The third chocolate attendant, in reply, merely lifted his shoulders. It was the same old lift--a tired feeling seems to permeate these gentlemen, as if they were bored to death. A hotel clerk on the Riviera sometimes has this lift when he tells you he has not a bed in the house and you tell him he--prevaricates. I knew something of the lift--had already cost me five francs. I knew, too, what kind of medicine that sort of tired feeling needed, and that until the bribe was paid the young woman and her party would be bedless. My own anger was now aroused. Here was a woman, rather a pretty woman, an Anglo-Saxon--my own race--in a strange city and under the power of a minion whose only object was plunder. That she jumped through hoops or rode bareback in absurdly short clothes, or sold pink lemonade in spangles, made no difference. She was in trouble, and needed assistance. I advanced with my best bow. "Madam, can I do anything for you?" She turned, and, with a grateful smile, said: "Oh, you speak English?" I again inclined my head. "Well, sir, we have come from St. Petersburg by way of Berlin. We had five compartments through to Paris for our party when we started, all paid for, and this man has the tickets. He says we must get out here and buy new tickets or we must all go in two staterooms, which is impossible--" and she swept her hand over the balance of the troupe. The chocolate gentleman again lifted his shoulders. He had been abused in that way by passengers since the day of his birth. The richly dressed woman, another Leading Lady doubtless, now joined in the conversation--she probably was the trained rabbit-woman or the girl with the pigeons--pigeons most likely, for these stars are always selected by the management for their beauty, and she certainly was beautiful. "And Monsieur"--this in French--again I spare the reader--"I have given him"--pointing to the chocolate gentleman--"pour boire all the time. One hundred francs yesterday and two gold pieces this morning. My maid is quite right--it is abominable, such treatment----" The personalities now seemed to weary the attendant. His elbows widened, his shoulders nearly touched his ears, and his fingers opened; then he went into his closet and shut the door. So far as he was concerned the debate was closed. The memory of my own five francs now loomed up, and with them the recollection of the trick by which they had been stolen from me. "Madam," I said, gravely, "I will bring the manager. He is here and will see that justice is done you."