A GOURMET'S WAGER.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 4, Issue 1079, 20 May 1882, Page 1 (Supplement)

A GOURMET'S WAGER.

The Vieointe do Vieil-Castel, brother of Count Horace de Vieil-Castel, one of tho most refined .gourmets of his time, started one day, at a party composed one half of artists and the other half of men of fashion, the following questions:— "A man can by himself cat a dinuor costing five hundred francs." "Impossible!" was the general exclamation, .. "It must.be.well understood," rejoined the Vieointe, "that with the word eat is comprised tho word drink." "Parblen" rejoined his hearers, " Very well! I say that a man—and when I .say a man, I do not speak of a carter—l mean a gourmet, a disciple of Moiitron or de Courchainps-vory well! I say a gourmet, a disciple of Montora or Courchamps, can cat a dinner costing five hundred francs." "■You,'for instance?" "I, or any other man." "'Would you ?" " Certainly." "I will put down the fivo hundred fraucs," said,onc.of those present. "Now, let us . thoroughly understand the conditions." " Nothing can be more simple to understand. I will dine at the Cafe de Paris, and arrange my,carte as I'choose, and I will eat at dinner whatwill costfive hundred francs.", "Without leaving anything on plate.or dish?" " Only the bones." "And when.shall the wager come off?" "To-morrow, if you like,"

" And. then. you.will.',tse no,.breakfas|;?' . of .tho party.; ~. '■..! j f •' "I shall take my .usual, breakfast]; Agreed.' j To-morrow*, at.seven.o'clock'^. at the do .Paris,- j! ~ After', this the .Vieomte went. to dine, ,as custom,,at- that fashion,- ; able; restaurant,', and after dinner,•• in, order. not to .be jnflueueed by, gnawinga of,,thfc, atomach,, the .Vicpinto, to work to arrange i the morrow's bill of fare. .

. .The .maitro.do.hotel,was;summoned,lt t ; was' mid-winter.,, : Tho, .Vicomte;required-. plenty fruit,' and early fruit,' He asked ;for, game,.but.jill,,sporting,was: temporarily sus". pended. , Tho maitre d'hotel requested to bo allowed ; 8 days, • i The di hner .was . therefore put off for eight days, . It was arranged that .tho . should..dine on the right,and.,left of,.the,: Yiconito's.tablo.■' ' i ~ Tho time allowed for dinner was two hours, —from seven o'clock till nino!. . ,!

. The Vicomte might talk, or not,' aa> lie pleased, t : . AtitheJiourappomteiie.yieil-CMtel.mado' hia appoaranco, bowed to the umpires,-, .seated l ■ hirasoif; ~ ' ■ ',■ ■ Thejjnil mystery to,-big ad-•, pleasure of/a surpriao.waa re;, •.servedfor.them,'.

| Tho Vicomto,unfolded bis serviette, . ij Twelve dozenof Ostend oysters were served. '.up, together with.half a bottlo of., Johannis>rg. ,/j .The Yicomte exhibited a good appetite; he, called for.another dozen of .Ostend oysters-, half-bottlo ofthesame orii.. • ( . ? ■ Next: came iwhieh tho. Vicomte poured .into ;• drank off at a. draught.. . ' '$ ''Ma foi, ; gentleuien," said ho, {"I feel in., the.vein, to-dpy,,.and. havoa mind-tojindulge. i in a whim,"

"Do so, pardieu, You have it all your own way." " I doat upoivbeefsteak and potatoes," "Gentlemen, no observations, if you please," said a voice. "Bah I garcon," exclaimed theVicomte, " a beefsteak and potatoes," The garcon, astonished, stared at the Vicomto, "Eh bien,"said tho latter, "don't you understand ?" " Si fait; but I thought that Monsieur le Vicomto had completed his menu," "True, but this is an extra which I fancy, and for which I shall pay additionally," The umpires started at one another, The beefsteak and potatoes were brought, and duly devoured' by the Yiconite to the very last morsel. ' "Veyons! now for the fis|i,"' The fish was brought, "Messieurs," said the Vieointe, "it is. a ferra from the Lake of Geneva. This fish is only to be found there; but it is, however, possible to procure it. When they showed it me this morning at breakfast, it was still alive. It was brought from Geneva to Paris in the lake water. I can recommend the ferra to you—it is delicious .eating," Fivo minutes afterwards there was nothing • more on the plate save the backbone of the ferra, . "The pheasant, garcon 1" cried theVicomte. A pheasant, stuffed with truffles made, its appearance. . " Another bottle of Bordeaux, same cru." The second bottle was uncorked, Tho pheasant was despatched in ten minutes, "Monsieur," observed tho garcon, "I think you lmve mado a mistake in asking for the stuffed pheasant before tho salmis d'ortolans," "Ah, pardieu, that's true! By good luck it is not.,fixed in ; what order tho' ortolans

shall be,eaten, fi pther ; \vi§e-i,s]iOuid.haxe. lost ihe,wager.;:; : The.ealfflisr.d!ortolans,'ugar(:on|". . iThesalmiSiWasi.se.tljefore.him.r,,: •'■ - : I * ,-Ther,a--, were-, ten \ortolnfis,>j.of iiwhjoh'-.-.tljq yicomte ( inade-jußt:.ten inouthfuls'.f;i h r .' j •'"Messieurs,"saidhe; "mymenuiis'avoiy. simple one, -Nowfor somo asparagus,i.young peas, aipjnerapple, ,andi,Bome strawberries.! For ; :wine, -half-.a-bottle ofnCqnstantia> and-hftU-ft-bottle-.pfi. East ilndiaLsherry. "After, that.coffee, and liqueurs bienicnt.ehdui" ■■', ;■. " Eaohiiartiole camol.imits .turn and/fruitSjMalliwereiiCorisoientioußly'eateij,, wines.and liqueurs. l .-drainedto'.thejilastjdrop,', :.iThe teen minut«B, tO'despatohhisidinnet. . j.. ; " Messieurs," said ; he,>:!'have matters been: gone, through, loyally ?" i . The umpire ■testified in tlie afExmative,' j' • "Garcon,;. the.ibilL'.'; (/'oif(iid'w»,iwast.ni)t. used, at .that, epoch).; ■ ■■■': ' :-: j ■ iThe Vicomte oast ia^glancei-atithei aupi. .total,iand banded the document.to the lim-j

ran, aa Mcotb '. fr. 0,. OBteud.oyateray twenty-fouridoien,; i;3O j, Swallofffiiost soup';,,, ,„ ;'l5O i„ Beefsteak and potatoes:, ; "2. , (j \Femitm ths Lako of Genova -.40' <„ ;Bheaaant with trufflea .• : ';■ 40. J,. Salipialdloitolansi 4 60> ! : Aspar#gn« .i, <• Peas 12: •,

Pineapple... ' ... ..., 24 „ Strawberries •.„ ... 20 „

. sWitras.'Johaiinisberg,'one bottle. ... ... i 24 M . Bordeaux, era, two botte... GO „ Constantia,-half a bottle..4o „ East India sherry,'-half,ft,botfclo ... 50 „ Cafe;-liqueurs.: ..., ... ... 150

:■ ' ;; Total .048 50 The addition was verified and .proved correct. The bill was takon>to>ithe.man;wliqi had lost/ the bet,, who was ;dihingiin an. joining room,; ffe made; his/appearance jn, some,;fiYO minutesj nbowad-:to• tlie• Vicomte r j drew from his pocket'/six notes of ■ one thoii-j sand: francs each, and:-handed them to the winner. iThat was the araouut of thewager,; "Oil! Monsieur," ; said .the: Vicomtp, ff there..ne'ed be no hurry.; perhaps, <more : .over, youwould desire to have your revenge;". , "Wouldyou; give ,it me?"—" Certaihlyi" — l l When 1 ' As sqou ,asy ou like," : ;. The..vOracity. of the»Vicomte de< Vieil-, Castel does,not single- him out as one of the most, elogant .types of thegastronomy' of- the epoch,. .for the . exploit ; above (narrated was assuredly an example of-gluttony pure and Magazine. ■'