I
am bound to confess, however, that we punished ourselves at least as
much as the landlord, for as we paid so much a day for board and
lodging, he was of course bound to provide us with dinner, and we had
thus to pay for our food twice over.
_Friday, October 27th_.--Still no news from Tom. Mr. Long called at
half-past eight, to take me to the market, and my first step was to
send another telegram, this time taking care to see that it really was
despatched.
We then walked through the streets to the market-hall, a handsome iron
building, commodiously arranged, which was sent out from England in
pieces, and put together here. All round it are stalls, where you can
get a capital breakfast, generally consisting of coffee, tender
beef-steak, buttered toast, and boiled beans, for a small sum. One of
our party, who had been at the market since half-past five, tried one,
and fully confirmed the report we had heard as to their excellence and
cleanliness. At the time of our visit all these refreshment stalls
were crowded, and I felt rather tempted to join one of the hungry
merry-looking groups myself. The market was well supplied with meat,
fish, vegetables, fruit, and flowers of all kinds, green peas, French
beans, and strawberries being specially abundant. There were
quantities of queer-looking baskets to be seen, and some curious
pottery, made by the nuns from a kind of cement.
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