“A diligence is a creature that leaves at a fixed hour, and its passengers run to it; a vetturino leaves at all hours, and runs after its passengers.  Hardly have you set your foot out of the boat that brings you from the steam-vessel to the shore, than you are assailed, stifled, dragged, deafened by twenty drivers, who look on you as their merchandise, and treat you accordingly, and would end by carrying you off bodily, if they could agree among them who should have the booty.  Families have been separated at the port of Livorno, to find each other how they could in the streets of Florence.  In vain you jump into a fiacre, they leap up before, above, behind; and at the gate of the hotel, there you are in the midst of the same group of villains, who are only the more clamorous for having been kept waiting.  Reduced to extremities, you declare that you have come to Livorno upon commercial business, and that you intend staying eight days at least, and you ask of the garcon, loud enough for all to hear, if there is an apartment at liberty for the next week.  At this they will sometimes abandon the prey, which they reckon upon seizing at some future time; they run back with all haste to the port to catch some other traveller, and you are free.

“Nevertheless, if about an hour after this you should wish to leave the hotel, you will find one or two sentinels at the gate.  These are connected with the hotel, and they have been forewarned by the garcon that it will not be eight days before you leave—­that, in fact, you will leave to-morrow.  These it is absolutely necessary that you call in, and make your treaty with.  If you should have the imprudence to issue forth into the street, fifty of the brotherhood will be attracted by their clamours, and the scene of the port will be renewed.  They will ask ten piastres for a carriage—­you will offer five.  They will utter piercing cries of dissent—­you will shut the door upon them.  In three minutes one of them will climb in at the window, and engage with you for the five piastres.

“This treaty concluded, you are sacred to all the world; in five minutes the report is spread through all Livorno that you are engaged.  You may then go where you please; every one salutes you, wishes you bon voyage; you would think yourself amongst the most disinterested people in the world.”—­P. 94.

The only question that remains to be decided is that of the drink-money—­the buona-mano, as the Italian calls it.  This is a matter of grave importance, and should be gravely considered.  On this buona-mano depends the rapidity of your journey; for the time may vary at the will of the driver from six to twelve hours.  Hereupon M. Dumas tells an amusing story of a Russian prince, which not only proves how efficient a cause this buona mano may be in the accomplishment of the journey, but also illustrates very forcibly a familiar principle of our own jurisprudence, and a point to which the Italian traveller must pay particular attention.  We doubt if the necessity of a written agreement, in order to enforce the terms of a contract, was ever made more painfully evident than in the following instance:—­