“And now, Caudle, what shall we have for dinner? No - we won’t talk of it to-morrow; we’ll talk of it now, and then it will be off my mind. I should like something particular - something out of the way - just to show that we thought the day something. I should like - Mr. Caudle, you’re not asleep?
“What do I want?
“Why, you know I want to settle about the dinner.
“Have what I like?
“No: as it’s your fancy to keep the day, it’s only right that I should try to please you. We never had one, Caudle; so what do you think of a haunch of venison? What do you say?
“Mutton will do?
“Ha! that shows what you think of your wife: I dare say if it was with any of your club friends - any of your pot-house companions - you’d have no objection to venison. I say if - what do you mutter?
“Let it be venison?
“Very well. And now about the fish? What do you think of a nice turbot? No, Mr. Caudle, brill won’t do - it shall be turbot, or there sha’n’t be any fish at all. Oh, what a mean man you are, Caudle! Shall it be turbot?
“It shall?