[Calais—Friday, 12 August 1859]
Friday the 12th Breakfasted at 10 in the little parlor of Dessin’s Hotel. We were served by old Charles who has been head waiter and most reliable servant here for 40 years. He speaks English very well & his manners are most graceful and unexceptionable. Jamie said “Charles, when is your time for fun?” “Oh Sir, I have no time, my pleasure is in my duty.” We found several books of travel on the table in which he was spoken of in the highest terms both as a man and as a servant. He showed us all these personal testimonials with great pride as an old soldier would show his medals.
There was a large copy of Sterne’s Sentimental Journey on the table. Charles told us it was the grandfather of our host with whom Sterne lodged and whom he mentions. We took the book and went out into the little garden where we might enjoy the fragrance of the flowers and the coolness of the air at the same time that we contemplated the interesting exterior of the old hotel. After reading the chapter on Calais we went in once more to see Sterne’s room. It was Number 31 a quaint place, its shaded front looking directly upon the garden; we delighted to imagine which pieces of this furniture he used and how he would draw the blinds that he might watch his newly acquired friend to greater advantage and then sit down to write his story. There seemed to be still the same “Désobligeant” in the court-yard into which he retired to write his preface. There seemed no end of interest for us in Calais we would have been very happy there much longer and with great advantage to ourselves but time was short and at ½ past 2 we took train to Ghent. Saw mosquitoes and feared trouble but changed our room and slept remarkably.
