(She and Pierrot would make up the twenty-one required for mummers’ winter ritual.) These were, from the hostess’s left: her niece, Lavinia O’Maurigan Stein; Lavinia’s husband, Jonathan Stein; Dixie, Alice, Ralph, Mawrdew Czgowchwz, Dame Sybil, Gaia della Gueza, Contessa Cassia, Carmen, Halcyon Paranoy (at the foot), Tangent Percase, Consuelo Gilligan, Merovig Creplaczx, the three remaining Secret Seven, Arpenik, and Jameson O’Maurigan. The place set just at the Countess’s right awaited the eventual, wending Pèlerin Deslieux. Dinner had commenced with potage santé. Next, shad roe and sweetbreads Tara, with an iced Bohemian hock. Next, soufflé Gautier (iced Moët, clotted cream, egg yolks, and powdered garlic flowers suspended in pignoli-scented egg-white froths, laced with Cointreau, and presented baked in separate mandala-shaped ramekins). Next, saddle of mutton with roast brown potatoes, mixed sprouts, turnips, parsnips, leek rings, carrots, and cauliflower tops (“Irish ratatouille”), mint sauce, various gravies, and a brash claret.
