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Italy； said my friend； Charles Jouvent。 And yet my two attempts gave me
a charming idea of the manners of that beautiful country。 Some time；
however； I must visit its cities； as well as the museums and works of art
with which it abounds。 I will make another attempt to penetrate into the
interior； which I have not yet succeeded in doing。
You don't understand me； so I will explain： In the spring of 1874 I was
seized with an irresistible desire to see Venice； Florence； Rome and
Naples。 I am； as you know； not a great traveller； it appears to me a
useless and fatiguing business。 Nights spent in a train； the disturbed
slumbers of the railway carriage； with the attendant headache； and
stiffness in every limb； the sudden waking in that rolling box； the
unwashed feeling； with your eyes and hair full of dust； the smell of the
coal on which one's lungs feed； those bad dinners in the draughty
refreshment rooms are； according to my ideas； a horrible way of beginning
a pleasure trip。
After this introduction； we have the miseries of the hotel； of some great
hotel full of people； and yet so empty； the strange room and the doubtful
bed！
I am most particular about my bed； it is the sanctuary of life。 We
entrust our almost naked and fatigued bodies to it so that they may be
reanimated by reposing between soft sheets and feathers。
There we find the most delightful hours of our existence； the hours of
love and of sleep。 The bed is sacred； and should be respected； venerated
and loved by us as the best and most delightful of our earthly
possessions。
I cannot lift up the sheets of a hotel bed without a shudder of disgust。
Who has occupied it the night before？ Perhaps dirty； revolting people
have slept in it。 I begin； then； to think of all the horrible people
with whom one rubs shoulders every day； people with suspicious…looking
skin which makes one think of the feet and all the rest！ I call to mind
those who carry about with them the sickening smell of garlic or of
humanity。 I think of those who are deformed and unhealthy； of the
perspiration emanating from the sick； of everything that is ugly and
filthy in man。
And all this； perhaps； in the bed in which I am about to sleep！ The mere
idea of it makes me feel ill as I get into it。
And then the hotel dinnersthose dreary table d'hote dinners in the
midst of all sorts of extraordinary people； or else those terrible
solitary dinners at a small table in a restaurant； feebly lighted by a
wretched composite candle under a shade。
Again； those terribly dull evenings in some un known town！ Do you know
anything more wretched than the approach of。 dusk on such an occasion？
One goes about as if almost in a dream； looking at faces that one never
has seen before and never will see again； listening to people talking
about matters which are quite indifferent to you in a language that
perhaps you do not understand。 You have a terrible feeling； almost as if
you were lost； and you continue to walk on so as not to be obliged to
return to the hotel； where you would feel more lost still because you are
at home； in a home which belongs to anyone who can pay for it； and at
last you sink into a chair of some well…lighted cafe； whose gilding and
lights oppress you a thousand times more than the shadows in the streets。
Then you feel so abominably lonely sitting in front of the glass of flat
bock beer that a kind of madness seizes you； the longing to go somewhere
or other； no matter where； as long as you need not remain in front of
that marble table amid those dazzling lights。
And then； suddenly； you are aware that you are really alone in the world；
always and everywhere； and that in places which we know； the familiar
jostlings give us the illusion only of human fraternity。 At such moments
of self…abandonment and sombre isolation in distant cities one thinks
broadly； clearly and profoundly。 Then one suddenly sees the whole of
life outside the vision of eternal hope； apart from the deceptions of our
innate habits； and of our expectations of happiness； which we indulge in
dreams never to be realized。
It is only by going a long distance from home that we can fully
understand how short…lived and empty everything near at hand is； by
searching for the unknown； we perceive how commonplace and evanescent
everything is； only by wandering over the face of the earth can we
understand how small the world is； and how very much alike it is
everywhere。
How well I know； and how I hate and almost fear； those haphazard walks
through unknown streets； and this was the reason why； as nothing would
induce me to undertake a tour in Italy by myself； I made up my mind to
accompany my friend Paul Pavilly。
You know Paul； and how he idealizes women。 To him the earth is habitable
only because they are there； the sun gives light and is warm because it
shines upon them； the air is soft and balmy because it blows upon their
skin and ruffles the soft hair on their temples； and the moon is charming
because it makes them dream and imparts a languorous charm to love。
Every act and action of Paul's has woman for its motive； all his
thoughts； all his efforts and hopes are centered in them。
When I mentioned Italy to Paul he at first absolutely refused to leave
Paris。 I； however； began to tell him of the adventures I had on my
travels。 I assured him that all Italian women are charming； and I made
him hope for the most refined pleasures at Naples； thanks to certain
letters of introduction which I had； and so at last he allowed himself to
be persuaded。
II
We took the express one Thursday evening； Paul and I。 Hardly anyone goes
south at that time of the year； so that we had the carriages to
ourselves； and both of us were in a bad temper on leaving Paris； sorry
for having yielded to the temptation of this journey； and regretting
Marly； the Seine； and our lazy boating excursions； and all those
pleasures in and near Paris which are so dear to every true Parisian。
As soon as the train started Paul stuck himself in his corner； and said；
〃It is most idiotic to go all that distance；〃 and as it was too late for
him to change his mind then； I said； 〃Well； you should not have come。〃
He made no answer； and I felt very much inclined to laugh when I saw how
furious he looked。 He is certainly always rather like a squirrel； but
then every one of us has retained the type of some animal or other as the
mark of his primitive origin。 How many people have jaws like a bulldog；
or heads like goats； rabbits； foxes； horses； or oxen。 Paul is a squirrel
turned into a man。 He has its bright； quick eyes； its hair； its pointed
nose； its small； fine； supple； active body； and a certain mysterious
resemblance in his general bearing； in fact； a similarity of movement； of
gesture； and of bearing which might almost be taken for a recollection。
At last we both went to sleep with that uncomfortable slumber of the
railway carriage； which is interrupted by horrible cramps in the arms and
neck； and by the sudden stoppages of the train。
We woke up as we were passing along the Rhone。 Soon the continued noise
of crickets came in through the windo