The Count of Monte Cristo

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Chapter 31. Italy: Sinbad the Sailor.

Towards the beginning of the year 1838, two young men belonging to the
first society of Paris, the Vicomte Albert de Morcerf and the Baron
Franz d'Epinay, were at Florence. They had agreed to see the Carnival at
Rome that year, and that Franz, who for the last three or four years
had inhabited Italy, should act as cicerone to Albert. As it is no
inconsiderable affair to spend the Carnival at Rome, especially when
you have no great desire to sleep on the Piazza del Popolo, or the Campo
Vaccino, they wrote to Signor Pastrini, the proprietor of the Hotel de
Londres, Piazza di Spagna, to reserve comfortable apartments for them.
Signor Pastrini replied that he had only two rooms and a parlor on the
third floor, which he offered at the low charge of a louis per diem.
They accepted his offer; but wishing to make the best use of the time
that was left, Albert started for Naples. As for Franz, he remained at
Florence, and after having passed a few days in exploring the paradise
of the Cascine, and spending two or three evenings at the houses of