A coachman in livery was on the box, and a small footman, very much coated and silk-hatted, was standing about; and, as he looked, two ladies came out of the arched entrance to the court of the building before which the equipage was halted, and the small footman sprang to the carriage door.
One of the ladies was a stranger to him, but the other was Mrs.William Ruggles; and John, seeing that he had been recognized, at once crossed over to the carriage; and presently, having accepted an invitation to breakfast, found himself sitting opposite them on his way to the Villa Violante.

The conversation during the drive up to the Vomero need not be detailed.

Mrs.Hartleigh arrived at the opinion that our friend was rather a dull person.

Mrs.Ruggles, as he had found out, was usually rather taciturn.

Neither is it necessary to say very much of the breakfast, nor of the people assembled.
It appeared that several guests had departed the previous day, and the people at table consisted only of Mr.and Mrs.Ruggles, Mary, Mr.and Mrs.Hartleigh and their two daughters, and John, whose conversation was mostly with his host, and was rather desultory.