All this time Dunwoodie sat
by himself, gazing at the fire, and lost in reflections which none of
his officers presumed to disturb. He had made earnest inquiries of
Sitgreaves after the condition of Singleton, during which a profound and
respectful silence was maintained in the room; but as soon as he had
ended, and resumed his seat, the usual ease and freedom prevailed.
The arrangement of the table was a matter of but little concern to Mrs.
Flanagan; and Caesar would have been sadly scandalized at witnessing the
informality with which various dishes, each bearing a wonderful
resemblance to the others, were placed before so many gentlemen of
consideration. In taking their places at the board, the strictest
attention was paid to precedency; for, notwithstanding the freedom of
manners which prevailed in the corps, the points of military etiquette
were at all times observed, with something approaching to religious
veneration. Most of the guests had been fasting too long to be in any
degree fastidious in their appetites; but the case was different with
Captain Lawton; he felt an unaccountable loathing at the exhibition of
Betty's food, and could not refrain from making a few passing comments
on the condition of the knives, and the clouded aspect of the plates.
The good nature and the personal affection of Betty for the offender,
restrained her, for some time, from answering his innuendoes, until
Lawton, having ventured to admit a piece of the black meat into his
mouth, inquired, with the affectation of a spoiled child,--
"What kind of animal might this have been when living, Mrs.
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