At last we arrived, and entered by a long dusty passage the Dogana, in
order to be examined. All romantic visions had now faded away:
ordinary mortals were in attendance to look over our boxes; and it
being the middle of a hot day, I began to feel both thirsty and tired,
and most anxious to arrive quickly at the hotel, in order to secure
comfortable apartments. Claudia stood for some time with the keys in
her hand, vainly endeavouring to induce one of the custom-house
officers to look at our boxes. The examination did not appear very
strict, and we observed many of our fellow-passengers had their boxes
just opened, and then were allowed to depart, with scarcely any delay.
At last, one of the men approached us, and Claudia pointed to her open
box, and asked him to examine it. The man looked up into her face--I
thought, in a very scrutinising manner--then at the name on the box,
and then retired, and whispered to one of his companions, who came
back with him, and asked in Italian for our passport. This I
immediately produced. They examined it, and said something to each
other in German; upon which Claudia, who was more familiar with that
language than with Italian, asked them in it to be kind enough to
examine our boxes quickly, as her aunt was much tired. I saw the men
exchange glances, and then they came forward to examine us.
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