Mr. Walker Boggs soon came into the wine-room and joined the pair at Mr.
Weil"s table. He called for a whiskey straight, pushing the champagne aside with an impatient movement.
"I won"t punish my stomach with such stuff, even if it _has_ gone back on me," he exclaimed. "That will knock out any man who drinks it between meals."
Mr. Weil a.s.sented to this proposition, and to show his full belief in it filled his own gla.s.s again and tossed its contents down his throat.
"What brings you here?" he asked, quizzically.
"Those creatures," replied Boggs, with a motion of his hand toward the members of the ballet. "They"re all that"s left me now. _They_ don"t mind the size of my waist. My hold on _them_ is as strong as ever. But _you_ ought not to be here," he broke in, turning to Roseleaf. "It will be years before you get to this stage, I hope."
Mr. Weil hastened to explain.
"Shirley is merely observing," said he. "He came at my request. We are going next to Isaac Leveson"s."
Mr. Boggs grew interested.
"So, so! You intend to show him Isaac"s to-night?"
"Yes. Isn"t it a good idea?"
The stout man shrugged his shoulders as if he had nothing to say on that point. The movement was essentially a Frenchy one and might have meant anything.
"Perhaps you would like to go with us," said Archie.
"What do you intend to do there?"
"Tell Mr. Roseleaf all the secrets."
Mr. Boggs stared at the speaker.
"Isaac won"t let you," he answered, grimly.
"Won"t he? He"ll have to. Why, what"s the odds? The boy won"t give him away. And if he should--" His voice sank to a whisper.
Mr. Weil then proceeded to explain to his young friend that "Isaac"s"
was a peculiar affair, even for Gotham. It had entrances on two streets.
Into one door went the most respectable of people, intent on getting an exceptionably good dinner, which was always to be had there, cooked in the French style and elegantly served. At that end of the house there were several dining-rooms that would hold forty or fifty guests, and several others made to accommodate family parties of six to twelve. If a couple happened to stray in and inquire for a room to themselves the head waiter informed them that it was against the rule of the house to serve a private dinner to less than four people.
It was evident that the establishment was conducted on the most moral principles, and in a way to prevent the possibility of scandal. For though a great many couples undoubtedly take dinners in private rooms with the utmost propriety, it must be admitted that such a course is open to suspicion and might be used as a basis for unpleasant rumors.
Mr. Leveson, who kept this hotel, took great pride in saying that nothing in all New York bore a better name, and no amount of bribery would have induced one of his employes--on _that_ side of the house--to vary the rules laid down.
But on the _other_ side of the building--at the entrance on the other street--ah, that was different!
If only the most respectable customers entered the first door it was almost equally true that none but those who lacked that quality used the second. Mr. Leveson sometimes remarked with glee, at twelve o"clock at night, that he would give a hundred dollar bill for an honest man or woman in any of the rooms up-stairs. The waiters had instructions to "size up" all comers with care, and to admit no accidental parties who might apply for entrance under a misapprehension as to the character of the place.
"We are all full, sorry to say," was the established formula. "There is a very good restaurant just around the corner, on ----th street." And in this manner the shrewd restaurateur got all the custom he wanted, while preserving the natural atmosphere in each part of his dominions.
The meals served in these two places were prepared by one chef, and served from one kitchen. Thus the virtuous and vicious patrons were supplied with exactly the same dishes. But on what may be called the Good side nothing stronger than wines were found on the bill of fare. On the Wicked side every decoction known to the modern drinker was to be had for the asking. Then, again, the doors of the Good side were closed at eleven o"clock, while it was often daylight before the last patron of the Sinful side reeled into his carriage.
After a little more talk Mr. Boggs seemed satisfied and consented to join the party.
Mr. Leveson was notified of the presence of the newcomers and met them at the door. Isaac was of a decidedly Jewish cast of countenance, slightly gray, not very tall, and quite round shouldered. He put out a lank hand toward Roseleaf, when that young gentleman was named as a matter of introduction, but put it down again when Mr. Weil curtly said handshaking was out of date. Archie had seen a disinclination in the eye of his friend to touch the fingers of the Hebrew, and with his usual quickness had solved the difficulty. The party entered a private office at the left of the entrance, where Mr. Leveson inquired what he should order for them to drink.
"You will order nothing, at present," said Weil, in a contemptuous way that excited the astonishment of Mr. Roseleaf. "When I wish for anything I will ring. Who is there in the house?"
The manager of the establishment bowed humbly, and proceeded to run over the list of his customers.
"There is Major Waters and his wife--"
"Together!" exclaimed the questioner.
"Oh, no! The Major has the little blonde that he has brought for the last month; his wife has Mr. Nikles of the Planet. Then--"
But Mr. Weil interrupted him again.
"You"ll let them run into each other some day and there"ll be a nice time."
"Never fear that. The boys understand thoroughly. He comes earlier and stays later than she. Besides, we never let anybody meet on the stairs.
The waiters cry out, "You must go back; it is bad luck!" if any of them seem in danger of running into each other. They are as safe from discovery here as if they were in places a mile apart."
Some one descended the stairs at this moment and Leveson tiptoed to the door and opened it half an inch to peer at them.
"You know I have no object in saying these things," said Weil, "except to save your precious self from trouble. Who is that going out?"
"Some new people; it is the third time they have been here."
"Well," asked Weil, impatiently, "who are they?"
Leveson held up both his hands as if to beg a moment to answer.
"They come from Brooklyn. I don"t know their names. I think neither is married."
"I have a curiosity about things," explained Weil to his friends, "that I cannot account for. You remember how Silas Wegg used to talk about "Aunt Jane" and "Uncle Parker." Well, I have the same way of studying the men that wander in here of an evening, with other people"s wives and daughters. There is so little really entertaining in this confounded world that I seize upon anything promising a change with avidity. Isaac tells me all the secrets of his queer ranch, and they prove wonderfully interesting, sometimes. You see," he added, addressing himself particularly to Roseleaf, "not a couple comes into this place that would like to have it known."
Roseleaf bowed constrainedly.
"And how does Mr. Leveson know them?" he inquired. "They surely do not register, or if they do their names must be fict.i.tious."
Mr. Weil laughed.
"He has ways of finding out," said he. "There are little birds that fly in at the window and tell him."
"I should not think he would wish to know," commented Roseleaf.
"Especially when it is evident they would not like to have him."
Archie laughed again.
"Let me explain, then," he said. "I need not mind Boggs here, who is discretion itself. Leveson"s reason--of course, I can rely on your silence?"