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Here the Seneschal concluded his description, and gave a sign

with his wand; immediately lackeys began to enter in pairs,

bringing the different dishes: the beet soup called royal, and

the old-Polish broth, artistically prepared, into which the

Seneschal in marvellous and mysterious wise had thrown several

pearls and a piece of money; such broth purifies the blood and

fortifies the health; after it came other dishes-but who could

describe them all! Who would even comprehend those dishes of

_kontuz, arkas, and blemas_,206 no longer known in our times,

with their ingredients of cod, stuffing, civet, musk, caramel,

pine nuts, damson plums! And those fish! Dry salmon from the

Danube, sturgeon, Venetian and Turkish caviare, pikes and

pickerel a cubit long, flounders, and capon carp, and noble carp!

Finally a culinary mystery: an uncut fish, fried at the head,

baked in the middle, and with its tail in a ragout with sauce.