ssie was astonishingly high; nor were we alone in this
experience, our fellow-travellers averring that it was quite necessary
"to cut down your hotel bill, and not to pay quite all that was
demanded, as you were always overcharged," and we all remembered what
the "Innocents Abroad" had to say on the subject. As far as I have seen
of Italian travel, it is a system of "spoiling the Englishman," whenever
there is a chance, and the traveller might save himself the trouble of
ever taking his hand out of his pocket. As a specimen, we were actually
charged a franc each for four small mutton cutlets, and three francs
(_2s. 6d._) for a cauliflower! Of course I complained, and got one or
two francs knocked off. I believe most of the landlords are fully
prepared to reduce their bills, but Englishmen as a rule pay the
exorbitant prices charged, contenting themselves with a hearty growl at
the same on departure. I told the landlord plainly myself, that the
English seldom objected to pay liberally, but hated extortion. The
charge of two francs a day for attendance is a snare and a delusion, for
it is well known that this does not in the least exonerate one from
feeing the waiter, chambermaid, porter, boots, and even the omnibus
tout. It is a system of blackmail throughout, and I think something
should be done to abolish it, for it is undoubtedly one of the greatest
drawbacks to foreign travel. At present there seems a private
understanding among the servants, that one and all are to establish
some sort of claim on you, thus:--you ring--the chambermaid appears; you
ask for candles--she withdraws and sends the sommelier with them; and
every trifling duty is performed by a different personage, instead of
one servant taking the entire attendance, to whom you might feel some
satisfaction in giving a remuneration. I think that, under the present
_regime_ there is little doubt that the visitors pay the servants wages
rather than the landlord, and therefore the item of "attendance" charged
in the hotel bill is simply a fraud.

Then, at the railway stations you have a regular chain of porters for
your luggage, as formidable as the array of officials who receive and
show you into your hotel, one and all expecting a fee for the service of
_welcome_ (?) they have rendered. Hence, it is far cheaper to travel by
Cook's Tickets; and if you decide to remain a week or longer at a place,
it is a good plan to select a _pension_, where you will be charge