On the toilette beside, stood an
old-fashioned mirror, in a fillagree frame, part of the dispersed finery
of the neighbouring castle. It was flanked by a long-necked bottle of
Florence wine, by which stood a glass enarly as tall, resembling
in shape that which Teniers usually places in the hands of his own
portrait, when he paints himself as mingling in the revels of a country
village. To counterbalance those foreign sentinels, there mounted guard
on the other side of the mirror two stout warders of Scottish lineage;
a jug, namely, of double ale, which held a Scotch pint, and a quaigh,
or bicker, of ivory and ebony, hooped with silver, the work of
John Girder's own hands, and the pride of his heart. Besides these
preparations against thirst, there was a goodly diet-loaf, or sweet
cake; so that, with such auxiliaries, the apartment seemed victualled
against a siege of two or three days.
It only remains to say, that the Marquis's valet was in attendance,
displaying his master's brocaded nightgown, and richly embroidered
velvet cap, lined and faced with Brussels lace, upon a huge leathern
easy-chair, wheeled round so as to have the full advantage of the
comfortable fire which we have already mentioned.
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