THE GRAND BABYLON HÔTEL

By Arnold Bennett

T. Racksole & Daughter

CONTENTS

Chapter One.   THE MILLIONAIRE AND THE WAITER

Chapter Two.   HOW MR RACKSOLE OBTAINED HIS DINNER

Chapter Three.   AT THREE A.M.

Chapter Four.   ENTRANCE OF THE PRINCE

Chapter Five.   WHAT OCCURRED TO REGINALD DIMMOCK

Chapter Six.   IN THE GOLD ROOM

Chapter Seven.   NELLA AND THE PRINCE

Chapter Eight.   ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE OF THE BARONESS

Chapter Nine.   TWO WOMEN AND THE REVOLVER

Chapter Ten.   AT SEA

Chapter Eleven.   THE COURT PAWNBROKER

Chapter Twelve.   ROCCO AND ROOM NO. 111

Chapter Thirteen.   IN THE STATE BEDROOM

Chapter Fourteen.   ROCCO ANSWERS SOME QUESTIONS

Chapter Fifteen.   END OF THE YACHT ADVENTURE

Chapter Sixteen.   THE WOMAN WITH THE RED HAT

Chapter Seventeen.   THE RELEASE OF PRINCE EUGEN

Chapter Eighteen.   IN THE NIGHT-TIME

Chapter Nineteen.   ROYALTY AT THE GRAND BABYLON

Chapter Twenty.   MR SAMPSON LEVI BIDS PRINCE EUGEN GOOD MORNING

Chapter Twenty-One.   THE RETURN OF FÉLIX BABYLON

Chapter Twenty-Two.   IN THE WINE CELLARS OF THE GRAND BABYLON

Chapter Twenty-Three.   FURTHER EVENTS IN THE CELLAR

Chapter Twenty-Four.   THE BOTTLE OF WINE

Chapter Twenty-Five.   THE STEAM LAUNCH

Chapter Twenty-Six.   THE NIGHT CHASE AND THE MUDLARK

Chapter Twenty-Seven.   THE CONFESSION OF MR TOM JACKSON

Chapter Twenty-Eight.      THE STATE BEDROOM ONCE MORE

Chapter Twenty-Nine.   THEODORE IS CALLED TO THE RESCUE

Chapter Thirty.   CONCLUSION

Chapter One THE MILLIONAIRE AND THE WAITER

'YES, sir?'

Jules, the celebrated head waiter of the Grand Babylon, was bending formally towards the alert, middle-aged man who had just entered the smoking-room and dropped into a basket-chair in the corner by the conservatory. It was 7.45 on a particularly sultry June night, and dinner was about to be served at the Grand Babylon. Men of all sizes, ages, and nationalities, but every one alike arrayed in faultless evening dress, were dotted about the large, dim apartment. A faint odour of flowers came from the conservatory, and the tinkle of a fountain. The waiters, commanded by Jules, moved softly across the thick Oriental rugs, balancing their trays with the dexterity of jugglers, and receiving and executing orders with that air of profound importance of which only really first-class waiters have the secret. The atmosphere was an atmosphere of serenity and repose, characteristic of the Grand Babylon. It seemed impossible that anything could occur to mar the peaceful, aristocratic monotony of existence in that perfectly-managed establishment. Yet on that night was to happen the mightiest upheaval that the Grand Babylon had ever known.

'Yes, sir?' repeated Jules, and this time there was a shade of august disapproval in his voice: it was not usual for him to have to address a customer twice.

'Oh!' said the