Jemima would be so glad to
see you."
As she left the room, Celeste laughingly asked me whether I had any more
such acquaintances. I replied, that I believed not; but I must
acknowledge that Mrs Trotter was brought to my recollection, and I was
under some alarm, lest she should also come and pay me her respects.
The next day I had another unexpected visit. We had just sat down to
dinner, when we heard a disturbance below; and, shortly after, the
general's French servant came up in great haste, saying that there was a
foreigner below, who wished to see me: and that he had been caning one
of the waiters of the hotel, for not paying him proper respect.
"Who can that be?" thought I: and I went out of the door, and looked
over the banisters, as the noise continued.
"You must not come here to beat Englishmen, I can tell you," roared one
of the waiters. "What do we care for your foreign counts?"
"Sacre, canaille?" cried the other party, in a contemptuous voice, which
I well knew.
"Ay, canal!--we'll duck you in the canal, if you don't mind."
"You will!" said the stranger, who had hitherto spoken French. "Allow me
to observe--in the most delicate manner in the world--just to hint, that
you are a d----d trencher-scraping, napkin-carrying, shilling-seeking,
up-and-down-stairs son of a bitch--and take this for your impudence!"
The noise of the cane was again heard; and I hastened downstairs, where
I found Count Shucksen thrashing two or three of the waiters without
mercy.
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