At this rebufif the hopeful youth grinned a grin some-
thing like the triumph of a fool glorying in his sh&me 5 then
thrusting his hand into his besom, was for a fevtr moments
lost in heavenly bFiss, enjoying that most ecstatic of enjoy-
ments, which King Jamie, of clawing memoxy, says, ought
always to be reserved for kings — scratchmg; then rolled
himself down again, to have a little more folding of the
arms, and a Httle more slumber.
32 THl DINS OF LONDOV.
CHAPTER IV.
A BEGGAR'S REPAST.
Our iriend, who had such singalar ideas in a cadging house
of what ought to be, was himself bat one of those who ex-
isted by his wits. Two pieces of leather hung round his
feet and ankles, which for resemblance came nearer to sandals
than boots. The rest of his garb, of coarse, corresponded.
We observed before, that, when he came in, he had his
arms fall of good things — among which were a sixpenny
cottage-loaf, half a pound of batter, two ounces of coffee, a
quarter of a pound of sugar, and half-a dozen eggs. He
now busied himself in putting those things in order, and
quietly suffered the promising boy to take his will down to
the road to ruin. The loaf he cut down into substantial
slices, and covered them well and thickly with the rich cured
cream of the cow ; he put the whole of the coffee into the
pan and boiled and simmered it with such attention as clearly



THE DKNS OF LOMDOK.
