" "Very sorry, gentlemen, very sorry, indeed," said
Boniface; "nothing left that is eatable--not a chop or a steak in the
house; but there is an excellent ordinary at the Spaniards, about a mile
further down the lane; always half an hour later than ours." "Ay, it's
a grievous affair, landlord; but howsomdever, if there's nothing to
eat, why we must go: we meant to have done you justice to-day--but never
mind, we'll be in time for you another Sunday, old gentleman, depend
upon it; "and with this significant promise the three _hungarians_
departed, not a little disappointed.
"Those three men are no ordinary customers," said our host; "they have
done us the honour to dine here _before_, and what is more, of leaving
nothing _behind_; one of them is the celebrated Yorkshireman, Tom
~98~~Cornish, whom General Picton pitted against a Hanoverian glutton
to eat for a fortnight, and found, at the end of a week, that he was
a whole bullock, besides twelve quartern loaves, and half a barrel of
beer, ahead of his antagonist; and if the Hanoverian had not given up,
Tom would have eaten the rations of a whole company. His father is said
to have been equally gluttonous and penurious, and could eat any given
quantity: this person once dining with a member of the Society of
Friends, who was also a scion of Elwes' school, after having eat enough
for four moderate visitors, re-helped himself, exclaiming, 'You see it's
cut and come again with me! 'to which the sectarian gravely replied,
'Friend, cut again thou may'st, but come again thou never shalt.
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