inions, that he has never taken
off the quarantine: so that, under any circumstances, we must vegetate
in some frontier hole for a fortnight before we can be admitted; a
circumstance in itself sufficiently deterring, in my opinion. Besides
which, what with the perplexity of the coinage, and the constant attempt
at pillage which we have already met with, and which, I am told, is
quadrupled on the other side of the Alps, such a counterbalance exists
to any of the enjoyments of travelling, that I am heartily weary of the
continual skirmishing and _warfare_ I am subjected to;--warfare indeed,
as at Cologne I was _called out_. The story is too good to be lost, so
I will tell it for your amusement and that of our friends at Brussels;
moreover that you may caution every one against Mons. Disch, of the
Cour Imperiale:--We had _marchandeed_ with Madame Disch for rooms, who
at last agreed to _our_ terms; but when the bill came, she changed her
_own_. We remonstrated, and the bill was altered; but Mons. Disch made
his appearance before I could pay it, insisting on the larger sum,
saying his wife had no business to make a bargain for him. I
remonstrated in vain, and Mrs -- commenced most eloquently to state the
case: he was, however, deaf to reason, argument, eloquence, and beauty.
At last I said, `Do not waste words the matter, I will pay the fellow
and have done with him, taking care that neither I nor my friends will
ever come to his house again,' at the same time snatching the bill from
his hand when he demanded, in a great fury, what I meant by that;
exclaiming, `I am Germans gentlemans,--you English gentlemans, I
challenge you--I challenge you.' Although somewhat wroth before this.
I was so amused that I laughed in the rascal's face, which doubled his
rage, and he reiterated his mortal defiance; adding,--`I was in London
last year; they charge me twelve--fourteen shillings for my dinner at
coffee-house, but I too much gentlemans to ask them take off one
farding. I challenge you--I challenge you.' I then said, `Hold your
tongue, sir; take your money and be off.' `Me take money!' replied he;
`me take money! No, my servant take money; I too much gentlemans to
take money.' Upon which the waiter swept the cash off the table, handed
it to his master, who immediately sacked it and walked off."

I certainly have myself come to the conclusion that the idea of going
abroad for economy is most erroneous. As I have before obs