In which the garden at San Salvatore unfolds from spring to summer with radiant blooms, while Mrs. Wilkins anticipates her husband’s arrival with serene confidence, and the other ladies observe the picturesque preparations and the fine Italian air’s subtle effect on their moods. An encounter most unexpected and amusing occurs when Mr. Wilkins, newly arrived and eager to impress, falls victim to the curious hazards of the villa’s brilliant but perilous bath, leading to an introduction that might have been less decorous elsewhere but is met with graceful equanimity here.