His Grace — page 54: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

48 HIS GRACE. cellars, and it was not my business—at any rate for the present—to protest against such orders as had been given. The exalted personages who proceeded to take up their quarters with us were not, I trust, dissatisfied with the board and lodging provided for them, nor, with such an army of well-trained domestics at com- mand, was there any difficulty about making them com- fortable. Of course I kept out of their way as much as I could. I was only a sort of upper servant, though my dear old Hurstbourne was at great pains to explain to each and all of them that I was under his roof in the character of a tried and valued friend. I don’t for for a moment suppose that they believed him; still they were kind enough to refrain from trampling upon me, and I had to play lawn-tennis with some of them, no sport being obtainable at that time of year for the employment of their leisure hours. | The big dinner proved, all things considered, a big success. The lord-lieutenant of the county and the other local celebrities, great and small, were present at it; they were charmed, as well they might be, with their genial host; they did not seem to be much shocked by their genial hostess; and my only reason for speaking in qualified terms of the triumph of the feast is that Mr. Paul Gascoigne was one of those who sat down to it. I frankly confess that I am unable to draw an impartial portrait of Mr. Paul Gascoigne. All I can find to say for him is that he is a gentleman of unblemished reputation, that he has earned a high character for benevolence, and that he is one of those wealthy and respectable mediocrities from whom the rank and file of British Statesmen are commonly re- cruited. Heis irrevocably destined to be a Secretary of Gomichboo m