vegetation interlaced with vines and flowers of tangled growth, in all making a scene in the short Mexican twilight well worth remembering.
Darkness closed us in from further observations, and at half-past nine we found ourselves comfortably settled in the Hotel de Michoacan. The camarista was both voluble and agreeable, with a hint of officiousness thrown in for good measure. At seven in the morning he entered our rooms without knocking, his hair standing erect upon his pumpkin-shaped head, and without preface or embarrassment stated it was not the custom in that part of the country to eat any desayuno (breakfast) except chocolate or coffee and bread. He evidently thought we looked doubtful as to the truth of his information, as well as of other marvelous things he told us concerning the hotel. To emphasize his statements, he stepped across the room and handed us each a copy of the regulations of the hotel. His face wore a masterly grin and his hair seemed to move back and forth "like quills upon the fretful porcupine," as he pointed exultingly to the literal English translation. He proudly directed our attention to Article XVIII., which read thus:
"In conformity with an order from the police, people coming to take lodgings into this hotel are obliged to let know their names, trades, and countries, as well as the place whence they do come, and those to which they are bound to, so that the whole be inscribed in a book which is kept for that purpose at the hotel office."
Article VII. informed us that:
"In the amount of room rent, the inward room service and the candle for enlightening it at night are only included; whatever other service the lodger may require is to be considered an extra charge, and, of course, paid for separately."
On reading this, I asked him if he did not also furnish matches. He turned his head, disdainfully surveying us from the height of his superior knowledge, as he replied with increasing emphasis and long-drawn intonation: "No señora, en este hotel siempre faltan jabon y cerillos" ("In this hotel we never furnish soap or matches").
Here were the identical words of Pomposo at the San Carlos! The
