Rollo in Rome

To O

w him at the door of the hotel, as he, Copley, was dismounting from his horse, on his return from a ride which he had been taking into the country. He had b

is horse in Thomas's hands; "take the horse, Thomas, and never bring m

me to give you Jessie," said Th

nd because he is married,-though he has not been married much more than a month,-that he has a

ncing towards the door of the hotel, while he had been speakin

sked Rollo. "W

d Copley; "but that has

er his care?

as no business on that account to lord it over me. I ha

h the former said that he had been for several weeks in Rome, in company

ey, "because he is going to make a long

e going?" a

nice, and all those places. Then, afterwards, we shall go over, by some of the passes of the Alps, into Switzerland. I like to travel in that way, I have so much f

is not going that

r. He is going down to Civita Vecchia, to take the steam

e, as he was coming home, which had a great display of whips at the window, and he wanted

ays I shall get it entangled in the harness. That's no reason, for he is always getting

ut you must wait here for me a minute or two. I must go u

s always ready to give permission in such cases, unless there was some really good and substantial reason for withholding it. And whenever Mr. George withheld his consent from any

art of Rollo, that made him pursue this

take me. That is, I must manage so that he will have a better time when I am with him, than when he goes alone; and in order to do this, I must take care never to give hi

ther that put the idea into his mind. He did it in a conversatio

into Italy with your uncle George, there is one dang

by the brigand

that you have to fear from it is a great deal worse than any thing that would probably happen to you by being robbed

the meaning of the word independence was, but he did not readily know how to clothe the meaning in language. At last he s

ty good definition of it. And now, do you th

is, I suppose it is good," he adde

that firing his gun when he thought best, instead of when the captain

r," sai

tinued Mr. Holiday, "in marching when he thought best, instead of

Rollo; "very

ny of the situations in which you are placed, you are fully competent to take care of yourself. Still you are what the law calls a minor. That is, you have not arrived at an age when you can safely be your own master, and support and take care of yourself. Consequently, the law makes it your father's duty, for some years to come, to furnish money for your support, and to provide for you all necessary protection. And the same law makes it your duty to be under my direction, to conform your conduct to my judgment; or, in other words, to do, not as you t

d Rollo; "I think

are. I delegate my parental power over you to him. It is your duty, therefore, to obey him

," said Roll

s sometimes called, and insist on doing what you think is best, instead of what he thinks is best, so as to cause him trouble, and make

would have done on the proper course which a boy ought to pursue when travelling under the charge of his uncle, and he resolved that he would, in all

without first going up to obtain his uncle's permission. He opene

a boy down below, who asks me to

s it?" aske

o. "He is an English boy, I suppose. He ju

u probably be gone

llo, hesitating. "Perha

s if you choose. If you form any plan that will require

having joined Copley at the door, the

about the ruins, but he always liked to go with them when they took drives in the environs of Rome. The special reason why Copley was so much interested in going on these excursions was, that he was accustomed, in such cases, to sit on the front seat with the coachman, as he did when travelling with the vetturins, and someti

did not come up, went down to the door to inquire what had become of him. The concierge informed him that Copley had gone away

e street, for the sidewalks were so narrow and so irregular in shape, sometimes growing narrower and narrower, unt

for the man who had them to sell could only speak French and Italian, and Copley did not know either of these languages. He had been studying French, it is true, for several years in school, but he had

Rollo acted a

," said Copley, "only it is such a bore t

opley referred to was not in the Corso, but in another street, at right angles to it. When the boys reached the office, they found that there were no diligences there; so they rambled on without muc

e's a steamer coming! Where do you s

said Rollo. "At any rate, I know that

," said Copley.

d Rollo. "You may know that from the n

atin," sa

out; but there were very few passengers to come. The boys then went down towards the pier, and on inquiring of a gentleman whom they saw there, they fo

said he. "It is just far

f rivers. It is so pleasant to watch the gradual widening of the stream, and to meet vessels coming up, and to see the fishermen's boats, and the nets spread on the land, and t

said he should like to go very much, but that he co

ollo. "It is possible that he may have

d Copley. "Tell him that you can't go with him, be

Rollo, shak

ttle fool you a

ed home. Rollo took care to arrive at the hotel before the two hours were expire

r. George, "have you

en we went on till we came to the bridge, and there we saw a steamboat which goes to Ostia and back.

ack of his letter. He did not say any thing, but Rollo observ

plan very well, uncl

Mr. George. "I feel

e," said Rollo. "I don't car

hat, after hearing their uncle's objections to their plans, they might argue ag

against me, every time that he refuses me any thing," said he t

his uncle's opinion, and resolved to tell Copley

ollo's room, to obtain his answer; but on f

n which was entirely outside of the usual range of tourists and travellers. That this expedition was outside the range was evident from the character of the steamboat th

ut his plan to his brother or sister. He was very sure, too, that Rollo would fail of obtaining his uncle's consent. So he concluded to say no more

n he made the proposal, "for us not

re," said the boy, "and be frig

el, or the concierge," said Copley, "that we have gone down t

other boy; "that'

hey stole away very secretly, and after running round the corner, they crept along close to the wall of the hotel, until

, Mr. William began to miss his brother, and to wonder where he

William, "do you kn

"I did not see him from

nquire of the concierge and the porters i

ccupied the next apartment. As he came back he met Pacifico at the head of the stairs, and receiv

id nothing to Pacifico, but after pausing a moment, as if reflec

g his young wife, "where do

imagine,"

ber in the steamer to Os

exclaimed Maria,

iam; "and I am v

ated Maria, surpri

to do this for some time, and this settles the question. It destroys all the peace and comfort of our journey to have a

ia. "He will refuse to go, and insist on accompanying us, for his u

I'll take a hint from his own way of pr

id Maria, "that

will manage it,"

rang the bell. Pacifi

said Mr. William. "Bring me

riting materials, and

o'clock. I wish you to go and find our vetturino, and direct him to be here half an hour before that time with the carriage, to load the baggage. He knows that we were going soon, and he will be prepared. In

" said Pacifico;

s letter. When it was finished, he read it to his wife,

June 20

residence in Rome very much. We are now, however, about ready to le

willing to acknowledge my authority, and he takes so many liberties that I am kept in a constant state of anxiety on his account. Besides, I do not think that it is safe for him to be so much at his own disposal. This country is full of thieves, brigands, and rogues, of the most desperate and reckless character; and young men sometimes suffer extremely in falling into their hands. Copley is not aware of the danger, and he thinks that the restraints which I feel compell

rn with uncle to England, by way of the Mediterranean. Uncle will leave here in a few days, and y

d myself for all at home

iam G

"bureau," as the hotel office is called, where he left it wi

e, he went to his uncle's apartment, and explained the plan which he had formed, and the reason for it. His uncle said that he would very readily take Copley under his charge. Mr. Will

occasioned Mr. William no inconvenience to leave Thomas behind for a day, since, though Thomas usually travelled in the same carriage with the family, the vetturino himself always drove. T

find me at the Hotel of the Post, at Civita Castellana. I wish you to wait here until Copley comes home, and then tell him that I have gone out of town, and shall not be back to-night, and

, on the whole, a pretty pleasant time, though they were somewhat disappointed in the scenery on the banks of the river. The country was perfectly bare of trees, and destitut

s waiting for him

t of town, and will not be back to-night, and I was to wait here for you, and tell you th

hat his brother had gone away, as he thus escaped the

he gone?" a

omas; "but perhaps you

nt that he was not at liberty to say, though Cop

don't care where he has gone.

by sea. His uncle did not tell him that night where his brother had gone, for fear that Copley might make some difficulty, by insisting on going on after him in the diligence with Thomas. Accordingly, when Copley asked the question, his u

sday M

my journey north. I am sorry that you are not here to bid me

ot quite ten years older than you. I know you have found this hard, and so I have concluded that you had better return home with uncle. One of these days, when you grow up

affection

iam G

. He was, however, entirely helpless. His brother had gone, and he did not even know w

the port of Rome, on the Mediterranean, and there embarked on boar