Books: Keel Over Europe

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Lotus Land, G.l.s' Last Stop. Far different was famed Capri, where the Millars touched on the last leg of their voyage. In one of his book's most evocative passages, Millar describes the effect of this lotus land on the American soldiers who were in rest camp there. From members of "the most boisterous" of armies they had changed into "quiet, ruminative, and lazy" dreamers, "liable to form touchingly unmartial habits, like carrying walking sticks, or putting blue flowers in their hats, or chewing at the stems of roses while the blooms hung below their chins ... A dozen of them were lying on the steps of the Quisisana [Hotel] and as we walked past they lifted heavy-lidded eyes to look appreciatively at my wife. Two of them, mounted on plump donkeys, followed us down the street, and we heard one say to his companion, who burdened the air with lusty sighs, 'You in love again?'

"'Yeah.'

" 'Who with?'

" 'I don't know.' "