DINING AT ISAAC'S.
On the following day, when Shirley Roseleaf presented himself at the
Hoffman House, he found Mr. Weil awaiting him in a state of great good
nature.
"Go home and make yourself ready for a dive into the infernal regions,"
he said, merrily. "I am going to take you to a place where the devil
spends his vacation, and show you a set of women as different from those
you have lately met as chalk is from indigo. Be here at nine o'clock
this evening, prepared for the descent."
A vision of subterranean passages crossed the mind of the listener, and
he thought of tall boots and a tarpaulin.
"How shall I dress--roughly, I suppose?" he inquired.
"Certainly not. Put on your swallow tail, and white tie. Vice in these
days wears its best garments. You cannot tell a gambler from a
clergyman by his attire. Dress exactly as if you were going to the
swellest party on Fifth Avenue. The only addition to your toilet will be
a revolver, if you happen to have one handy. If you do not, I have
several and will lend you one."
If he expected to startle the young man he was in error. Roseleaf merely
nodded and said he would take one of the weapons owned by Mr. Weil.
"We shall not use them--there are a thousand chances to one," said
Archie. "New York is like Montana. You remember what the resident said
to the tenderfoot, 'You may be a long time without wantin' a we'p'n in
these parts, but when you do you'll want it d--d sudden.'"
When Roseleaf returned, the hands of his watch indicated the time at
which he had been asked to make his appearance, but Mr. Weil did not
take him immediately to the point of destination. Instead he walked over
to a variety theatre that was then in operation on Twenty-third street,
and after spending a short time in the auditorium guided the young man
into the "wineroom." Here the ladies of the ballet were in the habit of
going when off the stage, for the sake of entertaining the patrons with
their light and frivolous conversation, and inducing them if possible,
to invest in champagne at five dollars the bottle.
Archie was, it appeared, not unknown to the throng that filled this
place, for his name was spoken by several of both sexes as soon as he
entered. He nodded coolly to those who addressed him, and took a seat
at a table with his companion. With a shake of his head he declined the
offers of two or three fairies of the ballet to share the table, and
ordered a bottle of Mumm with the evident intention of drinking it alone
with his friend.
Roseleaf slowly sipped the sparkling beverage. He was cautioned in a
whisper to drink but one glass, as it was necessary that he should keep
a perfectly clear head. Weil remarked in an undertone that he had only
ordered the wine as an excuse for remaining a few minutes.
"I call this 'the slaughter house,'" he added, in a voice still lower.
"Girls are brought here to be murdered. Not to have their throats cut,"
he explained, "but to be killed just as surely, if more slowly. I have
seen them come here for the first time, with good health shining out of
their rosy cheeks, delighted at the unwonted excitement and the amount
of attention the frequenters of the place bestowed. I have watched them
growing steadily paler, having recourse to rouge, the eyes getting
dimmer, the voice growing harsher, the temper becoming more variable.
And then--other fresh faces came in their stead. There are killed, on an
average, twenty girls a year here, I should say; killed to satisfy the
appetites of men, as beeves are killed in Chicago, but not so
mercifully."
The novelist looked into the faces that were nearest to him and thought
he could discern the various grades of which his friend spoke--the new,
the older, the ones whose turn to give way to others would soon come.
All of them were drinking. Most had on the stage dresses they had just
worn or were about to wear in the performance. Some had finished their
parts and were enveloped in street clothes, ready to take their
departure with the first male who asked them. And they were drinking,
drinking, either in little sips or in feverish gulps, as they would at a
later day, when the five-dollar wine would be replaced by five cent beer
or perhaps the drainings of a keg on the sidewalk.
Mr. Walker Boggs soon came into the wine-room and joined the pair at Mr.
Weil's table. He called for a whiskey straight, pushing the champagne
aside with an impatient movement.
"I won't punish my stomach with such stuff, even if it _has_ gone back
on me," he exclaimed. "That will knock out any man who drinks it between
meals."
Mr. Weil assented to this proposition, and to show his full belief in it
filled his own glass again and tossed its contents down his throat.
"What brings you here?" he asked, quizzically.
"Those creatures," replied Boggs, with a motion of his hand toward the
members of the ballet. "They're all that's left me now. _They_ don't
mind the size of my waist. My hold on _them_ is as strong as ever. But
_you_ ought not to be here," he broke in, turning to Roseleaf. "It will
be years before you get to this stage, I hope."
Mr. Weil hastened to explain.
"Shirley is merely observing," said he. "He came at my request. We are
going next to Isaac Leveson's."
Mr. Boggs grew interested.
"So, so! You intend to show him Isaac's to-night?"
"Yes. Isn't it a good idea?"
The stout man shrugged his shoulders as if he had nothing to say on that
point. The movement was essentially a Frenchy one and might have meant
anything.
"Perhaps you would like to go with us," said Archie.
"What do you intend to do there?"
"Tell Mr. Roseleaf all the secrets."
Mr. Boggs stared at the speaker.
"Isaac won't let you," he answered, grimly.
"Won't he? He'll have to. Why, what's the odds? The boy won't give him
away. And if he should--" His voice sank to a whisper.
Mr. Weil then proceeded to explain to his young friend that "Isaac's"
was a peculiar affair, even for Gotham. It had entrances on two streets.
Into one door went the most respectable of people, intent on getting an
exceptionably good dinner, which was always to be had there, cooked in
the French style and elegantly served. At that end of the house there
were several dining-rooms that would hold forty or fifty guests, and
several others made to accommodate family parties of six to twelve. If a
couple happened to stray in and inquire for a room to themselves the
head waiter informed them that it was against the rule of the house to
serve a private dinner to less than four people.
It was evident that the establishment was conducted on the most moral
principles, and in a way to prevent the possibility of scandal. For
though a great many couples undoubtedly take dinners in private rooms
with the utmost propriety, it must be admitted that such a course is
open to suspicion and might be used as a basis for unpleasant rumors.
Mr. Leveson, who kept this hotel, took great pride in saying that
nothing in all New York bore a better name, and no amount of bribery
would have induced one of his employes--on _that_ side of the house--to
vary the rules laid down.
But on the _other_ side of the building--at the entrance on the other
street--ah, that was different!
If only the most respectable customers entered the first door it was
almost equally true that none but those who lacked that quality used the
second. Mr. Leveson sometimes remarked with glee, at twelve o'clock at
night, that he would give a hundred dollar bill for an honest man or
woman in any of the rooms up-stairs. The waiters had instructions to
"size up" all comers with care, and to admit no accidental parties who
might apply for entrance under a misapprehension as to the character of
the place.
"We are all full, sorry to say," was the established formula. "There is
a very good restaurant just around the corner, on ----th street." And in
this manner the shrewd restaurateur got all the custom he wanted, while
preserving the natural atmosphere in each part of his dominions.
The meals served in these two places were prepared by one chef, and
served from one kitchen. Thus the virtuous and vicious patrons were
supplied with exactly the same dishes. But on what may be called the
Good side nothing stronger than wines were found on the bill of fare. On
the Wicked side every decoction known to the modern drinker was to be
had for the asking. Then, again, the doors of the Good side were closed
at eleven o'clock, while it was often daylight before the last patron of
the Sinful side reeled into his carriage.
After a little more talk Mr. Boggs seemed satisfied and consented to
join the party.
Mr. Leveson was notified of the presence of the newcomers and met them
at the door. Isaac was of a decidedly Jewish cast of countenance,
slightly gray, not very tall, and quite round shouldered. He put out a
lank hand toward Roseleaf, when that young gentleman was named as a
matter of introduction, but put it down again when Mr. Weil curtly said
handshaking was out of date. Archie had seen a disinclination in the eye
of his friend to touch the fingers of the Hebrew, and with his usual
quickness had solved the difficulty. The party entered a private office
at the left of the entrance, where Mr. Leveson inquired what he should
order for them to drink.
"You will order nothing, at present," said Weil, in a contemptuous way
that excited the astonishment of Mr. Roseleaf. "When I wish for anything
I will ring. Who is there in the house?"
The manager of the establishment bowed humbly, and proceeded to run over
the list of his customers.
"There is Major Waters and his wife--"
"Together!" exclaimed the questioner.
"Oh, no! The Major has the little blonde that he has brought for the
last month; his wife has Mr. Nikles of the Planet. Then--"
But Mr. Weil interrupted him again.
"You'll let them run into each other some day and there'll be a nice
time."
"Never fear that. The boys understand thoroughly. He comes earlier and
stays later than she. Besides, we never let anybody meet on the stairs.
The waiters cry out, 'You must go back; it is bad luck!' if any of them
seem in danger of running into each other. They are as safe from
discovery here as if they were in places a mile apart."
Some one descended the stairs at this moment and Leveson tiptoed to the
door and opened it half an inch to peer at them.
"You know I have no object in saying these things," said Weil, "except
to save your precious self from trouble. Who is that going out?"
"Some new people; it is the third time they have been here."
"Well," asked Weil, impatiently, "who are they?"
Leveson held up both his hands as if to beg a moment to answer.
"They come from Brooklyn. I don't know their names. I think neither is
married."
"I have a curiosity about things," explained Weil to his friends, "that
I cannot account for. You remember how Silas Wegg used to talk about
'Aunt Jane' and 'Uncle Parker.' Well, I have the same way of studying
the men that wander in here of an evening, with other people's wives and
daughters. There is so little really entertaining in this confounded
world that I seize upon anything promising a change with avidity. Isaac
tells me all the secrets of his queer ranch, and they prove wonderfully
interesting, sometimes. You see," he added, addressing himself
particularly to Roseleaf, "not a couple comes into this place that would
like to have it known."
Roseleaf bowed constrainedly.
"And how does Mr. Leveson know them?" he inquired. "They surely do not
register, or if they do their names must be fictitious."
Mr. Weil laughed.
"He has ways of finding out," said he. "There are little birds that fly
in at the window and tell him."
"I should not think he would wish to know," commented Roseleaf.
"Especially when it is evident they would not like to have him."
Archie laughed again.
"Let me explain, then," he said. "I need not mind Boggs here, who is
discretion itself. Leveson's reason--of course, I can rely on your
silence?"
The young face reddened at the insinuation that he might betray a
secret.
"I was sure of it," said Archie, so quickly that Roseleaf felt at ease
again. "Well, the reason why Isaac wants to know what is going on is, he
is connected with the police."
Roseleaf said "Ah!" and opened his eyes wider.
"People who go to places like this," continued Mr. Weil, "are of great
interest to the guardians of the peace. And by the police I do not mean
the members of the regular force so much as the special service. It is
to the latter that we go when a confidential clerk has robbed us or we
become suspicious that our wives are unfaithful. Nine times out of ten
the chief of the private detective office knows in advance all we wish
him to ferret out. When he has told us that we will set investigations
on foot, and that he hopes to learn something of the matter within a few
days, he bows us out of his bureau with an air that implies that we have
not come to the wrong party. And as soon as we are gone he turns to a
ledger, and in a few minutes has found an abstract that tells him
everything.
"Let us suppose," said Mr. Weil, "that a jeweler misses twenty valuable
pieces of _bijouterie_ from his stock. The circumstances prove that they
were taken by some one in his employ. He thinks of his clerks, and
cannot find the heart to accuse any of them of such a grave crime. He
goes to the detective office and states his case. When he is gone the
chief turns to the book and finds this:
"'L. M. Jenkins, clerk at Abram Cohen's, Sixth Avenue; about
twenty-three, medium height, dark, dresses well. Rooms at No. --
Twenty-Ninth street. Has been giving expensive suppers as well as
valuable jewelry to Mamie Sanders, No. so-and-so, Such-a-street. They
dined together at Isaac Leveson's on such-and-such dates.' Etc., etc.,
etc.
"Now, he can recover the jewelry and get that clerk into quod in three
hours, if he likes. Naturally he won't expedite things in that way,
because he wants some excuse for running up a large bill, unless it be
a bank case, where he prefers to make a great impression and get himself
solid with the directors. But he will collar the fellow and recover the
stuff, and all because he knew about it long before any one in the store
had a suspicion."
Mr. Leveson returned. Mr. Weil asked that one of the private rooms on
the second floor be put in order at once, for himself and friends. He
then inquired what ladies were in the house unoccupied by escorts.
"Miss Pelham has been waiting an hour for the Judge," replied Isaac,
"but I don't think he'll come. He disappoints her half the time now. And
Mrs. Delavan, who has just come in, found a note from Col. Lamorest,
asking her to excuse him to-night."
Archie looked pleased.
"They'll do," he said. "Tell them to come and dine with us. But," he
paused, and looked at Roseleaf, "we need still another."
The color mounted to the cheeks of the young novelist, as he understood
the thought that prompted this statement.
"Not on my account--I would much rather not," he stammered.
"You will kindly leave that to my judgment," replied Archie,
impressively. "Remember, you are not the instructor here, but the pupil.
There must be some one else, Isaac."
Mr. Leveson hesitated. He was mentally going over the rooms upstairs and
taking stock of what was in them.
"There are two girls," he said, at last, "who used to work in one of
the dry goods stores, but you wouldn't want them. They are very strict,
and they dress plainly,--and I am afraid the other ladies wouldn't like
to associate with them."
Mr. Weil grew vastly irritated by this statement. He brought his hand
down on the table with a bang.
"The other ladies!" he echoed, angrily. "When you tell Mrs. Delavan and
Jenny Pelham that you want them to dine with us, you know that ends it!
As to these shop girls, what do you mean by calling them _strict_? What
would a _strict_ girl be doing in _this_ house?"
Mr. Leveson cringed before his interrogator and made the old, imploring
movement with his hands.
"Let me explain," he said. "These girls came here a few weeks ago with
some traveling men. They took dinner, but Adolf says neither drank a
drop of wine. A few days later they came again, with other escorts, and
the same thing occurred."
"Why did you let them in?" demanded Weil.
"Because I knew the gentlemen."
Archie started to say something, but checked himself.
"And after that they came alone and asked to see me," pursued Isaac,
humbly. "They said they had been thrown out of work, and thought there
might be an opportunity to do something here, like waiting on the
guests. And while we were talking, two old customers of the house called
to dine, alone, and asked me if they could get some one to share the
meal with them. And, it seemed quite providential--"
Archie stopped the voluble speech by striking his hands sharply
together.
"Enough!" he said. "When the dinner is ready send one of them in. That
will make the three we need."
In half an hour the dinner was ready to be served. Then Isaac came with
the information that the girls refused to be separated.
"What a nuisance!" exclaimed Weil. "Well, send both of them, then. We'll
take care of them, somehow."