word. You'll remember that, if you please, if there
should be anything about it afterwards. Ah! you're wanted for the
chair, Mr. Tappitt. I'll come and sit alongside of you, if you'll
allow me."

The dinner itself was decidedly bad, and the company undoubtedly
dull. I am inclined to think that every individual there would have
dined more comfortably at home. A horrid mess concocted of old gravy,
catsup, and bad wine was distributed under the name of soup. Then
there came upon the table half a huge hake,--the very worst fish that
swims, a fish with which Devonshire is peculiarly invested. Some hard
dark brown mysterious balls were handed round, which on being opened
with a knife were found to contain sausage-meat, very greasy and by
no means cooked through. Even the _dura ilia_ of the liberal electors
of Baslehurst declined to make acquaintance with these dainties.
After that came the dinner, consisting of a piece of roast beef very
raw, and a leg of parboiled mutton, absolutely blue in its state of
rawness. When the gory mess was seen which displayed itself on the
first incision made into these lumps of meat, the vice-president
and one or two of his friends spoke out aloud. That hard and greasy
sausage-meat might have been all right for anything they knew to the
contrary, and the soup they had swallowed without complaint. But they
did know what should be the state of a joint of meat when brought
to the table, and therefore they spoke out in their anger. Tappitt
himself said nothing that was intended to be carried beyond the
waiter, seeing that beer from his own brewery was consumed in the tap
of the Dragon; but the vice-president was a hardware dealer with whom
the Dragon had but small connection of trade, and he sent terrible
messages down to the landlady, threatening her with the Blue Boar,
the Mitre, and even with that nasty little pothouse the Chequers.
"What is it they expects for their three-and-sixpence?" said the
landlady, in her wrath; for it must be understood that Sharpit knew
well that he was dealing with one who understood the value of money,
and that he did not feel quite sure of passing the dinner in Mr.
Hart's bill. Then came a pie with crust an inch thick, which nobody
could eat, and a cabinet pudding, so called, full of lumps of suet.
I venture to assert that each liberal elector there would have got
a better dinner at home, and would have been served with greater
comfort; but a public dinner at an i