travels through france and italy-第101章

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f　Assissio；　famous　for　the　birth　of　St。　Francis；　　whose　body；　being　here　deposited；　occasions　a　concourse　of　　pilgrims。　We　met　a　Roman　princess　going　thither　with　a　grand　　retinue；　in　consequence　of　a　vow　she　had　made　for　the　re…establishment　　of　her　health。　Foligno；　the　Fulginium　of　the　　antients；　is　a　small　town；　not　unpleasant；　lying　in　the　midst　of　　mulberry　plantations；　vineyards；　and　corn…fields；　and　built　on　　both　sides　of　the　little　river　Topino。　In　choosing　our　beds　at　　the　inn；　I　perceived　one　chamber　locked；　and　desired　it　might　be　　opened；　upon　which　the　cameriere　declared　with　some　reluctance；　　〃Besogna　dire　a　su'　eccellenza；　poco　fa；　che　una　bestia　e　morta　　in　questa　camera；　e　non　e　ancora　lustrata；〃　〃Your　Excellency　must　　know　that　a　filthy　Beast　died　lately　in　that　Chamber；　and　it　is　　not　yet　purified　and　put　in　order。〃　When　I　enquired　what　beast　it　　was；　he　replied；　〃Un'eretico　Inglese；〃　〃An　English　heretic。〃　I　　suppose　he　would　not　have　made　so　free　with　our　country　and　　religion；　if　he　had　not　taken　us　for　German　catholics；　as　we　　afterwards　learned　from　Mr。　Ri。　Next　day；　we　crossed　the　Tyber；　　over　a　handsome　bridge；　and　in　mounting　the　steep　hill　upon　which　　the　city　of　Perugia　stands；　our　horses　being　exhausted；　were　　dragged　backwards　by　the　weight　of　the　carriage　to　the　very　edge　　of　a　precipice；　where；　happily　for　us；　a　man　passing　that　way；　　placed　a　large　stone　behind　one　of　the　wheels；　which　stopped　　their　motion；　otherwise　we　should　have　been　all　dashed　in　pieces。　　We　had　another　ugly　hill　to　ascend　within　the　city；　which　was　　more　difficult　and　dangerous　than　the　other：　but　the　postilions；　　and　the　other　beasts　made　such　efforts；　that　we　mounted　without　　the　least　stop；　to　the　summit；　where　we　found　ourselves　in　a　　large　piazza；　where　the　horses　are　always　changed。　There　being　no　　relays　at　the　post；　we　were　obliged　to　stay　the　whole　day　and　　night　at　Perugia；　which　is　a　considerable　city；　built　upon　the　　acclivity　of　a　hill；　adorned　with　some　elegant　fountains；　and　　several　handsome　churches；　containing　some　valuable　pictures　by　　Guido；　Raphael；　and　his　master　Pietro　Perugino；　who　was　a　native　　of　this　place。　The　next　stage　is　on　the　banks　of　the　lake；　which　　was　the　Thrasimene　of　the　antients；　a　beautiful　piece　of　water；　　above　thirty　miles　in　circumference；　having　three　islands；　　abounding　with　excellent　fish：　upon　a　peninsula　of　it；　there　is　a　　town　and　castle。　It　was　in　this　neighbourhood　where　the　consul　　Flaminius　was　totally　defeated　with　great　slaughter　by　Hannibal。　　From　Perugia　to　Florence；　the　posts　are　all　double；　and　the　road　　is　so　bad　that　we　never　could　travel　above　eight　and　twenty　miles　　a　day。　We　were　often　obliged　to　quit　the　carriage；　and　walk　up　　steep　mountains；　and　the　way　in　general　was　so　unequal　and　stony；　　that　we　were　jolted　even　to　the　danger　of　our　lives。　I　never　felt　　any　sort　of　exercise　or　fatigue　so　intolerable；　and　I　did　not　　fail　to　bestow　an　hundred　benedictions　per　diem　upon　the　banker　　Barazzi；　by　whose　advice　we　had　taken　this　road；　yet　there　was　no　　remedy　but　patience。　If　the　coach　had　not　been　incredibly　strong；　　it　must　have　been　shattered　to　pieces。　The　fifth　night　we　passed　　at　a　place　called　Camoccia；　a　miserable　cabaret；　where　we　were　　fain　to　cook　our　own　supper；　and　lay　in　a　musty　chamber；　which　　had　never　known　a　fire；　and　indeed　had　no　fire…place；　and　where　　we　ran　the　risque　of　being　devoured　by　rats。　Next　day　one　of　the　　irons　of　the　coach　gave　way　at　Arezzo；　where　we　were　detained　two　　hours　before　it　could　be　accommodated。　I　might　have　taken　this　　opportunity　to　view　the　remains　of　the　antient　Etruscan　　amphitheatre。　and　the　temple　of　Hercules；　described　by　the　　cavalier　Lorenzo　Guazzesi；　as　standing　in　the　neighbourhood　of　　this　place：　but　the　blacksmith　assured　me　his　work　would　be　　finished　in　a　few　minutes；　and　as　I　had　nothing　so　much　at　heart　　as　the　speedy　accomplishment　of　this　disagreeable　journey；　I　　chose　to　suppress　my　curiosity；　rather　than　be　the　occasion　of　a　　moment's　delay。　But　all　the　nights　we　had　hitherto　passed　were　　comfortable　in　comparison　to　this；　which　we　suffered　at　a　small　　village；　the　name　of　which　I　do　not　remember。　The　house　was　　dismal　and　dirty　beyond　all　description；　the　bed…cloaths　filthy　　enough　to　turn　the　stomach　of　a　muleteer；　and　the　victuals　cooked　　in　such　a　manner；　that　even　a　Hottentot　could　not　have　beheld　　them　without　loathing。　We　had　sheets　of　our　own；　which　were　　spread　upon　a　mattrass；　and　here　I　took　my　repose　wrapped　in　a　　greatcoat；　if　that　could　be　called　repose　which　was　interrupted　　by　the　innumerable　stings　of　vermin。　In　the　morning；　I　was　seized　　with　a　dangerous　fit　of　hooping…cough；　which　terrified　my　wife；　　alarmed　my　people；　and　brought　the　whole　community　into　the　　house。　I　had　undergone　just　such　another　at　Paris；　about　a　year　　before。　This　forenoon；　one　of　our　coach　wheels　flew　off　in　the　　neighbourhood　of　Ancisa；　a　small　town；　where　we　were　detained　　above　two　hours　by　this　accident；　a　delay　which　was　productive　of　　much　disappointment；　danger；　vexation；　and　fatigue。　There　being　　no　horses　at　the　last　post；　we　were　obliged　to　wait　until　those　　which　brought　us　thither　were　sufficiently　refreshed　to　proceed。　　Understanding　that　all　the　gates　of　Florence　are　shut　at　six；　　except　two　that　are　kept　open　for　the　accommodation　of　　travellers；　and　that　to　reach　the　nearest　of　these　gates；　it　was　　necessary　to　pass　the　river　Arno　in　a　ferry…boat；　which　could　not　　transport　the　carriage；　I　determined　to　send　my　servant　before　　with　a　light　chaise　to　enter　the　nearest　gate　before　it　was　　shut；　and　provide　a　coach　to　come　and　take　us　up　at　the　side　of　　the　river；　where　we　should　be　obliged　to　pass　in　the　boat：　for　I　　could　not　bear　the　thoughts　of　lying　another　night　in　a　common　　cabaret。　Here；　however；　another　difficulty　occurred。　There　was　　but　one　chaise；　and　a　dragoon　officer；　in　the　imperial　troops；　　insisted　upon　his　having　bespoke　it　for　himself　and　his　servant。　　A　long　dispute　ensued；　which　had　like　to　have　produced　a　quarrel：　　but　at　length　I　accommodated　matters；　by　telling　the　officer　that　　he　should　have　a　place　in　it　gratis；　and　his　servant　might　ride　　a…horse…back。　He　accepted　the　offer　without　hesitation；　but；　in　the　mean　　time；　we　set　out　in　the　coach　before　them；　and　having　proceeded　　about　a　couple　of　miles；　the　road　was　so　deep　from　a　heavy　rain；　　and　the　beasts　were　so　fatigued；　that　they　could　not　proceed。　The　　postilions　scourging　the　poor　animals　with　great　barbarity；　they　　made　an　effort；　and　pulled　the　coach　to　the　brink　of　a　precipice；　　or　rather　a　kind　of　hollow…way；　which　might　be　about　seven　or　　eight　feet　lower　than　the　road。　Here　my　wife　and　I　leaped　out；　　and　stood　under　the　rain　up　to　the　ancles　in　mud；　while　the　　postilions　still　exercising　their　whips；　one　of　the　fore…horses　　fairly　tumbled　down　the　descent；　arid　hung　by　the　neck；　so　that　　he　was　almost　strangled　before　he　could　be　disengaged　from　the　　traces；　by　the　assistance　of　some　foot　travellers　that　happened　　to　pass。　While　we　remained　in　this　dilemma；　the　chaise；　with　the　　officer　and　my　servant；　coming　up；　we　exchanged　places；　my　wife　　and　I　proceeded　in　the　chaise；　and　left　them　with　Miss　C　and