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Men's Wives by William Makepeace Thackeray
page 50 of 235 (21%)
sure I could not dine better at the first club in London."

"ONE of the first clubs in London is held in this very room," said
Mr. Crump, very well pleased; "and attended by some of the best
gents in town, too. We call it the "Kidney Club."

"Why, bless my soul! it is the very club my friend Eglantine has so
often talked to me about, and attended by some of the tip-top
tradesmen of the metropolis!"

"There's better men here than Mr. Eglantine," replied Mr. Crump,
"though he's a good man--I don't say he's not a good man--but
there's better. Mr. Clinker, sir; Mr. Woolsey, of the house of
Linsey, Woolsey and Co--"

"The great army-clothiers!" cried Walker; "the first house in town!"
and so continued, with exceeding urbanity, holding conversation with
Mr. Crump, until the honest landlord retired delighted, and told
Mrs. Crump in the bar that there was a tip-top swell in the "Kidney"
parlour, who was a-going to have his dinner there.

Fortune favoured the brave Captain in every way. It was just Mr.
Crump's own dinner-hour; and on Mrs. Crump stepping into the parlour
to ask the guest whether he would like a slice of the joint to which
the family were about to sit down, fancy that lady's start of
astonishment at recognising Mr. Eglantine's facetious friend of the
day before. The Captain at once demanded permission to partake of
the joint at the family table; the lady could not with any great
reason deny this request; the Captain was inducted into the bar; and
Miss Crump, who always came down late for dinner, was even more
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