Page:The Naval Officer (1829), vol. 3.djvu/179

 Like many others in the service, who are most loud in their complaints for want of promotion, I considered that even in his present rank he was what we called a king's hard bargain —that is, not worth his salt; and promoting men of his stamp would only have been picking the pocket of the country. As soon, therefore, as we had anchored in the Gironde, off the city of Bordeaux, and had been visited by the proper authorities, I quitted the vessel and her captain, and went on shore.

Taking up my abode at the Hôtel d'Angleterre, my first care was to order a good dinner; and having dispatched that, and a bottle of Vin de Beaune, (which, by the by, I strongly _recommend to all travellers, if they can get it, for I am no bad judge), I asked my valet de place how I was to dispose of myself for the remainder of the evening?

"Mais, monsieur," said he, "il faut aller au spectacle."

"Allons," said I, and in a few minutes I was