Міжнародний епізод

           ”“Ah,veryodd,veryodd,”saidtheother,whowastheclevermanofthetwo.“Pityit’ssobeastlyhot,”resumedthefirstspeakerafterapause.“Youknowweareinalowlatitude,”saidhisfriend.“Idaresay,”remarkedtheother.“Iwonder,”saidthesecondspeakerpresently,“iftheycangiveoneabath?”“Idaresaynot,”rejoinedtheother.“Oh,Isay!”criedhiscomrade.Thisanimateddiscussionwascheckedbytheirarrivalatthehotel,whichhadbeenrecommendedtothembyanAmericangentlemanwhoseacquaintancetheymade—withwhom,indeed,theybecameveryintimate—onthesteamer,andwhohadproposedtoaccompanythemtotheinnandintroducethem,inafriendlyway,totheproprietor.Thisplan,however,hadbeendefeatedbytheirfriend’sfindingthathis“partner”wasawaitinghimonthewharfandthathiscommercialassociatedesiredhiminstantlytocomeandgivehisattentiontocertaintelegramsreceivedfromSt.Louis.ButthetwoEnglishmen,withnothingbuttheirnationalprestigeandpersonalgracestorecommendthem,wereverywellreceivedatthehotel,whichhadanairofcapacioushospitality.Theyfoundthatabathwasnotunattainable,andwereindeedstruckwiththefacilitiesforprolongedandreiteratedimmersionwithwhichtheirapartmentwassupplied.Afterbathingagooddeal—more,indeed,thantheyhadeverdonebeforeonasingleoccasion—theymadetheirwayintothediningroomofthehotel,whichwasaspaciousrestaurant,withafountaininthemiddle,agreatmanytallplantsinornamentaltubs,andanarrayofFrenchwaiters.