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Article HOTEL INCIDENT IN THE RIVIERA. ← Page 4 of 5 Article HOTEL INCIDENT IN THE RIVIERA. Page 4 of 5 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Hotel Incident In The Riviera.
everywhere , as the quadrupedal monster performed his erratic revolutions , amid the screams of women , the shouts of men , the groans of the maitre , and the indescribable
cries of astonishment uttered by the Avhole staff of the hotel , which had been gathered together at the door by the first exclamations of the baron .
The Anglo-Saxon nationality having , in spite of the principle of non-intervention , separated the Latin and the Teuton , the defeated combatant Avas assisted to his
room , and looked to by an English doctor who happened to be at the hotel , and AVIIO reported that , Avith the exception of a couple of broken teeth , nothing of consequence was to be apprehended beyond a
further requisition of his services at a rencontre of a different character , Avhich , however , would not be possible for some little time , owing to a difficulty his patient had in seeing . And the next morning Ave
found that the maitre had g iveu the baron notice to quit the Bon Vivant fortlnvith ; and so Ave saw no more of the Baron Monteggiana-Tavernelle . In ten days or so , the count received a
letter from him , dated at Florence . In it the baron demanded satisfaction , and required that the count should meet him at Florence , or , if more convenient , at Rome . In reply , the latter expressed his readiness for an interview , but positively
declined to fatigue himself Avith an unnecessary journey . The affair could very well be settled in the place AA'here it began . The letter Avas carefully aud fully directed , registered , and posted by the count himself .
In the ordinary course of events , an ansAver Avas clue in four or five days at the farthest ; but a fortnight passed Avithout any , and at length he received the following , dated from Rome : —¦
'' SIR , —I beg to acknowledge the honour Avhich yon have done me by addressing a letter to me at my house in Florence ; and must apologize for my inability to understand it . Your name is strange to me ; I AA * as never in the
place from which you Avrite ; I have not been m Florence for several months ; and 1 must conclude that there is some mistake . It is possible that my name has been assumed by a rascally valet who robbed me last year of several private papers and
Hotel Incident In The Riviera.
a considerable sum of money , but whom I could not conveniently prosecute . " Then folloAved a description Avhich tallied exactly with the appearance of our baron . It seems that the letter , being
registered , had been sent on to the real baron at his residence in Rome , instead of being delivered to the false one at the address giveu by him at Florence . The princess Avas no doubt overwhelmed
with shame at finding that she had been encouraging a valet instead of his master ; for site at once admitted the count to the privilege of paying her more attentions than ever . I think , too , she really liked
him . Anyhow , he had proved himself substantially able to protect her ; and the scuffle Avith his rival had in no degree lessened him in her esteem . Of course AveAverenot behind the scenes ;
and could only judge of the probable course of events by such little evidences as chance might throw in our Avay ; but it Avas rumoured that the marriage Avas to take place from our hotel before Lent .
" The sooner the better , said my wife ; " if another man comes forward Avith better prospects , she'll throAv oA'er the count , just as she did the baron . " "But vou see he Avasn ' t a baron , my
dear , I remonstrated ; " not a real oae , I mean , as the children saj . " " Well ; and perhaps this is not a real count . " " Dear me I Avhat a joke it would be if
he turned out to be somebody s butler I I Avish some Yankee would come and ask him a little about his place . We Avant a little life here just UOAV . " That day Ave had another fresh face at
the table-d'hote ; this time an Englishman ' s . He Avas very taciturn , but liked to look at the company and to listen to the conversation , and Avas much struck with the count . It occurred to me , too ,
that the count noticed him a great deal , so much so as to refuse some of the choicest dishes . But no one coiiA'ersed with the stranger , and alter dinner he retired to his room—the baron ' s old room—and AA'e saAV no more of him till the next day
at dinner . There Avas the same curiosity on the part of the count , Avho , by the Avay , spoke German exclusively now ; but the stranger Avas absorbed in his dinner . After-Avards he strolled into the billiard-room to smoke a cigar .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Hotel Incident In The Riviera.
everywhere , as the quadrupedal monster performed his erratic revolutions , amid the screams of women , the shouts of men , the groans of the maitre , and the indescribable
cries of astonishment uttered by the Avhole staff of the hotel , which had been gathered together at the door by the first exclamations of the baron .
The Anglo-Saxon nationality having , in spite of the principle of non-intervention , separated the Latin and the Teuton , the defeated combatant Avas assisted to his
room , and looked to by an English doctor who happened to be at the hotel , and AVIIO reported that , Avith the exception of a couple of broken teeth , nothing of consequence was to be apprehended beyond a
further requisition of his services at a rencontre of a different character , Avhich , however , would not be possible for some little time , owing to a difficulty his patient had in seeing . And the next morning Ave
found that the maitre had g iveu the baron notice to quit the Bon Vivant fortlnvith ; and so Ave saw no more of the Baron Monteggiana-Tavernelle . In ten days or so , the count received a
letter from him , dated at Florence . In it the baron demanded satisfaction , and required that the count should meet him at Florence , or , if more convenient , at Rome . In reply , the latter expressed his readiness for an interview , but positively
declined to fatigue himself Avith an unnecessary journey . The affair could very well be settled in the place AA'here it began . The letter Avas carefully aud fully directed , registered , and posted by the count himself .
In the ordinary course of events , an ansAver Avas clue in four or five days at the farthest ; but a fortnight passed Avithout any , and at length he received the following , dated from Rome : —¦
'' SIR , —I beg to acknowledge the honour Avhich yon have done me by addressing a letter to me at my house in Florence ; and must apologize for my inability to understand it . Your name is strange to me ; I AA * as never in the
place from which you Avrite ; I have not been m Florence for several months ; and 1 must conclude that there is some mistake . It is possible that my name has been assumed by a rascally valet who robbed me last year of several private papers and
Hotel Incident In The Riviera.
a considerable sum of money , but whom I could not conveniently prosecute . " Then folloAved a description Avhich tallied exactly with the appearance of our baron . It seems that the letter , being
registered , had been sent on to the real baron at his residence in Rome , instead of being delivered to the false one at the address giveu by him at Florence . The princess Avas no doubt overwhelmed
with shame at finding that she had been encouraging a valet instead of his master ; for site at once admitted the count to the privilege of paying her more attentions than ever . I think , too , she really liked
him . Anyhow , he had proved himself substantially able to protect her ; and the scuffle Avith his rival had in no degree lessened him in her esteem . Of course AveAverenot behind the scenes ;
and could only judge of the probable course of events by such little evidences as chance might throw in our Avay ; but it Avas rumoured that the marriage Avas to take place from our hotel before Lent .
" The sooner the better , said my wife ; " if another man comes forward Avith better prospects , she'll throAv oA'er the count , just as she did the baron . " "But vou see he Avasn ' t a baron , my
dear , I remonstrated ; " not a real oae , I mean , as the children saj . " " Well ; and perhaps this is not a real count . " " Dear me I Avhat a joke it would be if
he turned out to be somebody s butler I I Avish some Yankee would come and ask him a little about his place . We Avant a little life here just UOAV . " That day Ave had another fresh face at
the table-d'hote ; this time an Englishman ' s . He Avas very taciturn , but liked to look at the company and to listen to the conversation , and Avas much struck with the count . It occurred to me , too ,
that the count noticed him a great deal , so much so as to refuse some of the choicest dishes . But no one coiiA'ersed with the stranger , and alter dinner he retired to his room—the baron ' s old room—and AA'e saAV no more of him till the next day
at dinner . There Avas the same curiosity on the part of the count , Avho , by the Avay , spoke German exclusively now ; but the stranger Avas absorbed in his dinner . After-Avards he strolled into the billiard-room to smoke a cigar .