TOD SLOAN 



which belonged to the " apartment." We intended 

 to entertain a bit, but as a matter of fact we didn't 

 do much in that way, for no one knew me and I knew 

 nobody. With the exception of going round to 

 Maxims, which didn't interest me then, and the Cafe 

 American, where there were no Americans that I could 

 see, life was pretty dull for those few days. 



I got tired of it all one night about ten o'clock and 

 we all went back to the hotel, where there was a bright 

 fire burning in my sitting-room. Now on the mantel- 

 piece and the walls there were large candelabra chock- 

 full of candles and I thought to myself, " If I'm paying 

 all this money for these rooms, I may as well make 

 the place as bright as possible, light the candles and 

 have a little party " — although there was electric light 

 and gas too if I remember right. So out I took a box 

 of matches and lit the whole lot — several dozens there 

 were. Gee ! didn't that room look dandy ? I began 

 to feel warm and cosy and I was much more cheerful, 

 until when I got the bill next morning just before 

 leaving I found thirty-six francs charged for those 

 candles ! I tried to fight them about it but — nothin' 

 doing. After that episode I felt inclined to cover 

 candles over with a cloth when I saw them at other 

 hotels, for fear the temptation should be too strong 

 for me. 



At Monte Carlo roulette was nothing new to me. 

 I played twice a day for the six days I was there and 

 won about sixty thousand francs — about two thousand 

 four hundred pounds. I never had a losing sitting, 

 and I was mighty pleased with the packet I took away. 

 On the way back I stayed in Paris again for a few days 

 and had a much better time, for I got to know a few 

 people and rubbed along more comfortably with the 

 French customs. Then going back to England I 



76 



