noon
Early in the morning they mounted their horses and took the road to Baiae . Glyndon left word at his hotel that if Signor Zicci sought him , it was in the neighborhood of the once celebrated watering-place of the ancients that he should be found . They passed by Isabel 's house ; but Glyndon resisted the temptation of pausing there , and threading the grotto of Pausilippo , they wound by a circuitous route back into the suburbs of the city , and took the opposite road , which conducts to Portici and Pompeii . It was late at noon when they arrived at the former of these places . Here they halted to dine ; for Merton had heard much of the excellence of the macaroni at Portici , and Merton was a bon vivant . They put up at an inn of very humble pretensions , and dined under an awning . Merton was more than usually gay ; he pressed the lacryma upon his friend , and conversed gayly .