Chapter 37

           ThebreakfastbellofCasadelCorvohadsoundeditssecondandlastsummons—precededbyastillearliersignalfromahorn,intendedtocallinthestragglersfromremotepartsoftheplantation.

           The"fieldhands"labouringnearhadcollectedaroundthe"quarter;"andingroups,squatteduponthegrass,orseateduponstraylogs,werediscussingtheirdiet—bynomeansspare—of"hogandhominy"corn-breadand"corn-coffee,"withajocositythatproclaimedakeenrelishofthese,theirordinarycomestibles.

           Theplanter’sfamilyassembledinthesalawereabouttobeginbreakfast,whenitwasdiscoveredthatoneofitsmemberswasmissing.

           Henrywastheabsentone.

           Atfirsttherewasbutlittlenoticetakenofthecircumstance.Onlytheconjecture:thathewouldshortlymakehisappearance.

           Asseveralminutespassedwithouthiscomingin,theplanterquietlyobservedthatitwasratherstrangeofHenrytobebehindtime,andwonderwherehecouldbe.

           ThebreakfastoftheSouth-westernAmericanisusuallyawellappointedmeal.Itiseatenatafixedhour,andtable-d’hôtefashion—allthemembersofthefamilymeetingatthetable.

           Thishabitisexactedbyasortofnecessity,arisingoutofthenatureofsomeoftheviandspeculiartothecountry;manyofwhich,as"Virginiabiscuit,""buckwheatcakes,"and"waffles,"areonlyrelishedcomingfreshfrom,thefire:sothatthehourwhenbreakfastisbeingeateninthedining-room,isthatinwhichthecookisbroilingherskininthekitchen.