'I wish you may be successful,'said the stranger;and here he touched one of the forks which lay on the table near him.
Here the door,which was slightly ajar,was suddenly pushed open with some fracas,and in came the stout landlord,supporting with some difficulty an immense dish,in which was a mighty round mass of smoking meat garnished all round with vegetables;so high was the mass that it probably obstructed his view,for it was not until he had placed it upon the table that he appeared to observe the stranger;he almost started,and quite out of breath exclaimed,'God bless me,your honour;is your honour the acquaintance that the young gentleman was expecting?'
'Is the young gentleman expecting an acquaintance?'said the stranger.
There is nothing like putting a good face upon these matters,thought I to myself;and,getting up,I bowed to the unknown.
'Sir,'said I,'when I told Jenny that she might lay the table-cloth for two,so that in the event of any acquaintance dropping in he might find a knife and fork ready for him,I was merely jocular,being an entire stranger in these parts,and expecting no one.
Fortune,however,it would seem,has been unexpectedly kind to me;I flatter myself,sir,that since you have been in this room I have had the honour of making your acquaintance;and in the strength of that hope I humbly entreat you to honour me with your company to dinner,provided you have not already dined.'
The stranger laughed outright.
'Sir,'I continued,'the round of beef is a noble one,and seems exceedingly well boiled,and the landlord was just right when he said I should have such a dinner as is not seen every day.A round of beef,at any rate such a round of beef as this,is seldom seen smoking upon the table in these degenerate times.Allow me,sir,'
said I,observing that the stranger was about to speak,'allow me another remark.I think I saw you just now touch the fork;I venture to hail it as an omen that you will presently seize it,and apply it to its proper purpose,and its companion the knife also.'
The stranger changed colour,and gazed upon me in silence.
'Do,sir,'here put in the landlord;'do,sir,accept the young gentleman's invitation.Your honour has of late been looking poorly,and the young gentleman is a funny young gentleman,and a clever young gentleman;and I think it will do your honour good to have a dinner's chat with the young gentleman.'
'It is not my dinner hour,'said the stranger;'I dine considerably later;taking anything now would only discompose me;I shall,however,be most happy to sit down with the young gentleman;reach me that paper,and,when the young gentleman has satisfied his appetite,we may perhaps have a little chat together.'
The landlord handed the stranger the newspaper,and,bowing,retired with his maid Jenny.I helped myself to a portion of the smoking round,and commenced eating with no little appetite.The stranger appeared to be soon engrossed with the newspaper.We continued thus a considerable time-the one reading and the other dining.Chancing suddenly to cast my eyes upon the stranger,I saw his brow contract;he gave a slight stamp with his foot,and flung the newspaper to the ground,then stooping down he picked it up,first moving his forefinger along the floor,seemingly slightly scratching it with his nail.
'Do you hope,sir,'said I,'by that ceremony with the finger to preserve yourself from the evil chance?'
The stranger started;then,after looking at me for some time in silence,he said,'Is it possible that you-?'
'Ay,ay,'said I,helping myself to some more of the round;'I have touched myself in my younger days,both for the evil chance and the good.Can't say,though,that I ever trusted much in the ceremony.'
The stranger made no reply,but appeared to be in deep thought;nothing farther passed between us until I had concluded the dinner,when I said to him,'I shall now be most happy,sir,to have the pleasure of your conversation over a pint of wine.'
The stranger rose;'No,my young friend,'said he,smiling,'that would scarce be fair.It is my turn now-pray do me the favour to go home with me,and accept what hospitality my poor roof can offer;to tell you the truth,I wish to have some particular discourse with you which would hardly be possible in this place.
As for wine,I can give you some much better than you can get here:
the landlord is an excellent fellow,but he is an innkeeper after all.I am going out for a moment,and will send him in,so that you may settle your account;I trust you will not refuse me,I only live about two miles from here.'
I looked in the face of the stranger-it was a fine intelligent face,with a cast of melancholy in it.'Sir,'said I,'I would go with you though you lived four miles instead of two.'
'Who is that gentleman?'said I to the landlord,after I had settled his bill;'I am going home with him.'
'I wish I were going too,'said the fat landlord,laying his hand upon his stomach.'Young gentleman,I shall be a loser by his honour's taking you away;but,after all,the truth is the truth-there are few gentlemen in these parts like his honour,either for learning or welcoming his friends.Young gentleman,I congratulate you.'
