PIKE [genially].  Wishing you many happy returns, Colonel!

MARIANO [greatly excited].  It is the robber of Russia.  They think he climb the wall, the assassin.  The other carabiniere, they surround all yonder. [Gesturing right and left.] These two they search here.  They ask you, please, have you see him climb the wall.

PIKE.  No.

FIRST CARABINIERE.  Ae quelcuno passato de qui?

MARIANO.  He say has any one go across here?

PIKE.  No.

FIRST CARABINIERE [pointing under the car].  Chi costui?

MARIANO.  He want to know who that is.

PIKE.  The new chauffeur for the machine, from Naples.

MARIANO.  E lo chauffeur di un illustre personaggio padrone dell’ automobile.

FIRST CARABINIERE [bowing to PIKE].  Grazia, Signore. [To MARIANO.]
Cerchereremo nel giardino.

[Exit swiftly FIRST CARABINIERE to the right through pergola; SECOND to the left.]

MARIANO.  Dio mio! but those are the brave men, Signore.  Either one shall meet in a moment this powerful assassin who may take his lifes.

[Murmur of voice from back arises, sounds of running feet and shrill whistles and pounding on gates.]

[MARIANO runs back, opens the gates, showing excited and clamoring fishermen and beggars in the lane.  They try to come in.  He drives them back with a napkin, which has been hanging over his arm, crying:  “Vate, vate!  Devo dire al maresciallo di cacciarvi?”]

[Meanwhile VASILI has entered from the hotel, a bundle of clean white rags in his hand.]

VASILI.  Is there a new eruption of Vesuvius?

PIKE [meeting him and taking the rags].  No; it’s an eruption of colonels trying to arrest a high-school professor.  I’ve got him under your car there.

VASILI [astounded].  What!

PIKE.  I told them he’s your new chauffeur.

VASILI.  My friend, do you realize the penalty for protecting a criminal from arrest?

PIKE.  We’ll be proud of the risk.

[Speaks in an undertone to IVANOFF.]

This man owns the car.  You can trust him the same as your own father.

VASILI [remonstrating].  My friend, my friend!

[Illustration:  “THE NEW CHAUFFEUR FOR THE MACHINE, FROM NAPLES”]

PIKE [quietly].  Look out, the Governor’s staff is coming back.

MARIANO [closing the gates and wiping his face].  Lazzaroni!

[At the same time FIRST CARABINIERE enters from right; SECOND CARABINIERE from left.]

SECOND CARABINIERE.  Niente!

FIRST CARABINIERE.  Niente la!

[The two CARABINIERE cross briskly to each other as they speak, and stand conferring.]

MARIANO.  Grazia Dio!  He has gone some other place!

PIKE [very casually to VASILI].  You’ll have to get a new off front tire, Doc.  That one is pretty near gone.  Better have Jim, here, put on the spare when he gets through.