north america-2-第74部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ne；　and　his　cup　of　tea　alone。　　It　is　not　considered　practicable　that　two　strangers　should　sit　at　the　same　table　or　cut　from　the　same　dish。　Consequently　his　dinner　is　cooked　for　him　separately；　and　the　hotel　keeper　can　hardly　afford　to　give　him　a　good　dinner。　　He　has　two　modes　of　life　from　which　to　choose。　　He　either　lives　in　a　public　roomcalled　a　coffee…roomand　there　occupies；　during　his　comfortless　meal；　a　separate　small　table；　too　frequently　removed　from　fire　and　light；　though　generally　exposed　to　draughts；　or　else　he　indulges　in　the　luxury　of　a　private　sitting…room；　and　endeavors　to　find　solace　on　an　old　horse…hair　sofa；　at　the　cost　of　seven　shillings　a　day。　　His　bed…room　is　not　so　arranged　that　he　can　use　it　as　a　sitting…room。　　Under　either　phase　of　life　he　can　rarely　find　himself　comfortable；　and　therefore　he　lives　as　little　at　a　hotel　as　the　circumstances　of　his　business　or　of　his　pleasure　will　allow。　　I　do　not　think　that　any　of　the　requisites　of　a　good　inn　are　habitually　to　be　found　in　perfection　at　our　Kings'　Heads　and　White　Horses；　though　the　falling　off　is　not　so　lamentably　distressing　as　it　sometimes　is　in　other　countries。　　The　bed…rooms　are　dingy　rather　than　dirty。　　Extra　payment　to　servants　will　generally　produce　a　tub　of　cold　water。　　The　food　is　never　good；　but　it　is　usually　eatable；　and　you　may　have　it　when　you　please。　　The　wines　are　almost　always　bad；　but　the　traveler　can　fall　back　upon　beer。　　The　attendance　is　good；　provided　always　that　the　payment　for　it　is　liberal。　　The　cost　is　generally　too　high；　and　unfortunately　grows　larger　and　larger　from　year　to　year。　　Smiling　faces　are　out　of　the　question　unless　specially　paid　for；　and　as　to　that　matter　of　foul　smells；　there　is　often　room　for　improvement。　　An　English　inn　to　a　solitary　traveler　without　employment　is　an　embodiment　of　dreary　desolation。　　The　excuse　to　be　made　for　this　is　that　English　men　and　women　do　not　live　much　at　inns　in　their　own　country。　The　American　inn　differs　from　all　those　of　which　I　have　made　mention；　and　is　altogether　an　institution　apart；　and　a　thing　of　itself。　　Hotels　in　America　are　very　much　larger　and　more　numerous　than　in　other　countries。　　They　are　to　be　found　in　all　towns；　and　I　may　almost　say　in　all　villages。　　In　England　and　on　the　Continent　we　find　them　on　the　recognized　routes　of　travel　and　in　towns　of　commercial　or　social　importance。　　On　unfrequented　roads　and　in　villages　there　is　usually　some　small　house　of　public　entertainment　in　which　the　unexpected　traveler　may　obtain　food　and　shelter；　and　in　which　the　expected　boon　companions　of　the　neighborhood　smoke　their　nightly　pipes　and　drink　their　nightly　tipple。　　But　in　the　States　of　America　the　first　sign　of　an　incipient　settlement　is　a　hotel　five　stories　high；　with　an　office；　a　bar；　a　cloak　room；　three　gentlemen's　parlors；　two　ladies'　parlors；　and　a　ladies'　entrance；　and　two　hundred　bedrooms。　These　of　course　are　all　built　with　a　view　to　profit；　and　it　may　be　presumed　that　in　each　case　the　originators　of　the　speculation　enter　into　some　calculation　as　to　their　expected　guests。　　Whence　are　to　come　the　sleepers　in　those　two　hundred　bed…rooms；　and　who　is　to　pay　for　the　gaudy　sofas　and　numerous　lounging　chairs　of　the　ladies'　parlors？　　In　all　other　countries　the　expectation　would　extend　itself　simply　to　travelersto　travelers　or　to　strangers　sojourning　in　the　land。　　But　this　is　by　no　means　the　case　as　to　these　speculations　in　America。　　When　the　new　hotel　rises　up　in　the　wilderness；　it　is　presumed　that　people　will　come　there　with　the　express　object　of　inhabiting　it。　　The　hotel　itself　will　create　a　population；　as　the　railways　do。　　With　us　railways　run　to　the　towns；　but　in　the　States　the　towns　run　to　the　railways。　　It　is　the　same　thing　with　the　hotels。　Housekeeping　is　not　popular　with　young　married　people　in　America；　and　there　are　various　reasons　why　this　should　be　so。　　Men　there　are　not　fixed　in　their　employment　as　they　are　with　us。　　If　a　young　Benedict　cannot　get　along　as　a　lawyer　at　Salem；　perhaps　he　may　thrive　as　a　shoemaker　at　Thermopylae。　　Jefferson　B。　Johnson　fails　in　the　lumber　line　at　Eleutheria；　but　hearing　of　an　opening　for　a　Baptist　preacher　at　Big　Mud　Creek　moves　himself　off　with　his　wife　and　three　children　at　a　week's　notice。　　Aminadab　Wiggs　takes　an　engagement　as　a　clerk　at　a　steamboat　office　on　the　Pongowonga　River；　but　he　goes　to　his　employment　with　an　inward　conviction　that　six　months　will　see　him　earning　his　bread　elsewhere。　　Under　such　circumstances　even　a　large　wardrobe　is　a　nuisance；　and　a　collection　of　furniture　would　be　as　appropriate　as　a　drove　of　elephants。　　Then　again　young　men　and　women　marry　without　any　means　already　collected　on　which　to　commence　their　life。　　They　are　content　to　look　forward　and　to　hope　that　such　means　will　come。　　In　so　doing　they　are　guilty　of　no　imprudence。　　It　is　the　way　of　the　country；　and；　if　the　man　be　useful　for　anything；　employment　will　certainly　come　to　him。　　But　he　must　live　on　the　fruits　of　that　employment；　and　can　only　pay　his　way　from　week　to　week　and　from　day　to　day。　　And　as　a　third　reason；　I　think　I　may　allege　that　the　mode　of　life　found　in　these　hotels　is　liked　by　the　people　who　frequent　them。　　It　is　to　their　taste。　　They　are　happy；　or　at　any　rate　contented；　at　these　hotels；　and　do　not　wish　for　household　cares。　　As　to　the　two　first　reasons　which　I　have　given；　I　can　agree　as　to　the　necessity　of　the　case；　and　quite　concur　as　to　the　expediency　of　marriage　under　such　circumstances。　　But　as　to　that　matter　of　taste；　I　cannot　concur　at　all。　　Anything　more　forlorn　than　a　young　married　woman　at　an　American　hotel；　it　is　impossible　to　conceive。　Such　are　the　guests　expected　for　those　two　hundred　bedrooms。　　The　chance　travelers　are　but　chance　additions　to　these；　and　are　not　generally　the　mainstay　of　the　house。　　As　a　matter　of　course　the　accommodation　for　travelers　which　these　hotels　afford　increases　and　creates　traveling。　　Men　come　because　they　know　they　will　be　fed　and　bedded　at　a　moderate　cost；　and　in　an　easy　way；　suited　to　their　tastes。　　With　us；　and　throughout　Europe；　inquiry　is　made　before　an　unaccustomed　journey　is　commenced；　on　that　serious　question　of　wayside　food　and　shelter。　　But　in　the　States　no　such　question　is　needed。　　A　big　hotel　is　a　matter　of　course；　and　therefore　men　travel。　　Everybody　travels　in　the　States。　　The　railways　and　the　hotels　between　them　have　so　churned　up　the　people　that　an　untraveled　man　or　woman　is　a　rare　animal。　　We　are　apt　to　suppose　that　travelers　make　roads；　and　that　guests　create　hotels；　but　the　cause　and　effect　run　exactly　in　the　other　way。　　I　am　almost　disposed　to　think　that　we　should　become　cannibals　if　gentlemen's　legs　and　ladies　arms　were　hung　up　for　sale　in　purveyors'　shops。　After　this　fashion　and　with　these　intentions　hotels　are　built。　　Size　and　an　imposing　exterior　are　the　first　requisitions。　　Everything　about　them　must　be　on　a　large　scale。　　A　commanding　exterior；　and　a　certain　interior　dignity　of　demeanor；　is　more　essential　than　comfort　or　civility。　　Whatever　a　hotel　may　be　it　must　not　be　〃mean。〃　　In　the　American　vernacular　the　word　mean　is　very　significant。　　A　mean　white　in　the　South　is　a　man　who　owns　no　slaves。　　Men　are　often　mean；　but　actions　are　seldom　so　called。　　A　man　feels　mean　when　the　bluster　is　taken　out　of　him。　　A　mean　hotel；　conducted　in　a　quiet　unostentatious　manner；　in　which　the　only　endeavor　made　had　reference　to　the　comfort　of　a　few　guests；　would　find　no　favor　in　the　States。　　These　hotels　are　not　called　by　the　name　of　any　sign；　as　with　us　in　our　provinces。　There　are　no　〃Presidents'　Heads〃　or　〃General　Scotts。〃　　Nor　by　the　name　of　the　landlord；　or　of　some　former　landlord；　as　with　us　in　London；　and　in　many　cities　of　the　Continent。　　Nor　are　they　called　from　some　country　or　city　which　may　have　been　presumed　at　some　time　to　have　had　special　patronage　for　the　establishment。　　In　the　nomenclature　of　American　hotels　the　specialty　of　American　hero　worship　is　shown；　as　in　the　nomenclature　of　their　children。　　Every　inn　is　a　house；　and　these　houses　are　generally　named　after　some　hero；　little　known　probably　in　the　world　at　large；　but　highly　estimated　in　that　locality　at　the　moment　of　the　christening。　They　are　always　built　on　a　plan　which　to　a　European　seems　to　be　most　unnecessarily　extravagant　in　space。　　It　is　not　unfrequently　the　case　that　the　greater　portion　of　the　ground　floor　is　occupied　by　rooms　and　halls　which　make　no　return　to　the　house　whatever。　　The　visitor　enters　a　great　hall　by　the　front　door；　and　almost　invariably　finds　it　full　of　men　who　are　idling　about；　sitting　round　on　stationary　seats；　talking　in　a　listless　manner；　and　getting　through　their　time　as　though　the　place　were　a　public　lounging…room。　　And　so　it　is。　　The　chances　are　that　not　half　the　crowd　are　guests　at　the　hotel。　　I　will　now　follow　the　visitor　as　he　makes　his　way　up　to　the　office。　　Every　hotel　has　an　office。　　To　call　this　place　the　bar；　as　I　have　done　too　frequently；　is　a　lamentable　error。　　The　bar　is　held　in　a　separate　room　appropriated　solely　to　drinking。　　To　the　office；　which　is　in　fact　a　long　open　bar；　the　guest　walks　up；　and　there　inscribes　his　name　in　a　book。　　This　inscription　was　to　me　a　moment　of　misery　which　I　could　never　go　through　with　equanimity。　　As　the　name　is　written；　and　as　the　request　for　accommodation　is　made；　half　a　d