the uncommercial traveller-第85部分

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so　that　every　one　may　frequent　it　with　a　feeling　of　perfect

independence。



The　assistance　of　all　frequenting　the　Depot　is　confidently　expected

in　checking　anything　interfering　with　the　comfort；　quiet；　and

regularity　of　the　establishment。



Please　do　not　destroy　this　Hand　Bill；　but　hand　it　to　some　other

person　whom　it　may　interest。





The　Self…Supporting　Cooking　Depot　（not　a　very　good　name；　and　one

would　rather　give　it　an　English　one）　had　hired　a　newly…built

warehouse　that　it　found　to　let；　therefore　it　was　not　established　in

premises　specially　designed　for　the　purpose。　　But；　at　a　small　cost

they　were　exceedingly　well　adapted　to　the　purpose：　　being　light；

well　ventilated；　clean；　and　cheerful。　　They　consisted　of　three

large　rooms。　　That　on　the　basement　story　was　the　kitchen；　that　on

the　ground　floor　was　the　general　dining…room；　that　on　the　floor

above　was　the　Upper　Room　referred　to　in　the　hand…bill；　where　the

Public　Dinner　at　fourpence…halfpenny　a　head　was　provided　every　day。

The　cooking　was　done；　with　much　economy　of　space　and　fuel；　by

American　cooking…stoves；　and　by　young　women　not　previously；　brought

up　as　cooks；　the　walls　and　pillars　of　the　two　dining…rooms　were

agreeably　brightened　with　ornamental　colours；　the　tables　were

capable　of　accommodating　six　or　eight　persons　each；　the　attendants

were　all　young　women；　becomingly　and　neatly　dressed；　and　dressed

alike。　　I　think　the　whole　staff　was　female；　with　the　exception　of

the　steward　or　manager。



My　first　inquiries　were　directed　to　the　wages　of　this　staff；

because；　if　any　establishment　claiming　to　be　self…supporting；　live

upon　the　spoliation　of　anybody　or　anything；　or　eke　out　a　feeble

existence　by　poor　mouths　and　beggarly　resources　（as　too　many　so…

called　Mechanics'　Institutions　do）；　I　make　bold　to　express　my

Uncommercial　opinion　that　it　has　no　business　to　live；　and　had

better　die。　　It　was　made　clear　to　me　by　the　account　books；　that

every　person　employed　was　properly　paid。　　My　next　inquiries　were

directed　to　the　quality　of　the　provisions　purchased；　and　to　the

terms　on　which　they　were　bought。　　It　was　made　equally　clear　to　me

that　the　quality　was　the　very　best；　and　that　all　bills　were　paid

weekly。　　My　next　inquiries　were　directed　to　the　balance…sheet　for

the　last　two　weeks　…　only　the　third　and　fourth　of　the

establishment's　career。　　It　was　made　equally　clear　to　me；　that

after　everything　bought　was　paid　for；　and　after　each　week　was

charged　with　its　full　share　of　wages；　rent　and　taxes；　depreciation

of　plant　in　use；　and　interest　on　capital　at　the　rate　of　four　per

cent。　per　annum；　the　last　week　had　yielded　a　profit　of　（in　round

numbers）　one　pound　ten；　and　the　previous　week　a　profit　of　six

pounds　ten。　　By　this　time　I　felt　that　I　had　a　healthy　appetite　for

the　dinners。



It　had　just　struck　twelve；　and　a　quick　succession　of　faces　had

already　begun　to　appear　at　a　little　window　in　the　wall　of　the

partitioned　space　where　I　sat　looking　over　the　books。　　Within　this

little　window；　like　a　pay…box　at　a　theatre；　a　neat　and　brisk　young

woman　presided　to　take　money　and　issue　tickets。　　Every　one　coming

in　must　take　a　ticket。　　Either　the　fourpence…halfpenny　ticket　for

the　upper　room　（the　most　popular　ticket；　I　think）；　or　a　penny

ticket　for　a　bowl　of　soup；　or　as　many　penny　tickets　as　he　or　she

choose　to　buy。　　For　three　penny　tickets　one　had　quite　a　wide　range

of　choice。　　A　plate　of　cold　boiled　beef　and　potatoes；　or　a　plate　of

cold　ham　and　potatoes；　or　a　plate　of　hot　minced　beef　and　potatoes；

or　a　bowl　of　soup；　bread　and　cheese；　and　a　plate　of　plum…pudding。

Touching　what　they　should　have；　some　customers　on　taking　their

seats　fell　into　a　reverie　…　became　mildly　distracted　…　postponed

decision；　and　said　in　bewilderment；　they　would　think　of　it。　　One

old　man　I　noticed　when　I　sat　among　the　tables　in　the　lower　room；

who　was　startled　by　the　bill　of　fare；　and　sat　contemplating　it　as

if　it　were　something　of　a　ghostly　nature。　　The　decision　of　the　boys

was　as　rapid　as　their　execution；　and　always　included　pudding。



There　were　several　women　among　the　diners；　and　several　clerks　and

shopmen。　　There　were　carpenters　and　painters　from　the　neighbouring

buildings　under　repair；　and　there　were　nautical　men；　and　there

were；　as　one　diner　observed　to　me；　'some　of　most　sorts。'　　Some　were

solitary；　some　came　two　together；　some　dined　in　parties　of　three　or

four；　or　six。　　The　latter　talked　together；　but　assuredly　no　one　was

louder　than　at　my　club　in　Pall…Mall。　　One　young　fellow　whistled　in

rather　a　shrill　manner　while　he　waited　for　his　dinner；　but　I　was

gratified　to　observe　that　he　did　so　in　evident　defiance　of　my

Uncommercial　individuality。　　Quite　agreeing　with　him；　on

consideration；　that　I　had　no　business　to　be　there；　unless　I　dined

like　the　rest；　'I　went　in；'　as　the　phrase　is；　for　fourpence…

halfpenny。



The　room　of　the　fourpence…halfpenny　banquet　had；　like　the　lower

room；　a　counter　in　it；　on　which　were　ranged　a　great　number　of　cold

portions　ready　for　distribution。　　Behind　this　counter；　the　fragrant

soup　was　steaming　in　deep　cans；　and　the　best…cooked　of　potatoes

were　fished　out　of　similar　receptacles。　　Nothing　to　eat　was　touched

with　his　hand。　　Every　waitress　had　her　own　tables　to　attend　to。　　As

soon　as　she　saw　a　new　customer　seat　himself　at　one　of　her　tables；

she　took　from　the　counter　all　his　dinner　…　his　soup；　potatoes；

meat；　and　pudding　…　piled　it　up　dexterously　in　her　two　hands；　set

it　before　him；　and　took　his　ticket。　　This　serving　of　the　whole

dinner　at　once；　had　been　found　greatly　to　simplify　the　business　of

attendance；　and　was　also　popular　with　the　customers：　　who　were　thus

enabled　to　vary　the　meal　by　varying　the　routine　of　dishes：

beginning　with　soup…to…day；　putting　soup　in　the　middle　to…morrow；

putting　soup　at　the　end　the　day　after　to…morrow；　and　ringing

similar　changes　on　meat　and　pudding。　　The　rapidity　with　which　every

new…comer　got　served；　was　remarkable；　and　the　dexterity　with　which

the　waitresses　（quite　new　to　the　art　a　month　before）　discharged

their　duty；　was　as　agreeable　to　see；　as　the　neat　smartness　with

which　they　wore　their　dress　and　had　dressed　their　hair。



If　I　seldom　saw　better　waiting；　so　I　certainly　never　ate　better

meat；　potatoes；　or　pudding。　　And　the　soup　was　an　honest　and　stout

soup；　with　rice　and　barley　in　it；　and　'little　matters　for　the　teeth

to　touch；'　as　had　been　observed　to　me　by　my　friend　below　stairs

already　quoted。　　The　dinner…service；　too；　was　neither　conspicuously

hideous　for　High　Art　nor　for　Low　Art；　but　was　of　a　pleasant　and

pure　appearance。　　Concerning　the　viands　and　their　cookery；　one　last

remark。　　I　dined　at　my　club　in　Pall…Mall　aforesaid；　a　few　days

afterwards；　for　exactly　twelve　times　the　money；　and　not　half　as

well。



The　company　thickened　after　one　o'clock　struck；　and　changed　pretty

quickly。　　Although　experience　of　the　place　had　been　so　recently

attainable；　and　although　there　was　still　considerable　curiosity　out

in　the　street　and　about