spread with napery, not so fine as substantial, and at every board a
comely hostess presided with her pan of hissing sausages. The nostrils
of the young rogues dilated at the savour. JAMES WHITE, as head
waiter, had charge of the first table; and myself, with our trusty
companion[25] BIGOD, ordinarily ministered to the other two. [Footnote
25: John Fenwick.] There was clambering and jostling, you may be sure,
who should get at the first table--for Rochester in his maddest days
could not have done the humours of the scene with more spirit than my
friend. After some general expression of thanks for the honour the
company had done him, his inaugural ceremony was to clasp the greasy
waist of old dame Ursula (the fattest of the three), that stood frying
and fretting, half-blessing, half-cursing "the gentleman," and imprint
upon her chaste lips a tender salute, whereat the universal host would
set up a shout that tore the concave, while hundreds of grinning teeth
startled the night with their brightness. O it was a pleasure to see
the sable younkers lick in the unctuous meat, with _his_ more unctuous
sayings--how he would fit the tit-bits to the puny mouths, reserving
the lengthier links for the seniors--how he would intercept a morsel
even in the jaws of some young desperado, declaring it "must to the
pan again to be browned, for it was not fit for a gentleman's
eating"--how he would recommend this slice of white bread, or that
piece of kissing-crust, to a tender juvenile, advising them all to
have a care of cracking their teeth, which were their best
patrimony,--how genteelly he would deal about the small ale, as if it
were wine, naming the brewer, and protesting, if it were not good he
should lose their custom; with a special recommendation to wipe the
lip before drinking. Then we had our toasts--"The King,"--the
"Cloth,"--which, whether they understood or not, was equally diverting
and flattering;--and for a crowning sentiment, which never failed,
"May the Brush supersede the Laurel." All these, and fifty other
fancies, which were rather felt than comprehended by his guests, would
he utter, standing upon tables, and prefacing every sentiment with a
"Gentlemen, give me leave to propose so and so," which was a
prodigious comfort to those young orphans; every now and then stuffing
into his mouth (for it did not do to be squeamish on these occasions)
indiscriminate pieces of those reeking sausages, which pleased them
mightily