Produced by Charles Bowen, from page scans provided by the Web Archive Transcriber's Notes: 1. Page scan source: http://www.archive.org/details/affairatsemirami00maso THE AFFAIR AT THE SEMIRAMIS HOTEL BY A. E. W. MASON CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS NEW YORK :: :: :: 1917 Copyright, 1917, by A. E. W. MASON THE AFFAIR AT THE SEMIRAMIS HOTEL THE AFFAIR AT THE SEMIRAMIS HOTEL I Mr. Ricardo, when the excitements of the Villa Rose were done with, returned to Grosvenor Square and resumed the busy, unnecessary life of an amateur. But the studios had lost their savour, artists their attractiveness, and even the Russian opera seemed a trifle flat. Life was altogether a disappointment; Fate, like an actress at a restaurant, had taken the wooden pestle in her hand and stirred all the sparkle out of the champagne; Mr. Ricardo languished--until one unforgettable morning. He was sitting disconsolately at his breakfast-table when the door was burst open and a square, stout man, with the blue, shaven face of a French comedian, flung himself into the room. Ricardo sprang towards the new-comer with a cry of delight. "My dear Hanaud!" He seized his visitor by the arm, feeling it to make sure that here, in flesh and blood, stood the man who had introduced him to the acutest sensations of his life. He turned towards his butler, who was still bleating expostulations in the doorway at the unceremonious irruption of the French detective. "Another place, Burton, at once," he cried, and as soon as he and Hanaud were alone: "What good wind blows you to London?" "Business, my friend. The disappearance of bullion somewhere on the line between Paris and London. But it is finished. Yes, I take a holiday." A light had suddenly flashed in Mr. Ricardo's eyes, and was now no less suddenly extinguished. Hanaud paid no attention whatever to his friend's disappointment. He pounced upon a piece of silver which adorned the tablecloth and took it over to the window. "Everything is as it should be, my friend," he exclaimed, with a grin. "Grosvenor Square, the _Times_ open at the money column, and a false antique upon the table. Thus I have dreamed of you. All Mr. Ricardo is in that sentence." Ricardo laughed nervously. Recollection made him wary of Hanaud's sarcasms. He was shy even to protest the genuineness of his silver. But, indeed, he had not the time. For the door opened again and once more the butler appeared. On this occasion, however, he was alone. "Mr. Calladine would like to speak to you, sir," he said.