travels through france and italy-第102章

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ming　up；　we　exchanged　places；　my　wife　　and　I　proceeded　in　the　chaise；　and　left　them　with　Miss　C　and　Mr。　　R；　to　follow　in　the　coach。　The　road　from　hence　to　Florence　is　　nothing　but　a　succession　of　steep　mountains；　paved　and　conducted　　in　such　a　manner；　that　one　would　imagine　the　design　had　been　to　　render　it　impracticable　by　any　sort　of　wheel…carriage。　　Notwithstanding　all　our　endeavours；　I　found　it　would　be　　impossible　to　enter　Florence　before　the　gates　were　shut。　I　　flattered　and　threatened　the　driver　by　turns：　but　the　fellow；　who　　had　been　remarkably　civil　at　first；　grew　sullen　and　impertinent。　　He　told　me　I　must　not　think　of　reaching　Florence：　that　the　boat　　would　not　take　the　carriage　on　board；　and　that　from　the　other　　side；　I　must　walk　five　miles　before　I　should　reach　the　gate　that　　was　open：　but　he　would　carry　me　to　an　excellent　osteria；　where　I　　should　be　entertained　and　lodged　like　a　prince。　I　was　now　　convinced　that　he　had　lingered　on　purpose　to　serve　this　inn…keeper；　　and　I　took　it　for　granted　that　what　he　told　me　of　the　　distance　between　the　ferry　and　the　gate　was　a　lie。　It　was　eight　　o'clock　when　we　arrived　at　his　inn。　I　alighted　with　my　wife　to　　view　the　chambers；　desiring　he　would　not　put　up　his　horses。　　Finding　it　was　a　villainous　house；　we　came　forth；　and；　by　this　　time；　the　horses　were　put　up。　I　asked　the　fellow　how　he　durst　　presume　to　contradict　my　orders；　and　commanded　him　to　put　them　to　　the　chaise。　He　asked　in　his　turn　if　I　was　mad？　If　I　thought　I　and　　the　lady　had　strength　and　courage　enough　to　walk　five　miles　in　　the　dark；　through　a　road　which　we　did　not　know；　and　which　was　　broke　up　by　a　continued　rain　of　two　days？　I　told　him　he　was　an　　impertinent　rascal；　and　as　he　still　hesitated；　I　collared　him　　with　one　hand；　and　shook　my　cane　over　his　head　with　the　other。　It　　was　the　only　weapon　I　had；　either　offensive　or　defensive；　for　I　　had　left　my　sword；　and　musquetoon　in　the　coach。　At　length　the　　fellow　obeyed；　though　with　great　reluctance；　cracking　many　severe　　jokes　upon　us　in　the　mean　time；　and　being　joined　in　his　raillery　　by　the　inn…keeper；　who　had　all　the　external　marks　of　a　ruffian。　　The　house　stood　in　a　solitary　situation；　and　not　a　soul　appeared　　but　these　two　miscreants；　so　that　they　might　have　murdered　us　　without　fear　of　detection。　〃You　do　not　like　the　apartments？　（said　　one）　to　be　sure　they　were　not　fitted　up　for　persons　of　your　rank　　and　quality！〃　〃You　will　be　glad　of　a　worse　chamber；　（continued　　the　other）　before　you　get　to　bed。〃　〃If　you　walk　to　Florence　　tonight；　you　will　sleep　so　sound；　that　the　fleas　will　not　disturb　　you。〃　〃Take　care　you　do　not　take　up　your　night's　lodging　in　the　　middle　of　the　road；　or　in　the　ditch　of　the　city…wall。〃　I　fired　　inwardly　at　these　sarcasms；　to　which；　however；　I　made　no　reply；　　and　my　wife　was　almost　dead　with　fear。　In　the　road　from　hence　to　　the　boat；　we　met　with　an　ill…looking　fellow；　who　offered　his　　service　to　conduct　us　into　the　city；　and　such　was　our　situation；　　that　I　was　fain　to　accept　his　proposal；　especially　as　we　had　two　　small　boxes　in　the　chaise　by　accident；　containing　some　caps　and　laces　belonging　to　my　wife；　I　still　hoped　the　postilion　had　　exaggerated　in　the　distance　between　the　boat　and　the　city　gate；　　and　was　confirmed　in　this　opinion　by　the　ferryman；　who　said　we　　had　not　above　half　a　league　to　walk。　Behold　us　then　in　this　　expedition；　myself　wrapped　up　in　a　very　heavy　greatcoat；　and　my　　cane　in　my　hand。　I　did　not　imagine　I　could　have　walked　a　couple　　of　miles　in　this　equipage；　had　my　life　been　depending；　my　wife　a　　delicate　creature；　who　had　scarce　ever　walked　a　mile　in　her　life；　　and　the　ragamuffin　before　us　with　our　boxes　under　his　arm。　The　　night　was　dark　and　wet；　the　road　slippery　and　dirty；　not　a　soul　　was　seen；　nor　a　sound　was　heard：　all　was　silent；　dreary；　and　　horrible。　I　laid　my　account　with　a　violent　fit　of　illness　from　　the　cold　I　should　infallibly　catch；　if　I　escaped　assassination；　　the　fears　of　which　were　the　more　troublesome　as　I　had　no　weapon　　to　defend　our　lives。　While　I　laboured　under　the　weight　of　my　　greatcoat　which　made　the　streams　of　sweat　flow　down　my　face　and　　shoulders；　I　was　plunging　in　the　mud；　up　to　the　mid…leg　at　every　　step；　and　at　the　same　time　obliged　to　support　my　wife；　who　wept　　in　silence；　half　dead　with　terror　and　fatigue。　To　crown　our　　vexation；　our　conductor　walked　so　fast；　that　he　was　often　out　of　　sight；　and　I　imagined　he　had　run　away　with　the　boxes。　All　I　could　　do　on　these　occasions；　was　to　hollow　as　loud　as　I　could；　and　　swear　horribly　that　I　would　blow　his　brains　out。　I　did　not　know　　but　these　oaths　and　menaces　might　keep　other　rogues　in　awe。　In　　this　manner　did　we　travel　three　long　miles；　making　almost　an　　intire　circuit　of　the　city…wall；　without　seeing　the　face　of　a　　human　creature；　and　at　length　reached　the　gate；　where　we　were　　examined　by　the　guard；　and　allowed　to　pass；　after　they　had　told　　us　it　was　a　long　mile　from　thence　to　the　house　of　Vanini；　where　　we　proposed　to　lodge。　No　matter；　being　now　fairly　within　the　　city；　I　plucked　up　my　spirits；　and　performed　the　rest　of　the　　journey　with　such　ease；　that　I　am　persuaded；　I　could　have　walked　　at　the　same　pace　all　night　long；　without　being　very　much　　fatigued。　It　was　near　ten　at　night；　when　we　entered　the　auberge　　in　such　a　draggled　and　miserable　condition；　that　Mrs。　Vanini　　almost　fainted　at　sight　of　us；　on　the　supposition　that　we　had　met　　with　some　terrible　disaster；　and　that　the　rest　of　the　company　　were　killed。　My　wife　and　I　were　immediately　accommodated　with　dry　　stockings　and　shoes；　a　warm　apartment；　and　a　good　supper；　which　I　　ate　with　great　satisfaction；　arising　not　only　from　our　having　　happily　survived　the　adventure；　but　also　from　a　conviction　that　　my　strength　and　constitution　were　wonderfully　repaired：　not　but　　that　I　still　expected　a　severe　cold；　attended　with　a　terrible　fit　　of　the　asthma：　but　in　this　I　was　luckily　disappointed。　I　now　for　　the　first　time　drank　to　the　health　of　my　physician　Barazzi；　fully　　persuaded　that　the　hardships　and　violent　exercise　I　underwent　by　　following　his　advice；　had　greatly　contributed　to　the　re…establishment　　of　my　health。　In　this　particular；　I　imitate　the　　gratitude　of　Tavernier；　who　was　radically　cured　of　the　gout　by　a　　Turkish　aga　in　Aegypt；　who　gave　him　the　bastinado；　because　he　　would　not　look　at　the　head　of　the　bashaw　of　Cairo；　which　the　aga　　had　in　a　bag；　to　be　presented　to　the　grand　signior　at　　Constantinople。

I　did　not　expect　to　see　the　rest　of　our　company　that　night；　as　I　　never　doubted　but　they　would　stay　with　the　coach　at　the　inn　on　　the　other　side　of　the　Arno：　but　at　mid…night　we　were　joined　by　　Miss　C　and　Mr。　R；　who　had　left　the　carriage　at　the　inn；　under　　the　auspices　of　the　captain　and　my　servant；　and　followed　our　　foot…steps　by　walking　from　the　ferry…boat　to　Florence；　conducted　　by　one　of　the　boatmen。　Mr。　R　seemed　to　be　much　ruffled　and　　chagrined；　but；　as　he　did　not　think　proper　to　explain　the　cause；　　he　had　no　right　to　expect　that　I　should　give　him　satisfaction　　for　some　insult　he　had　received　from　my　servant。　They　had　been　　exposed　to　a　variety　of　disagreeable　adventures　from　the　　impracticability　of　the　road。　The　coach　had　been　several　times　in　　the　most　imminent　hazard　of　being　lost　w