the waiter was preparing his room, the hostess arose; Andrea assumed
his most charming smile, and asked if he could have No. 3, which he had
occupied on his last stay at Compiegne. Unfortunately, No. 3 was engaged
by a young man who was travelling with his sister. Andrea appeared in
despair, but consoled himself when the hostess assured him that No. 7,
prepared for him, was situated precisely the same as No. 3, and while
warming his feet and chatting about the last races at Chantilly, he
waited until they announced his room to be ready.
Andrea had not spoken without cause of the pretty rooms looking out upon
the court of the Bell Tavern, which with its triple galleries like those
of a theatre, with the jessamine and clematis twining round the light
columns, forms one of the prettiest entrances to an inn that you
can imagine. The fowl was tender, the wine old, the fire clear and
sparkling, and Andrea was surprised to find himself eating with as good
an appetite as though nothing had happened. Then he went to bed and
almost immediately fell into that deep sleep which is sure to visit men
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