192 THE DOVER ROAD 



The " Red Lion " inn was a,t that time the proper 

 place for a personage of his. quahty to He, and so the 

 Duke with his party stayed there the night. For that 

 night's lodging for twelve persons, with a frugal supper 

 in which oysters, fowls, boiled mutton, poached eggs, 

 and fried whiting figure, the landlord of the " Red 

 Lion " presented an account of over £44. This truly 

 grand bill has been preserved, not, let us hope, for the 

 emulation of other hotel-keepers, but by way of a 

 " terrible example." Here it is : — 



Tea, coffee, and chocolate 



Supper for self and servants 



Bread and beer 



Fruit 



Wine and punch 



Wax candles and charcoal 



Broken glass and china 



Lodging 



Tea, coffee, and chocolate 



Chaise and horses for the next sta''e 



The Duke paid his account without a murmur, only 

 remarking that innkeepers at this rate should soon 

 grow rich ; but it was, doubtless, with great relief 

 that he left Canterbury for Rochester, where he dined 

 the next day for three guineas. 



News of this extraordinary bill was soon spread all 

 over England. It was printed in the newspapers amid 

 other marvels, disasters, and atrocities, and mine host 

 of the " Red Lion," like Byron, woke up one morning 

 to find himself famous. He would probably have 

 preferred h s native obscurity to the fierce light 

 of publicity that beat upon him ; for the country 

 gentlemen, scandalized at his rapacity, boycotted his 

 inn, and his brother innkeepers of Canterbury disowned 

 him. The unfortunate man wrote to the St. James's 

 Chronicle, endeavouring to justify himself, and com- 

 plaining bitterly of the harm that had been \\Tought 

 to his business by the constant billeting of soldiers 

 upon him. But it was in vain to protest, and so bitter 

 was the feeling against him that his trade fell off, and 

 he was ruined in six months. 



