"Ought to be more,
if only people would see that it's for their own good. Precious little
profit I get out of it. You are partial to tables d'hote, gentlemen?"
The new guest made answer that he liked a hotel where one could find
some local people in the evening. It was infernally dull otherwise. The
secretary, in sign of approval, emitted a grunt of astonishing ferocity,
as if proposing to himself to eat the local people. All this sounded
like a longish stay, thought Schomberg, satisfied under his grave air;
till, remembering the girl snatched away from him by the last guest who
had made a prolonged stay in his hotel, he ground his teeth so audibly
that the other two looked at him in wonder. The momentary convulsion
of his florid physiognomy seemed to strike them dumb. They exchanged a
quick glance. Presently the clean-shaven man fired out another question
in his curt, unceremonious manner:
"You have no women in your hotel, eh?"
"Women!" Schomberg exclaimed indignantly, but also as if a little
frightened. "What on earth do you mean by women? What women? There's
Mrs. Schomberg, of course," he added, suddenly appeased, with lofty
indifference.
"If she knows how to keep her place, then it will do. I can't stand
women near me. They give me the horrors," declared the other. "They are
a perfect curse!"
During this outburst the secretary wore a savage grin.
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