第11章

TheyknewnoneofthehotelsinRochester，andtheyhadchosenacertainoneinrelianceupontheirhandbook。Whentheynamedit，theresteppedforthaporterofanincrediblycordialandpleasantcountenance，whotooktheirtravelling-bags，andledthemtotheomnibus。Astheywerehisonlypassengers，theportergotinsidewiththem，andseeingtheirinterestinthestreetsthroughwhichtheyrode，hedescantedinastrainofcheerfulprideuponthecity’sprosperityandcharacter，andgavethenamesofthepeoplewholivedinthefinerhouses，justasifithadbeenanOld-Worldtown，andhesomeeagerhistorianexpectingrewardforhiscommentuponit。HecastquiteaglamouroverRochester，sothatinpassingabodyofwater，borderedbyhouses，andoverlookedbyoddbalconiesandgalleries，andcrossedinthedistancebyabridgeuponwhichotherhouseswerebuilt，theyboldlydeclared，beingattheirwit’sendforacomparison，andtakenwiththeunhoped-forpicturesqueness，thatitputtheminmindofVerona。Thustheyreachedtheirhotelinalmostaspiritofforeigntravel，andverywillingtoverifythepleasantporter’sassurancethattheywouldlikeit，foreverybodylikedit；anditwaswithasuddensinkingoftheheartthatBasilbeheldpresidingovertheregistertheconventionalAmericanhotelclerk。Hewasyoung，hehadaneatmustacheandwell-brushedhair；jeweledstudssparkledinhisshirt-front，andringsonhiswhitehands；agentledisdainofthetravellingpublicbreathedfromhispersoninthemysticalodorsofIhlangihlang。Hedidnotlifthishaughtyheadtolookatthewayfarerwhomeeklywrotehisnameintheregister；bedidnotanswerhimwhenhebeggedforacoolroom；heturnedtotheboardonwhichthekeyshung，and，pluckingonefromit，slidittowardsBasilonthemarblecounter，touchedabellforacall-boy，whistledabarofOffenbach，andashewrotethenumberoftheroomagainstBasil’sname，saidtoafriendloungingnearhim，asifresumingaconversation，“Well，she’samightypootygul，anyway，Chawley！“

WhenIreflectthatthiswasatypeofthehotelclerkthroughouttheUnitedStates，thatbehindunnumberedregistersatthismomentheissnubbingtravellersintothedust，andthattheyaresufferingandperpetuatinghim，Iamlostinwonderatthenationalmeekness。NotthatIamonetorefusethehumblepiehisjeweledfingersofferme。AbjectlyItakemykey，andcreepoffupstairsafterthecall-boy，andtrytogivemyselfthegenteelairofonewhohasnotbeensteppedupon。ButI

thinkhomicidalthingsallthesame，andIrejoicethatinthesafetyofprintIcancryoutagainstthedespot，whomIhavenotthepresencetodefy。“Youvulgarandcruellittlesoul，“Isay，andIimaginemyselfbreathingthewordstohisteeth，“whydoyoutreatawearystrangerwiththisignominy？IamtopaywellforwhatIget，andIshallnotcomplainofthat。Butlookatme，andownmyhumanity；confessbysomecivilaction，bysomedecentphrase，thatIhaverightsandthattheyshallberespected。Answermyproperquestions；respondtomyfairdemands。Donotslidemykeyatme；donotdenymethepoorpolitenessofanodasyougiveitinmyhand。Iamnotyourequal；fewmenare；butIshallnotpresumeuponyourclemency。Come，Ialsoamhuman！“

Basilfoundthat，forhissininaskingforacoolroom，theclerkhadgiventhemachamberintowhichthesunhadbeenshiningthewholeafternoon；butwhenhisluggagehadbeenputinitseemeduselesstoprotest，andlikeatrueAmerican，likeyou，likeme，heshrankfromassertinghimself。Whenthesunwentdownitwouldbecoolenough；andtheyturnedtheirthoughtstosupper，notventuringtohopethat，asitproved，thehandsomeclerkwasthesoleblemishofthehouse。

IsabelviewedwithinnocentsurprisetheevidencesofluxuryaffordedbyalltheappointmentsofahotelsofarwestofBoston，andtheybothbegantofeelthatnaturaleaseandsuperioritywhichaninnalwaysinspiresinitsguests，andwhichourgreathotels，farfromimpairing，enhanceinflatteringdegree；infact，theclerkonceforgotten，I

protest，formyownpart，Iamnevermoreconsciousofmymeritsandrichesinanyotherplace。Onehastheretheromanceofbeingastrangerandamysterytoeveryoneelse，andlivesinthealluringpossibilityofnotbeingfoundoutamostordinaryperson。

Theyweresolateincomingtothesupper-room，thattheyfoundthemselvesaloneinit。Atthedoortheyhadabowfromthehead-waiter，whoranbeforethemanddrewoutchairsforthematatable，andsignaledwaiterstoservethem，firstlayingbeforethemwithagraciousflourishthebilloffare。

Aforceofservantsflockedaboutthem，asiftocontestthehonoroforderingtheirsupper；onesetuponthetableaheapingvaseofstrawberries，anotherflankeditwithflagonsofcream，athirdaccompanieditwithGatesofvariedflavoranddevice；afourthobsequiouslysmoothedthetable-cloth；afifth，theyoungestofthefive，withfoldedarmsstoodbyandadmiredthesatisfactiontherestweregiving。Whenthesehadbeendispatchedforsteak，forbroiledwhite-fishofthelakes，——noblestanddelicatestofthefishthatswim，——forbroiledchicken，forfriedpotatoes，formums，forwhateverthelawlessfancy，andraveningappetitesofthewayfarerscouldsuggest，thisfifthwaiterremainedtotemptthemtofurtherexcess，andvainlyproposedsomekindofeggs，——friedeggs，poachedeggs，scrambledeggs，boiledeggs，oromelette。

“O，you’resure，dearest，thatthisisn’tavisionoffairy-land，whichwillvanishpresently，andleaveusemptyandforlorn？“plaintivelymurmuredIsabel，asthemenialtrainreappeared，bearingthesuppertheyhadorderedandsetitsmokingdown。

Suddenlyalookofapprehensiondawneduponherface，andsheletfallherknifeandfork。“Youdon’tthink，Basil，“shefaltered，“thattheycouldhavefoundoutwe’reabridalparty，andthatthey’reservingussomagnificentlybecause——because——O，Ishallbemiserableeverymomentwe’rehere！“sheconcludeddesperately。

Shelooked，indeed，extremelywretchedforawomanwithsomuchbroiledwhite-fishonherplate，andsuchabanquetarrayabouther；andherhusbandmadehastetoreassureher。“You’restilldemoralized，Isabel，byoursufferingsattheAlbanydepot，andyouexaggeratetheblessingsweenjoy，thoughIshouldbesorrytoundervaluethem。Isuspectit’sthecustomtousepeoplewellatthishotel；orifwearesingledoutforuncommonfavor，Ithink:Icanexplainthecause。IthasbeendiscoveredbytheregisterthatwearefromBoston，andwearemerelymeetingthereverence，affection，andhomagewhichthenameeverywherecommands！

“It’sourfortunetorepresentforthetimebeingtheintellectualandmoralvirtueofBoston。Thissupperisnotatributetoyouasabride，butasaBostonian。“

Itwasacheapkindofraillery，tobesure，butitserved。ItkindledthelocalprideofIsabeltoself-defense，andinthedistractionoftheeffortsheforgotherfears；shereturnedwithrenewedappetitetothesupper，andinitsexcellencetheybothletfalltheirdispute，——whichended，ofcourse，inBasil’sabjectconfessionthatBostonwasthebestplaceintheworld，andnothingbutbanishmentcouldmakehimliveelsewhere，——andgavethemselvesup，asusual，tothedelightofbeingjustwhatandwheretheywere。Atlast，thenaturalcoursebroughtthemtothestrawberries，andwhenthefifthwaiterapproachedfromthecornerofthetableatwhichhestood，toplacethevasenearthem，hedidnotretireatonce，butpresentlyaskediftheywerefromtheWest。

Isabelsmiled，andBasilansweredthattheywerefromtheEast。

Hefalteredatthis，asifdoubtfuloftheresultifhewentfurther，buttookheart，then，andasked，“Don’tyouthinkthisisaprettynicehotel“——hastilyaddingasaconcessionoftheprobableexistenceofmuchfinerthingsattheEast——“forasmallhotel？“

Theyimaginedthiswaiterasnewtohisstationinlife，asperhapsjustrisentoitfromsomecountrytavern，andunabletorepresshisexultationinwhatseemedtheirsympatheticpresence。Theywerecharmedtohaveinvitedhisguilelessconfidence，tohaveevokedpossiblyallthesimplepoetryofhissoul；itwaswhatmighthavehappenedinItaly，onlytheresomuchnaivetewouldhavemeantmoney；theylookedateachotherwithrapture。andBasilansweredwarmlywhilethewaiterflushedasatapersonalcompliment:“Yes，it’sanicehotel；oneofthebestIeversaw，EastorWest，inEuropeorAmerica。“

Theyroseandlefttheroom，andwerebowedoutbythehead-waiter。

“Howperfectlyidyllic！“criedIsabel。“IsthisRochester，NewYork，orisitsomevaleofArcady？Let’sgooutandsee。“

Theywalkedoutintothemoonlitcity，upanddownstreetsthatseemedverystatelyandfine，amidstaglitterofshop-windowlights；andthen，Lessoftheirownmotionthanofmereerror，theyquittedthebusinessquarter，andfoundthemselvesinaquietavenueofhandsomeresidences，——

theBeaconStreetofRochester，whateveritwascalled。Theysaiditwasanightandaplaceforlovers，fornonebutlovers，forloversnewlyplighted，andtheymadebelievetobemoanthemselvesthat，holdeachotherdearastheywould，theexaltation，thethrill，thegloryoftheiryoungerlovewasgone。Someofthehouseshadgardenedspacesaboutthem，fromwhichstole，likebreathsofsweetestandsaddestregret，theperfumeofmidsummerflowers，——thedespairoftheroseforthebud。Astheypassedacertainhouse，asongflutteredoutoftheopenwindowandceased，thepianowarbledatthefinalrushoffingersoveritschords，andtheysawherwithherfingersrestinglightlyonthekeys，andhergracefulheadliftedtolookintohis；theysawhimwithhisarmyetstretchedacrosstotheleavesofmusichehadbeenturning，andhisfaceloweredtomeethergaze。

“Ah，Basil，Iwishitwaswe，there！“

Andiftheyknewthatwe，onourweddingjourney，stoodoutside，wouldnottheywishitwasthey，here？“

“Isupposeso，dearest，andyet，once-upon-a-timewassweet。Passon；

andletusseewhatcharmweshallfindnextinthisenchantedcity。“

“Yes，itisanenchantedcitytous，“musedBasil，aloud，astheywanderedon，“andallstrangecitiesareenchanted。WhatisRochestertotheRochesterese？Aplaceofahundredthousandpeople，aswereadinourguide，animmenseflourinterest，agreatrailroadentrepot，anunrivalednurserytrade，auniversity，twocommercialcolleges，threecollegiateinstitutes，eightortennewspapers，andafreelibrary。I

daresayanyrespectableresidentwouldlaughatussentimentalizingoverhiscity。ButRochesterisforus，whodon’tknowitatall，acityofanytimeorcountry，moonlit，filledwithlovershoveringoverpiano-

fortes，ofapalatialhotelwithpastoralwaitersandporter，——acityofhandsomestreetswraptinbeautifulquietanddreamingofthegoldenage。

TheonlydefiniteassociationwithitinourmindsisthetragicallyromanticthoughtthathereSamPatchmethisfate。“

“AndwhointheworldwasSamPatch？