CHAPTER II

THE ESTABLISHMENT


Seven years before, when, having unostentatiously acquired the necessary
land, and an acre or two over, Hugo determined to rebuild his premises
and to burst into full blossom, he visited America and Paris, and
amongst other establishments inspected Wanamaker's, the Bon Marché, and
the Magasins du Louvre. The result disappointed him. He had expected to
pick up ideas, but he picked up nothing save the Bon Marché system of
vouchers, by which a customer buying in several departments is spared
the trouble of paying separately in each department. He came to the
conclusion that the art of flinging money away in order that it may
return tenfold was yet quite in its infancy. He said to himself, 'I will
build a _shop_.'

Travelling home by an indirect route, he stopped at a busy English
seaport, and saw a great town-hall majestically rising in the midst of
a park. The beautiful building did not appeal to him in vain. At the
gates of the park he encountered a youth, who was staring at the
town-hall with a fixed and fascinated stare.

'A fine structure,' Hugo commented to the youth.

'_I_ think so,' was the reply.

'Can you tell me who is the architect?' asked Hugo.