Rollo in Paris | Page 8

walked along the deck a short distance
toward the stern, and there they found a door, and a small winding
staircase leading down into the cabin. They descended these stairs, one
before the other, for the space was not wide enough to allow of their
going together; and when they reached the foot of them they found
themselves in a small cabin, with one tier of berths around the sides.
The cabin was not high enough for two. There were berths for about
twenty or thirty passengers. The cabin was very neatly finished; and
there was a row of cushioned seats around it, in front of the berths. In
one corner, by the side of the door where Mr. George and Rollo had
come in, was a small desk, with writing materials upon it. This Rollo
supposed must be the "captain's office."
While Mr. George sat surveying the scene, and mentally comparing this
insignificant boat to the magnificent steamers on the Hudson River, in
America, with their splendid and capacious cabins on three different
decks, their promenade saloons, sometimes one hundred and fifty feet
long, with ranges of elegant state rooms on either hand, and sofas, and
couches, and tête-à-têtes without number, in the middle, his perplexity
increased.
"I do not understand it at all," said he to Rollo. "I thought that there
would at least be as much travelling between London and Paris, the two
greatest cities in the world, as between New York and Albany. And yet
there are half a dozen steamers every day on the North River, carrying
from five hundred to one thousand passengers; while here, on the most
direct and cheapest route between London and Paris, is one single

steamer, that could not possibly carry one hundred passengers, and she
only goes once in two days."
Just then a young man, who seemed to be the clerk of the boat, came
down the cabin stairs, and, seeing Mr. George and Rollo there, he asked
them if they had taken their berths. They said that they had not; but
they immediately proceeded to choose their berths, or rather their
places, for there were no divisions separating the sleeping-places from
each other except what was formed by the cushions. There was a long
cushion for each sleeper, covered with crimson velvet or plush; and a
round cushion, shaped like a bolster, and covered in the same way, for
his head. On these cushions the passengers were expected to lie down
without undressing, placing themselves in a row, head to head, and feet
to feet. Mr. George chose two of these sleeping-places, one for himself,
and the other for Rollo, and the clerk marked them with a ticket.
Our two travellers then went up on deck again, and from the deck they
ascended the plank to the pier. It was now nearly sunset, and it was a
very pleasant evening. They sauntered slowly along the pier, until they
came to a place where some steps led down to the water. There were
several small boats at the foot of the steps, and in one of them was a
man doing something to the rudder. Rollo saw that on the other side of
the water was another long staircase leading down from the bank there,
so as to form a landing-place for small boats at all times of tide. He also
looked up and down the harbor, but he could see no bridge, and so he
supposed that this must be a sort of ferry for the people who wished to
cross from one side to the other.
As soon as the man who was in the boat saw Mr. George and Rollo
standing upon the pier, he rose up in his boat, and touching his hat at
the same time, or rather making a sort of jerk with his hand, which was
meant to represent a touch of the hat, he asked him if he would like to
be rowed across to the other side.
"Why, I don't know," said Mr. George. "What's the ferriage?"
"That's just as the gentleman pleases," said the man, with another jerk
at his hat.

"And how much do they generally please?" said Mr. George. "What's
the common custom?"
"O, gentlemen gives us what they likes," said the man. "We always
leaves it to them entirely."
Mr. George was silent. After a moment's pause, the boatman said
again,--
"Would you like to go, sir? Very nice boat."
"Not on those terms," said Mr. George. "If you will tell me what the
usual ferriage is, I can then tell you whether we wish to go or not."
"Well, sir," replied the man, "gentlemen usually gives us about
twopence apiece."
"Twopence apiece. Very well, we will go."
Mr. George did not wait to ask Rollo whether