Mussel Soup

Clean thoroughly one-half gallon of mussels, and toss them in a saucepan over a
fire until the shells open. Take them out, remove the weeds, etc., put them into a
saucepan with one ounce each of butter and flour, and add a little chopped parsley
and sweet herbs ; put the pan on the fire, pour in three pints of rich gravy, boil up,
remove the pan to the side of the fire, and let the contents simmer until the liquor is
reduced to half its original quantity. Pour it out into a dish garnished with pieces of
fried bread. Serve very hot.