The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 7 — page 359: what you’re looking at

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

a Se QR Sy sSSS SSS SSSS THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. tian's presence. “ His Graco ho sall say be by no means engaged 3 and his lordship he vell inclined to see bis varo goot friends what sall be for loving him eo vell.” The Lord Chamberlain of that high afid mighty potentate, the Grand Duke of Maxe-Stolburg- Quotha, looked, if possible, more seedy than over, and brought with him his accustomed odour of raw obions, strong cubas, and intense perspiration. He was followed ky the Chevalior Kadger, who kept his right arm most mysteriously held to his side—the real truth being that there was under the ermpit a rent which would have looked most unseemly when about the person of thesEquerry to a reigning Duke; and i¢ would have moreovor betrayed a fact that it was just as well to keep concealed : namely, that his Excellency the Cheva- lier Kadger wore no ehirt. ane Brumpen- haueen brought up the roar ; end as he had a cold, be was seized with a sne¢sing ft, which com- pelled him to blow bis nose: but he woe particu- layly eantious to turn round while weing hie hand- kerchief, which was @ meze ditty remnant of faded eotton one. Tutense was the Dake of Marohmont’s disgust om beholding these throge beggarl followers of a becgarly German Prince reuse rs ty foy00 eee wéy Into ace. 1 at time perhaps sine he niall hed ‘bogne a decal title, he us- eusjed a hauten® west colitly dignified ; and ho said to the Chevalior Gumbinnpp, “ You have wil- faily misinterpreted tho words I uttered to my dont a Lt do nad equrl the acquaintance of ther yourself or your companions, “ Ab pina goot, my Yard {” exelaimed the Che- vatior Guabitinen. “ Your Grace sall bo for do- ing ane vere great favour 60 dat august Duke who you waa once de secretare tq; ab who call be ao gieciougly pleaded for'to honour your Grace vid him frieqdehip.® . PS “We sall be for letting your Grace know,” Count Frumpenhawsen hastened to interject, “ dat peolal message from bis Royal we come th de spe Hizhness———Heiu ‘If that be eo,” said Christien,“ basten and ex- plain yourselves for my time ie too valuable to be wasted.” “His Royal Highness,” resumed tha Chevalier Gumbinnen, in bis capacity of spokesman, “ all be for to find himself—how you say it P—in dor dayvilofa mess, His Royal Highuees he sall lose in de voyage by de steamer, tree large «tronks so fall of bis elotes dat you sal] not be able for to thrast in de pin betwixt dem. Dey all tree sall be tumble overboard in one vare great lurch of de eteamer—and all through de vare one great fault of de captain. But dat not alls de worsor sall be for to come. Do vare large strong-box full of de gelt, and de stars and orders of his Royal High- siese, gO Gown in one of dém tronks !” “And what do you require of me?’ asked Obsistian, half coldly, half impatiently. -# Eiimwel |” ejaculated the Chovalign madger, seagging his shoulders, but keeping his right omni ised os if it were nailed to his side. His Royal Highness,” continued Gumbianen, 4n08 choces for to: tell his vare goot brudder, do Prince Albert, of all deseo mishaps; and derefére ’ bss Royal Highnees sail be for honouring his vare gevs friend de Duke ef Marchmont by asking for de loan of a toueand guineas and de address of his Grace's tailor. Himmel, my lord! dat isde whole fact. Kadger éall be for to prove it——” “And Count Frumpenbausen to swear to it,” added our hero ironically. “Bogar! You doubt us, my lord?” exclaimed the Ohevalier Gumbinuen. “ Some, den, and see his Royal Highness; and you sali be for learning dat it all de fact. We wae ing to his Royal Highness dat we had seen de yong Duke de oder day—dat he receive ua so kind ~srti dat he ask us to come aneder day and take de lonch wit him. So den his Royal Highness he aaj} say, ‘ Vare goot ! Go to mine yong friends; tell bim whds for I sall be wanting his assistarfoe, and how he sall be for sending me de tousand guiness and de nawe of his tailor.’ ——Hein P” “Listen, gentlemen,” eaid our young bero. “ The tale you have just told me shone the loss of the tranks is one which carries deception on the face of it» Your Grand Duke is as contemptible as yourselves—particularly in respect to the mode by which he seeks to réplenish his puree. Unfor- tunately for the British people, he je really a Ger- man Grand Duke; and we alt know it to our cust: for he nevor visits England without having his expenses paid from our nafional treasury.” Ifcro the Chevatier Gumbinaen thought it bo- coming, as the Grand Duke's represontetive, to assume the indignant; and with a loudly ejacu- lated “Gegar!’’ he advanced so close up to Christian in order to give effuct to the words he was about to utter, that the strong odour which he carried about him wae most sickeningly overpowering. The young Dyke hastened to the window and threw it yp. Just at that very mo- ment a Punch and Judy show was passing in the Square; and it halted, immediately unger the window. Then there erose a svund of the big drum and the Pandan pipes (vulgarly called a mouth organ): the young Duke tossed cut half-a- grown, at the same time waving his hand for the itineranta to depart—when it struck him that he recogbised the Ran gaunt form, as woll as the pinched hungry countengnee, of th> individual who was making that music. <A second glance convinced his Grace that he was right. Yes!— there, with the mcuth-organ tucked into his neck- cloth,,and the huge drum suspended by a cord ovér hig shoulders—looking most excruciatingly uphappy—bué still the most ludicrous picture®of misery that cah possibly be conccived—stood that once eminent sod distinguished man, Baron Rag- gidbak ! “ There !* exclaimed Christian ; “ there fe one of your late friends!—a person who I have no doubt is in every way as deserving‘of a title—-or of a prison for vagabondage, no matter which, as ‘yourselves |” The Chevalier Gumbinnen, the Chevalier Kad- ger, end Couut Frampenhansen rushed to the window; and thence they beheld the discarded Groom of the Stole Baron Raggidbak. The Baron himself, baving his eyes turned upward while run- ning his lips along the reeds of the mouth-organ, caught sigh$ of bis three acquaintances; and a malignest exprestion appeared on ‘his previously rucful countenance. Then, too, be recognised in the young Duke of Narchmont the late secrotary of his Highness the Duke of Maze Siniburg. @ COLUM LOAO© SS (CO)