red, Mr. George put a
few coppers into the hand of the man at the door, and said to him,

"Hotel Belview."[4]

[Footnote 4: In French, _Hotel Belle Vue_; but Mr. George gave it the
English pronunciation, because the pronunciation of words in Holland is
much more like the English than like the French.]

"HOTEL BELVIEW!" shouted the man to the coachman. On hearing this
command the coachman drove on.

The road that led into the town lay along the banks of a canal, and
after going about half a mile in this direction, the horses turned and
went over a bridge. They were now in the heart of the town, but the
party could not see much, for the night was coming on and the sky was
cloudy. It was cold, too, and Mrs. Parkman wished to have the windows
closed. The carriage went along a narrow street, crossing bridges
occasionally, until at length it came to a region of palaces, and parks,
and grounds beautifully ornamented. Finally it stopped before a large
and very handsome hotel. The hotel stood in a street which had large and
beautiful houses and gardens on one side, and an open park, with deer
feeding on the borders of a canal, on the other.

Two or three very nicely dressed servants came out when the carriage
stopped, and opened the door of it in a very assiduous and deferential
manner.

"Wait here in the carriage," said Mr. George, "till I come."

So saying, he himself descended from the carriage, and went into the
house, followed by two of the waiters that had come to the door.

In about two minutes he came out again.

"Yes," said he to Mrs. Parkman, "I think you will like the rooms."

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,