north america-2- 第68部分

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　a　single　comfortable　meal　at　an　American　hotel；　or　rose　from　my　breakfast　or　dinner　with　that　feeling　of　satisfaction　which　should；　I　think；　be　felt　at　such　moments　in　a　civilized　land　in　which　cookery　prevails　as　an　art。　　I　have　had　enough；　and　have　been　healthy；　and　am　thankful。　　But　that　thankfulness　is　altogether　a　matter　apart；　and　does　not　bear　upon　the　question。　　If　need　be；　I　can　eat　food　that　is　disagreeable　to　my　palate　and　make　no　complaint。　　But　I　hold　it　to　be　compatible　with　the　principles　of　an　advanced　Christianity　to　prefer　food　that　is　palatable。　　I　never　could　get　any　of　that　kind　at　an　American　hotel。　　All　meal…times　at　such　houses　were　to　me　periods　of　disagreeable　duty；　and　at　this　moment；　as　I　write　these　lines　at　the　hotel　in　which　I　am　still　staying；　I　pine　for　an　English　leg　of　mutton。　　But　I　do　not　wish　it　to　be　supposed　that　the　fault　of　which　I　complainfor　it　is　a　grievous　faultis　incidental　to　America　as　a　nation。　　I　have　stayed　in　private　houses；　and　have　daily　sat　down　to　dinners　quite　as　good　as　any　my　own　kitchen　could　afford　me。　　Their　dinner　parties　are　generally　well　done；　and　as　a　people　they　are　by　no　means　indifferent　to　the　nature　of　their　comestibles。　　It　is　of　the　hotels　that　I　speak；　and　of　them　I　again　say　that　eating　in　them　is　a　disagreeable　taska　painful　labor。　　It　is　as　a　schoolboy's　lesson；　or　the　six　hours'　confinement　of　a　clerk　at　his　desk。　The　mode　of　eating　is　as　follows：　Certain　feeding　hours　are　named；　which　generally　include　nearly　all　the　day。　　Breakfast　from　six　till　ten。　　Dinner　from　one　till　five。　　Tea　from　six　till　nine。　　Supper　from　nine　till　twelve。　　When　the　guest　presents　himself　at　any　of　these　hours；　he　is　marshaled　to　a　seat；　and　a　bill　is　put　into　his　hand　containing　the　names　of　all　the　eatables　then　offered　for　his　choice。　　The　list　is　incredibly　and　most　unnecessarily　long。　　Then　it　is　that　you　will　see　care　written　on　the　face　of　the　American　hotel　liver；　as　he　studies　the　programme　of　the　coming　performance。　With　men　this　passes　off　unnoticed；　but　with　young　girls　the　appearance　of　the　thing　is　not　attractive。　　The　anxious　study；　the　elaborate　reading　of　the　daily　book；　and　then　the　choice　proclaimed　with　clear　articulation：　〃Boiled　mutton　and　caper　sauce；　roast　duck；　hashed　venison；　mashed　potatoes；　poached　eggs　and　spinach；　stewed　tomatoes。　　Yesand；　waiter；　some　squash！〃　　There　is　no　false　delicacy　in　the　voice　by　which　this　order　is　given；　no　desire　for　a　gentle　whisper。　　The　dinner　is　ordered　with　the　firm　determination　of　an　American　heroine；　and　in　some　five　minutes'　time　all　the　little　dishes　appear　at　once；　and　the　lady　is　surrounded　by　her　banquet。　How　I　did　learn　to　hate　those　little　dishes　and　their　greasy　contents！　　At　a　London　eating…house　things　are　often　not　very　nice；　but　your　meat　is　put　on　a　plate　and　comes　before　you　in　an　edible　shape。　　At　these　hotels　it　is　brought　to　you　in　horrid　little　oval　dishes；　and　swims　in　grease；　gravy　is　not　an　institution　in　American　hotels；　but　grease　has　taken　its　place。　　It　is　palpable；　undisguised　grease；　floating　in　riversnot　grease　caused　by　accidental　bad　cookery；　but　grease　on　purpose。　　A　beef…steak　is　not　a　beef…steak　unless　a　quarter　of　a　pound　of　butter　be　added　to　it。　　Those　horrid　little　dishes！　　If　one　thinks　of　it；　how　could　they　have　been　made　to　contain　Christian　food？　　Every　article　in　that　long　list　is　liable　to　the　call　of　any　number　of　guests　for　four　hours。　　Under　such　circumstances　how　can　food　be　made　eatable？　　Your　roast　mutton　is　brought　to　you　raw；　if　you　object　to　that；　you　are　supplied　with　meat　that　has　been　four　times　brought　before　the　public。　　At　hotels　on　the　Continent　of　Europe　different　dinners　are　cooked　at　different　hours；　but　here　the　same　dinner　is　kept　always　going。　　The　house　breakfast　is　maintained　on　a　similar　footing。　　Huge　boilers　of　tea　and　coffee　are　stewed　down　and　kept　hot。　　To　me　those　meals　were　odious。　　It　is　of　course　open　to　any　one　to　have　separate　dinners　and　separate　breakfasts　in　his　own　rooms；　but　by　this　little　is　gained　and　much　is　lost。　　He　or　she　who　is　so　exclusive　pays　twice　over　for　such　mealsas　they　are　charged　as　extras　on　the　billand；　after　all；　receives　the　advantage　of　no　exclusive　cooking。　Particles　from　the　public　dinners　are　brought　to　the　private　room；　and　the　same　odious　little　dishes　make　their　appearance。　But　the　most　striking　peculiarity　of　the　American　hotels　is　in　their　public　rooms。　　Of　the　ladies'　drawing…room　I　have　spoken。　　There　are　two；　and　sometimes　three；　in　one　hotel；　and　they　are　generally　furnished　at　any　rate　expensively。　　It　seems　to　me　that　the　space　and　the　furniture　are　almost　thrown　away。　　At　watering…places　and　sea…side　summer　hotels　they　are；　I　presume；　used；　but　at　ordinary　hotels　they　are　empty　deserts。　　The　intention　is　good；　for　they　are　established　with　the　view　of　giving　to　ladies　at　hotels　the　comforts　of　ordinary　domestic　life；　but　they　fail　in　their　effect。　　Ladies　will　not　make　themselves　happy　in　any　room；　or　with　ever　so　much　gilded　furniture；　unless　some　means　of　happiness　are　provided　for