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1、ChapterOneTHEMILLIONAIREANDTHEWAITER'YES,sir?'Jules,thecelebratedheadwaiteroftheGrandBabylon,wasbendingformallytowardsthealert,middle-agedmanwhohadjustenteredthesmoking-roomanddroppedintoabasket-chairinthecornerbytheconservatory.Itwas7.45onaparticularlysultryJun
2、enight,anddinnerwasabouttobeservedattheGrandBabylon.Menofallsizes,ages,andnationalities,buteveryonealikearrayedinfaultlesseveningdress,weredottedaboutthelarge,dimapartment.Afaintodourofflowerscamefromtheconservatory,andthetinkleofafountain.Thewaiters,commandedby
3、Jules,movedsoftlyacrossthethickOrientalrugs,balancingtheirtrayswiththedexterityofjugglers,andreceivingandexecutingorderswiththatairofprofoundimportanceofwhichonlyreallyfirst-classwaitershavethesecret.Theatmospherewasanatmosphereofserenityandrepose,characteristic
4、oftheGrandBabylon.Itseemedimpossiblethatanythingcouldoccurtomarthepeaceful,aristocraticmonotonyofexistenceinthatperfectly-managedestablishment.YetonthatnightwastohappenthemightiestupheavalthattheGrandBabylonhadeverknown.'Yes,sir?'repeatedJules,andthistimetherewa
5、sashadeofaugustdisapprovalinhisvoice:itwasnotusualforhimtohavetoaddressacustomertwice.'Oh!'saidthealert,middle-agedman,lookingupatlength.BeautifullyignorantoftheidentityofthegreatJules,heallowedhisgreyeyestotwinkleashecaughtsightoftheexpressiononthewaiter'sface.
6、'BringmeanAngelKiss.''Pardon,sir?''BringmeanAngelKiss,andbegoodenoughtolosenotime.''Ifit'sanAmericandrink,Ifearwedon'tkeepit,sir.'ThevoiceofJulesfellicilydistinct,andseveralmenglancedrounduneasily,asiftodeprecatetheslightestdisturbanceoftheircalm.Theappearanceof
7、thepersontowhomJuleswasspeaking,however,reassuredthemsomewhat,forhehadallthelookofthatexpert,thetravelledEnglishman,whocandifferentiatebetweenonehotelandanotherbyinstinct,andwhoknowsatoncewherehemaymakeafusswithpropriety,andwhereitisadvisabletobehaveexactlyasatt
8、heclub.TheGrandBabylonwasahotelinwhosesmoking-roomonebehavedasthoughonewasatone'sclub.'Ididn'tsupposeyoudidkeepit,butyoucanmixit,Iguess,eveninthishotel.''Thisisn'tanA