Fortunately, We
Were The First Arrivals, And The Search Not Being Very Strict, We Were
Not Detained More Than Ten Minutes, Or A Quarter Of An Hour, Which,
Under The Circumstances, Seemed An Age.
The nearest hotel was of course
our place of refuge, and we were fortunate in speedily ending a very
good one, the Hotel des Embassadeurs, an immense establishment,
exceedingly well-conducted in every respect.
Here we enjoyed the prospect
of a night's rest, having, during a hundred and ten hours, only had about
ten, at two different periods, in bed. Refreshed, however, by a change
of dress, we had no inclination to anticipate the period of repose, but
hurried our toilet, in order to join the dinner at the table-d'hote.
Marseilles struck us as being the handsomest and the cleanest town we
had yet seen in France. All the houses are spacious and lofty, built
of white stone, and in good condition, while every portion of the city
is well paved, either after the English fashion, or with brick, quite
even, and inserted in a very tasteful manner. Many of the streets
are extremely wide, and some are adorned with handsome fountains.
The shops are very elegant, and much more decorated than those of any
other place in France; some had paintings upon glass, richly gilded,
on either side of the doors, handsome curtains hung down within, and
the merchandise displayed was of the best description. These shops
were also well lighted, and together with the brilliant illuminations
of the neighbouring cafes, gave the streets a very gay appearance.
We wandered about until rather a late hour; the cafes, both inside
and outside, were crowded with gentlemen; but in the promenades we
saw fewer ladies than we had expected, and came to the conclusion - an
erroneous one in all probability - that French women stay very much at
home.
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