"Bother your man's pride! Do you think it manly to perish without opening your lips?"
"Yes, it behooves a man to be strong."
She grew angry, and refused to admit that a man's case differed from that of a woman. Her woman's logic confused my brain. I turned to the Baron, whose answering smile showed plainly what a small opinion he had of female brain-power.
About six o'clock the steamer weighed anchor and bore my friends away. I returned to the hotel alone.
It was a splendid evening. The sun had set in an orange-coloured sky, white stripes were lying on the deep blue water, a coppery moon was rising behind the Scotch firs.
I was sitting at a table in the dining-room, lost in thought, now mournful, now serene, and did not notice the landlady until she stood close by me.
"The lady who's just left is your sister, isn't she?" she asked.
"Not at all."
"Isn't she? How strangely you resemble one another! I should have sworn that you are brother and sister."
I was not in the mood to continue such a conversation, but it left me in a ferment of thoughts.