“What about a whisky-and-soda?” asked Ivor softly.
“At once,” said M. Stutz, very low; and quickly concerned himself with it behind the counter.
This matter of whisky-and-soda was, you understand, something of a conspiratorial rite in the establishment of M. Stutz: he disapproved of whisky-and-soda. “It is an untidy drink,” said M. Stutz. He discouraged it among “My Customers,” and it was only to the most favoured among them that he would dream of serving it. To others he would say, rather stiffly: “I do not serve whisky, sir,” and did not. Thus, the most favoured must in all decency look carefully round the room before begging M. Stutz’s complaisance in this particular, lest the less favoured should be envious and also demand whisky instead of the wine they were drinking. And that would never do at all, for the wines of M. Stutz’s cellar were not only the treasures of his heart but also the columns which supported the formidable edifice of his income.
This matter of the whisky-and-soda must be pursued yet a little further, before we are finally done with it, the Mont Agel, and M. Stutz; for it was on its wings, if such will be allowed to so vulgar a drink, that Ivor finally left the Mont Agel. His way with a whisky-and-soda was drastic and medicinal: the glass was raised, and lo! the glass was laid down empty.
Money passed between Ivor and M. Stutz, and Ivor made ready to go.
“It’s raining, just a leetle,” M. Stutz told him. “Shall I send for a taxi?”
Ivor said he would walk, thanks very much, and was politely preceded by M. Stutz towards the side-door into the hotel passage—for the restaurant-door was closed and locked in pursuance of certain regulations to that effect—and up that narrow passage to the hotel door: which was pierced, you will remember, by ever such a little eye-hole....
It was as M. Stutz had his hand on the latch of the door that he turned to Ivor behind him; and he examined Ivor, for a moment, seriously and thoughtfully.
“You know, Mr. Marlay,” said M. Stutz softly, “you are a clever man, but you do not know how to live. I have observed it....”
“I’ve never observed anything else,” returned Ivor, with the shadow of a smile.