The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 229: what you’re looking at

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216 be inconveniencing him by sitting down at the same table. He spoke English with considerable fluency, though with a German accent : Christian at onde set him at his ease in respect to the object of apology; and they soon got into a conversation together. After a few indifferent remarks, the German gentleman began to speak of the grand military spectacle in Hyde Park, and which it ap- peared he had witnessed. “ And I also saw it,”’ responded our hero. “It was given in honour of one of your native princes, who was present with his retinue.” “ Ah—his retinue,” said the German, with a short dry cough: and then he drank his wine, but with a peculiar look as if he could sy some- thing if he chose. Christian perceived what was passing in his mind; and being curious to glean all he could in to his German friends, he thought it more prudent to abstain from intimating that he him- self held a temporary post in his Royal Highness’s service. “If it be not impertinent,” he said, “do you come from that part of Germany in which the Dake’s dominions are situated P”’ “Ah bah! his dominions !” the German, evidently no longer able to restrain him- self: “pretty dominions indeed!—a few hundred acres! Why, you have plenty of noblemen and gentlemen in your country possessing estates any one of which is as large as the whole Duchy of Maxe-Stolburg-Quotha.” “Do you disparage your own native instita- tions P”” asked Christian, with a smile. “I hate and detest the institutions,” responded the foreigner, with strong emphasis, “ which have parcelled out that fine country into all these wretched trumpery principalities, miserable in ex- tent and of the meanest poverty. I am for German nationality—Germany to be one and indivisible ; and therefore you may readily conceive that I sm no friend to its present partition. It is nothing but a nest of execrable despotisms—all the more exe- crable too, because so thoroughly paltry and in- significant. A traveller may contemplate with a certain reverential awe, even if not with love, a mighty chain of mountains that bars his way :. but if he find himself stopped by a wretched ant- hill, he would be overwhelmed with shame and disgust—he would be shocked at his own mise- rable self-abasement at not being able to such a barrier. In the same way would he template with awe the spectacle of a ample river impeding his course: but what would be his feelings if he found himself compelled to stop short on the edge of a earey #nd insignificant paddle! Thus is it with these in comparison with the huge ones of other nations that I might name: and yet they all alike serve as barriers to human progress.” “It is true,” said Christian, at once sppre- ciating the truth of his com “And you will be all th more etrack by what I have said,” continued the latter, “when I in- form you thet I myself am a native of Maxe tolburg-Quotha, consequently a subject— bah, a subject!” he repeated with with indovoribablo disgust—“ of this very Duke in whose honour the grand review has to-day been held.” * Indeed!” ejaculated Christian, whooe cariuity THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. was all the more vividly excitel because he saw that his German acqusintance had something yet to reveal. “ Your conversation interests me mush———” “And I could, if I chose, astonish you more than I have interested you,” interrupted the Ger- man: then, after a pause, he went on to my in a confidential manner and in a whispering tone, <I just now saw this precious retinue to which alluded; and I recognised all the knaves ing it as well as I should recognise my own brother if he came into the room at this moment. - ag and my blood boils with shame and i bestows upon them titles of nobility only bear while in E and which have to put off when they get back to they will Germany and return to the pantry, the stable, and the kitchen.” “Surely you are using some hyperbolic figere of speech ?” exclaimed Christian, perfectly astounded at what he had just heard. “No figure of speech at all,” responded the German, who spoke with the concentrated bitterness of supreme disgust, but with an air of the most genuine sincerity. ‘If you have patience to hear real and the fictitious avocations of the individuals themselves, I will tell you something that cannot fail to strike you with amazement.” Christian leant over the table with a look of profoundest interest; and the German gentleman as follows :— - “In the first place, there is the fellow Wronki, who is in reality the Duke’s butler: but he is dubbed a Count for the nonce and elevated to the dignity of Lord Steward. Then is Gun- binnen, who when at home in Germany is the Dake’s valet: but in England he is a Chevalier and Lord Chamberlain. Thirdly there is the half- starved scamp MRaggidbak, the Dake’s stable groom, but who is now called Groom of the Stole and dubbed a Baron. When he gets back to Germany be will have to shovel up the dung again. Thea comes Himmelspinken—he is another groom, but here called a General and Master of the Hors. Master of the horse indeed! he has rubbed one down pretty often, I can tell you! Next comes Herr Humbogh—and a veritable humbug too, es 1| you would call him in your language. Here he is figuring away ag the Privy Seal,—whereas in Ger- many he is messenger at the Duke's gate. The fellow Kadger is in reality a footman, but now s German | Chevalier and Equerry. Frumpenhausen, rejoic- ing in the title of Count, and acting as Gold Stick, isa lacquey who attends on the Duke’s carriage; and in that capacity carries the braes-headed cane which here is dignified as a gold stick. Ah! there is one more whom I had almost forgotten; and this is the man Farthenless, who must be very much astonished to find himself a Baron, but per- haps still more so at being Privy Purse, sccing that the ducal purse is not so capacious as to render a custodian necessary. But now—what do you think VFarthenless is? A pawnbroker's man !°? Christian could not speak for astonishment. ee gg tet ep COMMIC DOO Col