{"product_id":"2940157968083","title":"Bulldog Drummond","description":"In the month of December 1918, and on the very day that a British Cavalry Division marched into Cologne, with flags flying and bands playing as the conquerors of a beaten nation, the manager of the Hôtel Nationale in Berne received a letter. Its contents appeared to puzzle him somewhat, for having read it twice he rang the bell on his desk to summon his secretary. Almost immediately the door opened, and a young French girl came into the room.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Monsieur rang?\" She stood in front of the manager's desk, awaiting instructions.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Have we ever had staying in the hotel a man called le Comte de Guy?\" He leaned back in his chair and looked at her through his pince-nez.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe secretary thought for a moment and then shook her head.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Not as far as I can remember,\" she said.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Do we know anything about him? Has he ever fed here, or taken a private room?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAgain the secretary shook her head.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Not that I know of.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe manager handed her the letter, and waited in silence until she had read it.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"It seems on the face of it a peculiar request from an unknown man,\" he remarked as she laid it down. \"A dinner of four covers; no expense to be spared. Wines specified and if not in hotel to be obtained. A private room at half-past seven sharp. Guests to ask for room X.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe secretary nodded in agreement.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"It can hardly be a hoax,\" she remarked after a short silence.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"No.\" The manager tapped his teeth with his pen thoughtfully. \"But if by any chance it was, it would prove an expensive one for us. I wish I could think who this Comte de Guy is.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"He sounds like a Frenchman,\" she answered.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThen after a pause: \"I suppose you'll have to take it seriously?\"","brand":"Patrick Constantin","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47122926403824,"sku":"2940157968083","price":4.51,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/2940157968083_p0.jpg?v=1764107085","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940157968083","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}