travels through france and italy-第103章

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icability　of　the　road。　The　coach　had　been　several　times　in　　the　most　imminent　hazard　of　being　lost　with　all　our　baggage；　and　　at　one　place；　it　was　necessary　to　hire　a　dozen　of　oxen；　and　as　　many　men；　to　disengage　it　from　the　holes　into　which　it　had　run。　　It　was　in　the　confusion　of　these　adventures；　that　the　captain　and　　his　valet；　Mr。　R　and　my　servant；　had　like　to　have　gone　all　by　　the　ears　together。　The　peace　was　with　difficulty　preserved　by　the　　interposition　of　Miss　C；　who　suffered　incredibly　from　cold　and　　wet；　terror；　vexation；　and　fatigue：　yet　happily　no　bad　　consequence　ensued。　The　coach　and　baggage　were　brought　safely　　into　Florence　next　morning；　when　all　of　us　found　ourselves　well　　refreshed；　and　in　good　spirits。　I　am　afraid　this　is　not　the　case　　with　you；　who　must　by　this　time　be　quite　jaded　with　this　long　　epistle；　which　shall　therefore　be　closed　without　further　ceremony　　by；Yours　always。

LETTER　XXXV

NICE；　March　20；　1765。

DEAR　SIR；The　season　being　far　advanced；　and　the　weather　growing　　boisterous；　I　made　but　a　short　stay　at　Florence；　and　set　out　for　　Pisa；　with　full　resolution　to　take　the　nearest　road　to　Lerici；　　where　we　proposed　to　hire　a　felucca　for　Genoa。　I　had　a　great　　desire　to　see　Leghorn　and　Lucca；　but　the　dread　of　a　winter's　　voyage　by　sea　in　an　open　boat　effectually　restrained　my　　curiosity。　To　avoid　the　trouble　of　having　our　baggage　shifted　　every　post；　I　hired　two　chaises　to　Pisa　for　a　couple　of　zequines；　　and　there　we　arrived　in　safety　about　seven　in　the　evening；　though　　not　without　fear　of　the　consequence；　as　the　calesses　were　quite　　open；　and　it　rained　all　the　way。　I　must　own　I　was　so　sick　of　the　　wretched　accommodation　one　meets　with　in　every　part　of　Italy；　　except　the　great　cities；　so　averse　to　the　sea　at　this　season；　and　　so　fond　of　the　city　of　Pisa；　that　I　should　certainly　have　stayed　　here　the　winter；　had　not　I　been　separated　from　my　books　and　　papers；　as　well　as　from　other　conveniencies　and　connexions　which　　I　had　at　Nice；　and　foreseen　that　the　thoughts　of　performing　the　　same　disagreeable　voyage　in　the　spring　would　imbitter　my　whole　　winter's　enjoyment。　I　again　hired　two　calesses　for　Lerici；　　proposing　to　lie　at　Sarzana；　three　miles　short　of　that　place；　　where　we　were　told　we　should　find　comfortable　lodging；　and　to　　embark　next　day　without　halting。　When　we　departed　in　the　morning；　　it　rained　very　hard；　and　the　Cerchio；　which　the　chaises　had　　formerly　passed；　almost　without　wetting　the　wheels；　was　now　　swelled　to　a　mighty　river；　broad　and　deep　and　rapid。　It　was　with　　great　difficulty　I　could　persuade　my　wife　to　enter　the　boat；　for　　it　blew　a　storm；　and　she　had　seen　it　in　coming　over　from　the　　other　side　hurried　down　a　considerable　way　by　the　rapidity　of　the　　current；　notwithstanding　all　the　efforts　of　the　watermen。　Near　　two　hours　were　spent　in　transporting　us　with　our　chaises。　The　　road　between　this　and　Pietra　Santa　was　rendered　almost　　impassable。　When　we　arrived　at　Massa；　it　began　to　grow　dark；　and　　the　post…master　assured　us　that　the　road　to　Sarzana　was　　overflowed　in　such　a　manner　as　not　to　be　passed　even　in　the　day…time；　　without　imminent　danger。　We　therefore　took　up　our　lodging　　for　the　night　at　this　house；　which　was　in　all　respects　one　of　the　　worst　we　had　yet　entered。　Next　day；　we　found　the　Magra　as　large　　and　violent　as　the　Cerchio：　however；　we　passed　it　without　any　　accident；　and　in　the　afternoon　arrived　at　Lerici。　There　we　were　　immediately　besieged　by　a　number　of　patrons　of　feluccas；　from　　among　whom　I　chose　a　Spaniard；　partly　because　he　looked　like　an　　honest　man；　and　produced　an　ample　certificate；　signed　by　an　　English　gentleman；　and　partly；　because　he　was　not　an　Italian；　　for；　by　this　time；　I　had　imbibed　a　strong　prejudice　against　the　　common　people　of　that　country。　We　embarked　in　the　morning　before　　day；　with　a　gale　that　made　us　run　the　lee…gunwale　in　the　water；　　but；　when　we　pretended　to　turn　the　point　of　Porto　Venere；　we　　found　the　wind　full　in　our　teeth；　and　were　obliged　to　return　to　　our　quarters；　where　we　had　been　shamefully　fleeced　by　the　　landlord；　who；　nevertheless；　was　not　such　an　exorbitant　knave　as　　the　post…master；　whose　house　I　would　advise　all　travellers　to　　avoid。　Here；　indeed；　I　had　occasion　to　see　an　instance　of　　prudence　and　oeconomy；　which　I　should　certainly　imitate；　if　ever　　I　had　occasion　to　travel　this　way　by　myself。　An　Englishman；　who　had　hired　a　felucca　from　Antibes　to　　Leghorn；　was　put　in　here　by　stress　of　weather；　but　being　aware　of　　the　extortion　of　innkeepers；　and　the　bad　accommodation　in　their　　houses；　he　slept　on　board　on　his　own　mattrasses；　and　there　　likewise　he　had　all　his　conveniencies　for　eating。　He　sent　his　　servant　on　shore　occasionally　to　buy　provision；　and　see　it　cooked　　according　to　his　direction　in　some　public　house；　and　had　his　　meals　regularly　in　the　felucca。　This　evening　he　came　ashore　to　　stretch　his　legs；　and　took　a　solitary　walk　on　the　beach；　avoiding　　us　with　great　care；　although　he　knew　we　were　English；　his　valet　　who　was　abundantly　communicative；　told　my　servant；　that　in　coming　　through　France；　his　master　had　travelled　three　days　in　company　　with　two　other　English　gentlemen；　whom　he　met　upon　the　road；　and　　in　all　that　time　he　never　spoke　a　word　to　either；　yet　in　other　　respects；　he　was　a　good　man；　mild；　charitable；　and　humane。　This　　is　a　character　truly　British。　At　five　o'clock　in　the　morning　we　　put　to　sea　again；　and　though　the　wind　was　contrary；　made　shift　to　　reach　the　town　of　Sestri　di　Levante；　where　we　were　most　　graciously　received　by　the　publican　butcher　and　his　family。　The　　house　was　in　much　better　order　than　before；　the　people　were　much　　more　obliging；　we　passed　a　very　tolerable　night；　and　had　a　very　　reasonable　bill　to　pay　in　the　morning。　I　cannot　account　for　this　　favourable　change　any　other　way；　than　by　ascribing　it　to　the　　effects　of　a　terrible　storm；　which　had　two　days　before　torn　up　a　　great　number　of　their　olive…trees　by　the　roots；　and　done　such　　damage　as　terrified　them　into　humility　and　submission。　Next　day；　　the　water　being　delightful；　we　arrived　by　one　o'clock　in　the　　afternoon　at　Genoa。　Here　I　made　another　bargain　with　our　patron　　Antonio；　to　carry　us　to　Nice。　He　had　been　hitherto　remarkably　　obliging；　and　seemingly　modest。　He　spoke　Latin　fluently；　and　was　　tinctured　with　the　sciences。　I　began　to　imagine　he　was　a　person　　of　a　good　family；　who　had　met　with　misfortunes　in　life；　and　　respected　him　accordingly：　but　I　afterwards　found　him　mercenary；　　mean；　and　rapacious。　The　wind　being　still　contrary；　when　we　　departed　from　Genoa；　we　could　get　no　further　than　Finale；　where　　we　lodged　in　a　very　dismal　habitation；　which　was　recommended　to　　us　as　the　best　auberge　in　the　place。　What　rendered　it　the　more　　uncomfortable；　the　night　was　cold；　and　there　was　not　a　fire…place　　in　the　house；　except　in　the　kitchen。　The　beds　（if　they　deserved　　that　name）　were　so　shockingly　nasty；　that　we　could　not　have　used　　them；　had　not　a　friend　of　Mr。　R　supplied　us　with　mattrasses；　　sheets；　and　coverlets；　for　our　own　sheets　were　on　board　the　　felucca；　which　was　anchored　at　a　distance　from　the　shore。　Our　　fare　was　equally　wretched：　the　master　of　the　house　was　a　surly　　assassin；　and　his　cameriere　or　waiter；　stark…staring　mad。　Our　　situati