Mr。NicholasB。remainsformetheunfortunateandmiserable（butheroic）beingwhoonceuponatimehadeatenadog。
ItisagoodfortyyearssinceIheardthetale，andtheeffecthasnotwornoffyet。Ibelievethisistheveryfirst，say，realistic，storyIheardinmylife;butallthesameIdon’tknowwhyIshouldhavebeensofrightfullyimpressed。OfcourseIknowwhatourvillagedogslooklike——butstill……No！Atthisveryday，recallingthehorrorandcompassionofmychildhood，IaskmyselfwhetherIamrightindisclosingtoacoldandfastidiousworldthatawfulepisodeinthefamilyhistory。Iaskmyself——isitright？——especiallyastheB。familyhadalwaysbeenhonourablyknowninawidecountry-sideforthedelicacyoftheirtastesinthematterofeatinganddrinking。
Butuponthewhole，andconsideringthatthisgastronomicaldegradationovertakingagallantyoungofficerliesreallyatthedooroftheGreatNapoleon，Ithinkthattocoveritupbysilencewouldbeanexaggerationofliteraryrestraint。Letthetruthstandhere。TheresponsibilityrestswiththeManofSt。
HelenainviewofhisdeplorablelevityintheconductoftheRussiancampaign。ItwasduringthememorableretreatfromMoscowthatMr。NicholasB。，incompanyoftwobrotherofficers——
astowhosemoralityandnaturalrefinementIknownothing——