that the prettiest girls in London resorted to it. Lord Pembroke gave me
this piece of information; he went there very frequently himself. When I
got to the tavern I asked for a private room, and the landlord,
perceiving that I did not know English, accosted me in French, and came
to keep me company. I was astonished at his grave and reverend manner of
speaking, and did not like to tell him that I wanted to dine with a
pretty Englishwoman. At last, however, I summoned up courage to say, with
a great deal of circumlocution, that I did not know whether Lord Pembroke
had deceived me in informing me that I should find the prettiest girls in
London at his house.

"No, sir," said he, "my lord has not deceived you, and you can have as
many as you like."

"That's what I came for."

He called out some name, and a tidy-looking lad making his appearance, he
told him to get me a wench just as though he were ordering a bottle of
champagne. The lad went out, and presently a girl of herculean
proportions entered.

"Sir," said I, "I don't like the looks of this girl."

"Give her a shilling and send her away. We don't trouble ourselves about
ceremonies in London."

This put me at my ease, so I paid my shilling and called for a prettier
wench. The second was worse than the first, and I sent her away, and ten
others after her, while I could see that my fastidiousness amused the
landlord immensely.