north america-2-第75节

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ugh　with　equanimity。　　As　the　name　is　written；　and　as　the　request　for　accommodation　is　made；　half　a　dozen　loungers　look　over　your　name　and　listen　to　what　you　say。　　They　listen　attentively；　and　spell　your　name　carefully；　but　the　great　man　behind　the　bar　does　not　seem　to　listen　or　to　heed　you；　your　destiny　is　never　imparted　to　you　on　the　instant。　　If　your　wife　or　any　other　woman　be　with　youthe　word　〃lady〃　is　made　so　absolutely　distasteful　in　American　hotels　that　I　cannot　bring　myself　to　use　it　in　writing　of　themshe　has　been　carried　off　to　a　lady's　waiting　room；　and　there　remains　in　august　wretchedness　till　the　great　man　at　the　bar　shall　have　decided　on　her　fate。　　I　have　never　been　quite　able　to　fathom　the　mystery　of　these　delays。　　I　think　they　must　have　originated　in　the　necessity　of　waiting　to　see　what　might　be　the　influx　of　travelers　at　the　moment；　and　then　have　become　exaggerated　and　brought　to　their　present　normal　state　by　the　gratified　feeling　of　almost　divine　power　with　which　for　the　time　it　invests　that　despotic　arbiter。　　I　have　found　it　always　the　same；　though　arriving　with　no　crowd；　by　a　conveyance　of　my　own；　when　no　other　expectant　guests　were　following　me。　　The　great　man　has　listened　to　my　request　in　silence；　with　an　imperturbable　face；　and　has　usually　continued　his　conversation　with　some　loafing　friend；　who　at　the　time　is　probably　scrutinizing　my　name　in　the　book。　　I　have　often　suffered　in　patience；　but　patience　is　not　specially　the　badge　of　my　tribe；　and　I　have　sometimes　spoken　out　rather　freely。　　If　I　may　presume　to　give　advice　to　my　traveling　countrymen　how　to　act　under　such　circumstances；　I　should　recommend　to　them　freedom　of　speech　rather　than　patience。　　The　great　man；　when　freely　addressed；　generally　opens　his　eyes；　and　selects　the　key　of　your　room　without　further　delay。　　I　am　inclined　to　think　that　the　selection　will　not　be　made　in　any　way　to　your　detriment　by　reason　of　that　freedom　of　speech。　The　lady　in　the　ballad　who　spoke　out　her　own　mind　to　Lord　Bateman；　was　sent　to　her　home　honorably　in　a　coach　and　three。　　Had　she　held　her　tongue；　we　are　justified　in　presuming　that　she　would　have　been　returned　on　a　pillion　behind　a　servant。　I　have　been　greatly　annoyed　by　that　want　of　speech。　　I　have　repeatedly　asked　for　room；　and　received　no　syllable　in　return。　　I　have　persisted　in　my　request；　and　the　clerk　has　nodded　his　head　at　me。　　Until　a　traveler　is　known；　these　gentlemen　are　singularly　sparing　of　speech；　especially　in　the　West。　　The　same　economy　of　words　runs　down　from　the　great　man　at　the　office　all　through　the　servants　of　the　establishment。　　It　arises；　I　believe；　entirely　from　that　want　of　courtesy　which　democratic　institutions　create。　　The　man　whom　you　address　has　to　make　a　battle　against　the　state　of　subservience　presumed　to　be　indicated　by　his　position；　and　he　does　so　by　declaring　his　indifference　to　the　person　on　whose　wants　he　is　paid　to　attend。　　I　have　been　honored　on　one　or　two　occasions　by　the　subsequent　intimacy　of　these　great　men　at　the　hotel　offices；　and　have　then　found　them　ready　enough　at　conversation。　That　necessity　of　making　your　request　for　room　before　a　public　audience　is　not　in　itself　agreeable；　and　sometimes　entails　a　conversation　which　might　be　more　comfortably　made　in　private。　　〃What　do　you　mean　by　a　dressing…room；　and　why　do　you　want　one？〃　　Now　that　is　a　question　which　an　Englishman　feels　awkward　at　answering　before　five　and　twenty　Americans；　with　open　mouths　and　eager　eyes；　but　it　has　to　be　answered。　　When　I　left　England；　I　was　assured　that　I　should　not　find　any　need　for　a　separate　sitting…room；　seeing　that　drawing…rooms　more　or　less　sumptuous　were　prepared　for　the　accommodation　of　〃ladies。〃　　At　first　we　attempted　to　follow　the　advice　given　to　us；　but　we　broke　down。　　A　man　and　his　wife　traveling　from　town　to　town；　and　making　no　sojourn　on　his　way；　may　eat　and　sleep　at　a　hotel　without　a　private　parlor。　　But　an　English　woman　cannot　live　in　comfort　for　a　week；　or　even　in　comfort　for　a　day；　at　any　of　these　houses；　without　a　sitting…room　for　herself。　　The　ladies'　drawing…room　is　a　desolate　wilderness。　　The　American　women　themselves　do　not　use　it。　　It　is　generally　empty；　or　occupied　by　some　forlorn　spinster；　eliciting　harsh　sounds　from　the　wretched　piano　which　it　contains。　The　price　at　these　hotels　throughout　the　union　is　nearly　always　the　same；　viz。；　two　and　a　half　dollars　a　day；　for　which　a　bed…room　is　given　and　as　many　meals　as　the　guest　can　contrive　to　eat。　　This　is　the　price　for　chance　guests。　　The　cost　to　monthly　boarders　is；　I　believe；　not　more　than　the　half　of　this。　　Ten　shillings　a　day；　therefore；　covers　everything　that　is　absolutely　necessary；　servants　included；　and　this　must　be　said　in　praise　of　these　innsthat　the　traveler　can　compute　his　expenses　accurately；　and　can　absolutely　bring　them　within　that　daily　sum　of　ten　shillings。　　This　includes　a　great　deal　of　eating；　a　great　deal　of　attendance；　the　use　of　reading…room　and　smoking…roomwhich；　however；　always　seem　to　be　open　to　the　public　as　well　as　to　the　guestsand　a　bed…room；　with　accommodation　which　is　at　any　rate　as　good　as　the　average　accommodation　of　hotels　in　Europe。　　In　the　large　Eastern　towns　baths　are　attached　to　many　of　the　rooms。　　I　always　carry　my　own；　and　have　never　failed　in　getting　water。　　It　must　be　acknowledged　that　the　price　is　very　cheap。　　It　is　so　cheap　that　I　believe　it　affords；　as　a　rule；　no　profit　whatsoever。　　The　profit　is　made　upon　extra　charges；　and　they　are　higher　than　in　any　other　country　that　I　have　visited。　They　are　so　high　that　I　consider　traveling　in　America；　for　an　Englishman　with　his　wife　or　family；　to　be　more　expensive　than　traveling　in　any　part　of　Europe。　　First　in　the　list　of　extras　comes　that　matter　of　the　sitting…room；　and　by　that　for　a　man　and　his　wife　the　whole　first　expense　is　at　once　doubled。　　The　ordinary　charge　is　five　dollars；　or　one　pound　a　day！　　A　guest　intending　to　stay　for　two　or　three　weeks　at　a　hotel；　or　perhaps　for　one　week；　may；　by　agreement；　have　this　charge　reduced。　　At　one　inn　I　stayed　a　fortnight；　and　having　made　no　such　agreement；　was　charged　the　full　sum。　　I　felt　myself　stirred　up　to　complain；　and　did　in　that　case　remonstrate。　　I　was　asked　how　much　I　wished　to　have　returnedfor　the　bill　had　been　paidand　the　sum　I　suggested　was　at　once　handed　to　me。　　But　even　with　such　reduction；　the　price　is　very　high；　and　at　once　makes　the　American　hotel　expensive。　　Wine　also　at　these　houses　is　very　costly；　and　very　bad。　　The　usual　price　is　two　dollars　（or　eight　shillings）　a　bottle。　　The　people　of　the　country　rarely　drink　wine　at　dinner　in　the　hotels。　　When　they　do　so；　they　drink　champagne；　but　their　normal　drinking　is　done　separately；　at　the　bar；　chiefly　before　dinner；　and　at　a　cheap　rate。　　〃A　drink；〃　let　it　be　what　it　may；　invariably　costs　a　dime；　or　five　pence。　　But　if　you　must　have　a　glass　of　sherry　with　your　dinner；　it　costs　two　dollars；　for　sherry　does　not　grow　into　pint　bottles　in　the　States。　　But　the　guest　who　remains　for　two　days　can　have　his　wine　kept　for　him。　Washing　also　is　an　expensive　luxury。　　The　price　of　this　is　invariable；　being　always　four　pence　for　everything　washed。　　A　cambric　handkerchief　or　muslin　dress　all　come　out　at　the　same　price。　For　those　who　are　cunning　in　the　matter　this　may　do　very　well；　but　for　men　and　women　whose　cuffs　and　collars　are　numerous　it　becomes　expensive。　　The　craft　of　those　who　are　cunning　is　shown；　I　think；　in　little　internal　washings；　by　which　the　cambric　handkerchiefs　are　kept　out　of　the　list；　while　the　muslin　dresses　are　placed　upon　it。　I　am　led　to　this　surmise　by　the　energetic　measures　taken　by　the　hotelkeepers　to　prevent　such　domestic　washings；　and　by　the　denunciations　which　in　every　hotel　are　pasted　up　in　every　room　against　the　practice。　　I　could　not　at　first　understand　why　I　was　always　warned　against　washing　my　own　clothes　in　my　own　bed…room；　and　told　that　no　foreign　laundress　could　on　any　account　be　admitted　into　the　house。　　The　injunctions　given　on　this　head　are　almost　frantic　in　their　energy；　and　therefore　I　conceive　that　hotel…keepers　find　themselves　exposed　to　much　suffering　in　the　matter。　　At　these　hotels　they　wash　with　great　rapidity；　sending　you　back　your　clothes　in　four　or　five　hours　if　you　desire　it。　Another　very　stringent　order　is　placed　before　the　face　of　all　visitors　at　American　hotels；　desiring　them　on　no　account　to　have　valuable　property　in　their　rooms。　　I　presume　that　there　must　have　been　some　difficulty　in　this　matter　in　bygone　years；　for　in　every　State　a　law　has　been　passed　declaring　that　hotel…keepers　shall　not　be　held　responsible　for　money　or　jewels　stolen　out　of　rooms　in　their　houses；　provided　that　they　are　furnished　with　safes　for　keeping　such　money　and　give　due　caution　to　their　guests　on　the　subject。　　The　due　caution　is　always　given；　but　I　have　seldom　myself　taken　any　notice　of　it。　　I　have　always　left　my　portmanteau　open；　and　have　kept　my　money　usually　in　a　traveling…desk　in　my　room；　but　I　never　to　my　knowledge　lost　anything。　　The　world；　I　think；　gives　itself　credit　for　more　thieves　than　it　possesses。　　As　to　the　female　servants　at　American　inns；　they　are　generally　all　that　is　disagreeable。　　They　are　uncivil；　impudent；　dirty；　slowprovoking　to　a　degree。　　But　I　believe　that　they　keep　their　hands　from　picking　and　stealing。　I　never　yet　made