Chapter XVIII

           Beforetheendoftheweek,themanagerfoundhimselfinrelationswith’thefamily’oncemore.AtelegramfromMilanannouncedthatMr.FrancisWestwickwouldarriveinVeniceonthenextday;andwouldbeobligedifNumberFourteen,onthefirstfloor,couldbereservedforhim,intheeventofitsbeingvacantatthetime.

           Themanagerpausedtoconsider,beforeheissuedhisdirections.

           There-numberedroomhadbeenlastlettoaFrenchgentleman.ItwouldbeoccupiedonthedayofMr.FrancisWestwick’sarrival,butitwouldbeemptyagainonthedayafter.WoulditbewelltoreservetheroomforthespecialoccupationofMr.Francis?andwhenhehadpassedthenightunsuspiciouslyandcomfortablyin’No.13A,’toaskhiminthepresenceofwitnesseshowhelikedhisbedchamber?Inthiscase,ifthereputationoftheroomhappenedtobecalledinquestionagain,theanswerwouldvindicateit,ontheevidenceofamemberoftheveryfamilywhichhadfirstgivenNumberFourteenabadname.Afteralittlereflection,themanagerdecidedontryingtheexperiment,anddirectedthat’13A’shouldbereservedaccordingly.

           Onthenextday,FrancisWestwickarrivedinexcellentspirits.

           HehadsignedagreementswiththemostpopulardancerinItaly;hehadtransferredthechargeofMrs.NorburytohisbrotherHenry,whohadjoinedhiminMilan;andhewasnowatfulllibertytoamusehimselfbytestingineverypossiblewaytheextraordinaryinfluenceexercisedoverhisrelativesbythenewhotel.