Dickensian Inns & TavernsMatz, B. W. (Bertram Waldrom)
History
Dickensian Inns & Taverns
Matz, B. W. (Bertram Waldrom)
Dickens, Charles, 1812-1870 -- Settings; Taverns (Inns) -- England
And so the Saracen's Head is left behind, and is not referred to again
until John Browdie comes to London with his newly wed wife, Tilda Price
that was, and her friend, Fanny Squeers. Dismounting near the Post Office
he called a hackney coach, and, placing the ladies and the luggage
hurriedly in, commanded the driver to "Noo gang to the Sarah's Head, mun."
"To the _were_?" cried the coachman.
"Lawk, Mr. Browdie," interrupted Miss Squeers. "The idea! Saracen's
Head."
"Surely," said John, "I know'd it was something aboot Sarah's Son's Head.
Dost thou know thot?"
"Oh ah! I know that," replied the coachman gruffly, as he banged the door.
Arriving there safely they all retired to rest, and in the morning partook
of a substantial breakfast in "a small private room upstairs, commanding
an uninterrupted view of the stables." Fanny Squeers made anxious
enquiries for her father who had been in London some time seeking the lost
Smike. She was under the impression that he made the Saracen's Head his
headquarters, but was woefully disillusioned when she was informed that he
"was not stopping in the house, but that he came there every day, and that
when he arrived he should be shown upstairs." He shortly appeared, and the
good-hearted John Browdie invited him to "pick a bit," which he promptly
did.
Mr. Squeers did not make the Saracen's Head his abiding place; he was too
mean for that; John Browdie, who was up for a holiday, stayed there the
whole time he was in London, and some very merry, not to say solid meals
he enjoyed during the period--for John liked a good meal.
On one such occasion, when Nicholas was a guest, the conviviality was
sadly marred by a terrible quarrel between Fanny Squeers and her father,
and Mrs. and John Browdie--Nicholas incidentally coming in for some of the
abuse. Very nasty and cutting things were said on both sides, and Mr.
Squeers was summarily dismissed with a threat from John that he would
"pound him to flour."
After the excitement had subsided and the Squeers family had withdrawn in
a perfect hurricane of rage, John calmly ordered of the waiter another
"Sooper--very coomfortable and plenty o' it at ten o'clock ... and ecod
we'll begin to spend the evening in earnest."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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