enuine——shirefire,red,clear,andgenerous,nopenuriousSouth-of-Englandembersheapedinthecornerofagrate.Onthetableashadedlampdiffusedaroundasoft,pleasant,andequallightthefurniturewasalmostluxuriousforayoungbachelor,comprisingacouchandtwoveryeasychairsbookshelvesfilledtherecessesoneachsideofthemantelpiecetheywerewell-furnished,andarrangedwithperfectorder.TheneatnessoftheroomsuitedmytasteIhateirregularandslovenlyhabits.FromwhatIsawIconcludedthatHunsden’sideasonthatpointcorrespondedwithmyown.Whileheremovedfromthecentre-tabletotheside-boardafewpamphletsandperiodicals,Iranmyeyealongtheshelvesofthebook-casenearestme.FrenchandGermanworkspredominated,theoldFrenchdramatists,sundrymodernauthors,Thiers,Villemain,PauldeKock,GeorgeSand,EugeneSueinGerman—Goethe,Schiller,Zschokke,JeanPaulRichterinEnglishtherewereworksonPoliticalEconomy.Iexaminednofurther,forMr.Hunsdenhimselfrecalledmyattention.
“Youshallhavesomething,”saidhe,“foryououghttofeeldisposedforrefreshmentafterwalkingnobodyknowshowfaronsuchaCanadiannightasthisbutitshallnotbebrandy-and-water,anditshallnotbeabottleofport,nordittoofsherry.Ikeepnosuchpoison.IhaveRhein-weinformyowndrinking,andyoumaychoosebetweenthatandcoffee.”
HereagainHunsdensuitedme:iftherewasonegenerallyreceivedpracticeIabhorredmorethananother,itwasthehabitualimbibingofspiritsandstrongwines.Ihad,however,nofancyforhisacidGermannectar,butIlikedcoffee,soIresponded—
“Givemesomecoffee,Mr.Hunsden.”
Iperceivedmyanswerpleasedhimhehaddoubtlessexpectedtoseeachillingeffectproducedbyhissteadyannouncementthathewouldgivemeneitherwinenorspiritshejustshotonesearchingglanceatmyfacetoascertainwhethermycordialitywasgenuineoramerefeintofpoliteness.Ismiled,becauseIquiteunderstoodhimand,whileIhonouredhisconscientiousfirmness,Iwasamusedathismistrustheseemedsatisfied,rangthebell,andorderedcoffee,whichwaspresentlybroughtforhimself,abunchofgrapesandhalfapintofsomethingsours