登陆注册
5248600000060

第60章 Chapter Twenty-Two(3)

He displayed to Racksole's bewildered gaze, in their due order, all the wines of three continents - nay, of four, for the superb and luscious Constantia wine of Cape Colony was not wanting in that most catholic collection of vintages. Beginning with the unsurpassed products of Burgundy, he continued with the clarets of Médoc, Bordeaux, and Sauterne; then to the champagnes of Ay, Hautvilliers, and Pierry; then to the hocks and moselles of Germany, and the brilliant imitation champagnes of Main, Neckar, and Naumburg; then to the famous and adorable Tokay of Hungary, and all the Austrian varieties of French wines, including Carlowitz and Somlauer; then to the dry sherries of Spain, including purest Manzanilla, and Amontillado, and Vino de Pasto;then to the wines of Malaga, both sweet and dry, and all the 'Spanish reds' from Catalonia, including the dark 'Tent' so often used sacramentally; then to the renowned port of Oporto. Then he proceeded to the Italian cellar, and descanted upon the excellence of Barolo from Piedmont, of Chianti from Tuscany, of Orvieto from the Roman States, of the 'Tears of Christ' from Naples, and the commoner Marsala from Sicily. And so on, to an extent and with a fullness of detail which cannot be rendered here.

At the end of the suite of cellars there was a glazed door, which, as could be seen, gave access to a supplemental and smaller cellar, an apartment about fifteen or sixteen feet square.

'Anything special in there?' asked Racksole curiously, as they stood before the door, and looked within at the seined ends of bottles.

'Ah!' exclaimed Babylon, almost smacking his lips, 'therein lies the cream of all.'

'The best champagne, I suppose?' said Racksole.

'Yes,' said Babylon, 'the best champagne is there - a very special Sillery, as exquisite as you will find anywhere. But I see, my friend, that you fall into the common error of putting champagne first among wines. That distinction belongs to Burgundy. You have old Burgundy in that cellar, Mr Racksole, which cost me - how much do you think? - eighty pounds a bottle.

Probably it will never be drunk,' he added with a sigh. 'It is too expensive even for princes and plutocrats.'

'Yes, it will,' said Racksole quickly. 'You and I will have a bottle up to-morrow.'

'Then,' continued Babylon, still riding his hobby-horse, 'there is a sample of the Rhine wine dated 1706 which caused such a sensation at the Vienna Exhibition of 1873. There is also a singularly glorious Persian wine from Shiraz, the like of which Ihave never seen elsewhere. Also there is an unrivalled vintage of Romanée-Conti, greatest of all modern Burgundies. If I remember right Prince Eugen invariably has a bottle when he comes to stay here. It is not on the hotel wine list, of course, and only a few customers know of it. We do not precisely hawk it about the dining-room.'

'Indeed!' said Racksole. 'Let us go inside.'

They entered the stone apartment, rendered almost sacred by the preciousness of its contents, and Racksole looked round with a strangely intent and curious air. At the far side was a grating, through which came a feeble light.

'What is that?' asked the millionaire sharply.

'That is merely a ventilation grating. Good ventilation is absolutely essential.'

'Looks broken, doesn't it?' Racksole suggested and then, putting a finger quickly on Babylon's shoulder, 'there's someone in the cellar. Can't you hear breathing, down there, behind that bin?'

The two men stood tense and silent for a while, listening, under the ray of the single electric light in the ceiling. Half the cellar was involved in gloom. At length Racksole walked firmly down the central passage-way between the bins and turned to the corner at the right.

'Come out, you villain!' he said in a low, well-nigh vicious tone, and dragged up a cowering figure.

He had expected to find a man, but it was his own daughter, Nella Racksole, upon whom he had laid angry hands.

同类推荐
  • 金色王经

    金色王经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 存神固气论

    存神固气论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 飞空大钵法

    飞空大钵法

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 杨忠愍集

    杨忠愍集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说造立形像福报经

    佛说造立形像福报经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 银狐

    银狐

    内蒙古科尔沁的茫茫草原和沙地上,古代辽国王族的地下寝宫里,栖息着以银狐为首领的狐族群。作为荒漠精灵和图腾象征,银狐的美丽和魅力、神奇和灵性、痛苦和欢欣,融入草原的博大和神秘、原始萨满教的慈悲和神圣、历史的丰富和深厚,映衬人类寻找迷失的自我和精神家园的挣扎和希望,氤氲着作家呼唤、寻找大自然守护神的悲天悯人的情怀……一幕幕富于奇幻色彩的画面,一个个呼之欲出的形象,成就了人与狐族相濡与沫的瑰丽雄浑、粗犷纯朴的旷世传奇,堪称草原文化的震撼之作。
  • 重生娱乐大咖

    重生娱乐大咖

    1997年,梦想从《快乐大本营》起航。本书是单女主。 新书《都市掌门系统》,换马甲8月5号首发 大学生孙禅被一块从天而降的“掌门令”砸中了脑袋,于是现代都市多了一个武功盖世的大宗师。 他是酒店小保安,顶级会所保镖,美女老板保护神。 他是功夫巨星,陈龙,真子丹都自愧不如。 他是拳王,泰拳,空手道全都不是菜。 他是武门天下的开宗祖师,开武馆,收大明星、名人为记名弟子。 人人习武,人人如龙,这就是孙禅的理想世界。
  • 盗取江山作酒钱

    盗取江山作酒钱

    两位男主智商碾压,合作愉快,互怼也很愉快。他们有钱、有权、但也有无能为力的时候,权力和金钱换不来一切;但没有权力和金钱,又该拿什么去维护自己重视的一切?小案子见大智慧,细节见真情。金钱和权力都有失去的一日,但亲情、友情与爱情却是长存的。
  • 怎样管理有问题的员工

    怎样管理有问题的员工

    本书参照九型人格学说,着力转变领导思想,针对员工存在的不同问题,剖析问题员工的人格特点,探其实质,为管理各类问题员工提出切实可行的解决方案和实施步骤。
  • 庶女狂妃

    庶女狂妃

    她:宰相府庶出的四小姐,琴棋书画,无一不精,琉璃国第一美人,一直以为自己嫁的是芳心暗许的四皇子,成亲当天才发现自己要嫁的居然是戴着面具,癫狂痴傻的七皇子,恍若晴天霹雳,羞愤难当的她选择撞墙尽。她:武家第三十七代掌门的继承人,嚣张狂妄,为人奸诈,却在喝了所谓的掌门圣水以后,死于非命,附身在莫夕颜身上,代替她嫁给传闻中的七皇子,开始了她护夫的旅程。此文一对一,男强女强,坑品保证,故事精彩,欢迎收藏。女主强大,有实力有势力,一生一世一双人的爱情故事。男强女强,强强对抗,强强联合,男配多多,坑品保证,故事精彩,欢迎收藏。
  • 玉景九天金霄威神王祝太元上经

    玉景九天金霄威神王祝太元上经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 销售的80:20法则:告诉你客户在哪里

    销售的80:20法则:告诉你客户在哪里

    为什么大多数人不成功?因为他们在缺少回报的工作中投入了太多的精力!灵活应用《销售的80:20法则·告诉你客户在哪里》中的知识将使你避免这一问题。“80:20法则”将教导你将身边的资源转化为优势,轻松获得成功与快乐!勤奋的鸟儿有虫吃?那可不一定!意大利经济学家维弗利度·帕累托发现,成功永远属于20%的幸运儿,这就是著名的“帕累托罗法则”,也称“80:20法则”。如何用20%的时间获得80%的收入?如何从20%重要客户身上获得效益,《销售的80:20法则·告诉你客户在哪里》收指导你用最少的投入获得最大的成功。
  • 怎么管好叛逆的孩子

    怎么管好叛逆的孩子

    叛逆是孩子成长过程中由青涩逐渐迈向成熟的一个经典表情,如何使叛逆能够被用于创造而不是毁灭,父母的爱心和智慧的引导很关键。孩子或多或少都会存在一些缺陷,只是程度不同,所以不能以挑剔的眼光看待孩子。家长们只要留意观察,就会发现孩子自始至终都有着很多优点。所以在孩子出现叛逆的时候也可能是其优点的另一种体现,这就需要家长们认真地对待,耐心地引导他们了。
  • 民国旧事嬿九记

    民国旧事嬿九记

    午醉醒来一面风。绿葱葱,几颗樱桃叶底红。晏九九只想经营她的小生意,乱世中求得一方净土。就算这十里洋场暗流涌动;名门贵胄叱咤风云,怎么算那都轮不到她这一个小小的草根女粉墨登场。可光天化日,朗朗乾坤;她晏九九不但成了“宝藏”,而且......还有那个凭空出现的大表哥!根本就是只不择手段设计她老狐狸!而景施琅只觉他放养了这么久的爱宠终要收心好好圈养着。“嗯....我的小狐狸...快到圈里来.....”“......”(PS:建议大家从第一卷第48章开始看,前篇拟作外传。)
  • 读懂人生,活在当下

    读懂人生,活在当下

    真实地活在当下,欣然地享受当下,就要无忧亦无悔。无忧就是不要对未来的事作无谓的想象与担心,无悔就是不要对过去已发生的事作无谓的思索与计较。人能无忧无悔地活在当下,才能不被未来与过束缚,才能自由自在、快快乐乐地过一生。