north america-2-第85章
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o 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
