Every
moment that he had to wait seemed at least five, for no doubt the man
who had swindled him was improving the time to escape to a place of
safety. Finding that his blows upon the door produced no effect, he
began to jump up and down upon the floor, making, in his heavy boots, a
considerable noise.
The room directly under No. 237 was occupied by an old gentleman of a
very nervous and irascible temper, Mr. Samuel Piper, a country merchant,
who, having occasion to be in the city on business for a few days, had
put up at Lovejoy's Hotel. He had fatigued himself by some business
calls, and was now taking a little rest upon the bed, when he was
aroused from half-sleep by the pounding overhead.
"I wish people would have the decency to keep quiet," he said to
himself, peevishly. "How can I rest with such a confounded racket going
on above!"
He lay back, thinking the noise would cease, but Paul, finding the
knocking on the door ineffectual, began to jump up and down, as I have
already said. Of course this noise was heard distinctly in the room
below.
"This is getting intolerable!" exclaimed Mr. Piper, becoming more and
more excited. "The man ought to be indicted as a common nuisance.
How they can allow such goings-on in a respectable hotel, I can't
understand. I should think the fellow was splitting wood upstairs."
He took his cane, and, standing on the bed, struck it furiously against
the ceiling, intending it as signal to the man above to desist.
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