ns bred on Capri, whose daily
work it is to land heavy goods and carry trunks on their heads to the
omnibuses and cabs in waiting at the end of the quay. Before we were
fairly in, they swooped like a pack of wolves on the car, laughing and
gabbling, and somehow they and Brown landed it on the slippery little
quay.

The news that there was an automobile on the island must have flashed
around by magic telegraph, for people--swarms of people, more than you
would have thought could live on the whole of Capri--came running from
everywhere to see us start. I should have been awfully amused if it
hadn't been for one thing. Up there at the end of the quay, where we
must pass, were half a dozen hotel omnibuses and a long rank of smart
cabs, like victorias, with very pretty little horses, whose faces looked
incredibly short--perhaps on account of their huge blinders. They had
feathers on their heads, and their harness was ornamented with all kinds
of strange devices in silver or brass. Sweet little pets they were, that
you felt as if you might ask into your house to sit on the hearthrug;
and when they saw Balzac they all began to snort and shiver and act as
if they were going to faint. Their drivers--in hard, white hats
something like our policemen's helmets--flew to the poor beasties'
heads; and some laughed, and some looked anxious, some angry.

Evidently the little horses had lived an innocent, peaceful life for
years on Capri, and had never heard of railways or steam rollers, much
less automobiles. I was so sorry for them, and wished I hadn't been so
headstrong, but had been guided by Brown when he advised me to leave
Balzac at Naples. However, we couldn't abandon the car on the quay, so
we got in and Brown started the motor. Oh, my goodness! every horse went
into hysterics! Their drivers held them, and said things soothing or the
reverse, according to their bringing-up, but the little things kicked
and plunged and doubled up in knots, although Brown drove by as slowly
and solemnly as the Dead March in _Saul_. I thought we should never get
past, but when we did the worst was still to come, for we had a steep
road to climb up the cliff, and in the distance several cab-horses were
trotting down. I begged Brown to stop and let them go by, lest they
should jump over into space, so he did; and it was all that he and the
drivers of the cabs could do to get the poor horrified little animals
past us at all. That experience was enoug