The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 144: what you’re looking at

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

126 REYNOLDS’ WORKS Serene Highness — for the German princes were only serene in those days, and not royal — his Serene Highness, as I was saying, was fond of challenges of that sort, and prided himself on having eaten three Englishmen into an apoplexy and four Scotchmen into an indigestion which turned to chronic dyspepsia; so that when I respectfully provoked him to a contest, he made sure of achieving an additional triumph. I laid his Serene Highness five thousand guineas against the Order of the Cormorant, instituted by his Serene Highness himself. Well, we sat down to table, surrounded by the whole court. His Serene Highness led the way with a dish of sourcrout, but I declared that I could not do things in such a peddling, trifling manner, and I requested to have a barrel brought in. You would scarcely believe it, Mr. Ashton, but I had got into the middle of the barrel before his Serene Highness had got half-way through his dish. Then he took the roast meat and poultry, but there I beat him by half a fowl and a pigeon. He insisted upon tackling a dish of hard eggs, thinking that they would stick in my throat, and so they did, too, with a vengeance, but I nevertheless beat him by a yelk. He was ill for six weeks afterward, and I was the hero of the entire court during my residence there.” Christian Ashton could not help thinking that his lordship had become a hero on very singular terms, and the earl proceeded to read the second certificate. ‘ Well, these are unexceptionable,”’ he said, ‘‘ and I think you will do.” Christian ventured to inquire what the nature of his duties would be, and the nobleman went on to explain them. ‘“‘ The fact is, I have travelled a great deal, I have seen many strange things, I have been involved in some extraor- dinary adventures. I think of publishing my memoirs. I have already made many notes and memoranda, and there will be little trouble in arranging them properly. When I take a thing in hand, I am terribly energetic in carrying it out. My mind is bent upon this, and we shall work furiously. You must come and live in the neighbourhood, so that you may be always at hand when I want you; and as for salary, you may name your own terms.” Christian scarcely thought that the situation would suit him, inasmuch as he had already seen enough of his lordship CORMICLOOOLK