The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 76: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE SUPPER EATER 57 look aghast. However, he had his duty to perform, and when regaining his self-possession, he lost no time in accom- plishing it. Another bottle of champagne was accordingly drawn and placed on the table for the behoof of the supper eater. The meal on this occasion was not less copious than the former one, either in respect to solids or fluids, and having, as the butler thought, not merely appeased but most outrageously gorged his appetite, the domino departed from the refreshment-room. Three or four other guests almost immediately made their appearance, and thus the attendant domestics had no opportunity to give verbal expression amongst themselves to the wonder which they did not the less experience at the gastronomic feat achieved by the domino. At length, however, the room was once more empty, and the butler was just marvelling within himself whether the great supper eater felt comfortable in the condition of a gorged boa- constrictor, when his eyes settled on the same identical domino once more. “Surely,” thought the butler to himself, “‘ he is never coming for a third supper? ’’ and the attendant domestics exchanged rapid glances amongst themselves with a similar significancy. But the domino in question had returned for the most substantial of purposes. Down he sat, deep was the incision which his knife made into the breast of a superb capon, — ham and tongue from neighbouring dishes found their way to his plate, and when the champagne was placed by his side, he quatfed glass after glass with a rapidity and a zest which seemed in perfect keeping with the gigantic magnitude of his appetite. The butler was astounded; he stared at the brilliant chandelier pendant in the centre of the room, to convince himself that he was broad awake, but he could not quite succeed in coming to a conclusion on the point, and still therefore he had a vague idea that he must have been dozing and dreaming, — an impression which lasted for the next twenty minutes that followed the departure of the supper eater from the room. The guests now began to make their appearance in greater numbers, and some of them sat down at table. The butler became so occupied that his thoughts ceased gradually to dwell with so much intentness upon the incidents we have CoOnnicloookKks (CO)