"And you?"
"I couldn't sleep, so I went out on to the beach. But I'll tell you all that presently. You won't be shocked, Hermione, if I take a siesta now? I'm pretty well done—grandly tired, don't you know. I think I could get a lovely nap before collazione."
"Come in, my dearest," she said. "Collazione a little late, Lucrezia, not till half-past one."
"And the fish, signora?" asked Lucrezia.
"We've got quite enough without fish," said Hermione, turning away.
"Oh, by Jove!" Delarey said, as they went into the cottage, putting his hand into his jacket-pocket, "I've got something for you, Hermione."
"Fish!" she cried, eagerly, her whole face brightening. "Lucre—"
"Fish in my coat!" he interrupted, still not remembering. "No, a letter. They gave it me from the village as we came up. Here it is."
He drew out a letter, gave it to her, and went into the bedroom, while Hermione stood in the sitting-room by the dining-table with the letter in her hand.
It was from Artois, with the Kairouan postmark.