The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 242: what you’re looking at

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

MORE EXPLANATIONS 217 ‘©The police are very strict in respect to beggars and vagrants in this quarter of the town, and if you are taken up you will be sent to the House of Correction.”’ ‘Beggars, begar!’’ cried the Chevalier Gumbinnen, plunging his fingers into his whiskers, grasping them wildly, and tearing at them as if they were mad. ‘“ De insult is one for which you sall be sent off vid one flea in your ear. You mans not know us. We vare great men in our country, we vare rich, we great lords, we belong 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 laugh, 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 his rage in another attack upon his red whiskers, but the Chevalier Kadger stepped forward, presenting a very dirty card, and saying, “You sall take dis to your master, young mans, and you sall soon see de wonderful effect dis name sall be for pro- ducing.” “You had better take up the card, John,’’ said another lackey, who had just stepped forward, and who spoke these words in an audible tone. ‘‘I have heard something of these fellows before.’’ The footman to whom the card was given accordingly took it up to the drawing-room where Christian was seated, Christina being engaged with some young lady friends in the music-room at the time. Our young hero was astonished as well as annoyed to find that his former acquaintances of Mivart’s Hotel had turned up again. He however thought it would be too discourteous to refuse to grant them an interview, and he bade the foot- man conduct them up to the drawing-room. The three Germans accordingly made their appearance, — and a very shabby one it was. The young Duke of Marchmont could not help thinking that if they were really still attached to the household of the reigning sovereign of Maxe-Stolburg- Quotha, the fortunes of that high and mighty potentate must have experienced considerable dilapidation. But he had not many instants for any deliberate reflection at all, inasmuch as the Chevalier Gumbinnen darted forward and seized Christian in an embrace, with which, considering COnNICLOOKS (S(O)