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Though the hour was late, the Seneschal had gathered cooks from

the neighbourhood with all possible speed; there were five of

them working under his direction. As head cook he had girt him

with a white apron, donned a nightcap, and tucked up his sleeves

to the elbows. In one hand he held a fly-flapper, and with it he

drove away insects of all sorts, which were settling greedily on

the dainties; with the other hand he put on his well-wiped

spectacles, took a book from his bosom, unwrapped it, and opened

it.

This book was entitled The Perfect Cook.187 Herein were described

in detail all the dishes peculiar to the Polish table: with its

aid the Count of Tenczyn was wont to give those banquets in the

Italian land at which the Holy Father Urban VIII. marvelled;188

by its aid, later on, Karol My-dear-friend Radziwill,189 when he

entertained King Stanislaw at Nieswiez, arranged that memorable

feast the fame of which still lives throughout Lithuania in

popular tales.