When the horseman was ready he rode to the centre of the ring and stopped. He saluted Count Ugo with his sword, and then waved for the gates to be opened again. Two more horsemen entered, in similar attire, but with simpler white masks and stocking caps instead of the top hat. Their caps matched their waistcoats, one in black, the other red.

Still the drums rolled and thundered and James was beginning to feel light-headed, almost drunk.

A rope was slung across the centre of the ring with a small silver star hanging down from it. The two new horsemen now took it in turns to charge full tilt at the star and try to catch it on the points of their outstretched swords.

There was a storm of screams and cheers when they were successful and groans of dismay when they failed.

There seemed to be a certain amount of betting going on among the spectators, and for the first time James saw Ugo’s special guests become animated. He could see a lot of passionate arguments taking place and money being thrown around.

James was won over by the noise and excitement, all his tiredness forgotten, and, while he had no money to gamble with, he decided to cheer for the red horseman, who won by six stars to five.

When the competition finished it was lunchtime and everyone trooped into the town square where several suckling pigs had been spit-roasted over fires and stalls were serving food.

The streets were filled with the din of drums and the incessant rasp of trumpets and the locals milled around, chatting and laughing. Everyone seemed more interested in drinking than eating. There was wine everywhere and people were getting drunker and drunker.

James was starving, however, and he realised he had had nothing to eat since last night. He found Mauro’s friend, Stefano, at one of the stalls and snapped up some of the flat crispy carasau bread that he had grown so fond of since he had been here, then helped himself to some roast pork.

Nearby a group of locals was dancing in a big circle holding hands, accompanied by guitars and accordions, and next to them was a noisy mob of men clustered round watching something and yelling at the top of their voices.

James and Perry went over to have a look and found that it was a competition of Sardinian wrestling.

The display seemed to have been put on for the benefit of Ugo who sat on a platform with his hard-faced guests watching from beneath a parasol. Zoltan was standing behind Ugo, shouting encouragement.

The other Eton boys were here too, clustered round the edge of the platform yelling as loudly as anyone else.