We reached Vivario before daylight, and leaving the _voiture_, scrambled up a lane, then some dark stairs, and found ourselves in the gaunt rooms of a rude _locanda_. The people were astir, expecting us, and the best sight was, not indeed a blazing fire of logs—though Vivario is close to the forest, such fires are not to be seen indoors—but at least some lighted embers on the cooking-hearth, giving promise of a speedy cup of hot coffee, for we were very cold. The mountain air was keen, Vivario standing nearly 2000 feet above the level of the sea. The best news was that the mules for our journey were forthcoming. Meanwhile, we got our wash, and, it being too early to eat, had our _déjeûner_ of bread and wine, grapes and ham, packed in a basket, to be eaten on the road.
We were objects of much curiosity. Whence did we come? where were we going? what was our business?—were questions of course.
It may easily be imagined that the communal schools in Corsica give little instruction in ethnology; and even intelligent persons, like our former guide Antoine, appeared to doubt our right to be called Christians. That was often questioned, the people seeming little better informed than they were when Boswell travelled in Corsica, almost a century ago.
“_Inglesi_,” said a strong black fellow to him, “_sono barbare; non credono in Dio grande._”
“Excuse me, sir,” replied Boswell; “we do believe in God, and in Jesus Christ too.”
“_Um,_” said he, “_e nel Papa?_” (and in the Pope?)
This was a puzzling question under the circumstances, for there was a great audience listening to the controversy. So Boswell thought he would try a method of his own, and he very gravely replied:—
“_Perche siamo troppo lontano._” (Because we are too far off.) A very new argument against the universal infallibility of the Pope. It took, however; for his opponent mused awhile, and then said:—
“_Troppo lontano! Ha—Sicilia è tanto lontano che l'Inghilterra; e in Sicilia si credono nel Papa._” (Too far off! why Sicily is as far off as England; yet in Sicily they believe in the Pope.)
“Ah!” said Boswell, “_Noi siamo dieci volte più lontano che la Sicilia._” (We are ten times farther off than Sicily.)
“_Aha!_” said the questioner; and seemed quite satisfied. “In this manner,” concludes Boswell, “I got off very well. I question much whether any of the learned reasonings of our Protestant divines would have had so good an effect.”