The professor inclined his head gravely. Domenica noted the immaculately groomed head of grey hair. ‘I am sure that you have,’ he said. ‘So many travellers have been overwhelmed by art in this city. Goethe, John Ruskin, Henry James – there are many illustrious names of those for whom this condition has been only too real – and now to this list we add the name of your dear Scottish friend, la Signora Antonia Collie. What a great pity!’

‘Will she be all right?’ asked Domenica.

‘Oh, I have no doubt of that,’ said the professor. ‘The duration of the crisis varies, of course, but it is usually the case that the more educated, sophisticated independent traveller recovers rather more slowly, I’m afraid to say. Perhaps such people have more sensitive souls than those who arrive in organised tours – I am not sure. Perhaps we shall never know.’

The professor paused for a moment before continuing. ‘I gather from my secretary that you are all from Edinburgh.’

‘That is true,’ said Domenica. She was about to add that Antonia came from Fife originally and that she might therefore have a less sensitive soul – and might therefore recover more quickly – but she decided not to raise this possibility.

‘That interests me,’ said the professor. ‘I have visited Edinburgh on a number of occasions. My great friend, Henry Walton, was professor of psychiatry there, of course, and I have been privileged to see his considerable collection of Chinese ceramics. But there is something more: I have been told by my Edinburgh colleagues that they encounter a very similar condition in Edinburgh, the Edinburgh Syndrome, which manifests itself in a very similar crisis to that encountered in Stendhal Syndrome cases: shortness of breath, palpitations of the heart, disorders of colour perception, and so on. In the case of the Edinburgh variant, this principally occurs among visitors who see rather too many Fringe shows in rapid succession, followed by a visit to your renowned military tattoo. It is at that point, later in the evening, when the massed pipe bands march onto the Castle Esplanade that those who are at risk develop Edinburgh Syndrome and have to be removed to the Royal Edinburgh Hospital.’

Domenica and Angus listened to the professor with rapt attention.

‘Remarkable!’ said Domenica. ‘I was quite unaware of this.’ She paused. ‘But tell me, chiarissimo professore, how long will our dear friend have to remain in your care?’