the complete writings-2-第25章

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ine　and　delightful　weather。　　This　thought　consoled　us；　but　did　not　warm　our　feet。　　The　Germans；　when　they　travel　by　rail；　wrap　themselves　in　furs　and　carry　foot…sacks。

We　creaked　along；　with　many　stoppings。　　At　two　o'clock　we　were　at　Rosenheim。　　Rosenheim　is　a　windy　place；　with　clear　starlight；　with　a　multitude　of　cars　on　a　multiplicity　of　tracks；　and　a　large；　lighted　refreshment…room；　which　has　a　glowing；　jolly　stove。　　We　stay　there　an　hour；　toasting　by　the　fire　and　drinking　excellent　coffee。　　Groups　of　Germans　are　seated　at　tables　playing　cards；　smoking；　and　taking　coffee。　　Other　trains　arrive；　and　huge　men　stalk　in；　from　Vienna　or　Russia；　you　would　say；　enveloped　in　enormous　fur　overcoats；　reaching　to　the　heels；　and　with　big　fur　boots　coming　above　the　knees；　in　which　they　move　like　elephants。　　Another　start；　and　a　cold　ride　with　cooling　foot…warmers；　droning　on　to　Kurfstein。　　It　is　five　o'clock　when　we　reach　Kurfstein；　which　is　also　a　restaurant；　with　a　hot　stove；　and　more　Germans　going　on　as　if　it　were　daytime；　but　by　this　time　in　the　morning　the　coffee　had　got　to　be　wretched。

After　an　hour's　waiting；　we　dream　on　again；　and；　before　we　know　it；　come　out　of　our　cold　doze　into　the　cold　dawn。　　Through　the　thick　frost　on　the　windows　we　see　the　faint　outlines　of　mountains。　Scraping　away　the　incrustation；　we　find　that　we　are　in　the　Tyrol；　high　hills　on　all　sides；　no　snow　in　the　valley；　a　bright　morning；　and　the　snow…peaks　are　soon　rosy　in　the　sunrise。　　It　is　just　as　we　expected；little　villages　under　the　hills；　and　slender　church　spires　with　brick…red　tops。　　At　nine　o'clock　we　are　in　Innsbruck；　at　the　foot　of　the　Brenner。　　No　snow　yet。　　It　must　be　charming　here　in　the　summer。

During　the　night　we　have　got　out　of　Bavaria。　　The　waiter　at　the　restaurant　wants　us　to　pay　him　ninety　kreuzers　for　our　coffee；　which　is　only　six　kreuzers　a　cup　in　Munich。　　Remembering　that　it　takes　one　hundred　kreuzers　to　make　a　gulden　in　Austria；　I　launch　out　a　Bavarian　gulden；　and　expect　ten　kreuzers　in　change。　　I　have　heard　that　sixty　Bavarian　kreuzers　are　equal　to　one　hundred　Austrian；　but　this　waiter　explains　to　me　that　my　gulden　is　only　good　for　ninety　kreuzers。　　I；　in　my　turn；　explain　to　the　waiter　that　it　is　better　than　the　coffee；　but　we　come　to　no　understanding；　and　I　give　up；　before　I　begin；　trying　to　understand　the　Austrian　currency。　　During　the　day　I　get　my　pockets　full　of　coppers；　which　are　very　convenient　to　take　in　change；　but　appear　to　have　a　very　slight　purchasing；　power　in　Austria　even；　and　none　at　all　elsewhere；　and　the　only　use　for　which　I　have　found　is　to　give　to　Italian　beggars。　　One　of　these　pieces　satisfies　a　beggar　when　it　drops　into　his　hat；　and　then　it　detains　him　long　enough　in　the　examination　of　it；　so　that　your　carriage　has　time　to　get　so　far　away　that　his　renewed　pursuit　is　usually　unavailing。

The　Brenner　Pass　repaid　us　for　the　pains　we　had　taken　to　see　it；　especially　as　the　sun　shone　and　took　the　frost　from　our　windows；　and　we　encountered　no　snow　on　the　track；　and；　indeed；　the　fall　was　not　deep；　except　on　the　high　peaks　about　us。　　Even　if　the　engineering　of　the　road　were　not　so　interesting；　it　was　something　to　be　again　amidst　mountains　that　can　boast　a　height　of　ten　thousand　feet。　　After　we　passed　the　summit；　and　began　the　zigzag　descent；　we　were　on　a　sharp　lookout　for　sunny　Italy。　　I　expected　to　lay　aside　my　heavy　overcoat；　and　sun　myself　at　the　first　station　among　the　vineyards。　　Instead　of　that；　we　bade　good…by　to　bright　sky；　and　plunged　into　a　snowstorm；　and；　so　greeted；　drove　down　into　the　narrow　gorges；　whose　steep　slopes　we　could　see　were　terraced　to　the　top；　and　planted　with　vines。　We　could　distinguish　enough　to　know　that；　with　the　old　Roman　ruins；　the　churches　and　convent　towers　perched　on　the　crags；　and　all；　the　scenery　in　summer　must　be　finer　than　that　of　the　Rhine；　especially　as　the　vineyards　here　are　picturesque；the　vines　being　trained　so　as　to　hide　and　clothe　the　ground　with　verdure。

It　was　four　o'clock　when　we　reached　Trent；　and　colder　than　on　top　of　the　Brenner。　　As　the　Council；　owing　to　the　dead　state　of　its　members　for　now　three　centuries；　was　not　in　session；　we　made　no　long　tarry。　We　went　into　the　magnificent　large　refreshment…room　to　get　warm；　but　it　was　as　cold　as　a　New　England　barn。　　I　asked　the　proprietor　if　we　could　not　get　at　a　fire；　but　he　insisted　that　the　room　was　warm；　that　it　was　heated　with　a　furnace；　and　that　he　burned　good　stove…coal；　and　pointed　to　a　register　high　up　in　the　wall。　　Seeing　that　I　looked　incredulous；　he　insisted　that　I　should　test　it。　　Accordingly；　I　climbed　upon　a　table；　and　reached　up　my　hand。　　A　faint　warmth　came　out；　and　I　gave　it　up；　and　congratulated　the　landlord　on　his　furnace。　But　the　register　had　no　effect　on　the　great　hall。　　You　might　as　well　try　to　heat　the　dome　of　St。　Peter's　with　a　lucifer…match。　　At　dark；　Allah　be　praised！　　we　reached　Ala；　where　we　went　through　the　humbug　of　an　Italian　custom…house；　and　had　our　first　glimpse　of　Italy　in　the　picturesque…looking　idlers　in　red…tasseled　caps；　and　the　jabber　of　a　strange　tongue。　　The　snow　turned　into　a　cold　rain：　the　foot…warmers；　we　having　reached　the　sunny　lands；　could　no　longer　be　afforded；　and　we　shivered　along　till　nine　o'clock；　dark　and　rainy；　brought　us　to　Verona。　　We　emerged　from　the　station　to　find　a　crowd　of　omnibuses；　carriages；　drivers；　runners；　and　people　anxious　to　help　us；　all　vociferating　in　the　highest　key。　　Amidst　the　usual　Italian　clamor　about　nothing；　we　gained　our　hotel　omnibus；　and　sat　there　for　ten　minutes　watching　the　dispute　over　our　luggage；　and　serenely　listening　to　the　angry　vituperations　of　policemen　and　drivers。　　It　sounded　like　a　revolution；　but　it　was　only　the　ordinary　Italian　way　of　doing　things；　and　we　were　at　last　rattling　away　over　the　broad　pavements。

Of　course；　we　stopped　at　a　palace　turned　hotel；　drove　into　a　court　with　double　flights　of　high　stone　and　marble　stairways；　and　were　hurried　up　to　the　marble…mosaic　landing　by　an　active　boy；　and；　almost　before　we　could　ask　for　rooms；　were　shown　into　a　suite　of　magnificent　apartments。　　I　had　a　glimpse　of　a　garden　in　the　rear；flowers　and　plants；　and　a　balcony　up　which　I　suppose　Romeo　climbed　to　hold　that　immortal　love…prattle　with　the　lovesick　Juliet。　　Boy　began　to　light　the　candles。　　Asked　in　English　the　price　of　such　fine　rooms。　　Reply　in　Italian。　　Asked　in　German。　　Reply　in　Italian。　　Asked　in　French；　with　the　same　result。　　Other　servants　appeared；　each　with　a　piece　of　baggage。　　Other　candles　were　lighted。　　Everybody　talked　in　chorus。　The　landladya　woman　of　elegant　manners　and　great　command　of　her　native　tongueappeared　with　a　candle；　and　joined　in　the　melodious　confusion。　　What　is　the　price　of　these　rooms？　　More　jabber；　more　servants　bearing　lights。　　We　seemed　suddenly　to　have　come　into　an　illumination　and　a　private　lunatic　asylum。　　The　landlady　and　her　troop　grew　more　and　more　voluble　and　excited。　　Ah；　then；　if　these　rooms　do　not　suit　the　signor　and　signoras；　there　are　others；　and　we　were　whisked　off　to　apartments　yet　grander；　great　suites　with　high；　canopied　beds；　mirrors；　and　furniture　that　was　luxurious　a　hundred　years　ago。　　The　price？　　Again　a　torrent　of　Italian；　servants　pouring　in；　lights　flashing；　our　baggage　arriving；　until；　in　the　tumult；　hopeless　of　any　response　to　our　inquiry　for　a　servant　who　could　speak　anything　but　Italian；　and　when　we　had　decided；　in　despair；　to　hire　the　entire　establishment；　a　waiter　appeared　who　was　accomplished　in　all　languages；　the　row　subsided；　and　we　were　left　alone　in　our　glory；　and　soon　in　welcome　sleep　forgot　our　desperate　search　for　a　warm　climate。

The　next　day　it　was　rainy　and　not　warm；　but　the　sun　came　out　occasionally；　and　we　drove　about　to　see　some　of　the　sights。　　The　first　Italian　town　which　the　stranger　sees　he　is　sure　to　remember；　the　outdoor　life　of　the　people　is　so　different　from　that　at　the　North。　　It　is　the　fiction　in　Italy　that　it　is　always　summer；　and　the　people　sit　in　the　open　market…place；　shiver　in　the　open　doorways；　crowd　into　corners　where　the　sun　comes；　and　try　to　keep　up　the　beautiful　pretense。　　The　picturesque　groups　of　idlers　and　traffickers　were　more　interesting　to　us　than　the　palaces　with　sculptured　fronts　and　old　Roman　busts；　or　tombs　of　the　Scaligers；　and　old　gates。　Perhaps　I　ought　to　except　the　wonderful　and　perfect　Roman　amphitheater；　over　every　foot　of　which　a　handsome　boy　in　rags　followed　us；　looking　over　every　wall　that　we　looked　over；　peering　into　every　hole　that　we　peered　into；　thus　showing　his　fellowship　with　us；　and　at　every　pause　planting　himself　before　us；　and　throwing　a　somerset；　and　then　extending　his　greasy　cap　for　coppers；　as　if　he　knew　that　the　modern　mind　ought　not　to　dwell　too　exclusively　on　hoary　antiquity　without　some　relief。

Anxious；　as　I　have　said；　to　find　the　sunny　South；　we　left　Verona　that　afternoon　for　Florence；　by　way　of　Padua　and　Bologna。　　The　ride　to　Padua　was　through　a　plain；　at　this　season　dreary　enough；　were　it　not；　here　and　there；　for　the　abrupt　little　hills　and　the　snowy　Alps；　which　were　always　in　sight；　and　towards　sundown　and　between　showers　transcendently　lovely　in　a　purple　and　rosy　light。　　But　nothing　now　could　be　more　desolate　than　the　rows　of　unending　mulberry…trees；　pruned　down　to　the　stumps；　through　which　we　rode　all　the　afternoon。　I　suppose　they　look　better　when　the　branches　grow　out　with　the　tender　leaves　for　the　silk…worms；　and　when　they　are　clothed　with　grapevines。　Padua　was　only　to　us　a　name。　　There　we　turned　south；　lost　mountains　and　the　near　hills；　and　had　nothing　but　the　mulberry　flats　and　ditches　of　water；　and　chilly　rain　and　mist。　It　grew　unpleasant　as　we　went　south。　　At　dark　we　were　riding　slowly；　very　slowly；　for　miles　through　a　country　overflowed　with　water；　out　of　which　trees　and　houses　loomed　up　in　a　ghastly　show。　　At　all　the　stations　soldiers　were　getting　on　board；　shouting　and　singing　discordantly　choruses　from　the　operas；　for　there　was　a　rising　at　Padua；　and　one　feared　at　Bologna　the　populace　getting　up　insurrections　against　the　enforcement　of　the　grist…tax；a　tax　which　has　made　the　government　very　unpopular；　as　it　falls　principally　upon　the　poor。

Creeping　along　at　such　a　slow　rate；　we　reached　Bologna　too　late　for　the　Florence　train；　It　was　eight　o'clock；　and　still　raining。　　The　next　train　went　at　two　o'clock　in　the　morning；　and　was　the　best　one　for　us　to　take。　　We　had　supper　in　an　inn　near　by；　and　a　fair　attempt　at　a　fire　in　our　parlor。　　I　sat　before　it；　and　kept　it　as　lively　as　possible；　as　the　hours　wore　away；　and　tried　to　make　believe　that　I　was　ruminating　on　the　ancient　greatness　of　Bologna　and　its　famous　university；　some　of　whose　chairs　had　been　occupied　by　women；　and　upon　the　fact　that　it　was　on　a　little　island　in　the　Reno；　just　below　here；　that　Octavius　and　Lepidus　and　Mark　Antony　formed　the　second　Triumvirate；　which　put　an　end　to　what　little　liberty　Rome　had　left；　but　in　reality　I　was　thinking　of　the　draught　on　my　back；　and　the　comforts　of　a　sunny　clime。　　But　the　time　came　at　length　for　starting；　and　in　luxurious　cars　we　finished　the　night　very　comfortably；　and　rode　into　Florence　at　eight　in　the　morning　to　find；　as　we　had　hoped；　on　the　other　side　of　the　Apennines；　a　sunny　sky　and　balmy　air。

As　this　is　strictly　a　chapter　of　travel　and　weather；　I　may　not　stop　to　say　how　impressive　and　beautiful　F