"It's my private
sitting-room. Whenever I am on my travels I always take a private
sitting-room. It pays, you know.... Of course I mean if I'm alone.
When I'm looking after Mr. Sachs, of course we share a sitting-room."
Edward Henry agreed lightly:
"I suppose so."
But the fact was that he was much impressed. He himself had never
taken a private sitting-room in any hotel. He had sometimes felt the
desire, but he had not had the "face"--as they say down there--to do
it. To take a private sitting-room in a hotel was generally regarded
in the Five Towns as the very summit of dashing expensiveness and
futile luxury.
"I didn't know they had any private sitting-rooms in this shanty,"
said Edward Henry.
Mr. Bryany, having finished with the fire, fronted him, shovel in
hand, with a remarkable air of consummate wisdom, and replied:
"You can generally get what you want, if you insist on having it, even
in this 'shanty.'"
Edward Henry regretted his use of the word "shanty." Inhabitants of
the Five Towns may allow themselves to twit the historic and excellent
Turk's Head, but they do not extend the privilege to strangers. And in
justice to the Turk's Head it is to be clearly stated that it did no
more to cow and discourage travellers than any other provincial hotel
in England. It was a sound and serious English provincial hotel, and
it linked century to century.
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