But from the moment that
the batter became more consistent, and the dripping slower, hope began
to revive, and in a few hours the splendidly browned and copiously
jagged tree-cake was taken off the wooden cone. All this had a
symbolical significance. The successful completion of this _piece de
resistance_ inspired confidence in the success of the feast itself.
The tree-cake cast the horoscope, so to speak, of the whole affair.
I shall pass over the kitchen activities on the day of the
entertainment and describe instead the feast itself. Along extension
table was moved into my mother's parlor--the only room available for
the purpose--and soon stood well set in front of the moire sofa with
the three hundred silver studs. The guests were not seated at the
table till the candles were lit. The man who presided over the banquet
always sat with his back toward the Schinkel mirror, whereas all the
other guests could, with little or no inconvenience, observe
themselves in the glass.
So far as I can recall they were always gentlemen's dinner parties,
with twelve or fourteen persons, and only on rare occasions did my
mother appear at the table, then usually accompanied by her sister,
who often visited us for months at a time in the winter season and was
in those days still very young and handsome. It was always a specially
difficult matter to assign her a suitable place, and only when old Mr.
von Flemming and Privy Councillor Kind were present was she in any
degree safe from extremely ardent attentions.
Pages:
588
589
590
591
592
593
594
595
596
597
598
599
600
601
602
603
604
605
606
607
608
609
610
611
612