He expressed his passion for good coffee, saying that this and ice
were the only two luxuries for which he cared. St. Pierre happened to
have brought some from the Isle of Bourbon, so on the following day he
rashly sent Rousseau a small packet, which at first produced a polite
letter of thanks; but the day after the letter of thanks came one of
harsh protest against the ignominy of receiving presents which could
not be returned, and bidding the unfortunate donor to choose between
taking his coffee back or never seeing his new friend again. A fair
bargain was ultimately arranged, St. Pierre receiving in exchange for
his coffee some curious root or other, and a book on ichthyology.
Immediately afterwards he went to dine with his sage. He arrived at
eleven in the forenoon, and they conversed until half-past twelve.

Then his wife laid the cloth. He took a bottle of wine, and
as he put it on the table, asked whether we should have
enough, or if I was fond of drinking. "How many are there of
us," said I. "Three," he said; "you, my wife, and myself."
"Well," I went on, "when I drink wine and am alone, I drink
a good half-bottle, and I drink a trifle more when I am with
friends." "In that case," he answered, "we shall not have
enough; I must go down into the cellar." He brought up a
second bottle. His wife served two dishes, one of small
tarts, and another which was covered. He said, showing me
the first, "That is your dish and the other is mine." "I
don't eat much pastry," I said, "but I hope to be allowed to
taste what you have got." "Oh, they are both common," he
replied; "but most people don't care for this. 'Tis a Swiss
dish; a compound of lard, mutton, vegetables, and
chestnuts." It was excellent. After these two dishes, we had
slices of beef in salad; then biscuits and cheese; after
which his wife served the coffee.

* * * * *

One morning when I was at his house, I saw various domestics
either coming for rolls of music, or bringing them to him to
copy. He received them standing and uncovered. He said to
some, "The price is so much," and received the money; to
others, "How soon must I return my copy?" "My mistress would
like to have it back in a fortnight." "Oh, that's out of the
question: I have work, I can't do it in less than three
weeks." I inquired wh