Chapter I<br > protinus a lae-oa tibi clari fronte Penates<br > atriaque excelsae sunt adeunda domus.<br > MARTIAL<br > NCE upon a time it was as much a matter of strict<br > Sunday observance on the island of Sirene for the<br >English and American colony to go to tea at the Villa<br >Amabih in the afternoon ks it was for the natives to attend<br >Mass in the morning." People never asked their friends i]<br >they were going down to the Pepworth-Nortons， though<br >!hey might occasionally ask what time they were going down<br >m order to suggest sharing a carriage. Such providence had<br >nothing to do with economy. There was only a limited<br >number of carriages that self-respecting foreigners cared to<br >patronize， and the drivers of these， who enjoyed something<br >of the status of private coachmen， had to use the nicest tact<br >to avoid offending their clients. The clients were well<br >aware of this ebb and flow of diplomacy， and since there<br >was always ample to quarrel about in Sirene without quar-<br >reUing over one s carriage everything in reason was done<br >to preserve the amenity of the Sunday drive down to the<br >Pepworth-Nortom. Thus， once upon a time you might<br >have heard Mrs. Neave of the Villino Paradiso say to Mrs.<br >Dawson of the Villa Florida， Oh， Mrs. Dawson， I was<br >wondering if you d have any room in your carriage this<br >afternoon and if you d mind my sharing Peppino with you.<br >My poor Michele sent round in-great distress last evening<br >to say that Don Cesare just insisted he must drive down to<br > 3<br >