The strawberry pink villa

The garden also serves as Gerald's first look into the insect-life of the island and the reader's first true insight to Gerald's love of entomology. As Gerald goes from an over-excited wonderment to scientific study, he describes the garden and its living things in such colorful detail. Gerald succeeds in giving one the feeling they are crouching alongside him on his garden journey watching the curious chameleon-like spiders and other insects. Gerald is especially fascinated with an earwig he finds burrowed in the soil. He watches as the insect lays her eggs and checks on her daily anxiously waiting the eggs to hatch. Gerald befriends the peasant girls who pass their garden every day. The girls give Gerald gifts of fruit and figs every evening on their way home. Gerald gives them the gift of learning their language. Gerald eventually learns where they live and visits their family on his walks with Roger.