The little waitress totalled up my bill on the card that the commissionaire at the door had given me, and I was making my way to the pay-desk when I saw in a corner by the book-stall a lady engaged in opening letters; and, thinking that this must be Mrs Eustace Miles, I asked her if such was the case, and when she said "Yes," introduced myself. She welcomed me to the restaurant, explained that her husband was away playing a championship game at tennis, and said how sorry she was that she had not met me before I lunched, as she would have liked to suggest to me the dishes that best suit anyone making their first essay on non-flesh foods. I told her, however, that I had wished to make my first attack just as any other meat-eating member of the public would do, and I was very glad to be able to compliment her on the cook's soup and the shortbread. I had bought at the book-stall the May number of _Healthward Ho!_ and had carried off from the dinner-table a sheaf of leaflets giving information concerning the restaurant and the _salons_, and in addition to these Mrs Miles gave me a leaflet describing the exhibit that the then chef of the restaurant, Mr Blatch, N.C.A., sent to the Food and Cookery Exhibition in 1910, and which won a gold medal there, and an account of the _déjeuner_ at which M. Escoffier and the editor of _Food and Cookery_ and _The Catering World_ were present, and which was described by the latter in glowing terms, "excellent," "delightful" and "delicious" being adjectives used for every course. This was the menu of the feast: Milk Cheese and Celery Mayonnaise. Salsify and Barley Cream Soup. Cashew Nut Timbale and Cranberry Sauce. Nut and Vegetable en Casserole. Vegetables (Conservatively Cooked). Jamaican Fruit Salad. Devilled Compacto. It was recorded that M. Escoffier very much enjoyed the devilled Compacto, and praised the work of the chef who had prepared the _hors d'œuvre_ and the entrées. As, however, since the date of this _déjeuner_, which was in March 1910, M. Escoffier has given the world his famous _Dodine_, and his not less famous _Poularde Poincaré_, he was evidently not weaned from the errors of flesh-eating by his visit to the Eustace Miles Restaurant, nor shall I be lured away by any stuffed vegetable marrow from creamy salmon and plump quails. But I shall say no word to dissuade old "Rats" from going to dine at the Eustace Miles Restaurant, for I am quite sure that what he will eat there will certainly do him no harm, and if he chooses F.U. dishes may probably do him a lot of good, but I should like to be present when the old man first looks down the green and red bill of fare of the day and finds himself faced by all the strange new dishes, for his remarks will be worthy of the occasion. XIII THE PRINCES' RESTAURANT