All in a garden fair; the simple story of three boys ... - University Library

ALL LV A GARDEN FAIR, 283
should all feast together as good friends and
bans camarades' Here Olinthiis dropped his
ryes upon liis plate, where yet lingered the
bone of the single lamb cutlet. 'Now, then,
that our hearts are glad with old wine '— no-
body smiled : on such a subject a smile might
have been misinterpreted— 'we will approach
the subject which is in our minds.'
' It is the English custom,' he went on, ' in
affairs of the heart, to address one's self first to
the young lady. In France we arrange these
things differently, perhaps more simply, perhaps
witli tlie effect of j)roducing fewer mistakes.
That is nothing ; I bow, gentlemen, to the
Englbh custom '—he saluted the tlnve witli a
• omprehensive
sweep. 'You have followed
the moth(Kl adopted by y