"It's quite igstronnary they don't come," said Munseer
de l'Ail.
"Peraps they're ingaged at some boxing-match or some combaw de cock,"
Munseer Jools sejested; and the landlord egreed that was very likely.
Instedd of English there was, however, plenty of foring sociaty, of
every nation under the sun. Most of the noblemen were great hamatures of
hale and porter. The tablecloth was marked over with brown suckles, made
by the pewter-pots on that and the previous days.
"It is the usage here," wrote Jools to his newspaper, "among the Anglais
of the fashonne to absorb immense quantities of ale and porter during
their meals. These stupefying, but cheap, and not unpalatable liquors
are served in shining pewter vessels. A mug of foaming hafanaf (so a
certain sort of beer is called) was placed by the side of most of the
convives. I was disappointed of seeing Sir Peel: he was engaged to a
combat of cocks which occurs at Windsor."
Not one word of English was spoke during this dinner, excep when the
gentlemen said "Garsong de l'afanaf," but Jool was very much pleased to
meet the eleet of the foringers in town, and ask their opinion about the
reel state of thinx. Was it likely that the bishops were to be turned
out of the Chambre des Communes? Was it true that Lor Palmerston
had boxed with Lor Broghamm in the House of Lords, until they were
sepparayted by the Lor Maire? Who was the Lor Maire? Wasn't he Premier
Minister? and wasn't the Archeveque de Cantorbery a Quaker? He got
answers to these questions from the various gents round about during
the dinner--which, he remarked, was very much like a French dinner, only
dirtier.
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