A
friend of mine and his lady, who were travelling in their own carriage,
had, in order to avoid this extortion, engaged with a _vetturino_ to
conduct them from Naples to Rome with _his horses_, but their own carriage,
and, had stipulated to be _spesati_. Mine host of Terracina, seeing a smart
carriage drive up, ordered one of his best rooms to be got ready, ushered
them in himself and returnd in half an hour to ask what they would have for
supper; when to his great astonishment and mortification, they referred him
for the arrangement of the supper to the _vetturino_, saying that they were
_spesati_. He then began to curse and swear, said that they should not have
that room, and wanted to turn them out of it forcibly; but my friend Major
G---- took up one of his pistols, which were lying on the table, and told
the innkeeper that if he did not cease to molest them and instantly quit
the room, he would blow out his brains. This threat had the desired effect,
and he withdrew. It appears that this fellow has in the end outwitted
himself, for most people now, who travel on this road in their own
carriage, chuse to travel with a _vetturino_ and his horses and are
_spesati_, solely in order to avoid the extortion practised upon them.
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