Jerusalem coffee-house

The Jerusalem coffee-house is located in Cowper's-court in the City of London.* The coffee-house is the scene of a sudden and, to Stephen Black, an unexpected meeting with the gentleman with the thistle-down hair.

One evening in December 1815, Stephen is industriously polishing the silver in the butler's pantry when he finds himself magically transported to the Jerusalem coffee-house. There he meets the Gentleman, who has brought him to enjoy a remarkable feast (the menu includes roasted wyvern and a pie of hummingbirds among other, even rarer dishes). Although Stephen is quite familiar with the coffee-house, as his master Sir Walter Pole used often to sup there before his marriage, he does not on this occasion recognize it. The room is decorated with sumptuous magnificence — cloth of gold, jewelled ewers, burning incense and so forth — and needless to say, though the Jerusalem coffee-house is an excellent establishment it does not boast such opulence as a rule. Stephen is informed by the Gentleman that in its present state it resembles the appearance it had some centuries ago when he and many famous magicians dined there shortly before departing for the Crusades. He adds that the meal too is a copy of the dishes they ate on that same occasion.

Then, taken by one of the abrupt changes of mood to which he is prone, in the middle of the meal the Gentleman suddenly transports Stephen to Scotland so that he can help dig up a piece of moss-oak to be used in kidnapping Mrs. Strange[42].

Notes

*. Specifically, Cornhill, which has been a major centre for commerce since Roman times, and is built upon one of the three ancient hills of London. More information can be found here.