Canapes

Mirkheim, III.

Correction: van Rijn does not invite Lennart and Story to dinner, just to talk. However, for Nicholas van Rijn, talk without plentiful food and drink is inconceivable. He urges his two guests to eat, drink and smoke while:

"...waving at a well-stocked portable bar, trays of intricate canapes, boxes of cigars and cigarettes." (p. 67)

If I were present, I would be tempted to find a plate and pile it with enough canapes to make a substantial meal although this would probably be socially unacceptable. 

The drinking and eating is in character for van Rijn and gives Anderson's readers vicarious pleasure alongside the dialogue. The other characters act in character. Lennart sits stiff and accepts nothing. Story drinks Scotch. Van Rijn continues to drink gin - he refills his glass. He eats a smoked eel and cold scrambled egg sandwich, then Limburger cheese and onion on pumpernickel. We wish we were there.