, and in the middle
a stone swan discharging quantities of water from its bill. We ascended
a spacious flight of steps to the door, which was at once flung open, and
two servants with powdered hair, and in livery of blue plush, came out
and stood one on either side as we passed the threshold. We entered a
large hall, and the stranger, taking me by the hand, welcomed me to his
poor home, as he called it, and then gave orders to another servant, but
out of livery, to show me to an apartment, and give me whatever
assistance I might require in my toilet. Notwithstanding the plea as to
primitive habits which I had lately made to my other host in the town, I
offered no objection to this arrangement, but followed the bowing
domestic to a spacious and airy chamber, where he rendered me all those
little nameless offices which the somewhat neglected state of my dress
required. When everything had been completed to my perfect satisfaction,
he told me that if I pleased he would conduct me to the library, where
dinner would be speedily served.

In the library I found a table laid for two; my host was not there,
having as I supposed not been quite so speedy with his toilette as his
guest. Left alone, I looked round the apartment with inquiring eyes; it
was long and tolerably lofty, the walls from the top to the bottom were
lined with cases containing books of all sizes and bindings; there was a
globe or two, a couch, and an easy chair. Statues and busts there were
none, and only one painting, a portrait, that of my host, but not him of
the mansion. Over the mantelpiece, the features staringly like, but so
ridiculously exaggerated that they scarcely resembled those of a human
being, daubed evidently by the hand of the commonest sign-artist, hung a
half-length portrait of him of round of beef celebrity--my sturdy host of
the town.

I had been in the library about ten minutes, amusing myself as I best
could, when my friend entered; he seemed to have resumed his
taciturnity--scarce a word escaped his lips till dinner was served, when
he said, smiling, "I suppose it would be merely a compliment to ask you
to partake?"

"I don't know," said I, seating myself; "your first course consists of
troutlets, I am fond of troutlets, and I always like to be
companionable."

The dinner was excellent, though I did but little justice to it from the
circumstance of having already dined; the stranger also, though without
my excuse, partook bu