JК
Sharpes Havoc :: Корнуэлл Бернард
Страница: 176 из 242The British cannot cross the river, and ifthey try they will be repulsed. In a few weeks we shall be reinforced.” He paused so that the translation could be made and hoped he was right in saying that reinforcements would come soon or else he did not know how he was to continue his invasion of Portugal. „Then we shall march south to taste the joys of Lisbon. Tell her we shall have peace by August. Ah! The cook!”
A plump Frenchman with extravagant mustaches had come into the room. He wore a blood-streaked apron with a wicked-looking carving knife thrust into its belt. „You sent for me” he sounded grudging-”sir.”
„Ah!” Soult pushed back his chair and rubbed his hands. „We must plan supper, Sergeant Deron, supper! I intend to sit sixteen, so what do you suggest?”
„I have eels.”
„Eels!” Soult responded happily. „Stuffed with buttered whiting and mushrooms? Excellent.”
„I shall fillet them,” Sergeant Deron said doggedly, „fry them with parsley and serve the fillets with a red wine sauce. Then for an entree I have lamb. Very good lamb.”
„Good! I do like lamb,” Soult said. „You can make a caper sauce?”
„A caper sauce!” Deron looked disgusted. „The vinegar will drown the lamb,” he said indignantly, „and it is good lamb, tender and fat.”
„A very delicate caper sauce, perhaps?” Soult suggested.
The guns rose to a sudden fury, shaking the windows and rattling the crystal peardrops of the two chandeliers above the long table, but both the Marshal and the cook ignored the sound. „What I will do,” Deron said in a voice which suggested that there could be no discussion, „is bake the lamb with some goose fat.”
„Good, good,” Soult said.
„And garnish it with onions, ham and a few cepes.”
A harassed-looking officer, sweating and red-faced from the day’s heat, came into the room. „Sir!”
„A moment,” Soult said, frowning, then looked back to Deron. „Onions, ham and some cepes?” he repeated. „And perhaps we might add some lardons, Sergeant? Lardons go so well with lamb.”
„I shall garnish it with a little chopped ham,” Deron said stoically, „some small onions and a few cepes.”
Soult surrendered. „I know it will taste superb, quite superb. And Deron, thank you for this breakfast. Thank you.”
„It would have been better eaten when it was cooked,” Deron said, then sniffed and went from the room.
Soult beamed at the cook’s retreating back, then scowled at the newcomer who had interrupted him.
A plump Frenchman with extravagant mustaches had come into the room. He wore a blood-streaked apron with a wicked-looking carving knife thrust into its belt. „You sent for me” he sounded grudging-”sir.”
„Ah!” Soult pushed back his chair and rubbed his hands. „We must plan supper, Sergeant Deron, supper! I intend to sit sixteen, so what do you suggest?”
„I have eels.”
„Eels!” Soult responded happily. „Stuffed with buttered whiting and mushrooms? Excellent.”
„I shall fillet them,” Sergeant Deron said doggedly, „fry them with parsley and serve the fillets with a red wine sauce. Then for an entree I have lamb. Very good lamb.”
„Good! I do like lamb,” Soult said. „You can make a caper sauce?”
„A caper sauce!” Deron looked disgusted. „The vinegar will drown the lamb,” he said indignantly, „and it is good lamb, tender and fat.”
„A very delicate caper sauce, perhaps?” Soult suggested.
The guns rose to a sudden fury, shaking the windows and rattling the crystal peardrops of the two chandeliers above the long table, but both the Marshal and the cook ignored the sound. „What I will do,” Deron said in a voice which suggested that there could be no discussion, „is bake the lamb with some goose fat.”
„Good, good,” Soult said.
„And garnish it with onions, ham and a few cepes.”
A harassed-looking officer, sweating and red-faced from the day’s heat, came into the room. „Sir!”
„A moment,” Soult said, frowning, then looked back to Deron. „Onions, ham and some cepes?” he repeated. „And perhaps we might add some lardons, Sergeant? Lardons go so well with lamb.”
„I shall garnish it with a little chopped ham,” Deron said stoically, „some small onions and a few cepes.”
Soult surrendered. „I know it will taste superb, quite superb. And Deron, thank you for this breakfast. Thank you.”
„It would have been better eaten when it was cooked,” Deron said, then sniffed and went from the room.
Soult beamed at the cook’s retreating back, then scowled at the newcomer who had interrupted him.