"'Oh, we are going to leave them here till to-morrow: they are all right—you can mark them too;' and without further ceremony we moved toward the door. One of the men stepped after us. I thought it was to make us return, but it was only to ask if he should get us a carriage.
"We thanked him and replied that we were going to the hotel opposite, and did not need one: he then turned to a person who seemed to be the porter of the establishment, and told him to carry our satchels for us. Now we felt our journey was well at an end, for the windows of our welcome asylum were blazing not more than a hundred feet off.
"We crossed the street, rang at the ladies' entrance and asked for rooms. After a few moments the servant returned, and, much to our chagrin, said that there were none to be had, every corner was full.
"'Do let us see the clerk. We must have a room: you can surely find us one somewhere.'
"The man shook his head.
"'Please go and try,' we insisted: 'we shall be satisfied with anything for the night. Won't you go and ask again?'
"'It is of no use,' he answered obstinately, à cause de l'Exposition;' and he opposed a shrug of his shoulders to every other effort at persuasion that we made.
"Just then a chambermaid passed. 'Do come here,' I called. 'Can't you find us a room? I will pay you;' and I put my hand significantly in my pocket.
"'Very sorry, ladies, but it is impossible,'
"This was a contingency we had not provided for: we looked at each other blankly, and, though loath to do so, we both came to the conclusion that they were telling the truth.