The Mysteries of the Court of London, Vol. 7 — page 201: what you’re looking at

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

ana BEey a7 tt at ws 9 THE MYSTERIES =_— a n, (ie Duke was residing at go hotel, and was not likely to remain very long ubsent from his awa doininions, it was perhaps on}y a temporary occa- pativa aboul to be offered Lito, and %one which would still enable hin fo ocenpy his Jodgings | beneath the same roof with the lovely Teabella, While making these reflections, Christian arrived was loungiag with a white napkin in bie hand, loking up the street ae if in contemplation of some beautiful prospect, althofgh there was in roality nothing to°be sven except what must have been familiar enough to the man's view. But no ove ever did obeerve an hotel waiter standing at tho strect-door, who was not thus staring fixedly in one particular direction. | ~ “f have been directed,” asid Christian to the. waiter, “to attend at this hour upon the Duke of Maxo-Stolburg-Quotha,” “Very good, sir,” was the man's response, as li slowly dosisted from gazing up the atreet. “Please to follow me, and I will take you to Baron Raggidbak.” , Christian fur a momeut thought that the waiter was putting off upon him an insolant jost: but as the man spoke with an air of perfect seriousness, und at the aame time began to lead the way pp tho stairsasa, our hero follawed, though etall mar- velling at the,extraordinary title of the ‘nobleman to whom -he was about to be presented. They ascended te the first landing,—-where the waiter, apening a door, ushured Christian into a sort of nnte-chamber, in which a tall, thin, hungry-looking an ~monstached and bearded —dressed very much ia the style of the Chevaher Gunbinnen, and whose appearance combined an equal amount of (nwdsiness and shabbingss--was lougging iu an utun ohair bg the fire, reading a German news- paper, very dirty and very much crumpled. “This.ie Baron Ragyidbak, big Royal Highnoss’s (trvom of the Stole,” said the waiter in an under. tone to Chrigtiens and thon the aan withdrew, Our hero advanced with a regpectful salutation towards the high functiquary who was ecated by iho fre; and the high functionary, laying dows tha nowspaper, eurveyed Christian in a wort of a ee re, Rg eee ED we A tng tr IDS, en GE ae PSD ho was anade ofere introducing him to his duca unster. At length he coudesubmled to ngeah s rad in sy doing, diaplaged. ak Jerst one advastage ever the Chevalier Bets wel. - — owe ee ee eee es ee OO “You sall-$e ‘Ye spong mans what de Lord Chamberlain did appre for to go alter dis aftor- noon P” was the qgestion which Baron Raggidbak vut to Christian, Our hero bowed, and said, “ Yes, my lord.” “Vare goot!” said the Baron, complacently caroasiug his bearded chin, and, now looking fur more favourably uyon our hero, as if that respect- ful appellation of “my lord” had godbitterably sweetened the temper of the Groom of. tha Stulo. “You vare quick wid de pen? you vate plever wid de prin and de epellin’ in de Inglis langvidge— ener . “I have a testimonial to exhibit, my lord,” answered Christian, “ whuck I think will be satis- factory.” ae “Vare-goot !* said the Baron, still cofessing bis chin with one hand, and playing wily ac pper-silt watch chain with the other: "den you sall suceced ea nr eer een ee ee Rate TT Bo REE NTE ED, SM ES ca ET ay ERENT teas ge peeing a wa ut Mivart’e Hotel,—at the door of which a waiter | supercilious manner, ay if determined to sce what | OF THE COURT. wit bis Royal Hizuness! Ab! dis is de Chevalier Kadger! Do Cevaliog 14 de —how you oad bin, f ——de quoerry to bis, Royal Highness; and de Chevaher sail gy fur to iatroluce yuu.” The Chevalier Kulyer, who eutered the ante- rogin: at the maqment, wore a surt of military u iform, of dark green cluth, tolerably threadbara, with tarnished quid lace, and red atripes duwn the pantalounus. He wae a .heavy, slecpy, vulgar- looking man, with. wiry hair brushed straight off from his forebead,'and..9 very fierce moustache. fle eaid something in Germah to the Baran Raggidbak, at which they both chuckled in what Christian fancig! $a be a somewhat vulgar manner. Tha Obevalier Kadger then, planted himself close in front of our, hero, contemplating him slowly from head to foot, Christian unferwent this inspection. with exeusplary patience, inasmuch as ho thought it one of the necessary preliminaries to the successful attainment of his object. But as he stood with his eyes modestly bent down, he be- came eware of & certain disagreeable odour Aoating around bim, and which seemed ty be compounded of atale.tobacco-amoke, garliv, and rum. At first he fancied he must certainly be mistaken, as such an ignoble efflugnce could scarcely have its source in the person of so distinguished @ character as the Chevalier Kadyer, Equerry-in-waiting to a reign- ing Duke. But. when there was no longer a possibility of resisting his own convictions, and when his olfactory organs proved beyund ail rhivtake that it wae veritably and truly the Chevalur’s peragn which wag thus redolent of garlic, rum, and bed cigars (the Jast-mentioned being evidently full-Aavoured Cubs) Curistian waa certainly astonished. However, be was now on the porot of being conducted into the presence of the Duke; and be thought to himsclf that be should find in this distinguished Pewnce a very great cuontrart with the appearance of those personages of hia suite whom he had as yet seen. The Chevalier Kadger preceded Clristiin witis his person, aud likewise with the ordour that hung ‘ibeut him. He paused for a moment in an adja- gent room 40 spenk to # dirty, seedy lovuking, un- kawipt man, who was taking out plate from a box, and who, as our herd subsequently learnt, was Baron Farthanless, the Privy Purse. Thev passed on to another room, where Christian bebeld a tall personage—gomewhat stout, unler forty years of age, cvared-foatured, and vulgar-luoking dressed in some strange surt of military uniturm, with a star upon his breast. The uniform lad evidently seen good service; and if it had perteined to au English nobleman, would long since have found its way into the hands of his valet, and thence to xome old plothes’ shup in Holywell Streag. As for the gtar, it was certainly an ingenious combination uf pieces of different-colpured glass set in plated matal,—looking very much like a “theatrical pro- perty ;” and its value might have been ubvat three and sixpence. This personage was lounging near 4 window, in conversation with the Chevalier Gumbinnen and three or four other worthies, whoso appearance was of correspunding seediness gud tawdriness. The effect produced br this group waa perheps more novel than satisfactury; aod Christian thought to himself that if this were the Duke, be was @ strange-looking man for a roygmiog CRPRO eG ASR eet, P-Series pe en eiPcereingnyetanias aged ‘GER ere EE CATE ears SETS TT OG “aE lea ig ECONNIC I OOO© a z gee = a —_— — =—On Se Se oe se » a | | : SS