'Let's clear the ground first, Mr Racksole.

Why did you buy this hotel?
That's a conundrum that's been puzzling a lot of our fellows in the City for some days past.

Why did you buy the Grand Babylon?
And what is the next move to be ?' 'There is no next move,' answered Racksole candidly, 'and I will tell you why I bought the hotel; there need be no secret about it.

I bought it because of a whim.' And then Theodore Racksole gave this little Jew, whom he had begun to respect, a faithful account of the transaction with Mr Felix Babylon.

'I suppose,' he added, 'you find a difficulty in appreciating my state of mind when I did the deal.' 'Not a bit,' said Mr Levi.