Feigning illness to allow time to compose himself, he sends his faithful councillor Topfglanz to meet the count at the newly erected Gothic Temple.
Comte de CT (in lavender coat) - "I am sorry to hear of your master's ...indisposition Topfglanz, I trust he will be fully recovered by this evening?"
Topfglanz (in green) - "His excellency the Margrave sends his apologies for not receiving you in person Comte, and begs you amuse yourself in his garden until it is time to dine at the palace."
Comte de CT - "Garden? I see no order or geometry about me. All is wild and uneven and in disarray as if nature has run riot. Do you have no canals or parterres such as we value in Arnheim? Where are your pleached avenues and patte d'oie. ? "
Topfglanz - " We do have such conceits my lord, but it is the Margrave's intention to grub them all up, sell his topiary and follow the English into a new Arcadia."
Comte de CT - " Tcha! Arcadia? That will result in many of your gardeners being dismissed will it not, with no miles of box and privet to trim or gravel paths to rake?"
Topfglanz - " I trust not my lord, and the odour of the box hedges disagrees with the Margravina, she keeps blaming her cat Nibbins for the smell."
Comte de CT - "Nevertheless, should your gardeners hear of these plans, there might be unpleasantness as there are many of them."
Topfglanz - "I pray not. Now Comte, what think you of the Margrave's new edifice in the Gothic style?. His new English designer Percival Longprong has been hard at work."
Comte de CT - " It is true that I find the Gothic style agreeable, reminding me as it does of sepulchres and tombs, but this building sets me in mind of another English architect, Sanderson Miller who has recently escaped from an English madhouse. Come Topfglanz, show me the prospect the temple commands."
As the pair walk to the temple, Old Hodge the gardener hobbles as fast as he is able towards the gardeners bothy.
Figures- Topfglanz by Eureka, Comte de CT and Hodge by Front Rank.
