Produced by David Reed, and David Widger THE GRAND BABYLON HÔTEL By Arnold Bennett T. Racksole & Daughter CONTENTS Chapter One.   THE MILLIONAIRE AND THE WAITER Chapter Two.   HOW MR RACKSOLE OBTAINED HIS DINNER Chapter Three.   AT THREE A.M. Chapter Four.   ENTRANCE OF THE PRINCE Chapter Five.   WHAT OCCURRED TO REGINALD DIMMOCK Chapter Six.   IN THE GOLD ROOM Chapter Seven.   NELLA AND THE PRINCE Chapter Eight.   ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE OF THE BARONESS Chapter Nine.   TWO WOMEN AND THE REVOLVER Chapter Ten.   AT SEA Chapter Eleven.   THE COURT PAWNBROKER Chapter Twelve.   ROCCO AND ROOM NO. 111 Chapter Thirteen.   IN THE STATE BEDROOM Chapter Fourteen.   ROCCO ANSWERS SOME QUESTIONS Chapter Fifteen.   END OF THE YACHT ADVENTURE Chapter Sixteen.   THE WOMAN WITH THE RED HAT Chapter Seventeen.   THE RELEASE OF PRINCE EUGEN Chapter Eighteen.   IN THE NIGHT-TIME Chapter Nineteen.   ROYALTY AT THE GRAND BABYLON Chapter Twenty.   MR SAMPSON LEVI BIDS PRINCE EUGEN GOOD MORNING Chapter Twenty-One.   THE RETURN OF FÉLIX BABYLON Chapter Twenty-Two.   IN THE WINE CELLARS OF THE GRAND BABYLON Chapter Twenty-Three.   FURTHER EVENTS IN THE CELLAR Chapter Twenty-Four.   THE BOTTLE OF WINE Chapter Twenty-Five.   THE STEAM LAUNCH Chapter Twenty-Six.   THE NIGHT CHASE AND THE MUDLARK Chapter Twenty-Seven.   THE CONFESSION OF MR TOM JACKSON Chapter Twenty-Eight.      THE STATE BEDROOM ONCE MORE Chapter Twenty-Nine.   THEODORE IS CALLED TO THE RESCUE Chapter Thirty.   CONCLUSION Chapter One THE MILLIONAIRE AND THE WAITER ‘YES, sir?’ Jules, the celebrated head waiter of the Grand Babylon, was bending formally towards the alert, middle-aged man who had just entered the smoking-room and dropped into a basket-chair in the corner by the conservatory. It was 7.45 on a particularly sultry June night, and dinner was about to be served at the Grand Babylon. Men of all sizes, ages, and nationalities, but every one alike arrayed in faultless evening dress, were dotted about the large, dim apartment. A faint odour of flowers came from the conservatory, and the tinkle of a fountain. The waiters, commanded by Jules, moved softly across the thick Oriental rugs, balancing their trays with the dexterity of jugglers, and receiving and executing orders with that air of profound importance of which only really first-class waiters have the secret. The atmosphere was an atmosphere of serenity and repose, characteristic of the Grand Babylon. It seemed impossible that anything could occur to mar the peaceful, aristocratic monotony of existence in that perfectly-managed establishment. Yet on that night was to happen the mightiest upheaval that the Grand Babylon had ever known. ‘Yes, sir?’ repeated Jules, and this time there was a shade of august disapproval in his voice: it was not usual for him to have to address a customer twice.