A GREAT CHEF'S SUICIDE.

Waikato Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1580, 19 August 1882, Page 6

A GREAT CHEF'S SUICIDE.

Vatel, greatest of cooks, Fouquefc's legacy to Condd, had to cater at Chantilly for a host of grand guests. Big Louis the Fourteenth was striving- to crush little Holland, and Conde", who was to be the real commander, gave a fete in honor of the expedition. There was a hunt, a moonlight promenade, and a supper in a garden of jonquils. Vatel had been in his glory. The cookery was exquisite ; but, alas, at the twenty-fifth table the joint failed, for more sat down than had beeu expected. Vatel was upset. He told the steward, Gourville: "My honor is lost ; this is a disgrace that I can't euduro. Poor man, he had^not had any proper sleep for nearly a fortnight. Gourville saw he was not well, and spoke to Conde 1 , and the prince went to Vatel's room, and told him : " It's all right ; there never was anything so beautiful as a king's supper. "Ah, my prince, you are very kind to me ; but the joint gave out at two tables." "No such thing," replied Cond6, "it all went off remarkably well." But Vatel would not be comforted ; ho could not lay on himself the blame of the fireworks, which were a failure though they cost sixteen francs, but he was exercised in mind about the king's dinner for the next day. Would the fish come in time? Every seaport in France had been sent to, for it was to be a great fish -dinner. So he was once more aleepless, and at four in the morning was wandering all over the grounds. At last a purveyor drove in with two little loads of fish. "IsVthat all ?" anxiously asked the chef. "Yes, sir," said the man, who thought Vatel meant, " Is that all you individually have got ?" ,A q time went on Vatel got excite^, and" told Gourville: "Sir, I shall not be able to survive this disgrace. My honor and reputation are at stake." The unsympathising Gourville tried to laugh him out of his low spirits, but the poor man was terribly in earnest ; and, going up to his room, put his sword against the door, and at the third thrust ran it through his heart. Meanwhile the fish came pouring iv from all sides, and everybody was looking for Vatel, who was at last found dead in a pool of blood behind his door. Conde was in despair, to think that a chef &hould have had such a code of honor. Louis said, sadly: "For five years I put off coming because I knew how much trouble my visit would cause." But it was all too late for poor Vatel. He was lying dead behind his door, and Gourville had to do the best he could with the fish, and turned out a dinner which everyone pronounced excellent. They supped afterwards right royally, and promenaded and hunted, the next day lunched among the jonquils. It was like fairyland. — Madame de Scvigny.