He passed several lift-doorways, but he could see no glint of a staircase; in all self-respecting hotels staircases have gone out of fashion, and though hotel architects still continue, for old sakes' sake, to build staircases, they are tucked away in remote corners where their presence is not likely to offend the eye of a spoiled and cosmopolitan public.
The hotel seemed vast, uncanny, deserted.

An electric light glowed here and there at long intervals.

On the thick carpets, Racksole's thinly-shod feet made no sound, and he wandered at ease to and fro, rather amused, rather struck by the peculiar senses of night and mystery which had suddenly come over him.

He fancied he could hear a thousand snores peacefully descending from the upper realms.

At length he found a staircase, a very dark and narrow one, and presently he was on the first floor.