CHAPTER XI.
CONCLUSION.
Rollo was so much pleased with his torch light visit to the Vatican, andhe found, moreover, on talking with Charles and Allie about it the nextday, so much evidence of their having been greatly pleased with it, thathe planned, a few days afterwards, a torch light visit to the Coliseum.It is very common to make moonlight visits to the Coliseum, but Rollothought a torch light view of the majestic old ruin would be better. Onproposing his plan to his uncle, Mr. George said that he had noobjection to it if Rollo would make all the arrangements. He did notknow any thing about it himself, he said.
Rollo said he had no doubt that he could arrange it, with the help of acommissioner.
COLISEUM BY TORCHLIGHT.]
So Rollo looked out a good commissioner, and the commissioner arrangedthe plan. I have not space to describe this visit fully, but must passon to the conclusion of the book. I will only say that the torches whichwere employed on this occasion, were different from those employed inthe exhibition of the statues in the Vatican, being more like those usedby firemen in America. There were also more of them in number, thecommissioner having provided four. With these torch bearers to lighttheir way, Rollo's party explored the Coliseum in every part, and theyfound that the grandeur and sublimity of the immense corridors and vastvaulted passages of the ruin were greatly enhanced by the solemnity ofthe night, and by the flickering glare of the torches, shining upon themassive piers, and into the dark recesses of the ruin.
I do not know how many more torch light visits to wonderful places inRome Rollo would have planned, had not the time arrived when Mr. Georgethought it was necessary for them to go back to France.
"It is getting late in the season," said Mr. George, "and every body isleaving Rome. I don't think it is safe for us to remain much longer hereourselves, on account of the fever."
Rome is extremely unhealthy in the summer months; and in the environsthere is a very wide tract of country which is almost entirelyuninhabitable all the year round, on account of the prevalence of fever.
"Very well," said Rollo, "we will go whenever you please."
"We must take our places in the steamer and in the diligences severaldays beforehand," said Mr. George. "We will go to the steamboat officeto-day."
There are several lines of steamers that go from Rome to Marseilles,which is the port of landing for travellers going to France and England.Some of these steamers go "direct" across the sea, while others coastalong the shore, sailing at night, and stopping during the day at thelarge towns on the route. The first night they go to Leghorn, the secondto Genoa, and the third to Marseilles. At first Mr. George thought thathe would take one of these coasting steamers; but he finally concludedto go "direct."
"It would be very pleasant," said he to Rollo, "for us to stop at thosetowns, and ramble about during the day, and then in the evening set sailagain, provided we could be at liberty to land at our pleasure, toramble about unmolested wherever we wished to go, as we can do inAmerica."
"And can't we do so?" asked Rollo.
"No," said Mr. George. "In the first place we must have our passportsstamped here for all the places that we wish to visit, and that willcause us here a great deal of trouble, and not a little expense. Then toland we must have our passports all examined again, and stamped, andthere will be more money to pay; and likely as not we should be detainedhalf the morning in getting through all these formalities, and so ourtime would be passed in fruitless vexation instead of pleasure. Then,when at last we were free, and began our rambles, we should be beset bybeggars every where, and have no peace."
"What a foolish plan it is to plague travellers so much with all theseceremonies about passports!" said Rollo.
"I am not certain that it is foolish for such governments as these,"replied Mr. George. "You see, they are governments of force, maintainedover the people against their will, by means of military power. Thepeople at large hate the government, and are all the time plotting todestroy it; and if the plotters were allowed to go freely to and fro allover the country, they would be able to organize their plans, andgeneral insurrections would be arranged, and the governments might thusbe overthrown. By allowing nobody to travel without a passport, statingwho he is, and where he came from, and where he is going, the governmentkeep every thing under their control."
"But I think the governments _ought_ to be overthrown," said Rollo, "andbetter governments, such as the people would like, set up in theirplaces."
"So do I," said Mr. George; "but it is not surprising that the governorsthemselves of these countries don't think so. They wish to retain theirstations and their power, whether the people like it or not; and thepassport system is a very cunning contrivance to help them do it. Andthen, besides, they have a very good pretext for keeping up the system."
"What is their pretext?" asked Rollo.
"They pretend that the object is to assist them in stopping andarresting robbers, and murderers, and other criminals who attempt toescape from one part of the country to another after committing theircrimes. And the system is sometimes useful in this way, I have no doubt;though these criminals can often elude the authorities by procuringfalse passports."
"And the plotters against the government, too, I suppose," said Rollo.
"Yes," said Mr. George, "sometimes."
This conversation took place while Mr. George and Rollo were walkingtowards the steamboat office, to take their passages to Marseilles.
They arrived at the office. The clerk answered their inquiries inrespect to the steamer with great politeness. The conversation was inthe French language. He told them that the steamer started from Naplesevery evening, and that it stopped in the morning about eight o'clockat Civita Vecchia[9] to take in the passengers from Rome. It wasnecessary for the passengers to go from Rome to Civita Vecchia bydiligence, or by post, or with a vetturino.
[Footnote 9: Pronounced _Tchivita Vekkia_.]
"Then there are no carriages from your office," said Mr. George.
"No, sir," replied the clerk. "We take the passengers at Civita Vecchia.They find their own conveyances there."
"Very well," said Mr. George. "I will take two berths in the steamer forThursday morning. Can I see a plan of the steamer so as to select theberths?"
"No, sir," said the clerk, "we have no plan of the steamer. And besides,we cannot positively promise you any berths. It depends upon how manypassengers there are from Naples. The passengers from Rome take theberths that are left vacant. They take them in the order in which theytake passage here."
"Are there many that have taken passage before us?" asked Mr. George.
"No, sir," said the clerk, "only two. Your numbers are 3 and 4."
"Then, if there are more than two berths that are not occupied by theNaples passengers, we can have them?"
"Yes, sir," said the clerk.
"And suppose there are not more than two," asked Rollo, "what shall wedo then?"
"Why, then you will have sofas or cots," said the clerk.
"O, that will do just as well," said Rollo. "I would as lief have a sofaor a cot as a berth."
So Mr. George paid the money, and took tickets numbers 3 and 4, andthen, having inquired the way to the diligence office, they bade theclerk good morning, and went away.
"And now," said Mr. George, "we must go directly to the diligenceoffice, and secure our places for Civita Vecchia. If we put it off, theplaces might all be taken, and then we should lose the passage money wehave paid for the steamer."
"Would not they pay us back again?" asked Rollo.
"I am afraid not," said Mr. George. "But I think we are in season, forit is now Tuesday, and we do not sail till Thursday."
On entering the diligence office, Mr. George saw one or two clerksstanding behind a counter. They seemed busy talking with persons who hadcome in to engage places, and entering their names in great books. Assoon as one of the clerks was at liberty Mr. George accosted him, sayingthat he wished to get two places in the dil
igence for Civita Vecchia onWednesday.
The clerk looked at the book, and said that all the places were takenfor Wednesday, except one.
"That's bad," said Mr. George. "We shall have to go down on Tuesday,then, and stay a day at Civita Vecchia. Are there any places forTuesday?"
The clerk looked, and said that every place for Tuesday was engaged.
"But there is a coach on Wednesday night," he added, "that arrives atCivita Vecchia in the morning in time for the steamer."
Then turning over to another place in his book, he looked at the list ofnames, and then told Mr. George that there was only one vacant place forWednesday night.
"Dear me, Rollo!" said Mr. George, "how unfortunate! We ought to haveattended to this business before."
"I'll tell you what we can do," said Rollo. "One of us can go onWednesday morning, and the other wait here and come on in the night."
"That is the only thing that we _can_ do," said Mr. George, "unless wehire a carriage to ourselves, and that would be expensive. Should youdare to go alone?"
"O, yes, indeed," said Rollo.
"But remember," said Mr. George, "that all the people will be speakingItalian. You will have to ride among them like a deaf and dumb boy."
"Never mind that," said Rollo. "Deaf and dumb boys get along intravelling very well. Besides, I am almost sure that there will besomebody in the diligence that can speak French or English."
"And which would you rather do," asked Mr. George, "go in the morning orin the evening? If you go in the morning coach, you will have to set outvery early, before it is light, and then stay at Civita Vecchia, in astrange hotel, alone, all night. If you go in the evening, you canremain here, where you are acquainted, all day; but then you will haveto ride alone in the night."
"I would rather go in the morning coach," said Rollo.
"Very well," said Mr. George. "That's what we'll do."
This conversation between Mr. George and Rollo had been carried on inEnglish; but now Mr. George turned to the clerk, and said in Frenchthat he would take the two places that were left, one in the morningcoach and one in the evening coach of Wednesday. The place in themorning coach was upon the banquette. The one in the evening coach wasin the coupe. Mr. George had scarcely uttered the words by which heengaged the seats, before two gentlemen came in in a hurried manner toask for seats in the diligence for Wednesday. The clerk told them thatthe last of them had just been engaged.
When Wednesday morning came, Rollo was awakened by the porter of thehotel knocking at his door before it was light. He got up, and openedthe door a little way, and took in the candles which the porter handedto him. Mr. George had intended to get up too, and go with Rollo to theoffice; but Rollo particularly desired that he should not do so.
"I have nothing to carry," said he, "but my little valise, and theporter will go with me to take that, and to see me safe through thestreets. So that it is not at all necessary for you to go, and I wouldmuch rather not have you go."
Mr. George perceived that Rollo felt a pride in taking care of himselfon this occasion, and so he yielded to this request, and remained in hisbed. If he had not been convinced that Rollo would be perfectly safeunder the porter's care, he would of course have insisted on goinghimself. Rollo was soon dressed, and then going to his uncle's bedside,he shook hands with him, and bade him good by.
"I shall be looking out for you at the diligence office in CivitaVecchia," said he, "when the diligence arrives to-morrow morning."
So saying, he took his candle in one hand and his valise in the other,and sallied forth into the long corridor of the hotel. He had to walk aa great distance along this corridor, passing a great many doors, with apair of boots or shoes before each of them, before he reached the headof the staircase. He descended the staircase, and at the bottom of itfound the porter waiting for him. The porter had another candle, whichwas upon a table in the hall. He took Rollo's candle, and also thevalise, and then unbolted and unlocked the front door. A sleepy-lookingboy was ready to lock it again, after Rollo and the porter had gone out.
So they sallied forth into the cool morning air. There were lampsburning in the streets, and in one direction, where there was an openingamong the buildings, Rollo could see some faint signs of the dawn in theeastern sky.
The porter could only speak Italian; so he and Rollo walked alongtogether in silence through the solitary streets. They soon arrived atthe diligence office, where there was a bright light of lanterns, and abustle of people coming and going, and of postilions bringing outhorses. The diligence was all ready before the door. The baggage, whichhad been brought for the purpose the night before, was all loaded. Rollopaid the porter, and then climbed up to his place on the banquette. Thehorses were soon harnessed in, and the diligence set off; but there wereseveral stoppages necessary at police stations and passport officesbefore the journey was fairly commenced, so that the sun was rising whenRollo took his final leave of Rome.
He had a very pleasant journey across the country, and arrived at CivitaVecchia about three o'clock. As he descended from the coach, apleasant-looking man, in a sort of official costume, accosted him,asking him if he was going to Leghorn in the steamer that afternoon. Theman spoke in English, though with a foreign accent.
"No," said Rollo; "I am going to Marseilles to-morrow morning."
"Ah! Then you go to the hotel," said the man. "This porter will takeyour valise, and show you the way."
So saying, the man, who was a commissioner of the hotel, put Rollounder the charge of a porter, who conducted him to a large and verysubstantial-looking hotel near by. Rollo ascended by a flight of stonestairs into the second story of the hotel, and there engaged a room forthe night, and ordered dinner. He had a very good dinner, all byhimself, in a great dining room with long tables in it, where there wereat the same time several other persons and parties dining. After dinnerhe went out to ramble about the town. He was surprised at the massivemasonry of the piers, and breakwaters, and forts, that lined the shores,and at the number of vessels and steamers in the basin. He returned tothe hotel in good season, and amused himself there till nine o'clockobserving the different parties of travellers that were continuallycoming and going.
The next morning he watched for the diligence from a piazza on thesecond story of the hotel--the diligence office being at the next door.The diligence arrived at the proper time, and Rollo called out to hisuncle George when he saw him getting out from the coupe. This was atseven o'clock; at eight Mr. George and Rollo embarked, with a great manyothers, in a small boat, to go on board the steamer, and at half pasteight the paddles of the steamer began to revolve, and to bear themrapidly away from the shores of Italy out over the blue waters of theMediterranean, on the route to Marseilles.
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