I informed him that I should be
only too happy.
On the following day at four o'clock I dined with the landlord, in
company with a commercial traveller. The dinner was good, though
plain, consisting of boiled mackerel--rather a rarity in those
parts at that time--with fennel sauce, a prime baron of roast beef
after the mackerel, then a tart and noble Cheshire cheese; we had
prime sherry at dinner, and whilst eating the cheese prime porter,
that of Barclay, the only good porter in the world. After the
cloth was removed we had a bottle of very good port; and whilst
partaking of the port I had an argument with the commercial
traveller on the subject of the corn-laws.
The commercial traveller, having worsted me in the argument on the
subject of the corn-laws, got up in great glee, saying that he must
order his gig, as business must be attended to. Before leaving the
room, however, he shook me patronizingly by the hand, and said
something to the master of the house, but in so low a tone that it
escaped my ear.
No sooner had he departed than the master of the house told me that
his friend the traveller had just said that I was a confounded
sensible young fellow, and not at all opinionated, a sentiment in
which he himself perfectly agreed--then hemming once or twice, he
said that as I was going on a journey he hoped I was tolerably well
provided with money, adding that travelling was rather expensive,
especially on horseback, the manner in which he supposed, as I had
a horse in the stable, I intended to travel.
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