“Well, then, no matter,” said I. “Have you sent my luggage up stairs?”
“No, sir, there is no room—the house is full.”
“The house full! Confound it—this is too provoking. I have most urgent reasons for wishing to stay here. Cannot you make some arrangement—see about it, waiter.” I here slipped a Napoleon into the fellow’s hand, and hinted that as much more awaited the finale of the negociation.
In about a minute after, I perceived him behind the host’s chair, pleading my cause with considerable energy; but to my complete chagrin, I heard the other answer all his eloquence by a loud “Nein,” that he grunted out in such a manner as closed the conference.
“I cannot succeed, sir,” said the man, as he passed behind me, “but don’t leave the house till I speak with you again.”
What confounded mystery is there in all this, thought I. Is there any thing so suspicious in my look or appearance, that the old bear in the fur cap will not even admit me. What can it all mean. One thing I’m resolved upon—nothing less than force shall remove me.
So saying I lit my cigar, and in order to give the waiter an opportunity of conferring with me unobserved by his master, walked out into the porch and sat down.
In a few minutes he joined me, and after a stealthy look on each side, said—
“The Herr Andreas is a hard man to deal with, and when he says a thing, never goes back of it. Now he has been expecting the new English Charge d’Affaires here these last ten days, and has kept the hotel half empty in consequence; and as mi Lor Callonby has engaged the other half, why we have nothing to do; so that when he asked the postillion if you were mi Lor, and found that you were not, he determined not to admit you.”
“But why not have the civility to explain that?”