In the kitchen two peasants sat, an old man and an old woman. They rose as I entered.
"Who are you?" I asked in English.
They simply smiled and waved their hands. I repeated my question in Italian.
"We serve," the man replied.
"Serve whom?"
"Whoever is the master."
"Have you been here long?"
"We have always been here. It is our home."
His statement amused me, and I commented, "The masters come and go, but you remain?"
"It seems so."
"Many masters?"
"Alas! yes. They come and go. Nice young men, like you, but they do not stay. They buy and look at the view, and eat with us a few days and then they are gone."
"And then the villa is sold again?"
The man shrugged. "How should we know? We simply serve."
"Then prepare me my dinner. And serve it outside, under the grapevine, where I can see the view."
The woman started to obey. The man came nearer.
