"I have not been away an hour."
"Is that really so?"
"It is, but it must have seemed long to you."
"Weeks seem to have passed."
"I have a bottle of water which I will send down to you."
"God bless you!"
"When you get it, loosen the string from the neck of the bottle, and I will send down what remains of the flask of brandy. It will do you no harm."
"I can never repay you for your goodness to me."
"Yes, you can. Look out."
The bottle of water was lowered, and afterwards the flask of brandy: Basil took a long draught of water, half emptying the bottle, and sipped sparingly of the brandy.