearing sogreat a name; but for the future take care to do your illustriousgod-cousin in Berlin more credit! There was no end to this. Anecdote succeeded anecdote, onejoke the other; each departing story-teller leaving another in hisplace, until the circle round the altar of Grambrinus was brokenup by the news that their Majesties and the Court, after havingpartaken of supper in the Countesss salon, had taken their d
. The life of Bismarck, private and political;. dignity, Count was Homeric laughter. The magistrate said, You aredischarged; one must overlook a little from any one bearing sogreat a name; but for the future take care to do your illustriousgod-cousin in Berlin more credit! There was no end to this. Anecdote succeeded anecdote, onejoke the other; each departing story-teller leaving another in hisplace, until the circle round the altar of Grambrinus was brokenup by the news that their Majesties and the Court, after havingpartaken of supper in the Countesss salon, had taken their de-parture. This was the signal for supper for the rest of theguests. A buffet supper is the saddest conclusion of a rout—it isalmost somewhat humiliating to stand with ones hat under onesarm and the plate in ones hand, after having had great difficul-ty to procure knife, fork, and all the other utensils employed incivilized nations for the business of eating! But humanity caneven support this, and with a little care and patience it is possi-. ble gradually to get a complete supper, from a cup of soup to afruit-ice. Modest minds content themselves certainly by absorb-ing a gigantic portion of ham-pie with a spoon—or whatever thefortune of war has favored their plates with—ask for nothing 440 A SMOKING-ROOM. more—but go in for the wine, which is foaming in any quan-tity. In the mean time the dance music is beginning again, and withit the actual period of enjoyment for dancers, and the terriblehour for chaperonizing mothers and aunts, who sit out the lastcotillon with a heroism brave unto death. The non-dancing guests now really begin to enjoy themselves—the crowd being no longer so thick, there is more room, as thesaloons reserved for the Court are now open, and there are plen-ty of seats. Presently a smoking-room suddenly opens—a smok-ing-room with noble cigars, iced champagne, and hot one sees the Minister - President busy among hisguests, conversi
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, bookidlifeofbismar, bookyear1870
