V.

Michelle and the Princess of Bizerta

77

TRAPANI

VI.

Ferraù and Angelica

97

VII.

The Death of Bradamante

113

MOUNT ERYX

VIII.

Monte san Giuliano

131

IX.

The Madonna and the Personaggi

149

X.

The Universal Deluge

166

XI.

The Return

181

CUSTONACI

XII.

Faith and Superstition

189

CALATAFIMI

XIII.

The Prodigal Son and the Arts

213

PALERMO

XIV.

Samson

235

XV.

The Conversion of the Emperor Constantine

254

CASTELLINARIA

XVI.

A Great Actor

279

XVII.

Supper with the Players

290

XVIII.

A Young Critic

304

XIX.

Brancaccia

317

SELINUNTE

CHAPTER I—THE BRIGADIER AND THE LOTTERY

One wet Saturday evening in May I found myself at Castelvetrano consulting Angelo, the guide, about the weather.  His opinion was that it would clear up during the night; I said that if it did we would go to Selinunte, and this confirmed his view; so, on the understanding that there was to be no rain, I appointed him padrone of the expedition and promised to acquiesce in all his arrangements.

He was quite right; Sunday morning was brilliantly fine, and at about 8.30 we started.  He began by showing me his purchases; he had been out early, marketing, and his basket contained fresh tunny, the first of the season, veal, salame, dried fish, bread and oranges, but no wine; he said we should find that at

the locanda, where they would cook the tunny and the veal for us.

Cicciu, our driver, was one of those queer creatures one sometimes meets in Italy.  At first I took him to be of feeble intellect, for when I spoke to him or merely looked at him, he shut up his eyes, showed his teeth