Where's your nerve, Pelletan--here's your chance for revenge!"
"But to refuse a Prince!" murmured Pelletan. "Eet iss somet'ing unheard
of!"
"It will make you famous! It's a big ad for the house! 'The Grand Hotel
Royal refuses to receive the Prince of Zeit-Zeit.' Think what a stir
that will make! Besides, you have no choice--I require it!"
"Fery well, monsieur," agreed Pelletan, with a gesture of despairing
obedience. "T'ere iss one t'ing more--I haf an idea."
"That's good; let's have it," said Rushford, encouragingly. "There's
nothing like ideas."
"Monsieur will remember," began Pelletan, in a voice carefully lowered,
"t'at we agreed to touble t'e price of entertainment."
"Yes--what of it? Anybody been kicking?"
"No--au contraire, monsieur--t'e house iss full--efery leetle room."
"You see you don't need Zeit-Zeit; it's quite like the old times, isn't
it?"
"Yess--only petter, monsieur; far petter. Oh, eet iss wunderschoen!"
"Well, go ahead; what's the idea?"
"Since t'e house iss full," said Pelletan, impressively, "and t'ere are
many more asking for rooms--oh, temanding t'em--t'e Prince among t'e
number!--why may not we again touble t'e price?" and he leaned back in
his chair, looking triumphantly at his partner. But his face fell as the
latter shook his head.
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