ADVENTURES ON THE ROAD TO SYRACUSE. 
59 
Here commenced that series of calamities to which I have 
already incidentally referred. Eighteen miles in the bracing 
morning air had given ns a ravenous appetite. The Hotel 
de Parigi was recommended by our driver as the best in the 
place, and although it bore very little resemblance to any thing 
we had ever seen in Paris, being about as black and dirty a 
looking locanda as could well be found in Sicily, we ascended 
through the hostlery to a large bare room, with a table in the 
middle, and half a dozen wooden chairs ranged round the 
walls, and called for qualche com mangera —in plain English, 
something to eat. The padrona, a sour-looking woman, eyed 
us with a speculative glance, having reference to the size of 
our purses, and said : “ We have nothing but eggs and bread, 
signores; the meat has been devoured by a party that have 
just gone ahead.” “ Very well, then,” said we, “ let us have 
the eggs and bread as soon as possible.” In about half an 
hour we had a scanty collazione of fried eggs, to which we 
did as much justice as the subject permitted. “ Now, pa¬ 
drona, what is to pay ?” “ What you wish, signores.” “ No, 
no; you must fix your own price.” “ Then, as you have 
had nothing but eggs and bread, we will only charge you two 
dollars.” “ Two dollars ! why that is impossible. We have 
only had a dozen eggs and a little bread !” “ Well then, say 
a dollar and a half; that is very little for four persons, sig¬ 
nores.” We paid the dollar and a half, and considered our¬ 
selves very cleverly done. As we were about to leave, our 
hostess reminded us of another small charge—three carlins 
for the room. “What!” said we, in an honest fit of indig¬ 
nation, “ do you mean to say we are to pay for the privilege 
of eating your miserable collazione in this barn of a place ?” 
“ Of course, signores, you have had the use of the room.” 
“ Very true, but did you think we were going to eat out of 
doors ?” “By no means, and that is the reason why I charge 
you for the accommodation of the room.” It was no use to 
argue against a system of reasoning so cogent .as this; the 
postillion was calling to us to come on; so we paid the three 
carlins for the use of the room. Passing out, we were at¬ 
tacked by a dirty cuisine, who demanded a trifling remuner- 
