Thus he awoke and went into the cottage again.
Miss Mary was sitting on the sofa with her hair loosened and thrown gracefully around her, but otherwise looked perfectly well and cheerful.
The commissioner took from his basket a bottle of Syracuse wine and a package of Russian cigarettes.
"Now you shall pretend you are well," said he, "and that we have met after a long journey, upon which you shall drink a glass of sweet Sicilian wine and smoke a cigarette, for it is part of the cure."
The girl seemed to make an effort to hide her secret suffering, and drank the wine while she kept her eyes on the bracelet.
The commissioner broke the silence with, "You look at my bracelet?"
"No, I did not," denied the girl.
"I got it from a woman who of course is dead, as I have not returned it."
"Have you been in love?" asked the girl with a strong doubt.
"Yes, but with open eyes! When one usually considers it commendable to use sense, why quench it when one is going to take one of the most important steps in life?"