Rollo in Rome | Page 6

any real happiness. So that, on the whole,
judging from what I have seen of tourists in Europe, I should say that
those that travel do not after all, in general, really pass their time more
happily than those who remain at home.
I have two reasons for saying these things. One is, that those of you
who have no opportunity to travel, may be more contented to remain at
home, and not imagine that those of your friends who go abroad,
necessarily pass their time so much more happily than you do. The
other reason is, that when you do travel, either in our own country or in
foreign lands, you should be more reasonable and considerate, and pay
more regard to the wishes and feelings of others, than travellers usually
do. Most of the disquietudes and heart-burnings which arise to mar the
happiness of parties travelling, come from the selfishness of our hearts,
which seems, in some way or other, to bring itself out more into view
when we are on a long journey together than at any other time. In the
ordinary intercourse of life, this selfishness is covered and concealed by
the veil of politeness prescribed by the forms and usages of society.
This veil is, however, very thin, and it soon disappears entirely, in the

familiar intercourse which is necessarily produced by the incidents and
adventures of a journey. In being daily and hourly with each other for a
long time, people appear just as they really are; and unless they are
really reasonable, considerate, and just towards one another, they are
sure sooner or later to disagree.
But though the bridal party were very much out of humor with each
other, as we have seen, Mr. George and Rollo were entirely free from
any such uneasiness. They both felt very light-hearted and happy. They
rambled about the court yard till they had seen all that there was there
to interest them, and then they went to their own diligence. They
opened the coupé door and looked in.
"Our seats are Nos. 1 and 2," said Rollo.
"Yes," said Mr. George. "One of them is next the window, and the
other is in the middle. You may get in first, and take the seat by the
window."
"No, uncle George," said Rollo, "you had better have the seat by the
window."
"We will take turns for that seat," said Mr. George, "and you shall
begin."
Mr. George arranged it to have Rollo take his turn first, because he
knew very well that, in the beginning of a journey, such a boy as Rollo
was always full of enthusiasm and excitement; and that, consequently,
he would enjoy riding at the window much more at first than at a later
period. So Rollo got in and took his seat, and Mr. George followed him.
In a very few minutes afterwards, the postilions came out with the
horses.
But I have something particular to say about the postilions and the
horses, and I will say it in the next chapter.
CHAPTER II.

THE JOURNEY.
There are a great many curious things to be observed in travelling by
the public conveyances on the continent of Europe. One is the way of
driving the horses. It is a very common thing to have them driven, not
by coachmen, but by postilions. There is a postilion for each pair of
horses, and he sits upon the nigh horse of the pair. Thus he rides and
drives at the same time.
In these cases there is no driver's seat in front of the coach. Or if there
is a seat in front, it is occupied by the passengers. All the driving is
done by the postilions.
The postilions dress in a sort of livery, which is quite gay in its
appearance, being trimmed with red. The collars and the lapels of their
jackets, too, are ornamented here and there with figures of stage horns
and other emblems of their profession. They also wear enormously
long and stout boots. These boots come up above their knees. They
carry only a short whip, for they only have to whip the horse that they
are upon, and the one which is by the side of him, and so they do not
have to reach very far. When there are four horses, there are two
postilions, and when there are six, three.
A large diligence, with six horses, and a gayly dressed postilion
mounted on one of the horses of each pair, makes a very grand
appearance, you may depend, in coming, upon the gallop, into the
streets of a town--the postilions cracking their whips, and making as
much noise as they can, and all the boys and girls of the street coming
to the doors and windows