On the left hand, as you pass into the first room, rises a sort of throne, not unlike the _estrado_ in the grand audience-chamber of a Spanish viceroy. This throne is encircled by a barrier to keep intruders at a respectful distance. Here sits a lady, who, from her majestic gravity and dignified bulk, you might very naturally suppose to be an empress, revolving in her comprehensive mind the affairs of her vast dominions. This respectable personage is Madame BEAUVILLIERS, whose most interesting concern is to collect from the gentlemen in waiting the cash which they receive at the different tables. In this important branch, she has the assistance of a lady, somewhat younger than herself, who, seated by her side, in stately silence, has every appearance of a maid of honour. A person in waiting near the throne, from his vacant look and obsequious carriage, might, at first sight, be taken for a chamberlain; whereas his real office, by no means an unimportant one, is to distribute into deserts the fruit and other _et ceteras_, piled up within his reach in tempting profusion. We will take our seats in this corner, whence, without laying down our knife and fork, we can enjoy a full view of the company as they enter. We are rather early: by the clock, I perceive that it is no more than five: at six, however, there will scarcely be a vacant seat at any of the tables. "_Garçon, la carte_!"--"_La voilà devant vous, Monsieur._" Good heaven! the bill of fare is a printed sheet of double _folio_, of the size of an English newspaper. It will require half an hour at least to con over this important catalogue. Let us see; Soups, thirteen sorts.--_Hors-d'oeuvres_, twenty-two species.--Beef, dressed in eleven different ways.--Pastry, containing fish, flesh and fowl, in eleven shapes. Poultry and game, under thirty-two various forms. --Veal, amplified into twenty-two distinct articles.--Mutton, confined to seventeen only.--Fish, twenty-three varieties.--Roast meat, game, and poultry, of fifteen kinds.--Entremets, or side-dishes, to the number of forty-one articles.--Desert, thirty-nine.--Wines, including those of the liqueur kind, of fifty-two denominations, besides ale and porter.--Liqueurs, twelve species, together with coffee and ices. Fudge! fudge! you cry--Pardon me, my good friend, 'tis no fudge. Take the tremendous bill of fare into your own hand. _Vide et lege_. As we are in no particular hurry, travel article by article through the whole enumeration. This will afford you the most complete notion of the expense of dining at a fashionable _restaurateur's_ in Paris. BEAUVILLIERS, RESTAURATEUR _Anciennement à la grande Tavernede la République, Palais-Egalité, No. 142, Présentement Rue de la LOI, No. 1243._ PRIX DES METS POUR UNE PERSONNE.--LES ARTICLES DONT LES PRIX NE SONT POINT FIXES, MANQUENT. POTAGES.