ncelling all his previous orders to Angelo and of putting his money for
next week's lottery on thirty-three. The corporal and several of the men
who had not intended to gamble changed their minds and gave similar
instructions.

It was now time to think of returning, so Angelo got out of the window
into the sunlight and went off to fetch the carriage and the guards began
to chaff poor Cicciu about his watch-chain which was a massive and
extensive affair in silver. The corporal said they were playing a game
with him and offered to teach it to me. I am not good at games, but this
one was so simple that I mastered it in less than a minute and played it
thus--

First I asked Cicciu to tell me the time. He shut up his eyes, showed
his teeth and covered his face all over with grinning wrinkles. Then I
asked him the time again. He replied in the same way. I asked him again
and so on till he had overcome his shyness and at last pulled out his
watch which was found to consist of a circular piece of tin with a paper
watch-face gummed on to one side of it. Then we all laughed at the
contrast between this and what his elaborate watch-chain had led us to
expect.

While we were still laughing, Angelo drove up to the window and said it
was time to go, so we began saying "Good-bye." Some of the men departed
before us, but the brigadier, the corporal and one or two others were
going our way. The brigadier fetched his gun in order to enjoy the chase
and we all got out of the window. Angelo accompanied the hunting party,
but the corporal came in the carriage with me and Cicciu drove us round
the barley-field to the Temple of Apollo to wait for the others. On the
way we heard the brigadier firing off his gun and wondered what sport he
was having, and I took a leaf out of his book of politeness and asked the
corporal his age and particulars of his family, after which, of course, I
had to tell him all about myself and to promise I would take the first
opportunity of visiting him in his home to clink glasses and drink wine
with him.

We went all over the ruins while waiting for the hunting party which
presently joined us. The brigadier was satisfied with his sport and
permitted himself the pleasure of offering me the spoils--two birds the
size of sparrows--which Angelo was to cook for supper. Then we said
"Good-bye," promising to exchange picture postcards when I should be back
in England. The corporal, however, was still go