The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 7 — page 346: what you’re looking at

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

eee hiya espana THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. honour of being received here to-day, I’m sure it will drive her stark staring mad, if anything in this world can/ I hesitated a2 firat whether to come and pay my respects: but at last I said to my new servant, says I, ‘Jane, Captain Flasher’—~ that’s my new lodger—‘Captain Flasher doesn’t dine at home to-day: 40 you may just give me an early dinner off bis cold beef—which wop’t keep till to-morrow—apd then I'll prank myself off and go and call a¢ Marchmont House.’—Captain Flasher is @ very nice man, and doesn’t think of locking up the tea-caddy or decanting his own wine, or any meanness of that sort. Ab, my lord, you remember those odious Johnsons, who had my second floor? Well, they’ve actually gone to live with Mrs. Sifkin; and I’m eo glad of it! It’s almost the worst punishment I could wish the woman for all her slander and bad conduct towards myself, They'll punish ber with, their meanness, Dll be bound {” In this manner did Mrs. Macaulay rattle on until the young Duke and Lady Christipa Vivian began to get tired of her.gossip,—when they gafb her luncheon; and ehe shortly afterwards took her departure, bearing with her several presents which the twins made her. On returning to her own abode, she purposely got up a wrangle with the cabman in respect to’the amount of the fare, in order that she might®*have an vpportunity of re- minding him over and over again, that she had been to Marchmont ‘House and back. Her object was thus to proclaim the fact not merely for the immediate behoof of her neighbours, but likewise for that of passers-by: and when she had said the same thing in a very loud voice a duzen times over, she ended by paying the cabman his full demand, with sixpence extra,—a piece of gene- rosity on her part whioh must be taken as a proof of the excellent humour into whioh her visit had put her. A coyple of days after the visit of Mra. Macau- lay, the young Duke of Marchmont was favoured with the company of some other old acquaintances. | It wae about two o’clock where three individuals, eof unmistakable foreign aspect, presented them- _ elves at the entrance of the mansion in Belgrave Square. Their’raiment was not remarkable for any of those attractions which constitute “fashion” in respect to the masculine garb. On the cuntrary, it seemed as if the Holywell Street of some Conti- mental city might be referred to as the source whence emanated the garments of those three per- sonages. Truth compels us to declare that they looked as if they were the most devoted disciples of the Genius of Seediness. As for linen, an ex- ceeding maliciousness might be inclined to repre- sent that they wore none at all; though s more charitable surmise would only go to the extent that it was too dirty to be displayed. Their coats were buttoned completely up to their throats; and The three worthies at once saw that the porter both sniffed and eyed them suspiciously: wherent they drew themeelves up with the mightie airs of importance—and with their somewhat ‘dirty hands began stroking their beards and playing with their moustaches. Then one of the gentle. men said to the porter, “We sall be calling for to ask for his Grace, de yong Duke of March- roont.” “ Hid Grace is engaged,” answered the porter somewhat curtly, although he°was natarally a very civil, obliging, and well-behaved man: for other- wise he would not have been retained in Obris- tian’s service. “Don We agll be for to wait,” sald the individual who was acting as spokesman. “You not know us. We vare great men in our own couotry— great men in our Faderiand.” The porter looked as if he thought that it was a great pity they ever came out of their Fatherland: for be was by no means inclined to believe that they could be great personages in England. “You sall be having de honour of knowing me, mine goot mans,” continued the spokesman, “We are de Chevalier Gumbinnen, de Lord Cham- berlain of dat high and mighty Prince de reigning Duke of Maxe-Stolburf-Quothe. Dis am de Che- valier Kadger, de Hquerry to de same Geand Duke; and die am de Oount Frumpenbausen, de Gold Tick to him Royal Highness de vere same Gand Duke.” The hall-porter placed his hand to hie forehead with a bewildered air, as all these magnificent titles were as mercilessly and overpoweriagly hurled at him: but still there was that exceedingly unaristo- cratic odour infecting the atmosphere, and pro- ducing with the unfortunate hall-porter a sensation of sickness. “What do these fellows want ?” asked a powdered lacquey, coming forward. “There! be off with you, my good man,” fe added, proffering the Che- valier Gumbinnen a few pence. ‘The police are very strict in respect to beggars ang vagrants in this quarter of the town; and if you are taken up you will be seng to the House of Correction.” “ Beggars, begar!” cried the Chevalier Gum- binnen, plunging his dngers into his whiskers, grasping them wildly, and tearing at them as if they wef: mad. “ De insult is one for which you mall be sent off vid one flea in yourear! You, mans pot know us. We vare great men in our oountryg—we vare rich—we great lords—we beloug to de Court of de brudder of your Prince Albert.” The footman stared at this announcement for a moment ; but suddenly bursting out into a leugh, he said good-naturedly, “ Well, you are three of the rummest fellows for begging impostors that I ever saw |” The Chevalier Gumbinnen gave vent to bis rage in another attack upon his red whiskers: but the neither inside their stocks of rusty black nor the | Chevalior Kadger stepped forward, presenting & sleeves of those coats could the slightest glimpse , very dirty card, and saying, “You sell take dis to be caught of linen, calico, or Jong-cloth. At the | your master, young many; and you sall soon see same time that they presented thefneelves at the entrance of Marohmont House, the hall-porter be- came aware of a somewhat strong odour, com- pounded of onions, tobacco-smoke, and perépira- de wonderful effect, dis name sall be for pro- ducing.” “You bad better take up the card, Jobn,” anid another lacquey, who bad just stepped forward, thon; end be made s wry face, for his nostrils were |,and who spuke these words in an audible tone. unaccustomed to such a scent in the aristucratic|“I have heard something of these fellows be- region of Belgrave Bquare. fore.” a ae, a eee artaaiaeneaaaaneaaaa COLUM LOAO© SS (CO)