Affair in Araby | Page 6

Burton E. Stevenson
pefore t'is new part off t'e house wass puilt, we enjoyed t'e confidence unt patronage of Hiss Highness, t'e Prince of Zeit-Zeit, who spent at least two month in efery season here. While t'e Prince wass here, we were crowded--oh, to t'e smalles' room!--efen at ot'er times, we tid well, for he gafe t'e house a prestige. But last vinter he die, unt hiss heir, hiss son, despite t'e care of heem which we haf taken, t'e anxieties he hass cause' us, yet which we haf cheerfully porne--t'at ingrate hass t'e pad taste to prefer t'e ot'er house! Our ot'er customers haf followed heem--like sheep! Eet iss as t'ough we had lost our star!"
"Your star?"
"In t'e guide-book off Monsieur Karl," Pelletan explained.
"Is that such a tragedy?"
"I haf always t'ought it t'e fery worst t'at could happen," said Pelletan, "but t'is iss as pad."
It was only by a supreme effort that Rushford managed to choke back the chuckle which rose in his throat.
"Is Zeit-Zeit the little purblind, monkey-faced fellow who is wheeled around in a big red chair every day?"
"T'e fery same, monsieur--a great Highness."
Rushford made a grimace of disgust.
"What's the matter with him?" he asked. "Does he only need a bath, or is it more than skin deep?"
"Eet iss an hereditary trait, monsieur."
"Hereditary taint, you mean! You're better off without him; why, he'd infect the whole house, Pelletan."
Pelletan gazed at him aghast.
"Monsieur is choking!" he said.
"I'm in deadly earnest, but I don't expect you to understand, for you've got an hereditary taint, too, Pelletan, which shows itself principally in your spine."
Pelletan turned pale.
"I assure you, monsieur," he stammered, "I am fery--"
"No matter," broke in Rushford. "All European inn-keepers have it, and it has never been known to result fatally, so don't worry. But why did you think I'd take hold of this thing?"
"I haf heard so much," explained Pelletan, "of t'e enterprise of t'e Americans, t'at I t'ought perhaps you might--"
"Win back Zeit-Zeit? Not on your life! If he comes, I go! But I tell you what I'll do, Pelletan. I'll make you a proposition."
"Proceed, monsieur," and the other's face began to beam anticipatively.
"For one month I'll pay all the expenses of this hostelry, rent included, and allow you one hundred francs a day for your services. I take all the receipts. At the end of that time, I withdraw and leave you to your own devices. What do you say?"
Monsieur Pelletan reflected. At least, it was postponing the inevitable for a month, and in a month what may not happen? Besides, at the end of the month, he would be richer by three thousand francs.
"I accept, monsieur," he said, with fervour. "I am t'ankful a t'ousand time!"
"All right; I take possession at once. We can have a notary draw up a formal agreement. Now let's run over this schedule of prices," and he turned to Pelletan's carefully prepared statement.
"Fery well, monsieur."
"I see you have two apartments de luxe at one hundred francs a day. Hereafter they will be two hundred francs."
Pelletan gasped.
"From t'at, off course, t'ere will be a tiscount?" he stammered.
"Not a cent; not the tenth of a cent. Two hundred francs net."
"But, monsieur, efen at t'e old price, we haf always gif a tiscount! It iss only Americans who pay t'e full price. Ot'er people expec'--"
Rushford waved his hand.
"I don't care what they expect. Besides, there's going to be one hotel in Europe where Americans get a square deal. If your compatriots don't want to patronise my house, they can go to that low-down lunatic asylum across the street. By the way, what's its name?"
"T'e Grand H?tel Splendide," answered Pelletan, glowing with delight at his companion's power of invective.
"H--m," said the latter; "the worse a hotel is, the bigger name it seems to have. But about the discount. Let me repeat for you, Pelletan, a business axiom. To give a discount is to admit that your goods are not worth the price you ask for them, and that you're willing to cheat anybody who doesn't know enough to beat you down. All the business of Europe seems to be run in just that way, but ours won't be. Our goods are worth the price!"
"But," began Pelletan, humbly, "efen at Ostend--"
"This is not Ostend. This is Weet-sur-Mer--a place more home-like, more comfortable, preferable in every way, and with greater natural advantages than Ostend ever had or ever will have. Only a fool would go to Ostend when he could come to Weet-sur-Mer and stop at the Grand H?tel Royal."
Pelletan rubbed his hands in delight.
"You really t'ink so, monsieur?" he murmured.
"No matter what I think. Besides, you can go back to your old schedule, if you want to, at the end of the month. But I'm fixing this new schedule to suit myself, and I don't want to be
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