The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 243: what you’re looking at

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

218 REYNOLDS’ WORKS the mingled savour of onions, cubas, and perspiration, he could have very well dispensed. “Mine vare goot friend!’’ exclaimed the Chevalier, ‘you sall be for breaking mine heart with vare great joy for again to see you.”’ ‘““ Begar! his Grace sall have much improved. Him quite de great nobleman,” and now it was the Chevalier Kadger who took his turn in bestowing an affectionate embrace. ‘““Mine noble friends, mine vare goot friends!” cried Frumphenhausen, preparing to inflict the same token of warm feeling toward the young duke; but he was disap- pointed, for Christian, finding these compliments to be in- tolerable, hastily stepped behind the table, and pointing to chairs, requested his three visitors to be seated. The Chevalier Gumbinnen — who at the time of their former acquaintance could scarcely speak a word of English, but who had since picked up a crude smattering thereof — continued to act as spokesman. He explained how delighted himself and his companions were when on arriving in England a few days back, they accidentally learned that the former secretary to their illustrious master was now Duke of March- mont. The chevalier went on to say that the reigning Duke of Maxe-Stolburg-Quotha was coming in the course of the week to pass some little time in the British metropolis, and that his Royal Highness had therefore sent over those three officers of his household to have everything in readiness at Mivart’s Hotel by the time of his arrival. Hence their presence in London, and as a matter of course (according to the Chevalier Gumbinnen’s account) they could not possibly avoid the pleasure of paying their respects to the Duke of Marchmont. Christian listened with a cold reserve, for ” knew very well that Gumbinnen, though in England a chevalier and a lord chamberlain, was when in Germany nothing but a valet, that the Chevalier Kadger, in England an equerry, was in Germany a footman, and that Frumpenhausen, a count and a Gold Stick when on his travels, was in his own native land a lackey with a brass-headed cane. The young Duke of Marchmont moreover knew that these beggarly fellows were capable of any meanness in order to obtain money or refreshments, and that although they could not help their miserable poverty, yet that they had no right to CORNICE IOOLKKS (E()