CHAPTER XIX.
Clutha Leader, Volume XVIII, Issue 904, 13 November 1891, Page 7
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CHAPTER XIX.
THE NAPOLEON. Martin Gross was in the habit of' putting up at. a quiet hotel in Oxford street, which he had much frequented in the days of his adversity. Like Will Collins, he had a conscience about these things, and wished to spend his money where he was known. It rather aroused the captain to mark the obsequious service of waiters and officials who had once taken a tone with him that would have been insolence if he had been the kind of man to suffer it, or had ever left, his /bill unpaid. , , '■■,■,■,■ Mrs .Gervoise, who kept the Napoleon Hotel, was a connection of Adplphe Vidal's, and had recomrnended ; bira,to Martin, as a person well, able to fill ■ the position of valet to him, and one who would have to be tortured before anything would be got .out of him, if needs were, for secrecy. This was how Martin ,. came of his French valet, and. so far he had reason, to congratulate himself on, the. .chance that had thrown such a prize- within his reach. . ' : Adolphe was quite happy at the Napoleon, where ho had ahyays a. cosy seat in the bar, and a bottle pf cheap claret with his cigarette. Ho never talked, but Madame Gervoise declared he was charming for all 'that.. .He. often had tickets for the theatres, ,tp give away, for Martin was very, apt to say, he would. go, and then change. his; mind before the evening came round,; and the&e found their way to Madame,; who adored the drama,, and. liked to, see every new piece that came out. , ■ So that everyone- was glad to see'thei captain, as he was called, and his, faithful' Adolphe, whose devotion to! his master was, Madame Gervoise de-. clared, • a perfect picture. She' came out bland and smiling to welcome them this day, and tried to. blush when the captain declared in his agreeable way that she looked 10 years younger than when he saw her last. But the captain must have his joke — there, .never was such a facetious ■gentlema.n ; and though helooked very, pale this afternoon, she had never known- him so cheerful. He ordered his usual bedroom,, which 'happened to, be vacant, and then adjourned, to; hisj club, as he was careful to state;: :: ' ■ ''• ' , Adolphe occnpiedhiixi.self ne9ri while; with unpacking his master's portman-i teau. The dressing-case was locked, l so Adolphe liad to. , leave some .part. of' .li is' ■■duties unfinished, to his. great . re-! gret, for he prided himself bn.an' ! un-J failing . punctuality ,- and r .attention, id .his masters-c omfort. • ■ "'■• ... . •;.• i Captain Gross returned rather eai'lien than was expected, and surprised Adolphe, sitting on a chair near 'the! window, apparently locking or unlock} ing the dressiug-case, which he held oil hte'knea ■ <" r '■'• ■"' '"■'' :> l - ■■'•'' j
Martin advanced into the room,. with hurried step and rising color. 4 What are you doing there V he -inquired, sharply./ ..'., , - . :• Adolphe Wse,:to his feet, with cool deliberation. I !','•••' , . . . ' Monsieur i forgot , to leave, me his keys, as usual,' and I was seeing if any of mine w6nld open the' dressingcase,' said t;h;e ; man, composedly. "''l' know Monsieur likes to find everything ready for hjm when he comes home. Unfortunately, T have ' nothing' that will. do, so t jat Monsieur must excuse ;my- no.tbeinj; prepared, and allow, me to rectify the omission as quickly as possible 1 ' I • ...""' . Martin drew a deep breath of relief. ■: 'I have papers of impoitance there. I thought I told you so this morning t .-• ; No;;; Monsieur had said nothing of the " ; " kind, dv Adolphe would . have known to, proceed. . ' But there . vvasno-harmi done, happily ; although, of course, supposing 1 Adolphe had seen . a hundred papers in Monsieur's dressing-case, honpr and Tight feeling, would have prevented him, from opening one.' .-. Indeed, Adolphe looked much hurt at the .bai'e' suspicion (he ; was' very, sensitive naturally), and had quite a plaintive, even injured, air as he dressed his ; master for dinner, and helped wait upon him during the'meal. ... When the; dessert' yas. put upon the table, he askpcl, ■dejectedly, if Monsieur could spare liini for an hour. A very dear-; friend 'of .his. was lodging in . the . next street, who would be returning to Paris in a few days, and had offered to take, a small remittance for him to his aged mother. He would hurry as much' as possible, but he did not like to miss.- such an opportunity, as the winter was coming on, when his dear parent would be much inconvenienced if she did not receive assistance from him. . ■ ' Go, by all means ; I shall not want you for a couple of hours, at least,' Captain ' Gross replied; and, thanking 'him gratefully, Adolphe retired. (To be Continued.')
