as I thought, a sinister look upon
entering the apartment; but without any further notice of me, took up
the office of arranging the table, which the old lady had abandoned for
that of cooking the fish, and, with more address than I expected from
a person of his coarse appearance, placed two chairs at the head of the
table, and two stools below; accommodating each seat to a cover, beside
which he placed an allowance of barley-bread, and a small jug, which he
replenished with ale from a large black jack. Three of these jugs
were of ordinary earthenware, but the fourth, which he placed by the
right-hand cover at, the upper end of the table, was a flagon of
silver, and displayed armorial bearings. Beside this flagon he placed a
salt-cellar of silver, handsomely wrought, containing salt of exquisite
whiteness, with pepper and other spices. A sliced lemon was also
presented on a small silver salver. The two large water-dogs, who
seemed perfectly to understand the nature of the preparations, seated
themselves one on each side of the table, to be ready to receive their
portion of the entertainment. I never saw finer animals, or which
seemed to be more influenced by a sense of decorum, excepting that they
slobbered a little as the rich scent from the chimney was wafted past
their noses. The small dogs ensconced themselves beneath the table.

I am aware that I am dwelling upon trivial and ordinary circumstances,
and that perhaps I may weary out your patience in doing so. But conceive
me alone in this strange place, which seemed, from the universal
silence, to be the very temple of Harpocrates--remember that this is
my first excursion from home--forget not that the manner in which I had
been brought hither had the dignity of danger and something the air of
an adventure, and that there was a mysterious incongruity in all I had
hitherto witnessed; and you will not, I think, be surprised that these
circumstances, though trifling, should force themselves on my notice at
the time, and dwell in my memory afterwards.

That a fisher, who pursued the sport perhaps for his amusement as well
as profit, should be well mounted and better lodged than the lower class
of peasantry, had in it nothing surprising; but there was something
about all that I saw which seemed to intimate that I was rather in
the abode of a decayed gentleman, who clung to a few of the forms and
observances of former rank, than in that of a common peasant, raised
above