“No, no; I should have stayed.”

“Well,” said Ralph, “if that’s what we are both up to, I don’t see where Sicily comes in!”

His companion was silent; he sat staring at the fire. At last, looking up, “I say, tell me this,” he broke out; “did you really mean to go to Sicily when we started?”

Ah, vous m’en demandez trop! Let me put a question first. Did you come with me quite—platonically?”

“I don’t know what you mean by that. I wanted to come abroad.”

“I suspect we’ve each been playing our little game.”

“Speak for yourself. I made no secret whatever of my desiring to be here a while.”

“Yes, I remember you said you wished to see the Minister of Foreign Affairs.”

“I’ve seen him three times. He’s very amusing.”

“I think you’ve forgotten what you came for,” said Ralph.