Soyer's Culinary Campaign: Being Historical Reminiscences of the Late War.: With The Plain Art of Cookery for Military and Civil Institutions

was so strongly expressed, that Cournet, “taking umbrage thereat,” after calling me a monarchist and an enemy to liberty, insisted upon my meeting him the next morning, to give him the satisfaction due from one gentleman to another. I replied to his challenge by desiring that the matter should be settled at once. He answered, in a haughty tone, “Comme vous voudrez, monsieur. C’est à vous le choix des armes. Nous tirerons ce que vous voudrez!” “Eh, bien,” said I, “puisque c’est à moi le choix des armes, sortons à l’instant même, monsieur, et nous allons nous tirer les cheveux.” “As you please, sir. The choice of weapons is yours.” “In that case, I suppose we must pull triggers for it.” “Sir,” replied he, “we will pull any mortal thing you please.” “Good,” said I; “then we will at once proceed to pull each other’s hair.” The roar of laughter which followed this sally somewhat calmed the ire of this rabid and irascible duellist, more especially when he was informed who I was, and that my province was to make people live well, and not die badly. The Captain, however, entered with a smile on his countenance, and looked altogether pleased. He begged of me to say nothing about it, as the crew would laugh at him, and it was necessary on board ship to be very severe. Moreover, he declared that he wished to catch some of his brother captains, who, like him, were very much pestered with rats. As I was extremely anxious to see Captain King respecting the slow progress of the kitchen, I started about seven o’clock, expecting to find him at home. After a long and disagreeable mountainous walk, I arrived too late. “But,” said his man, “you will very likely meet him at his office about nine o’clock, or else at the Sanatorium or head-quarters, or at Kadikoi, as he told me he was going to those places.” “I suppose I have a chance of finding him anywhere, except at Sebastopol,” I replied. More fortunate than on former occasions, I met the captain on