He said to one after another of the very polite people he chanced to meet,—
“Please, sir [or madam], do you speak English?”
He received only smiles of good-will, and courteous shakes of the head, in answer to all inquiries.
Tommy remembered his French lessons. Happy thought! He accosted a servant, whose knowledge of the language he fancied might be as simple as his own:—
“Pardon, Monsieur, voulez-vous avez la bonté de m’indiquer un valet-de-place?”
“Je ne comprends pas,” said he.
“Je ne comprends pas,” said Tommy. “Je ne puis pas trouver ma chambre,” pointing upward. “Voulez-vous m’indiquer quelqu’un qui parle l’Anglais?”
“Je ne comprends pas.”
“Ne comprenez-vous Français?” said Tommy.
The man’s face wore a willing, but very puzzled expression.