The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 284: what you’re looking at

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

LAST SCENE WITH THE GERMANS 255 withstood the violence of the treatment he experienced, but his dirty rag of a handkerchief was hanging for more than three parts of its length out of his pockets. Thus, three more ignominiously comical figures it would be impossible to conceive, and to enhance their mortification, they all in a moment found themselves in the midst of the crowd which had assembled about the Punch and Judy show. ‘““My eyes, Bill, here’s a rum go!” exclaimed a coal- heaver to a comrade also wearing a hat with a long flap down the back. “ What a lark!” yelled an urchin with an iron hoop in his hand, and in a moment the three flying Germans were assailed with all sorts of gibes, taunts, and jests. Away they sped, and away rushed all the small boys of the crowd after them. The ranks of the pursuers were quickly recruited by other idle urchins in the thoroughfares through which the strange procession passed, and the quicker went the maddened Germans, the quicker likewise became the pace of the crowd that was hooting, yelling, shouting, and laughing at their heels. In the meanwhile a certain high functionary connected with the British court, but whose name and precise office it suits our purpose to suppress, was paying a private visit upon particular business to the Grand Duke of Maxe-Stol- burg-Quotha at Mivart’s Hotel. His Royal Highness, the illustrious reigning prince, was clad in a very shabby uniform, but this might be accounted for by the fact that his three trunks, full of magnificent clothing, had gone down to the bottom of the sea, — at least so the Chevalier Gumbinnen had said, and who would venture to doubt the word of such an eminent personage? His Royal Highness was seated at a table with his hands, and we fear nothing else, in his pockets, while the high functionary of the British court was seated near the duke, with a paper containing several memoranda before him. A portion of the conversation that was taking place may not be uninteresting to our readers. ‘‘T am sure your Royal Highness will excuse me,’ said the court official, with the most urbane deference of look, tone, and manner; ‘ I am but conveying the sentiments of your august brother — ” ‘I know it, my lord, I know it,” interjected the grand duke, who, as the reader will recollect, spoke English toler- GOMmiuiGcbdoGc SS (S©)