turn back and not see London any more.
However, I changed my mind once again, and decided to come on to London,
and accept the risks of being miserable there without my hotel. Then
I asked Jules whither he was bound, and he told me that he was off to
Constantinople, being interested in a new French hotel there. I wished
him good luck, and we parted.'

'Constantinople, eh!' said Racksole. 'A highly suitable place for him, I
should say.'

'But,' Babylon resumed, 'I caught sight of him again.'

'Where?'

'At Charing Cross, a few minutes before I had the pleasure of meeting
you.

Mr Jules had not gone to Constantinople after all. He did not see me,
or I should have suggested to him that in going from Paris to
Constantinople it is not usual to travel via London.'

'The cheek of the fellow!' exclaimed Theodore Racksole. 'The gorgeous
and colossal cheek of the fellow!'

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

'DO you know anything of the antecedents of this Jules,' asked Theodore
Racksole, helping himself to whisky.

'Nothing whatever,' said Babylon. 'Until you told me, I don't think I
was aware that his true name was Thomas Jackson, though of course I knew
that it was not Jules. I certainly was not aware that Miss Spencer was
his wife, but I had long suspected that their relations were somewhat
more intimate than the nature of their respective duties in the hotel
absolutely demanded. All that I do know of Jules--he will always be
called Jules--is that he gradually, by some mysterious personal force,
acquired a prominent position in the hotel. Decidedly he was the
cleverest and most intellectual waiter I have ever known, and he was
specially skilled in the difficult task of retaining his own dignity
while not interfering with that of other people.

I'm afraid this information is a little too vague to be of any practical
assistance in the present difficulty.'

'What is the present difficulty?' Racksole queried, with a simple air.

'I should imagine that the present difficulty is to account for the
man's presence in London.'

'That is easily accounted for,' said Racksole.

'How? Do you suppose he is anxious to give himself up to justice, or
that the chains of habit bind him to the hotel?'

'Neither,' said Racksole. 'Jules is going to have another try--that's
all.'

'Another try at what?'

'At Prince Eugen. Either at his life or his liberty. Most probably the
former this time; alm