The Robertses on Their Travels

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1846. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XII. Miss Harrington knew very little of the environs of Rome. She had on one occasion driven far enough to indulge herself with a ramble among the arches of the magnificent aqueduct, but this had been her only distant excursion, and this she knew had not led her in a direction which it was at all likely Mr. Edward Roberts would follow on the present occasion; she therefore felt no particular eagerness to look out of the window in order to ascertain in what direction she was going, but listened patiently to the voice of common sense, which told her that, go which way they would, they must seek the habitation of man, both for the purpose of changing horses and obtaining food. Whenever this should happen, Bertha knew that she had one great advantage over her companion--namely, that she spoke Italian with great facility, it having been made one of her earliest studies, while she greatly doubted if he could make himself understood. Another advantage, of which she was likewise fully sensible, was that the enterprise she had before her was of much easier accomplishment than his, inasmuch as there was less difficulty in getting back to Rome when only one stage from it, than in reaching Gretna Green from the same spotNotwithstanding her courageous patience, however, the stage did appear a very long one; and at one moment the lady so nearly raised herself sufficiently to look out of the window, that the gentleman made a corresponding movement on his side to get the cloak ready to throw over her if she did. Time and the hour, however, brought them to the place where the horses were to be changed, and Bertha very stoutly made up her mind that she would not go any further. When the carriage stopped, therefore, she sat very particularly still, and once again...