umier who rushed to inform a lady, who had ordered
a turban, of his success, exclaiming, 'Madame, apres trots nun's
d'insomnie les plumes vent placees.' And every one knows the story of
Vatel's suicide because the fish failed to arrive. No Englishman would
be capable of flights like these."

"Really, this indictment of English cookery makes me a little nervous,"
said Lady Considine "I have promised to join in a driving tour through
the southern counties. I shudder to think of the dinners I shall have to
eat at the commercial hotels and posting-houses on our route."

"English country inns are not what they ought to be, but now and then
you come across one which is very good indeed, as good, if not better,
than anything you could find in any other country; but I fear I must
admit that, charges considered, the balance is against us," said Sir
John.

"When you start you ought to secure Sir John's services as courier, Lady
Considine," said the Marchesa. "I once had the pleasure of driving for
a week through the Apennines in a party under his guidance, and I can
assure you we found him quite honest and obliging."

"Ah, Marchesa, I was thinking of that happy time this very morning,"
said Sir John. "Of Arezzo, where we were kept for three days by rain,
which I believe is falling there still. Of Cortona, with that wonderful
little restaurant on the edge of the cliff, whence you see Thrasumene
lying like a silver mirror in the plain below. Of Perugia, the august,
of Gubbio, Citta di Castello, Borgo San Sepolcro, Urbino, and divers
others. If you go for a drive in Italy, you still may meet with humours
of the road such as travellers of old were wont to enjoy. I well
remember on the road between Perugia and Gubbio we began to realise we
were indeed traversing mountain paths. On a sudden the driver got down,
waved his arms, and howled to some peasants working in a field below.
These, on their part, responded with more arm-waving and howling,
directed apparently towards a village farther up the hill, whereupon we
were assailed with visions of brigands, and amputated ears, and ransom.
But at a turn of the road we came upon two magnificent white oxen,
which, being harnessed on in front, drew us, and our carriages and
horses as well, up five miles of steep incline. These beautiful
fellows, it seemed, were what the driver was signalling for, and not
for brigands. Again, every inn we stayed at supplied us with some
representative touc