284 Readings in European History his own room and said to him, "Vatel, all goes well; there never was anything so beautiful as the king's supper." He answered, " Monseigneur, your goodness overwhelms me. I know that the roast failed at two tables." " Nothing of the sort," said Monsieur le Prince. " Do not disturb yourself, — all is well." Midnight comes. The fireworks do not succeed on account of a cloud that overspreads them (they cost sixteen thousand francs). At four o'clock in the morning Vatel is wandering about all over the place. Everything is asleep. He meets a small purveyor with two loads of fish and asks him, " Is this all?" "Yes, sir." The man did not know that Vatel had sent to all the seaport towns in France. Vatel waits some time, but the other purveyors do not arrive ; he gets excited ; he thinks that there will be no more fish. He finds Gourville and says to him, " Sir, I shall not be able to survive this dis- grace." Gourville only laughs at him. Then Vatel goes up to his own room, puts his sword against the door, and runs it through his heart, but only at the third thrust, for he gave himself two wounds which were not mortal. He falls dead. Meanwhile the fish is coming in from every side, and people are seeking for Vatel to distribute it. They go to his room, they knock, they burst open the door, they find him lying bathed in his blood. They send for Monsieur le Prince, who is in utter despair. Monsieur le Due bursts into tears ; it was upon Vatel that his whole journey to Burgundy depended. Monsieur le Prince informed the king, very sadly ; they agreed that it all came from Vatel's having his own code of honor, and they praised his courage highly even while they blamed him. The king said that for five years he had delayed his coming because he knew the extreme trouble his visit would cause. He said to Monsieur le Prince that he ought not to have but two tables and not burden himself with the responsibility for everybody, and that he would not permit Monsieur le Prince to do so again ; but it was too late for poor Vatel. Gourville, however, tried to repair the loss of Vatel, and did repair it. The dinner was excellent ; so was the luncheon.
