"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.
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