"Call for what you like, sweet sir," said the lady, lifting up a silver
filigree bottle, with an india-rubber cork, ornamented with gold.
"Then," said Master Wolfgang--for the fellow's tastes were, in sooth,
very humble--"I call for half-and-half." According to his wish, a pint
of that delicious beverage was poured from the bottle, foaming, into his
beaker.
Having emptied this at a draught, and declared that on his conscience
it was the best tap he ever knew in his life, the young man felt his
appetite renewed; and it is impossible to say how many different dishes
he called for. Only enchantment, he was afterwards heard to declare
(though none of his friends believed him), could have given him the
appetite he possessed on that extraordinary night. He called for another
pork-chop and potatoes, then for pickled salmon; then he thought he
would try a devilled turkey-wing. "I adore the devil," said he.
"So do I," said the pale lady, with unwonted animation; and the dish was
served straightway. It was succeeded by black-puddings, tripe, toasted
cheese, and--what was most remarkable--every one of the dishes which he
desired came from under the same silver cover: which circumstance, when
he had partaken of about fourteen different articles, he began to find
rather mysterious.
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