These were traits in the
character of an hotel-keeper which cannot be praised too highly, and
which had met their due reward in the custom of the public. But
nevertheless there were those who thought that there was occasionally
ground for complaint in the conduct even of Madame Bauche.
In the first place she was deficient in that pleasant smiling
softness which should belong to any keeper of a house of public
entertainment. In her general mode of life she was stern and silent
with her guests, autocratic, authoritative and sometimes
contradictory in her house, and altogether irrational and
unconciliatory when any change even for a day was proposed to her, or
when any shadow of a complaint reached her ears.
Indeed of complaint, as made against the establishment, she was
altogether intolerant. To such she had but one answer. He or she
who complained might leave the place at a moment's notice if it so
pleased them. There were always others ready to take their places.
The power of making this answer came to her from the lowness of her
prices; and it was a power which was very dear to her.
The baths were taken at different hours according to medical advice,
but the usual time was from five to seven in the morning.
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