t 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 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.