" Presently the landlord, as he moved about, observing me,
stopped short: "Ah!" said he, "are you here? I am glad to see
you, come this way. Stand back," said he to his company, as I
followed him to the bar, "stand back for me and this gentleman."
Two or three young fellows were in the bar, seemingly sporting
yokels, drinking sherry and smoking. "Come, gentlemen," said the
landlord, "clear the bar, I must have a clear bar for me and my
friend here." "Landlord, what will you take," said one, "a glass
of sherry? I know you like it." "- sherry and you too," said the
landlord, "I want neither sherry nor yourself; didn't you hear what
I told you?" "All right, old fellow," said the other, shaking the
landlord by the hand, "all right, don't wish to intrude--but I
suppose when you and your friend have done, I may come in again;"
then, with a "sarvant, sir," to me, he took himself into the
kitchen, followed by the rest of the sporting yokels.
Thereupon the landlord, taking a bottle of ale from a basket,
uncorked it, and pouring the contents into two large glasses,
handed me one, and motioning me to sit down, placed himself by me;
then, emptying his own glass at a draught, he gave a kind of grunt
of satisfaction, and fixing his eyes upon the opposite side of the
bar, remained motionless, without saying a word, buried apparently
in important cogitations.
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