The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1911-09-18
CHAPTER XXI Continued.

er given them a thought. Once
or twice I have taken the trouble 10
make a tour Of the hotel. but omitted
the cellars in my excursion"
Impossible, my dear fellow said
Babylon, amazed at such a confession
to hin-a great connoisSeur and lover of
fine wines-almost Incredible. But
really you must see them tomorrow. If
! may, 1 will accompany you
Why not tonight?'' Racksole sug-
gested calmly.
Tonight! 1t is very late. Hubbard
will have gone to bed"
And may ask who is Hubbard? !
remember the name but dimly."
Hubbard is the Wine clerk of the
Grand Babylon" said Felix with a GER
tain emphasis. "A sedate man of forty.
He has the keys Of the cellars. He
knows every bottle of every bin, its
date, its qualities, its value. And he
is a teetotaler. Hubbard is a curiosity.
No wine can leave the cellars without
his knowledge, and no person can enter
the cellars without his knowledge. At
least that is how it was IN my time, "
Babylon added.
I'VE will wake him." said Racksole.
But 1t is l o'clock In the morning, "
Babylon protested.
Never mind! That is, If you consent
to accompany me. A cellar is the same
by night as by day. Therefore, why not
now?''
Babylon shrugged his shoulders.
las you wish, he agreed:
And now to find this Mr.. Hubbard.
with his keys of the cupboard, said
Racksole, as they walked out Of the
room together.
Although the hour was so late, the
hotel had not, of course, closed for the
night. A few guests still remained
about in the public rooms, and few
fatigued walters were still in attend
one of these latter was dispatched in
search Of the singular Mr.. Hubbard,
and II fortunately turned out that TINS
gentleman had not actually retred'
though he was On the point of doing so.
He brought the keys to Mr.. Racksoie
In person, and hitter he had had a little
chat with his former master, the pro
prielor' and the ex-proprtetor OF the
Grand Babylon Hotel proceeded on ther
way to the cellars.
These cellars extend over, or rather
under, quite half the superficial area OF
the whole hotel-the longitndinal hait
which lies next to the Strand
Owing to the fact that the ground
slopes sharply from the Strand to tho
river, the Grand Babylon is, 80 ID
speak, deeper near the strand thah II IS
there is, below the entrance level.
basement and a sub-basement.
Toward the Strand there is a base
ment. 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 Kitten
en- the two found themselves opposite
door which, on being unlocked, gave &C
cess to another flight of stairs. AT the
foot of this was the main entrance 10
the cellar. A. ,,-;,a
Outside the entrance was the WINE
lift. and, opposite, Mr.. Huboards httle
, office. There was electric light every
Babylon, who, as being most accus-
toned to them, held the bunch OF Keys,
opened the great door, ana tnen tteS
we're in the first cellar-the hrst Oh d
Rscksole was struck, not only by the
lev GOODNESS of the place. but also by lts
yastness Babylon had seized portaDie
electric hand light, attached 70 lons !;
SE-fre- which lay handy. and, waving II
about. disclosed the dimensions Oh the
BY that flashing illumination the SUB.
terranean chamber looked unutteraolE
weird and mysterious, with its rows OF
numbered bins stretching away into the
distance till the radiance was reduced
TO the occasional far CLEAN of the ngnt
on the shoulder of bottle.
Then Babylon switched on the hNed
electric lights, and Theodore .Racksole
entered upon a personally conducted
four Of what was quite the most inter-
esting part Of his own property.
The innocent enthusiasm OF Fe1S
Babylon for these stores of exhilarating
LIQUID was all but infectious. He dis
PLAYED to Racksole's bewildcred gaze, in
, their due order, all the wines of three
continents-nay. of four. for the superb
and luscious Constantia wine of Cape
1 Colony was rot wanting in that most
catholic collection of vintages.
! At the end Of the suite of cellars there
was a glazed door which. as could be
! seen, gave access to a supplemental and
i smaller cellar, an apartment about M
teen or sixteen feet square.
Anything special in there?" asked
Rack sole curiously, as they stood before
the door and looked within at the ser
ried ends of bottles.
"Ahp' exclaimed Babylon, almost
smacking his lips, therein lies the
'aThe best champagne, I suppose?"
said Racksole.
yes" said Babylon. THE best cham
pagDe is there-a very special Sillery,
as exquisite as you will find anywhere.
But / see, my friend, that you fall into
the common error of putting cham
payne first among wines. That distinc-
tor belongs to Burgundy. You have
old Burgundy in that cellar, Mr. Rack
sole, which cost mellow much do you
think ESQ a bottle Probably 1t will
never be drunk" he added with a sigh;
'it is too expensive even for princes and
plutocrats."
Yes. 1t WILL" said Racksole, quickly.