His artistic nature blossomed out in this atmosphere of
perfect luxury and comfort, and he was conscious of a sense of repose
and of absolute sensual contentment such as he had never before
experienced.
"Shall it be coffee, or Rhine wine, or Tokay, or perhaps something
stronger" asked Raffles Haw, stretching out his hand to what looked like
a piano-board projecting from the wall. "I can recommend the Tokay.
I have it from the man who supplies the Emperor of Austria, though I
think I may say that I get the cream of it."
He struck twice upon one of the piano-notes, and sat expectant. With a
sharp click at the end of ten seconds a sliding shutter flew open, and a
small tray protruded bearing two long tapering Venetian glasses filled
with wine.
"It works very nicely" said Raffles Haw. "It is quite a new thing--
never before done, as far as I know. You see the names of the various
wines and so on printed on the notes. By pressing the note down I
complete an electric circuit which causes the tap in the cellars beneath
to remain open long enough to fill the glass which always stands beneath
it. The glasses, you understand, stand upon a revolving drum, so that
there must always be one there. The glasses are then brought up through
a pneumatic tube, which is set working by the increased weight of the
glass when the wine is added to it.
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