detecting the secret of the grotto; he consequently despatched his
breakfast, and, his boat being ready, he hastened on board, and
they were soon under way. At the moment the boat began her course
they lost sight of the yacht, as it disappeared in the gulf of
Porto-Vecchio. With it was effaced the last trace of the preceding
night; and then supper, Sinbad, hashish, statues, — all became a
dream for Franz. The boat sailed on all day and all night, and next
morning, when the sun rose, they had lost sight of Monte Cristo.
When Franz had once again set foot on shore, he forgot, for the
moment at least, the events which had just passed, while he
finished his affairs of pleasure at Florence, and then thought of
nothing but how he should rejoin his companion, who was awaiting
him at Rome.
He set out, and on the Saturday evening reached the Eternal City
by the mail-coach. An apartment, as we have said, had been retained
beforehand, and thus he had but to go to Signor Pastrini's hotel.
But this was not so easy a matter, for the streets were thronged
with people, and Rome was already a prey to that low and feverish
murmur which precedes all great events; and at Rome there are four
great events in every year, — the Carnival, Holy Week, Corpus
Christi, and the Feast of St. Peter. All the rest of the year the
city is in that state of dull apathy, between life and death, which
renders it similar to a kind of station between this world and the
next — a sublime spot, a resting-place full of poetry and
character, and at which Franz had already halted five or six times,
and at each time found it more marvellous and striking. At last he
made his way through the mob, which was continually increasing and
getting more and more turbulent, and reached the hotel. On his
first inquiry he was told, with the impertinence peculiar to hired
hackney-coachmen and inn-keepers with their houses full, that there
was no room for him at the Hotel de Londres. Then he sent his card
to Signor Pastrini, and asked for Albert de Morcerf. This planto Signor Pastrini, and asked for Albert de Morcerf. This plan
succeeded; and Signor Pastrini himself ran to him, excusing himself
for having made his excellency wait, scolding the waiters, taking
the candlestick from the porter, who was ready to pounce on the
traveller and was about to lead him to Albert, when Morcerf himself
appeared.
The apartment consisted of two small rooms and a parlor. The two
rooms looked onto the street — a fact which Signor Pastrini
commented upon as an inappreciable advantage. The rest of the floor
was hired by a very rich gentleman who was supposed to be a
Sicilian or Maltese; but the host was unable to decide to which of
the two nations the traveller belonged. "Very good, signor
Pastrini," said Franz; "but we must have some supper instantly, and
a carriage for tomorrow and the following days."
"As to supper," replied the landlord, "you shall be served
immediately; but as for the carriage" —
"What as to the carriage?" exclaimed Albert. "Come, come, Signor
Pastrini, no joking; we must have a carriage."
"Sir," replied the host, "we will do all in our power to procure
you one — this is all I can say."
"And when shall we know?" inquired Franz.
"To-morrow morning," answered the inn-keeper.
"Oh, the deuce! then we shall pay the more, that's all, I see
plainly enough. At Drake's or Aaron's one pays twenty-five lire for
common days, and thirty or thirty-five lire a day more for Sundays
and feast days; add five lire a day more for extras, that will make
forty, and there's an end of it."
"I am afraid if we offer them double that we shall not procure a
carriage."
"Then they must put horses to mine. It is a little worse for the
journey, but that's no matter."
"There are no horses." Albert looked at Franz like a man who
hears a reply he does not understand.
"Do you understand that, my dear Franz — no horses?" he said,
"but can't we have post-horses?"
"They have been all hired this fortnight, and there are none
left but those absolutely requisite for posting."left but those absolutely requisite for posting."
"What are we to say to this?" asked Franz.
"I say, that when a thing completely surpasses my comprehension,
I am accustomed not to dwell on that thing, but to pass to another.
Is supper ready, Signor Pastrini?"
"Yes, your excellency."
"Well, then, let us sup."
"But the carriage and horses?" said Franz.
"Be easy, my dear boy; they will come in due season; it is only
a question of how much shall be charged for them." Morcerf then,
with that delighted philosophy which believes that nothing is
impossible to a full purse or well-lined pocketbook, supped, went
to bed, slept soundly, and dreamed he was racing all over Rome at
Carnival time in a coach with six horses.The next morning Franz woke first, and instantly rang the bell.
The sound had not yet died away when Signor Pastrini himself
entered.
"Well, excellency," said the landlord triumphantly, and without
waiting for Franz to question him, "I feared yesterday, when I
would not promise you anything, that you were too late — there is
not a single carriage to be had — that is, for the last three days
of the carnival."
"Yes," returned Franz, "for the very three days it is most
needed."
"What is the matter?" said Albert, entering; "no carriage to be
had?"
"Just so," returned Franz, "you have guessed it."
"Well, your Eternal City is a nice sort of place."
"That is to say, excellency," replied Pastrini, who was desirous
of keeping up the dignity of the capital of the Christian world in
the eyes of his guest, "that there are no carriages to be had from
Sunday to Tuesday evening, but from now till Sunday you can have
fifty if you please."
"Ah, that is something," said Albert; "to-day is Thursday, and
who knows what may arrive between this and Sunday?"
"Ten or twelve thousand travellers will arrive," replied Franz,
"which will make it still more difficult."
"My friend," said Morcerf, "let us enjoy the present without
gloomy forebodings for the future."
"At least we can have a window?"
"Where?"
"In the Corso."
"Ah, a window!" exclaimed Signor Pastrini, — "utterly
impossible; there was only one left on the fifth floor of the Doria
Palace, and that has been let to a Russian prince for twenty
sequins a day."
The two young men looked at each other with an air of
stupefaction.
"Well," said Franz to Albert, "do you know what is the best
thing we can do? It is to pass the Carnival at Venice; there we are
sure of obtaining gondolas if we cannot have carriages."
"Ah, the devil, no," cried Albert; "I came to Rome to see the
Carnival, and I will, though I see it on stilts."
"Bravo! an excellent idea. We will disguise ourselves as monster
pulchinellos or shepherds of the Landes, and we shall have complete
success."