‘You have told me that this Sampson Levi had an audience of Prince Eugen to-day, but you have not told me the result of that audience,’ said Babylon.
‘Because I do not yet know it. But I shall doubtless know to-morrow. In the meantime, I feel fairly sure that Levi declined to produce Prince Eugen’s required million. I have reason to believe that the money was lent elsewhere.’
‘H’m!’ mused Babylon; and then, carelessly, ‘I am not at all surprised at that arrangement for spying through the bathroom of the State apartments.’
‘Why are you not surprised?’
‘Oh!’ said Babylon, ‘it is such an obvious dodge—so easy to carry out. As for me, I took special care never to involve myself in these affairs. I knew they existed; I somehow felt that they existed. But I also felt that they lay outside my sphere. My business was to provide board and lodging of the most sumptuous kind to those who didn’t mind paying for it; and I did my business. If anything else went on in the hotel, under the rose, I long determined to ignore it unless it should happen to be brought before my notice; and it never was brought before my notice. However, I admit that there is a certain pleasurable excitement in this kind of affair and doubtless you have experienced that.’
‘I have,’ said Racksole simply, ‘though I believe you are laughing at me.’
‘By no means,’ Babylon replied. ‘Now what, if I may ask the question, is going to be your next step?’
‘That is just what I desire to know myself,’ said Theodore Racksole.
‘Well,’ said Babylon, after a pause, ‘let us begin. In the first place, it is possible you may be interested to hear that I happened to see Jules to-day.’
‘You did!’ Racksole remarked with much calmness. ‘Where?’