ttle Italian, who speaks broken English and has a sense of humour
which carries him over all difficulties. Every day brings some fresh
story concerning the little man, and a typical one is his comforting
assurance to some one who complained of an overcharge for butter. "Alla
right" said Ciro complacently, "I take him off your bill and charge him
to the Grand Duke. He not mind." The joke is sometimes against Ciro, as
when, anxious to have all possible luxuries for a great British
personage who was going to dine at the restaurant, and knowing that
plover's eggs are much esteemed in England, he obtained some of the
eggs, cooked them, and served them hot. Ciro's Restaurant originally was
where his bar now is; but when the Cafe Riche, almost next door, was
sold, he bought it, redecorated it, and transferred his restaurant to
the new and more gorgeous premises, putting his brother Salvatore--who,
poor fellow, has since died--in charge of the bar which he established
in his old quarters. I cannot put my hand on the menu of any of the many
breakfasts I have eaten at Ciro's, so I borrow a typical menu from
V.B's. interesting little book _Ten Days at Monte Carlo_. He and three
friends ate and drank this at _dejeuner_:--

Hors-d'oeuvre varies.
Oeufs poches Grand Duc.
Mostelle a l'Anglaise.
Volaille en Casserole a la Fermiere.
Patisserie.
Fromage.
Cafe.
1 Magnum Carbonnieux 1891.
Fine Champagne 1846.

This feast cost 61 francs. The Mostelle, as I have previously mentioned,
is the special fish of this part of the coast. It is as delicate as a
whiting, and is split open, fried, and served with bread crumbs and an
over-sufficiency of melted butter.

At Monte Carlo one is given everything that can be imported and which is
expensive. The salmon comes from Scotland or Sweden, and most of the
other material for the feasts is sent down daily from Paris. The
thrushes from Corsica, and some very good asparagus from Genoa or
Rocbrune, are about the only provisions which come from the
neighbourhood, except of course the fish, which is plentiful and
excellent. I was last spring entrusted with the ordering of a dinner for
six at the restaurant of the Hotel de Paris, the most frequented of all
the dining places at Monte Carlo, and I told Mons. Fleury, the manager,
that I wanted as much local colour introduced into it as possible. He