last days in a dutch hotel-第1节

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Last　Days　in　a　Dutch　Hotel

by　William　Dean　Howells








When　we　said　that　we　were　going　to　Scheveningen；　in　the　middle　of
September；　the　portier　of　the　hotel　at　The　Hague　was　sure　we　should　be
very　cold；　perhaps　because　we　had　suffered　so　much　in　his　house　already；
and　he　was　right；　for　the　wind　blew　with　a　Dutch　tenacity　of　purpose　for
a　whole　week；　so　that　the　guests　thinly　peopling　the　vast　hostelry　seemed
to　rustle　through　its　chilly　halls　and　corridors　like　so　many　autumn
leaves。　　We　were　but　a　poor　hundred　at　most　where　five　hundred　would　not
have　been　a　crowd；　and；　when　we　sat　down　at　the　long　tables　d'hote　in　the
great　dining…room；　we　had　to　warm　our　hands　with　our　plates　before　we
could　hold　our　spoons。　　From　time　to　time　the　weather　varied；　as　it　does
in　Europe　（American　weather　is　of　an　exemplary　constancy　in　comparison）；
and　three　or　four　times　a　day　it　rained；　and　three　or　four　times　it
cleared；　but　through　all　the　wind　blew　cold　and　colder。　　We　were
promised；　however；　that　the　hotel　would　not　close　till　October；　and　we
made　shift；　with　a　warm　chimney　in　one　room　and　three　gas…burners　in
another；　if　not　to　keep　warm　quite；　yet　certainly　to　get　used　to　the
cold。




I。

In　the　mean　time　the　sea…bathing　went　resolutely　on　with　all　its　forms。
Every　morning　the　bathing　machines　were　drawn　down　to　the　beach　from　the
esplanade；　where　they　were　secured　against　the　gale　every　night；　and
every　day　a　half…dozen　hardy　invalids　braved　the　rigors　of　wind　and　wave。
At　the　discreet　distance　which　one　ought　always　to　keep　one　could　not
always　be　sure　whether　these　bold　bathers　were　mermen　or　mermaids；　for
the　sea　costume　of　both　sexes　is　the　same　here；　as　regards　an　absence　of
skirts　and　a　presence　of　what　are；　after　the　first　plunge；　effectively
tights。　　The　first　time　I　walked　down　to　the　beach　I　was　puzzled　to　make
out　some　object　rolling　about　in　the　low　surf；　which　looked　like　a
barrel；　and　which　two　bathing…machine　men　were　watching　with　apparently
the　purpose　of　fishing　it　out。　　Suddenly　this　object　reared　itself　from
the　surf　and　floundered　towards　the　steps　of　a　machine；　then　I　saw　that
it　was　evidently　not　a　barrel；　but　a　lady；　and　after　that　I　never　dared
carry　my　researches　so　far。　　I　suppose　that　the　bathing…tights　are　more
becoming　in　some　cases　than　in　others；　but　I　hold　to　a　modest　preference
for　skirts；　however　brief；　in　the　sea…gear　of　ladies。　　Without　them　there
may　sometimes　be　the　effect　of　beauty；　and　sometimes　the　effect　of
barrel。

For　the　convenience　and　safety　of　the　bathers　there　were；　even　in　the
last　half　of　September；　some　twenty　machines；　and　half　as　many　bath…men
and　bath…women；　who　waded　into　the　water　and　watched　that　the　bathers
came　to　no　harm；　instead　of　a　solitary　lifeguard　showing　his　statuesque
shape　as　he　paced　the　shore　beside　the　lifelines；　or　cynically　rocked　in
his　boat　beyond　the　breakers；　as　the　custom　is　on　Long　Island。　　Here
there　is　no　need　of　life…lines；　and；　unless　one　held　his　head　resolutely
under　water；　I　do　not　see　how　he　could　drown　within　quarter　of　a　mile　of
the　shore。　　Perhaps　it　is　to　prevent　suicide　that　the　bathmen　are　so
plentifully　provided。

They　are　a　provision　of　the　hotel；　I　believe；　which　does　not　relax　itself
in　any　essential　towards　its　guests　as　they　grow　fewer。　　It　seems；　on　the
contrary；　to　use　them　with　a　more　tender　care；　and　to　console　them　as　it
may　for　the　inevitable　parting　near　at　hand。　　Now；　within　three　or　four
days　of　the　end；　the　kitchen　is　as　scrupulously　and　vigilantly　perfect　as
it　could　be　in　the　height　of　the　season；　and　our　dwindling　numbers　sit
down　every　night　to　a　dinner　that　we　could　not　get　for　much　more　love　or
vastly　more　money　in　the　month　of　August；　at　any　shore　hotel　in　America。
It　is　true　that　there　are　certain　changes　going　on；　but　they　are　going　on
delicately；　almost　silently。　　A　strip　of　carpeting　has　come　up　from　along
our　corridor；　but　we　hardly　miss　it　from　the　matting　which　remains。
Through　the　open　doors　of　vacant　chambers　we　can　see　that　beds　are　coming
down；　and　the　dismantling　extends　into　the　halls　at　places。　　Certain
decorative　carved　chairs　which　repeated　themselves　outside　the　doors　have
ceased　to　be　there；　but　the　pictures　still　hang　on　the　walls；　and　within
our　own　rooms　everything　is　as　conscientious　as　in　midsummer。　　The
service　is　instant；　and；　if　there　is　some　change　in　it；　the　change　is　not
for　the　worse。　　Yesterday　our　waiter　bade　me　good…bye；　and　when　I　said　I
was　sorry　he　was　going　he　alleged　a　boil　on　his　cheek　in　excuse；　he　would
not　allow　that　his　going　had　anything　to　do　with　the　closing　of　the
hotel；　and　he　was　promptly　replaced　by　another　who　speaks　excellent
English。　　Now　that　the　first　is　gone；　I　may　own　that　he　seemed　not　to
speak　any　foreign　language　long；　but；　when　cornered　in　English；　took
refuge　in　French；　and　then　fled　from　pursuit　in　that　to　German；　and
brought　up　in　final　Dutch；　where　he　was　practically　inaccessible。

The　elevator　runs　regularly；　if　not　rapidly；　the　papers　arrive
unfailingly　in　the　reading…room；　including　a　solitary　London　Times；　which
even　I　do　not　read；　perhaps　because　I　have　no　English…reading　rival　to
contend　for　it　with。　　Till　yesterday；　an　English　artist　sometimes　got　it；
but　he　then　instantly　offered　it　to　me；　and　I　had　to　refuse　it　because　I
would　not　be　outdone　in　politeness。　　Now　even　he　is　gone；　and　on　all
sides　I　find　myself　in　an　unbroken　circle　of　Dutch　and　German；　where　no
one　would　dispute　the　Times　with　me　if　he　could。

Every　night　the　corridors　are　fully　lighted；　and　some　mornings　swept；
while　the　washing　that　goes　on　all　over　Holland；　night　and　morning；　does
not　always　spare　our　unfrequented　halls　and　stairs。　　I　note　these　little
facts；　for　the　contrast　with　those　of　an　American　hotel　which　we　once
assisted　in　closing；　and　where　the　elevator　stopped　two　weeks　before　we
left；　and　we　fell　from　electricity　to　naphtha…gas；　and　even　this　died　out
before　us　except　at　long　intervals　in　the　passages；　while　there　were
lightning　changes　in　the　service；　and　a　final　failure　of　it　till　we　had
to　go　down　and　get　our　own　ice…water　of　the　lingering　room…clerk；　after
the　last　bell…boy　had　winked　out。




II。

But　in　Europe　everything　is　permanent；　and　in　America　everything　is
provisional。　　This　is　the　great　distinction　which；　if　always　kept　in
mind；　will　save　a　great　deal　of　idle　astonishment。　　It　is　in　nothing　more
apparent　than　in　the　preparation　here　at　Scheveningen　for　centuries　of
summer　visitors；　while　at　our　Long　Island　hotel　there　was　a　losing　bet　on
a　scant　generation　of　them。　　When　it　seemed　likely　that　it　might　be　a
winning　bet　the　sand　was　planked　there　in　front　of　the　hotel　to　the　sea
with　spruce　boards。　　It　was　very　handsomely　planked；　but　it　was　never
afterwards　touched；　apparently；　for　any　manner　of　repairs。　　Here；　for
half　a　mile　the　dune　on　which　the　hotel　stands　is　shored　up　with　massive
masonry；　and　bricked　for　carriages；　and　tiled　for　foot…passengers；　and　it
is　all　kept　as　clean　as　if　wheel　or　foot　had　never　passed　over　it。　　I　am
sure　that　there　is　not　a　broken　brick　or　a　broken　tile　in　the　whole
length　or　breadth　of　it。　　But　the　hotel　here　is　not　a　bet；　it　is　a
business。　　It　has　come　to　stay；　and　on　Long　Island　it　had　come　to　see　how
it　would　like　it。

Beyond　the　walk　and　drive；　however；　the　dunes　are　left　to　the　winds；　and
to　the　vegetation　with　which　the　Dutch　planting　clothes　them　against　the
winds。　　First　a　coarse　grass　or　rush　is　sown；　then　a　finer　herbage　comes；
then　a　tough　brushwood；　with　flowers　and　blackberry…vines；　so　that　while
the　seaward　slopes　of　the　dunes　are　somewhat　patched　and　tattered；　the
landward　side　and　all　the　pleasant　hollows　between　are　fairly　held
against　such　gales　as　on　Long　Island　blow　the　lower　dunes　hither　and　yon。
The　sheep　graze　in　the　valleys　at　some　points；　in　many　a　little　pocket　of
the　dunes　I　found　a　potato…patch　of　about　the　bigness　of　a　city　lot；　and
on　week…days　I　saw　wooden…shod　men　slowly；　slowly　gathering　in　the　crop。
On　Sundays　I　saw　the　pleasant　nooks　and　corners　of　these　sandy　hillocks
devoted；　as　the　dunes　of　Long　Island　were；　to　whispering　lovers；　who　are
here　as　freely　and　fearlessly　affectionate　as　at　home。　　Rocking　there　is
not；　and　cannot　be；　in　the　nature　of　things；　as　there　used　to　be　at　Mount
Desert；　but　what　is　called　Twoing　at　York　Harbor　is　perfectly
practicable。

It　is　practicable　not　only　in　the　nooks　and　corners　of　the　dunes；　but　on
discreeter　terms　in　those　hooded　willow　chairs；　so　characteristic　of　the
Dutch　sea…side。　　These；　if　faced　in　pairs　towards　each　other；　must　be　as
favorable　to　the　exchange　of　vows　as　of　opinions；　and　if　the　crowd　is
ever　very　great；　perhaps　one　chair　could　be　made　to　hold　two　persons。
It　was　distinctly　a　pang；　the　other　day；　to　see　men　carrying　them　up　from
the　beach；　and　putting　them　away　to　hibernate　in　the　basement　of　the
hotel。　　Not　all；　but　most　of　them；　were　taken；　though　I　dare　say　that　on
fine　days　throughout　October　they　will　go　trooping　back　to　the　sands　on
the　heads　of　the　same　men；　like　a　procession　of　monstrous；　two…legged
crabs。　　Such　a　day　was　last　Sunday；　and　then　the　beach　offered