to offer any consolation which was at my command
to my acquaintance Catchpole, and perhaps, like many other people who go
to a house with 'drops of compassion trembling on their eyelids,' I felt
rather disappointed at finding that no compassion was necessary. The
house was thronged with company, the cries for ale and porter, hot brandy
and water, cold gin and water, were numerous; moreover, no desire to
receive and not to pay for the landlord's liquids was manifested--on the
contrary, everybody seemed disposed to play the most honourable part:
'Landlord, here's the money for this glass of brandy and water--do me the
favour to take it; all right, remember I have paid you.' 'Landlord,
here's the money for the pint of half-and-half--four-pence halfpenny,
a'nt it?--here's sixpence, keep the change--confound the change!' The
landlord, assisted by his niece, bustled about; his brow erect, his
cheeks plumped out, and all his features exhibiting a kind of surly
satisfaction. Wherever he moved, marks of the most cordial amity were
shown him, hands were thrust out to grasp his, nor were looks of respect,
admiration, nay almost of adoration, wanting. I observed one fellow, as
the landlord advanced, take the pipe out of his mouth, and gaze upon him
with a kind of grin of wonder, probably much the same as his ancestor,
the Saxon lout of old, put on when he saw his idol Thur dressed in a new
kirtle. To avoid the press, I got into a corner, where, on a couple of
chairs, sat two respectable-looking individuals, whether farmers or
sow-gelders, I know not, but highly respectable-looking, who were
discoursing about the landlord. 'Such another,' said one, 'you will not
find in a summer's day.' 'No, nor in the whole of England,' said the
other. 'Tom of Hopton,' said the first; 'ah! Tom of Hopton,' echoed the
other; 'the man who could beat Tom of Hopton could beat the world.' 'I
glory in him,' said the first. 'So do I,' said the second, 'I'll back
him against the world. Let me hear any one say anything against him, and
if I don't--' then, looking at me, he added, 'have you anything to say
against him, young man?' 'Not a word,' said I, 'save that he regularly
puts me out.' 'He'll put any one out,' said the man, 'any one out of
conceit with himself;' then, lifting a mug to his mouth, he added, with a
hiccough, 'I drink his health.' Presently the landlord, as he moved
about, observing me, stopped short: 'Ah!' said he, 'are you here