Page:Adventures of Baron Wenceslas Wratislaw of Mitrowitz (1862).djvu/113

 first did fitting reverence to all by an inclination of the head, and then stood close to each other, just as if they had been painted figures. When it was dinner time, the superintendent of the kitchen brought from the cook a porcelain dish, and another covered dish, handed it to the waiter nearest him, he to a third, and so on till it came to the one who stood nearest to the Emperor’s apartment. There, again, stood other chamberlains, and one handed it to another, till the viands were carried very quickly, and without the slightest noise or clatter, to the Emperor’s table. Several of them again placed themselves in a similar row to the place where the pashas and my lords the ambassadors were ready to eat, and handed the dishes from one to another till they placed them on the table. About sixteen of them, also, placed the viands in the same manner upon the floor, which was covered with carpets, first covering the carpets with handsomely-embroidered Persian leather, instead of table-cloths. Our viands were boiled and baked fowls, soup and rice, sweet mince-meat, baked matton, and salads of small, and, to us, unusual and disagreeable herbs; we had painted spoons, no knives, and no wine. When any one wished to drink, a Turk, who had at his girdle a vessel of Persian leather, distended like bagpipes, with silver-gilt trumpets attached to it, poured out into silver-gilt goblets a sweet-water compound of sugar and lemons, which they call Arab sherbet, and handed it to the guests. This water I like very well.

Having spent here about half-an-hour at dinner, we rose from table, and some janissaries, having received from us the presents intended for the Emperor, took them away to their quarters. These presents were as