Page:Karl Gjellerup - Minna, A novel - 1913.djvu/135



had, at last, to make up our minds to look for our hotel. It was not one of those which faced the river, but lay with its front towards the same square on which their nobler brothers turned their backs, an oblong place, half overshadowed by the church on the short eastward side. Twelve strokes had just boomed from its tower, the small tiles of which shone like wet scales.

The porch was lighted by a dim lantern, and the stairs were in darkness. A waiter, whose ears projected and whose face was covered with pimples, scowled at us, and seemed to be looking both for a tip and for our luggage, the latter of which was, of course, entirely lacking. Then he scratched his carrot-coloured hair and answered, while he winked one of his pig-eyes in an especially impertinent way—

"Two rooms? And I suppose they must join? Well, I'm not quite sure"

"Then make sure, on different floors, it does not matter; but be quick, there are plenty of other hotels in Schandau," I said roughly, controlling a violent desire to pull one of his ears. Minna had turned quite crimson at his rudeness, and looked terrified.

A woman's face, in Rembrandt light, peered over the second landing. We heard the woman on the landing calling out various numbers to the waiter; and then the man suddenly took up a diplomatic position and 127