“Well, Master Empson, I do not dispute but you are a man of talents,” replied the lady; “still, I say, mind the main chance--you please the ear to-day--another has the advantage of you to-morrow.” “Never, mistress, while ears have the heavenly power of distinguishing one note from another.” “Heavenly power, say you, Master Empson?” said the lady. “Ay, madam, heavenly; for some very neat verses which we had at our festival say, ‘What know we of the blest above, But that they sing and that they love?’ It is Master Waller wrote them, as I think; who, upon my word, ought to be encouraged.” “And so should you, my dear Empson,” said the dame, yawning, “were it only for the honour you do to your own profession. But in the meantime, will you ask these people to have some refreshment?--and will you take some yourself?--the chocolate is that which the Ambassador Portuguese fellow brought over to the Queen.” “If it be genuine,” said the musician. “How, sir?” said the fair one, half rising from her pile of cushions--“Not genuine, and in this house!--Let me understand you, Master Empson--I think, when I first saw you, you scarce knew chocolate from coffee.” “By G--, madam,” answered the flageolet-player, “you are perfectly right. And how can I show better how much I have profited by your ladyship’s excellent cheer, except by being critical?” “You stand excused, Master Empson,” said the _petite maitresse_, sinking gently back on the downy couch, from which a momentary irritation had startled her--“I think the chocolate will please you, though scarce equal to what we had from the Spanish resident Mendoza.--But we must offer these strange people something. Will you ask them if they would have coffee and chocolate, or cold wild-fowl, fruit, and wine? They must be treated, so as to show them where they are, since here they are.” “Unquestionably, madam,” said Empson; “but I have just at this instant forgot the French for chocolate, hot bread, coffee, game, and drinkables.” “It is odd,” said the lady; “and I have forgot my French and Italian at the same moment. But it signifies little--I will order the things to be brought, and they will remember the names of them themselves.” Empson laughed loudly at this jest, and pawned his soul that the cold sirloin which entered immediately after, was the best emblem of roast-beef all the world over. Plentiful refreshments were offered to all the party, of which both Fenella and Peveril partook. In the meanwhile, the flageolet-player drew closer to the side of the lady of the mansion--their intimacy was cemented, and their spirits set afloat, by a glass of liqueur, which gave them additional confidence in discussing the characters, as well of the superior attendants of the Court, as of the inferior rank, to which they themselves might be supposed to belong.