impossible that I should stay, my affairs imperatively calling me
elsewhere; and that with respect to my dancing a minuet, such a thing was
out of the question, as I had never learned to dance. At which he said
that he was exceedingly sorry, and finding me determined to go, wished me
success in all my undertakings.

The master of the house, to whom, as in duty bound, I communicated my
intention before I spoke of it to the servants, was, I make no doubt,
very sorry, though he did not exactly tell me so. What he said was, that
he had never expected that I should remain long there, as such a
situation never appeared to him quite suitable to me, though I had been
very diligent, and had given him perfect satisfaction. On his inquiring
when I intended to depart, I informed him next day, whereupon he begged
that I would defer my departure till the next day but one, and do him the
favour of dining with him on the morrow. I informed him that I should be
only too happy.

On the following day at four o'clock I dined with the landlord, in
company with a commercial traveller. The dinner was good, though plain,
consisting of boiled mackerel--rather a rarity in those parts at that
time--with fennel sauce, a prime baron of roast beef after the mackerel,
then a tart and noble Cheshire cheese; we had prime sherry at dinner, and
whilst eating the cheese prime porter, that of Barclay, the only good
porter in the world. After the cloth was removed we had a bottle of very
good port; and whilst partaking of the port I had an argument with the
commercial traveller on the subject of the corn-laws.

The commercial traveller, having worsted me in the argument on the
subject of the corn-laws, got up in great glee, saying that he must order
his gig, as business must be attended to. Before leaving the room,
however, he shook me patronizingly by the hand, and said something to the
master of the house, but in so low a tone that it escaped my ear.

No sooner had he departed than the master of the house told me that his
friend the traveller had just said that I was a confounded sensible young
fellow, and not at all opinionated, a sentiment in which he himself
perfectly agreed--then hemming once or twice, he said that as I was going
on a journey he hoped I was tolerably well provided with money, adding
that travelling was rather expensive, especially on horseback, the manner
in which he supposed, as I had a horse in the stable, I intended to