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The Grand Babylon Hotel, a novel by Arnold Bennett |
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CHAPTER 6 - IN THE GOLD ROOM |
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_ AT the Grand Babylon a great ball was given that night in the Gold Room, a huge saloon attached to the hotel, though scarcely part of it, and certainly less exclusive than the hotel itself. Theodore Racksole knew nothing of the affair, except that it was an entertainment offered by a Mr and Mrs Sampson Levi to their friends. Who Mr and Mrs Sampson Levi were he did not know, nor could anyone tell him anything about them except that Mr Sampson Levi was a prominent member of that part of the Stock Exchange familiarly called the Kaffir Circus, and that his wife was a stout lady with an aquiline nose and many diamonds, and that they were very rich and very hospitable. Theodore Racksole did not want a ball in his hotel that evening, and just before dinner he had almost a mind to issue a decree that the Gold Room was to be closed and the ball forbidden, and Mr and Mrs Sampson Levi might name the amount of damages suffered by them. His reasons for such a course were threefold - first, he felt depressed and uneasy; second, he didn't like the name of Sampson Levi; and, third, he had a desire to show these so-called plutocrats that their wealth was nothing to him, that they could not do what they chose with Theodore Racksole, and that for two pins Theodore Racksole would buy them up, and the whole Kaffir Circus to boot. But something wamed him that though such a high-handed proceeding might be tolerated in America, that land of freedom, it would never be tolerated in England. He felt instinctively that in England there are things you can't do, and that this particular thing was one of them. So the ball went forward, and neither Mr nor Mrs Sampson Levi had ever the least suspicion what a narrow escape they had had of looking very foolish in the eyes of the thousand or so guests invited by them to the Gold Room of the Grand Babylon that evening. The Gold Room of the Grand Babylon was built for a ballroom. A It may seem incredible to the uninitiated that the guests at any At eleven o'clock Theodore Racksole, afflicted by vexation of Together they had been wandering about the corridors of the hotel, 'I wonder which is Mrs Sampson Levi?' Nella said, 'and whether The sound of violins and a confused murmur of voices rose gently 'Umphl' said Theodore. 'Curse those evening papers!' he added, 'Father, you're very horrid to-night. What have the evening papers 'Well, my young madame, they've got me in for one, and you for 'Well, Father, you surely didn't expect to keep yourself out of the Besides, as regards newspapers, you ought to be glad you aren't in Just fancy what the dear old Herald would have made out of a little 'That's true,' assented Racksole. 'But it'll be all over New York 'Why?' 'Don't know. Sudden fancy, I guess, for his native heath.' 'What difference does it make to you?' 'None. Only I feel sort of lonesome. I feel I want someone to lean 'Father, if you have that feeling you must be getting ill.' 'Yes,' he sighed, 'I admit it's unusual with me. But perhaps you 'You mean about poor Mr Dimmock?' 'Partly Dimmock and partly other things. First of all, that Miss 'Prince Eugen has not come?' 'He has not; and Uncle Aribert is in a deuce of a stew about him, 'Do you really think, Dad, there was anything between Jules and 'Think! I know! I tell you I saw that scamp give Dimmock a wink 'So you caught that wink, did you, Dad?' 'Why, did you?' 'Of course, Dad. I was going to tell you about it.' The millionaire grunted. 'Look here, Father,' Nella whispered suddenly, and pointed to the 'Well, who is it?' 'Isn't it Jules?' 'Gemini! By the beard of the prophet, it is!' 'Perhaps Mr Jules is a guest of Mrs Sampson Levi.' 'Guest or no guest, he goes out of this hotel, even if I have to throw Theodore Racksole disappeared without another word, and Nella But when the millionaire arrived on the balcony floor he could see It was Jules. The two exchanged glances in the half light for a second. 'Good evening, Mr Racksole,' said Jules calmly. 'I must apologize 'Force of habit, I suppose,' said Theodore Racksole drily. 'Just so, sir.' 'I fancied I had forbidden you to re-enter this hotel?' 'I thought your order applied only to my professional capacity. I am 'In your new rôle of man-about-town, eh?' 'Exactly.' 'But I don't allow men-about-town up here, my friend.' 'For being up here I have already apologized.' 'Then, having apologized, you had better depart; that is my 'Good night, sir.' 'And, I say, Mr Jules, if Mr and Mrs Sampson Levi, or any other 'Good night, sir.' Before midnight struck Theodore Racksole had ascertained that He sat up very late. To be precise, he sat up all night. He was a 'Whose luggage is that?' he inquired peremptorily. The luggage clerk, with an aggrieved expression, explained to him luggage despatched in advance, and that a similar quantity of it left Theodore Racksole walked away, and breakfasted upon one cup of At ten o'clock he was informed that the inspector of police desired The inspector had also brought subpoenas for himself and Prince 'I thought Mr Dimmock's remains were removed last night,' said 'No, sir. The fact is the van was engaged on another job.' The inspector gave the least hint of a professional smile, and In a few minutes a message came from the inspector requesting Mr 'Well?' said Racksole, after he and the Prince had exchanged bows. 'Just so,' said the inspector. 'The body of the deceased has And his Serene Highness Prince Aribert informs me that though he 'Indeed, I cannot!' said the Prince, and though he spoke with 'Well, I'm - ' murmured Racksole, and stopped. _ |