Chapter XVII

           ThePalaceHotel,appealingforencouragementmainlytoEnglishandAmericantravellers,celebratedtheopeningofitsdoors,asamatterofcourse,bythegivingofagrandbanquet,andthedeliveryofalongsuccessionofspeeches.

           Delayedonhisjourney,HenryWestwickonlyreachedVeniceintimetojointheguestsovertheircoffeeandcigars.Observingthesplendourofthereceptionrooms,andtakingnoteespeciallyoftheartfulmixtureofcomfortandluxuryinthebedchambers,hebegantosharetheoldnurse’sviewofthefuture,andtocontemplateseriouslythecomingdividendoftenpercent.Thehotelwasbeginningwell,atallevents.Somuchinterestintheenterprisehadbeenaroused,athomeandabroad,byprofuseadvertising,thatthewholeaccommodationofthebuildinghadbeensecuredbytravellersofallnationsfortheopeningnight.Henryonlyobtainedoneofthesmallroomsontheupperfloor,byaluckyaccident—theabsenceofthegentlemanwhohadwrittentoengageit.Hewasquitesatisfied,andwasonhiswaytobed,whenanotheraccidentalteredhisprospectsforthenight,andmovedhimintoanotherandabetterroom.

           Ascendingonhiswaytothehigherregionsasfarasthefirstfloorofthehotel,Henry’sattentionwasattractedbyanangryvoiceprotesting,inastrongNewEnglandaccent,againstoneofthegreatesthardshipsthatcanbeinflictedonacitizenoftheUnitedStates—thehardshipofsendinghimtobedwithoutgasinhisroom.