In the street below was passing a flock of she-goats, all ready to be milked, each with a bell tinkling about her neck.

The goat-herd kept summoning his customers with a long musical whistle.

Mallard leaned over and watched the clean-fleeced, slender, graceful animals with a smile of pleasure.

Then he amused himself with something that was going on in the house opposite.

A woman came out on to a balcony high up, bent over it, and called, "Annina! Annina!" until the call brought another woman on to the balcony immediately below; whereupon the former let down a cord, and her friend, catching the end of it, made it fast to a basket which contained food covered with a cloth.