--

'_Accipe benedictionem_-----'

'Supper, by the Lord Harry!' cried a jolly voice behind me, and at the
same moment a general movement was made by the whole party.

The prior now didn't wait to conclude his oration, but tucking up his
garments, put himself at the head of the procession which had formed,
two and two, in order of march. At the same moment, two fiddles from the
supper-room, after a slight prelude, struck up the anthem of the order,
which was the popular melody of, 'The Night before Larry was stretched!'

Marching in measured tread, we entered the supper-room, when, once
having made the circuit of the table, at a flourish of the fiddles we
assumed our places, the superior seating himself at the head in a chair
of state, slightly elevated above the rest. A short Latin grace, which
I was unfortunate enough not to catch, being said, the work of eating
began; and, certainly, whatever might have been the feats of the friars
of old, when the bell summoned them to the refectory, their humble
followers, the Monks of the Screw, did them no discredit. A profusion of
dishes covered the table; and although the entire service was of wood,
and the whole 'equipage' of the most plain and simple description, yet
the cookery was admirable, and the wines perfection itself.

While the supper proceeded, scarcely a word was spoken. By the skilful
exercise of signs, with which they all seemed familiar, roast ducks,
lobsters, veal-pies, and jellies flew from hand to hand; the decanters
also paraded up and down the table with an alacrity and despatch I had
seldom seen equalled. Still, the pious brethren maintained a taciturn
demeanour that would have done credit to La Trappe itself. As for me, my
astonishment and curiosity increased every moment. What could they be?
What could they mean? There was something too farcical about it all to
suppose that any political society or any dangerous association could
be concealed under such a garb; and if mere conviviality and good
fellowship were meant, their unbroken silence and grave demeanour struck
me as a most singular mode of promoting either.

Supper at length concluded, the dishes were removed by two humble
brethren of the order, dressed in a species of grey serge; after
which, marching to a solemn tune, another monk appeared, bearing a huge
earthenware bowl, brimful of steaming punch--at least so the odour and
the floating lemons bespoke it. Each brother was now provided with