"Then thanks," the young man said, not 'thank you,' or 'thank you very much', or 'thank you a thousand times', all of which you formerly said in Italy to a man when he handed you a time-table or explained about a direction. The young man uttered the lowest form of the word 'thanks' and looked after us suspiciously as Guy started the car. I waved my hand at him. He was too dignified to reply. We went on into Spezia.