Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: October 25, 2025
"Yes, I think it would better be in private that is, if you can accomplish it in this bedlam." "Oh, I haf a place, monsieur, where no one will intrude," and Pelletan led the way through the hotel office to a little door back of the desk. "T'is iss my vat you call eet in English? my sty, my kennel " "Your den." "Iss t'ere a difference?" asked Pelletan, fumbling with the lock.
It consequently happened, on the morning following the events narrated in the previous chapter, that there was another distinguished arrival at the Grand Hôtel Royal, to the delight and despair of Monsieur Pelletan. "I shall need an apartment of at least five rooms, not higher than the second floor," announced the duchess.
The oars flashed suddenly upright; two men sprang from the bow, with a fine disregard of a wetting, and pulled the boat far in. Then the bemuffled figure was lifted tenderly and carried to the waiting chair, where Monsieur Pelletan was bowing with his head almost touching the carpet.
Rushford glanced about the deserted smoking-room. "No," he said; "I haven't seen any to fall off. I've been wondering how you managed to pay out." "Ah, monsieur," cried Pelletan, wringing his hands, "t'at iss eet I haf been paying out unt paying out until t'e las' franc iss gone. I wass at no time reech, monsieur; at t'is moment I am in ruins!" And, indeed, he looked the part.
Then he stared out across the sands again, the corners of his mouth twitching. Evidently the proposal appealed to his sense of humour. "See here, Pelletan," he said, abruptly, turning back, "is there a hoodoo on the house, or what's the matter?" "A I peg monsieur's pardon," stammered Pelletan. "How does it happen that the hotel over there is full and this one's empty?"
"Unt t'en," continued Pelletan, persuasively, fancying, no doubt, that he saw some signs of yielding in his partner's face, "eef monsieur remains, he can haf t'e house done ofer to suit heem; he can t'row away t'e furniture he does not like; he can paint out t'e marble columns; he can cause all t'e servants to pe tressed to hees taste. He would make one grand sensation!
By the way, what's its name?" "T'e Grand Hôtel Splendide," answered Pelletan, glowing with delight at his companion's power of invective. "H m," said the latter; "the worse a hotel is, the bigger name it seems to have. But about the discount. Let me repeat for you, Pelletan, a business axiom.
And, Prince," he added, as the latter turned away, "don't worry about the matter of income. Susie will be able to help you out a little." Whether the Prince heard or not I do not know, for, as he hurried from the room, he collided with Monsieur Pelletan, who clutched his coat as he would have hastened past. "Oh, Monsieur le Prince!" gasped the little man. "I haf eferywhere been searching for you.
"There, there," and the American waved him to silence. "And you needn't charge yourself with his keep. But I hope you haven't any more skeletons in the closet, my friend." "Skeletons, monsieur?" "Such as Madame Pelletan." "Oh," said the Frenchman, naively, "Madame Pelletan iss quite t'e opposite off a skeleton, monsieur!" Rushford paused at the hotel door and looked out along the Digue.
Every moment, a porter toiled up to the door with a load of luggage; every moment some one arrived demanding a room and not one murmured at the tariff! The lift groaned and creaked under the unaccustomed weights put upon it and moved more slowly than ever. Pelletan, as he hurried past, mopping his perspiring brow, had time only for a single glance at his good angel but what a glance!
Word Of The Day
Others Looking