第13部分(第5/7 頁)

the　tip　be　thought　insufficient；　a　sneer　or　a　muttered　insult　speeds　you　on　your　way。　One　inn　I　remember；　where；　having　to　go　in　and　out　two　or　three　times　in　a　morning；　I　always　found　the　front　door　blocked　by　the　portly　forms　of　two　women；　the　landlady　and　the　barmaid；　who　stood　there　chatting　and　surveying　the　street。　ing　from　within　the　house；　I　had　to　call　out　a　request　for　passage；　it　was　granted　with　all　deliberation；　and　with　not　a　syllable　of　apology。　This　was　the　best　〃hotel〃　in　a　Sussex　market　town。

And　the　food。　Here；　beyond　doubt；　there　is　grave　degeneracy。　It　is　impossible　to　suppose　that　the　old　travellers　by　coach　were　contented　with　entertainment　such　as　one　gets　nowadays　at　the　table　of　a　country　hotel。　The　cooking　is　wont　to　be　eat　and　vegetables　worse　than　mediocre。　What！　Shall　one　ask　in　vain　at　an　English　inn　for　an　honest　chop　or　steak？　Again　and　again　has　my　appetite　been　frustrated　with　an　offer　of　mere　sinew　and　scrag。　At　a　hotel　where　the　charge　for　lunch　was　five　shillings；　I　have　been　sickened　with　pulpy　potatoes　and　stringy　cabbage。　The　very　joint……ribs　or　sirloin；　leg　or　shoulder……is　monly　a　poor；　underfed；　sapless　thing；　scorched　in　an　oven；　and　as　for　the　round　of　beef；　it　has　as　good　as　disappeared……probably　because　it　asks　too　much　skill　in　the　salting。　Then　again　one's　breakfast　bacon；　what　intolerable　stuff；　smelling　of　saltpetre；　has　been　set　before　me　when　I　paid　the　price　of　the　best　smoked　Wiltshire！　It　would　be　mere　indulgence　of　the　spirit　of　grumbling　to　talk　about　poisonous　tea　and　washy　coffee；　every　one　knows　that　these　drinks　cannot　be　had　at　public　tables；　but　what　if　there　be　real　reason　for　discontent　with　one's　pint　of　ale？　Often；　still；　that　draught　from　the　local　brewery　is　sound　and　invigorating；　but　there　ar