FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99  
100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   >>   >|  
stammered. I was a trifle overawed by the grandeur of the mutton-chops and the "sir." "I will attend to that, sir. If you will be good enough to come in, sir." We entered and found ourselves in a narrow hall, old-fashioned, homelike and as spotless as the white door. Two more uniforms bowed before us. "Thank you, sir," said the member of the Royal Family. It was with difficulty that I repressed the desire to tell him he was quite welcome. His manner of thanking me seemed to imply that we had conferred a favor. "I will speak to Mr. Jameson," he went on, with another bow. Then he left us. "Is--is that Mr. Bancroft?" whispered Hephzy. I shook my head. "It must be the Prince of Wales, at least," I whispered in return. "I infer that there is no Mr. Bancroft." It developed that I was right. Mr. Jameson was the proprietor of the hotel, and Mr. Jameson was a pleasant, refined, quiet man of middle age. He appeared from somewhere or other, ascertained our wants, stated that he had a few vacant rooms and could accommodate us. "Do you wish a sitting-room?" he asked. I was not sure. I wanted comfort, that I knew, and I said so. I mentioned, as an afterthought, that Mr. Heathcroft had recommended Bancroft's to me. The Heathcroft name seemed to settle everything. Mr. Jameson summoned the representative of royalty and spoke to him in a low tone. The representative--his name, I learned later, was Henry and he was butler and major-domo at Bancroft's--bowed once more. A few minutes later we were shown to an apartment on the second floor front, a room large, old-fashioned, furnished with easy-chairs, tables and a big, comfortable sofa. Sofa and easy-chairs were covered with figured, glazed chintz. "Your sitting-room, sir," said Henry. "Your bedrooms open hoff it, sir. The chambermaid will 'ave them ready in a moment, sir. Richard and the porter will bring up your luggage and the boxes. Will you and the lady wish supper, sir? Thank you, sir. Very good, sir. Will you require a fire, sir?" The room was a trifle chilly. There was a small iron grate at its end, and a coal fire ready to kindle. I answered that a fire might be enjoyable. "Yes, sir," said Henry. "Himmediately, sir." Soon Hephzy and I were drinking hot tea and eating bread and butter and plum cake before a snapping fire. George, the waiter, had brought us the tea and accessories and set the table; the chambermaid had prepared the bedrooms; Henry had
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99  
100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Bancroft
 

Jameson

 

Heathcroft

 

sitting

 

representative

 
Hephzy
 
chambermaid
 

bedrooms

 
chairs
 

whispered


fashioned

 

trifle

 
apartment
 

minutes

 
butter
 

eating

 
tables
 
comfortable
 

furnished

 

accessories


brought

 

royalty

 

summoned

 

prepared

 

butler

 

snapping

 

George

 

learned

 

waiter

 

glazed


settle

 
supper
 

answered

 

luggage

 

kindle

 
require
 

chilly

 
drinking
 

chintz

 
covered

figured
 

enjoyable

 
Richard
 
porter
 

Himmediately

 

moment

 
manner
 

desire

 
Family
 

difficulty