The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 136: what you’re looking at

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

THE MOUNTEBANK 113 sufficient to choke up the narrow place. The excitement was produced by a desperate combat between two men, both of whom were much intoxicated. Baron Raggidbak had evi- dently passed along ere the portals of that public-house vomited forth its inebriate frequenters, for he was nowhere to be seen amongst the crowd. Christian was soon enabled to force his way amidst the excited group, but his progress had nevertheless been delayed for more than a minute, and as he hurried along the dimly lighted court, the German was nowhere to be seen. There was no outlet at the farther extremity, and therefore it was quite clear that the baron must have entered one of the houses in that court. Christian stepped up to a man who was standing on the threshold of a door gazing in the direction of the pugilists and their backers, and he inquired if the man happened to know whether the mountebanks who had that day been performing in Ramsgate resided anywhere in the court. ‘‘ Why, yes, sir,’ was the man’s response, “‘ they’re lodging here in my house; but if so be any one of ’em has wrong- fully taken to prigging, and you’ve lost summut, I hope you won’t make no noise over it, for I see by your cut that you are a regular gentleman, every inch of you — ”’ ‘“]T can assure you,” interrupted Christian, ‘ that I have no such ground of complaint, and indeed no complaint what- soever to make. But I wish to speak to one of those men.”’ ‘‘ Step in, sir,” said the man, “‘ and you may see ’em all at supper, as happy as kings, with the exception of the German cove, which didn’t like the beautiful dish of tripe and cow- heel that my missus took so much trouble to dish up for ’em, so he must needs go and buy hisself some German sassage, and he’s only just this minit come back.”’ “Thank you, I would rather not walk in,” replied Christian, who was by no means anxious to encounter the ex-groom of the stole; “‘ but if I described to you the particular individual whom I wish to see, could you not whisper a word in his ear? ”’ “ To be sure, sir,’’ exclaimed the lodging-house keeper. “ But, dear me, how. them chaps is a fighting! It’s Bill Rough-and-ready, which is a costermonger, and Tom Kag- mag, which sells cats’ meat — ”’ “ Never mind those ruffians,” interrupted Christian, by no means interested in the names or avocations of the pugilists, CORNICLOO© cS (CO)