The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 219: what you’re looking at

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

THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. Equerry to the reigning Duke of Maxe-Stolburg- | Quotha, wore no shirt! He had on a flannel | jacket, which had certainly seen a couple of ' months’ wear without being changed; and it was ' therefore pretty evident that either the Chevalier Kadger’s wardrobe was singularly deficient, or else that he had entirely lost the confidence of his washerwoman. The Equerry, turning his back towards Christian, made all possible haste to hook his frogged and | braided coat, which, as it fastened close up to the chin, effectually concealed that little trifling defi- ciency in the linen department which had betrayed itself to our young hero’s knowledge. At this mo- ment the Chevalier Gumbinnen, Lord Chamberlain and Principal Lord of the Bed-chamber, came rusb- ing into the ante-room,—where he pulled the bell violently. This exalted official in the service of an illustrious master seemed to be 1n as towering a rage as Baron Raggidbak was a few minutes be- fore, when surprised in his airy condition and thrifty occupation: indeed, so much was the Chevalier Gumbinnen excited, that he did not notice Christian’s presence. The furious summons of the bell was almost instantaneously answered by a waiter; and the Chevalier, grasping him by the arm, said, “ De breeshes!” The waiter shook his head in evident inability to comprehend the Chevalier’s meaning. “De breeshes!” repeated this functionary, in the highest state of excitement: and no wonder— for he had just used all the English that he knew, and was totally unable to express himself by another syllable of our vernacular. The Chevalier Kadger, who had by this time finished buttoning up his coat, came to his friend’s assistance: a few words were rapidly exchanged in German ; and then the Chevalier Kadger, address- ing himself to the waiter, said, “ Mine goot mans, de Lord Chamberlain sall come for to ask for de breeshes of his Royal Highness.” Then, as the waiter stared in astonishment, the Chevalier Kadger proceeded to explain, in the best English he could possibly muster to his aid, that the Duke of Maxe-Stolburg-Quotha’s best panta- loons had been sent on the previous day to the tailor to have stripes of gold-lace sewn upon the lees—that the pantaloons aforesaid had not come home—and that his Royal Highness was kept waiting in the cold, in his shirt, for these identical breeches, without which it would be exceedingly inconvenient, not to say impossible, for the illus- trious Sovereign to appear at the review. Such was the explanation of his Royal Highness’s dilemma; and the waiter promised to send round at once to the tailor’s for the missing pantaloons: but Christian observed that the man could scarcely repress a smile—while our hero himself had still more difficulty in keeping down an outburst of laughter. ce 213 was just on the point of fastening his plume to the side of his hat with a brass brooch such as can be purchased in the Lowther Arcade for eighteen- pence,—when General Himmelspinken snatched the plume away. Doubtless, as a military officer. of high rank, and holding the eminent position of Master of the Horse, his Excellency the General conceived that he himself was the most fitting and proper person to wear the plume. Count Frumpenhausen however thought other- wise; and a violent dispute arose. The General, with the characteristic bravery of a true warrior, proceeded to protect his plunder by force of arms —or rather of fists; and he made a desperate on- slaught on Count Frumpenhausen. The combat raged between the two ; and while they were thus fighting, Herr Humbogh, the Privy Seal, waiked quietly off with the plume: and seating himself at the farther end of the apartment, began attaching it to his own beaver, in the very place where the said beaver (which was a shocking bad one) was most battered. Count Wronki’s interference put an end to the quarrel between the valorous General and the titled Frumpenhausen: but nothing could induce Herr Humbogh to deliver up the plume; and sticking his hat, thus decorated, on the side of his head, he strutted to and fro with such an air of defiance that neither of the two dis- comfited disputants dared approach him in a menacing manner. With mingled feelings of disgust and amaze- ment, yet entertwined with an almost irresistible sense of whatsoever was ludicrous in these pro- ceedings,—Christian repaired to the secretary’s room: but he found the door locked, and there- fore naturally concluded that his lordship Baron Raggidbak had thus shut himself in to finish his task in peace and quietness. Our young hero accordingly returned to the ante-chamber, which he reached just at the moment the waiter was re- appearing to report progress to the two Chevaliers in respect to the ducal inexpressibles. Christian therefore overheard the explanation. Gold-lace, it was represented, was exceedingly dear; and as the broadest stripes had been placed on his Royal Highness’s pantaloons—besides the said panta- loons being re-seated—the cost thereof amounted to three guineas, which the tailor, without mean- ing any disrespect towards the reigning Duke of Maxe-Stolburg-Quotha, would rather see paid before he delivered up the unmentionables. Christian could not help thinking that this was a pretty pickle for a reigning Duke to be placed in ; and doubtless the two Chevaliers thought so like- wise. They hastily conferred together in German for a few moments: then the Chevalier Gumbin- nen, putting his hand into his pocket, drew forth eighteenpence—while the Chevalier Kadger, im1- tating his example, displayed three pence three farthings: but as these united sums were very far Thinking that by this time Baron Raggidbak | from making up the requisite amount, the faces of might have finished mending his own breeches, | the two Chevaliers became exceedingly blank, and and that the secretary’s room would be now disen- gaged, Christian was proceeding thither, when his attention was drawn to the explosion of a sudden altercation between General Himmelspinken and Count Frumpenhausen. The latter nobleman— who, be it remembered, was Gold Stick in Wait- ing—had fashioned for himself a very fine plumage with the feathers of a cock pheasant’s tail; and he | their manner singularly bewildered. At this crisis Baron Farthenless, the Privy Purse, ap- peared upon the scene; and Christian thought that no advent could possibly be more propitious than that of the high functionary who had charge of the ducal exchequer. But, alas! the Baron’s name proved to be typical of his condition— namely, farthingless; and no money was therefore CO)