The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 279: what you’re looking at

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

250 REYNOLDS’ WORKS of the equerry to a reigning duke; and it would have more- over betrayed a fact that it was just as well to keep con- cealed, namely, that his Excellency the Chevalier Kadger, wore no shirt. Count Frumpenhausen brought up the rear, and as he had a cold, he was seized with a sneezing fit, which compelled him to blow his nose, but he was particularly cautious to turn around while using his handkerchief, which was a mere dirty remnant of a faded cotton one. Intense was the Duke of Marchmont’s disgust on beholding these three beggarly followers of a beggarly German prince thus insolently force their way into his presence. For the first time, perhaps, since he himself had borne a ducal title, he assumed a hauteur most coldly dignified, and he said to the Chevalier Gumbinnen, “ You have wilfully misinter- preted the words I uttered to my domestic. I do not court the acquaintance of either yourself or your companions.”’ “Ah, vare goot, my lord!” exclaimed the Chevalier Gumbinnen. ‘ Your Grace sall be for doing one vare great favour to dat august duke who you was once de secretare to, and who sall be so graciously pleased for to honour your Grace vid him friendship.”’ “We sall be for letting your Grace know,” Count Frum- penhausen hastened to interject, ‘‘ dat we come on de special message from his Royal Highness, hein? ”’ “Tf that be so,’ said Christian, “‘ hasten and explain yourselves, for my time is too valuable to be wasted.” ‘His Royal Highness,’’ resumed the Chevalier Gum- binnen, in his capacity of spokesman, “ sall be for to find himself — how you say it?—1in der dayvil of a mess. His Royal Highness he sall lose in de voyage by de steamer tree large tronks so full of his clotes dat you sall not be able for to thrust in de pin betwixt dem. Dey all tree sall be tumble overboard in one vare great lurch of de steamer, and all through de vare one great fault of de captain. But dat not all; de worser sall be for to come. De vare large strong-box full of de gelt, and de stars and orders of his Royal Highness, go down in one of dem tronks.”’ ‘And what do you require of me?” asked Christian, half-coldly, half-impatiently. ‘Himmel! ”’ ejaculated the Chevalier Kadger, shrugging his shoulders, but keeping his right arm fixed as if it were nailed to his side. Gomiuicdoc ss) (E(@)