Ixxxiv 



AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 



from the monastery. It seems that the son of 

 Bellona, who commands at the fort of St. Elmo, 

 has his organs of sight and smell so particularly 

 refined, that he cannot tolerate the least im- 

 purity on the road that leads to his domain ; 

 and thus every coachman is obliged to remove, 

 without delay, what may drop accidentally from 

 the caudal extremity of his horses, or pay a fine 

 to a soldier for doing the important work for 

 him. 



When I had inspected the convent, and en- 

 joyed the magnificent view from its corridors, I 

 joined the ladies ; and to my surprise I found 

 them and our Roman coachman, and the coach 

 itself, and the horses, all under military arrest. 

 The coachman was in a prodigious fury with 

 the sentinel, and the sentinel was loud in .his 

 demand for work accomplished. 



" By the Pope," said our coachman, " I wo'n't 

 pay a single baiocco." 



" You shall pay in full," said the irritated 

 sentinel, " or I'll keep you all here till morn- 

 mg. 



" What is there to do, Pasquale ? " said I. 

 " Signore," said he, " they have falsely ac- 

 cused my horses of uncleanliness, and they want 



