Clotilde kindled to the hint of his festival mood of Solomon at the banquet.

She was not devoid of a discernment of flavours; she had heard grave judges at her father's board profoundly deliver their verdicts upon this and that vineyard and vintage; and it is a note of patriotism in her country to be enthusiastic for wine of the Rhine: she was, moreover, thirsty from much talking and excitement.

She drank her glass relishingly, declaring the wine princely.

Alvan smacked his hands in a rapture: 'You are not for the extract of raisin our people have taken to copy from French Sauternes, to suit a female predilection for sugar ?' 'No, no, the grape for me!' said she: 'the Rhine grape with the elf in it, and the silver harp and the stained legend!' 'Glorious!' He toasted the grape.

'Wine of the grape is the young bride--the young sun-bride! divine, and never too sweet, never cloying like the withered sun-dried, with its one drop of concentrated sugar, that becomes ten of gout.