The Painter's Honeymoon

Suddenly the doors were pushed open with violence –a violence quite unusual in Bertram's Hotel – and a young man strode in and went straight across to the desk. He wore ablack leather jacket. His vitality was such that Bertram's Hotel took on the atmosphere ofa museum by way of contrast. The people were the dust-encrusted relics of a past age. Hebent towards Miss Gorringe and asked:
　　"Is lady Sedgwick staying here?"
　　Miss Gorringe on this occasion had no welcomingsmile. Her eyes were flinty. She said:
　　"Yes." Then, withdefinite unwillingness, she stretched out her hand towards the telephone. "Do you want to –?"
　　"No," said the youngman. "I just want to leave a note for her."