The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 77: what you’re looking at

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

60 REYNOLDS’ WORKS lish government. These rooms too which they occupy are paid from a certain quarter.”’ ‘From whence? ’’ inquired Christian. ‘Why, from Buckingham Palace, to be sure,” responded the waiter. ‘“‘ Ah, the people generally little think what a mean, beggarly horde these German fellows are, with all their titles of duke, count, baron, and chevalier. I tell you what, sir, there isn’t as much linen amongst them all as any ordinary Enelish gentleman possesses; and such linen as it is! Why, the washerwoman is afraid it will fall to pieces in the rubbing and wringing out. And then their clothes, too!” added the waiter, shrugging his shoulders with the supremest contempt. ‘‘ But what I wanted to guard you against, sir, is this, that 1f you let those fellows get hold of you, they will sponge upon you, they will make you pay for wines, spirits, and cigars, they will pluck you like any pigeon. So pray take care; and don’t say that I dropped you this hint, as it would only get me into trouble.”’ Christian reassured the man upon the point, thanked him ior his well-meant information, and took his departure, wondering still more at the various details he had just re- ceived in respect to the German duke and his retainers. Having paid a hasty visit to Christina, Christian returned to his lodgings at the parish clerk’s house, and he sought in one of the books which he possessed some information relative to the duchy of Maxe-Stolburg-Quotha. He found that it was of the meanest territorial extent, with a popula- tion of a few thousands of souls, with a beggarly revenue, and with an army enumerated only by hundreds. He had previously no very exalted idea of the German principalities, but he had not suspected that any one of them was so poor and paltry as this. However, he thought to himself that his own salary would be tolerably safe, and that 1t would at least enhance his interest to be enabled at the close of his engage- ment to obtain a testimonial from a reigning duke. CONNIE OO KS (Eo) nal