DOI Artikel:
Milman, Lena: Marcel: an hotel-child
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.25498#0156
Marcel : An Hotel-Child
152
Indies, and was obliged to go out there without delay. I was
abroad for over twelve months, during which time I had but little
leisure and a sharp attack of fever, which two circumstances, com-
bined with the lack of a fixed address, led me to postpone writing
to my little friend. When at length I returned home, I felt rather
remorseful at finding among the letters awaiting me two or three
directed in a childish hand, which I recognised as Marcel’s. They
were as little informing as children’s letters are wont to be, and
the last one bearing a date some six months old expressed dis-
appointment at my long silence, and gave me an address which
would find the writer but for the next few weeks. The time had
so long passed by, that it had been unavailing for me to write, and
I felt regretfully how likely it was that I should never see Marcel
again.
The following spring, however, I set off as usual for Italy, and
one wet day at Naples, was idly turning over the leaves of the hotel
visitors’ book, when, among recent entries, I read the following :
Mrs. Hyman F. Van Lunn,
Marcel Van Lunn, U.S.A.
I was standing in the bureau of the hotel at the time, so I
inquired of the clerk whether he knew what had been the Van
Lunns’ destination. At first it seemed as though the man had no
recollection of them at all. Certainly no address had been left for
possible letters, but the landlord, happening to come in and over-
hearing my inquiries, reminded the clerk of Marcel, of whom he
spoke as Ct le petit du numero soixante-dix qui jouait toujours de la
mandoline tout seul dans sa chambre.” So I learned that Mrs. Van
Lunn and her son had spent a fortnight at Naples, and had then
gone by steamer to Palermo. I hardly know how much a wish
to see Marcel had to do with it, but I fancy that the child must
have
152
Indies, and was obliged to go out there without delay. I was
abroad for over twelve months, during which time I had but little
leisure and a sharp attack of fever, which two circumstances, com-
bined with the lack of a fixed address, led me to postpone writing
to my little friend. When at length I returned home, I felt rather
remorseful at finding among the letters awaiting me two or three
directed in a childish hand, which I recognised as Marcel’s. They
were as little informing as children’s letters are wont to be, and
the last one bearing a date some six months old expressed dis-
appointment at my long silence, and gave me an address which
would find the writer but for the next few weeks. The time had
so long passed by, that it had been unavailing for me to write, and
I felt regretfully how likely it was that I should never see Marcel
again.
The following spring, however, I set off as usual for Italy, and
one wet day at Naples, was idly turning over the leaves of the hotel
visitors’ book, when, among recent entries, I read the following :
Mrs. Hyman F. Van Lunn,
Marcel Van Lunn, U.S.A.
I was standing in the bureau of the hotel at the time, so I
inquired of the clerk whether he knew what had been the Van
Lunns’ destination. At first it seemed as though the man had no
recollection of them at all. Certainly no address had been left for
possible letters, but the landlord, happening to come in and over-
hearing my inquiries, reminded the clerk of Marcel, of whom he
spoke as Ct le petit du numero soixante-dix qui jouait toujours de la
mandoline tout seul dans sa chambre.” So I learned that Mrs. Van
Lunn and her son had spent a fortnight at Naples, and had then
gone by steamer to Palermo. I hardly know how much a wish
to see Marcel had to do with it, but I fancy that the child must
have