Jérôme Bonaparte, who had been sailing on the sea for six days in a sailboat, could no longer bear the damp, moldy and fishy smell in the cabin. He closed the book and got up and left the room.
Go along the cabin corridor until you reach the end. The stairs connecting the cabin and the plywood appear on the right side of the corridor.
Jérôme Bonaparte held a hard book under his left arm and walked up the stairs step by step while holding on to the wooden handrail of the stairs.
On the plywood, the captain who was responsible for commanding and dispatching the crew saw the "gold owner" Jérôme Bonaparte and hurriedly ran to him and greeted him warmly: "Dear guest, do you need anything?"
"Mr. Captain!" Jérôme Bonaparte, feeling the sea breeze blowing on his face and listening to the rhythmic beating of the sea water against the right side of the board and the sound of the waves, swept away the haze that had accumulated in the cabin for a long time and suddenly felt relaxed and happy:
"I would like to ask when we can arrive at the port of Civitavecchia. I can't wait to experience the style of ancient Rome!"
After that, Jerome Bonaparte showed a libertine smile, whistled softly and added: "Of course there is also the tenderness of Roman women!"
Alas! Another dissolute nobleman!
The captain looked at the libertine-like Jérôme Bonaparte in front of him with half-envy and half-jealous eyes, and said with a regretful expression on his face: "Guest, you should have gone to Rome two months ago! Now!
Rome is not much fun!”
"Huh?" Jérôme Bonaparte asked in confusion: "Why do you say that?"
"The most lively time in Rome is February 22nd every year! The Roman Carnival starts on that day, and only at that time can you see the enthusiasm of Rome!" The captain swallowed, with a lewd smile on his face.
Said: "Whenever the Roman Carnival begins, the residents of Rome wear masks and walk in the streets of Rome! Resentful boys and girls, and hungry ladies will take action at that time. People like you
It will be inevitable to receive kisses."
The captain's compliment did not make Jérôme Bonaparte feel happy, but instead made him doubtful.
"Huh? Didn't the war in the Apennine Peninsula start long ago? Why are they still in the mood to continue the carnival?" Jerome Bonaparte asked in confusion.
"Guest!" the captain explained: "The progress of the war has nothing to do with Rome! No matter who comes to Rome, they must abide by the rules of Rome! Because His Majesty the Pope is in Rome!"
The captain's natural expression made Jérôme Bonaparte realize again the "power" of the Holy See.
The 18th and 19th centuries were the last moments of the Holy See's remaining power in the secular world. The Pope, who had dual interpretation powers in the religious and secular worlds, had even higher prestige in Central Italy than Napoleon did in France, let alone outside the Papal State.
The devout Catholics are even eager to go to the Holy Land to listen to the teachings.
"However, Rome now..." The captain hesitated for a moment, then reorganized his words and said: "It seems to be more fanatical than before! However, I think there should be no problem with the prestige of His Majesty the Pope!"
At this point, the captain's momentum was obviously lacking, and the revolutionary fervor seemed to have begun to conflict with the authority of the Pope.
"Dear Captain, I don't want to know what Rome will look like. I just want to know how long it will take for us to reach the port of Civitavecchia!" Jerome Bonaparte asked again.
"Guest, we have passed the Strait of Gibraltar! We are now in the Mediterranean area! We expect to arrive in Civitavecchia tomorrow! I hope you are not in a hurry!" the captain said quickly.
"That's good!" Jérôme Bonaparte nodded slightly, walked to the bow of the plywood and sat down to read the unfinished books.
The captain also continued to assign tasks to the crew.
The sky was getting dark, Jerome Bonaparte looked at the sunset from the stern of the ship, which was about to sink to the horizon. He stood up and sighed, and he had to return to the smelly cabin.
Even though there were ten thousand reluctances in his heart, Jérôme Bonaparte still moved his body step by step from the plywood to the stairs and returned to the room.
Not long after, a sailor knocked on the door of Jerome Bonaparte's room. He placed a small piece of salty pork knuckle, a few slices of slightly blackened bread and an orange on a tray and handed it to Jerome Bonaparte.
In the hands of Tom Bonaparte.
This was Jérôme Bonaparte's dinner.
"Wish you a pleasant meal, sir!" The sailor respectfully closed the door and left.
With the help of a kerosene lamp hanging overhead that flickered on and off and swayed back and forth, Jérôme Bonaparte enjoyed his last dinner in bed.
Chewing the unpalatable salted pork jerky, Jérôme Bonaparte secretly vowed in his heart: He must personally prepare the food on board before boarding the ship in the future!
Jerome Bonaparte finished his dinner hastily and looked through the books again. When the oil in the kerosene lamp ran out, Jerome Bonaparte closed his eyes and rested.
At dawn the next day, the sailboat finally arrived only three or four miles away from the port of Civitavecchia. The wind gradually decreased as the distance approached, and the sailboat was forced to move slowly.
At 9 a.m., the sailboat anchored outside the port of Civitavecchia.
At half past nine, Jérôme Bonaparte was awakened from his dream by Captain Leti. The two of them came to the plywood. Under the leadership of the sailor, Jérôme Bonaparte and Leti took a small boat and arrived at Chi.
Land of the port of Vittavecchia.
The moment he stepped into the land of the Papal State, Jerome Bonaparte's heart surged with great pride. He clenched his fists and shouted in his heart: "The Papal State, I'm coming!"
However, Jerome's journey was not over. He had to reach Rome. Since the war was limited to northern Italy, the Papal State still maintained a complete post station, rented by Jerome Bonaparte and Leti.
A carriage headed to Rome.
Perhaps affected by the war in the Apennines, there were only a few carriages on the originally busy post road. The carriage carrying the fourth generation leader of the Bonaparte family was speeding along the spacious post road. Civitavecchia was close to Rome.
The 70-kilometer journey took less than 6 hours to reach the outskirts of Rome.
Looking at the hills that gradually emerged from the horizon and the magnificent buildings sitting on the hills, Jerome showed a joyful smile on his face.
"Your Highness, are we looking for a place to stay now?" Captain Letty asked Jérôme Bonaparte.
"Of course!" Jérôme Bonaparte responded without thinking.