Although the hour was so late, the hotel was not, of course, closed for the night.

A few guests still remained about in the public rooms, and a few fatigued waiters were still in attendance.

One of these latter was despatched in search of the singular Mr Hubbard, and it fortunately turned out that this gentleman had not actually retired, though he was on the point of doing so.

He brought the keys to Mr Racksole in person, and after he had had a little chat with his former master, the proprietor and the ex-proprietor of the Grand Babylon Hotel proceeded on their way to the cellars.
These cellars extend over, or rather under, quite half the superficial areas of the whole hotel--the longitudinal half which lies next to the Strand.
Owing to the fact that the ground slopes sharply from the Strand to the river, the Grand Babylon is, so to speak, deeper near the Strand than it is near the Thames.

Towards the Thames there is, below the entrance level, a basement and a sub-basement.