Although
the hour was so late, the hotel was not, of course, closed for the
night. A few guests still remained about in the public rooms, and a
few fatigued waiters were still in attendance. One of these latter
was despatched in search of the singular Mr Hubbard, and it
fortunately turned out that this gentleman had not actually retired,
though he was on the point of doing so. He brought the keys to Mr
Racksole in person, and after he had had a little chat with his
former master, the proprietor and the ex-proprietor of the Grand
Babylon Hotel proceeded on their way to the cellars.
These cellars extend over, or rather under, quite half the
superficial areas of the whole hotel - the longitudinal half which
lies next to the Strand.
Owing to the fact that the ground slopes sharply from the Strand to
the river, the Grand Babylon is, so to speak, deeper near the Strand
than it is near the Thames. Towards the Thames there is, below the
entrance level, a basement and a sub-basement. Towards the
Strand there is basement, sub-basement, and the huge wine cellars
beneath all. After descending the four flights of the service stairs,
and traversing a long passage running parallel with the kitchen, the
two found themselves opposite a door, which, on being unlocked,
gave access to another flight of stairs. At the foot of this was the
main entrance to the cellars. Outside the entrance was the
wine-lift, for the ascension of delicious fluids to the upper floors,
and, opposite, Mr Hubbard's little office.
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