Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - XXVII. Summer
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The pergola was already covered with young
vines; roses, honeysuckle and Epomea were
clustering round the long row of white columns.
Among the cypresses in the little cloister court
stood the Dancing Faun on his column of
cipollino, in the centre of the big loggia sat the bronze
Hermes from Herculaneum. In the little marble
court outside the dining-room all ablaze with
sun, sat Billy the baboon, hard at work catching
Tappio’s fleas, surrounded by all the other dogs
drowsily awaiting their turn for the customary
completion of their morning toilette. Billy had a
wonderful hand for catching fleas, no jumping or
crawling thing escaped his vigilant eye, the dogs
knew it quite well and enjoyed the sport as much
as he did. It was the only sport tolerated by the
law of San Michele. Death was fulmineous and
probably painless, Billy had swallowed his prey
before there was time to realize the danger.
Billy had given up drinking and become a
respectable monkey in the full bloom of manhood,
alarmingly like a human being, on the whole well
behaved though somewhat boisterous when I was
out of sight, making fun of everybody. I often
wondered what the dogs really thought of him at
the back of their heads. I am not sure they were
not afraid of him, they generally turned their
heads away when he looked at them. Billy was
afraid of nobody but me. I could always see by
his face when he had a bad conscience which was
generally the case. Yes, I think he was afraid
of the mongoose who was always sneaking about
the garden on restless feet, silent and inquisitive.
There was something very manly about Billy, he
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