“Goose-girl!” exclaimed Nan, laughing at her raptures; “go and freshen yourself up, get into a comfortable gown, and then we’ll have some breakfast.”
Half an hour later the family gathered in their own breakfast-room, and a delightful meal was served them there.
Patty and Nan, in pretty house dresses, welcomed the delicious fruits and daintily-cooked eggs, and the coffee was pronounced better than that of Paris.
“And as to London,” said Nan, “they spell coffee, T, e, a.”
“So they do,” said Patty, with a wry face at the recollection of London coffee. “Give me Rome, every time!”
“There’s this difference, too,” said Mr. Fairfield, “you girls will have to readjust your mode of living a little. In Paris, nobody gets around till noon, and then they call luncheon breakfast. While here, people get up and out fairly early, in order to utilize the morning hours, which are the best of the day. Then they come back and stay indoors during the middle of the day; luncheon is promptly at twelve, for that reason; and stay in the house till three or four o’clock, then go out again if you like for the sunset hours.”
“How funny!” said Patty. “Luncheon at twelve is very early.”
“When you’re in Rome you must do as the Romans do,” said her father, “and now I’ve told you what that is. But to-day, you two are not going out at all, at least not until four o’clock this afternoon. You must rest this morning, and then, at four, I’ll take you out for a drive. We’re not going to do a lot of sightseeing in a rush, and get all tired out. We’re here for pleasure, and we must take it slowly, or we can’t really enjoy it.”
“I’m agreeable,” declared Patty. “I can spend the day beautifully, unpacking my trunk, and wandering about this hotel, and taking a nap, and chattering with my stepmother, and lots of things. What are you going to do, Daddy?”
“I’m going out to engage a Roman chariot for you to ride about in, and to have the trolley-cars stopped, and the railroad station made over on a more antique plan.”