So saying, he helped Mrs. Parkman out of the carriage, and gave her his arm to conduct her into the house. At the same time he said to one of the waiters,-
"See that every thing is taken out of the carriage, and pay the coachman."
"Very well, sir," said the waiter.
Mr. George led Mrs. Parkman up a broad and handsome staircase. He was preceded by one waiter and followed by two others. These waiters had taken every thing from the hands of the party, especially from Mrs. Parkman, so that they were loaded with bags, cloaks, and umbrellas, while the travellers themselves had nothing to carry.
At the head of the staircase the waiter, who was in advance, opened a door which led to a large drawing room or parlor, which was very handsomely decorated and furnished. The windows were large, and they looked out upon a handsome garden, though it was now too dark to see it very distinctly.
As Mrs. Parkman turned round again, after trying to look out at the window, she saw a second waiter coming into the room, bringing with him two tall wax candles in silver candlesticks. The candles had just been lighted. The waiter placed them on the table, and then retired.
"And now," said Mr. George to the other waiter, "we want a good fire made here, and then let us have dinner as soon as you can."
[Illustration: THE DINNER.]
"Very well, sir," replied the waiter; and so saying he bowed respectfully and retired.
A neatly-dressed young woman, in a very picturesque and pretty cap, had come into the room with the party, and while Mr. George had been ordering the fire and the dinner, she had shown Mrs. Parkman to her bedroom, which was a beautiful and richly furnished room with two single beds in it, opening out of the parlor. On the other side of the parlor was another bedroom, also with two beds in it, for Mr. George and Rollo.[5]
[Footnote 5: Almost all the bedrooms in the hotels on the continent of Europe are furnished thus with two single beds, instead of one double one. It is the custom for every body to sleep alone.]
Mr. and Mrs. Parkman remained in their room for a time, and when they came out they found the table set for dinner, and a very pleasant fire burning in the grate.
"Mr. George," said she, "I wish we had you to make arrangements for us all the time."
"It would be a very pleasant duty," said Mr. George. "You are so easily satisfied."
Mrs. Parkman seemed much pleased with this compliment. She did not for a moment doubt that she fully deserved it.
About eight o'clock that evening, Mr. George asked Mrs. Parkman at what time she would like to have breakfast the next morning.
"At any time you please," said she; "that is, if it is not too early."
"How would half past nine do?" asked Mr. George.
"I think that will do very well," said Mrs. Parkman.
"We will say ten, if you prefer," said Mr. George.
"O, no," said she, "half past nine will do very well."
So Mr. George rang the bell, and when the waiter came, he ordered a sumptuous breakfast, consisting of beefsteaks, hot rolls, coffee, omelet, and every thing else that he could think of that was good, and directed the waiter to have it ready at half past nine.
"I shall also want a carriage and a pair of horses to-morrow," continued Mr. George, "and a commissioner."
"Very well, sir," said the waiter; "and what time shall you wish for the carriage?"
"What time, Mrs. Parkman?" repeated Mr. George, turning to the lady. "Shall you be ready by half past ten to go out and see the town?"
"Yes," said Mrs. Parkman, "that will be a very good time."
"Very well, sir," said the waiter; and he bowed and retired.
The next morning, when the different members of the party came out into the breakfast room, they found the table set for breakfast. At half past nine all were ready except Mrs. Parkman. She sent word by her husband that she would come out in a few minutes.
"There is no hurry," said Mr. George. "It will be time enough to have breakfast when she comes."
In about fifteen minutes she came. Mr. George asked her very politely how she had spent the night; and after she had sat a few minutes talking by the fire, he said that they would have breakfast whenever she wished.
"Yes," said she, "I am ready any time. Indeed, I was afraid that I should be late, and keep you waiting. I am very glad that I am in season."
So Mr. George rang the bell; when the waiter came, he ordered breakfast to be brought up.
While the party were at breakfast, a very nicely-dressed waiter, with a white napkin over his arm, stood behind Mrs. Parkman's chair, and evinced a great deal of alertness and alacrity in offering her every thing that she required. When the breakfast was nearly finished, Mr. George turned to him and said,-
"Is the commissioner ready, John, who is to go with us to-day?"
"Yes, sir," said the waiter.
"I wish you to go down and send him up," said Mr. George.
So the waiter went down stairs to find the commissioner, and while he was gone Mr. George took out a pencil and paper from his pocket.
"I am going to ask him," said Mr. George to Mrs. Parkman, "what there is to be seen here, and to make a list of the places; and then we will go and see them all, or you can make a selection, just as you please."
"Very well," said Mrs. Parkman. "I should like that."
Accordingly, when the commissioner came in, Mr. George asked him to name, in succession, the various objects of interest usually visited by travellers coming to the Hague; and as he named them, Mr. George questioned him respecting them, so as to enable Mrs. Parkman to obtain a somewhat definite idea of what they were. The commissioner enumerated a variety of places to be seen, such as the public museum of painting, several private museums, the old palace, the new palace, two or three churches, the town hall, and various other sights which tourists, arriving at the Hague, usually like to view. Mr. George made a list of all these, and opposite to each he marked the time which the commissioner said would be required to see it well. After completing this list, he said,-
"And there is a great watering place on the sea shore, not far from this, I believe."
"Yes, sir," said the commissioner, "about three miles."
"Is it a pleasant ride there?" asked Mr. George.
"Yes, sir," replied the commissioner. "It is a very pleasant ride. You can go one way and return another. It is a very fashionable place. The queen and the princesses go there every summer."
"Very well; it takes about two hours and a half, I suppose, to go there and return," said Mr. George.
"Yes, sir," said the commissioner.
"Very well," said Mr. George. "Have the carriage ready in--Shall we say half an hour, Mrs. Parkman? Shall you be ready in half an hour?"
Mrs. Parkman said that she should be ready in half an hour, and so Mr. George appointed that time, and then the commissioner went away.
Mr. George added up all the periods of time that the commissioner had said would be required for the several sights, and found that there would be time for them to see the whole, and yet be ready for the afternoon train for Amsterdam, where Mr. and Mrs. Parkman were going next. So Mrs. Parkman concluded not to omit any from the list, but to go and see the whole.
In half an hour the carriage was at the door, and in ten or fifteen minutes afterwards Mrs. Parkman was ready. Just before they went, Mr. George rang the bell again, and called for the bill, requesting the waiter to see that every thing was charged-carriage, servants, commissioner, and all. When it came, Mr. Parkman took out his purse, expecting to pay it himself, but Mr. George took out his purse too.
"The amount," said Mr. George, looking at the footing of the bill, "is forty-five guilders and some cents. Your share is, say twenty-two guilders and a half."
"No, indeed," said Mr. Parkman. "My share is the exact footing of the bill. You have nothing to do with this payment."
"Yes," said Mr. George. "I have just one half to pay for Rollo and me. We are four in all, and Rollo and I are two."