They have other kinds of insects, but it does not make them arrogant.

They are very quiet, unpretending people. They have more of these kind

of things than other communities, but they do not boast.

They are very uncleanly--these people--in face, in person and dress.

When they see any body with a clean shirt on, it arouses their scorn.

The women wash clothes, half the day, at the public tanks in the streets,

but they are probably somebody else's. Or may be they keep one set to

wear and another to wash; because they never put on any that have ever

been washed. When they get done washing, they sit in the alleys and

nurse their cubs. They nurse one ash-cat at a time, and the others

scratch their backs against the door-post and are happy.

All this country belongs to the Papal States. They do not appear to have

any schools here, and only one billiard table. Their education is at a

very low stage. One portion of the men go into the military, another

into the priesthood, and the rest into the shoe-making business.

They keep up the passport system here, but so they do in Turkey. This

shows that the Papal States are as far advanced as Turkey. This fact

will be alone sufficient to silence the tongues of malignant

calumniators. I had to get my passport vised for Rome in Florence, and

then they would not let me come ashore here until a policeman had

examined it on the wharf and sent me a permit. They did not even dare to

let me take my passport in my hands for twelve hours, I looked so

formidable. They judged it best to let me cool down. They thought I

295

The Innocents Abroad