About noon
The floor had been well scrubbed , the round table in the middle of the room was covered with a beautiful cloth with red stripes and six large silver covers upon it , the napkins folded like a boat in the shining plates , the salt-cellar and the sealed bottles , and the large cut glasses sparkling in the sun which came over the groups of lilac ranged along the windows . Mr. Goulden wished to have everything in abundance , grand and magnificent , as he would for princes and embassadors , and he had taken his silver from the basket , a most unusual thing ; I had made the soup myself . In it there were three pounds of good meat , a head of cabbage , carrots in abundance , indeed everything necessary ; except that , -- which you can never have so good at an hotel , -- everything had been ordered by Mr. Goulden himself from the `` Ville de Metz . '' About noon we looked at each other , smiling and rubbing our hands , he in his beautiful nut-brown coat , well shaved , and with his great peruke a little rusty , in place of his old black silk cap , his maroon breeches neatly turned over his thick woollen stockings , and shoes with great buckles on his feet ; while I had on my sky-blue coat of the latest fashion , my shirt finely plaited in front , and happiness in my heart . All that was lacking now was our guests -- Catherine , Aunt Grédel , the grave-digger , and Zébédé . We walked up and down laughing and saying , `` Everything is in its place and we had best get out the soup-tureen . '' And I looked out now and then to see if they were coming .