"Please bring me out a pen and ink and writing-paper, will you?"
"Si, signora."
Lucrezia was standing beside Hermione. Now she turned to go into the house. As she did so she said:
"Ecco, Antonino from the post-office!"
"Where?" asked Hermione.
Lucrezia pointed to a little figure that was moving quickly along the mountain-path towards the cottage.
"There, signora. But why should he come? It is not the hour for the post yet."
"No. Perhaps it is a telegram. Yes, it must be a telegram."
She glanced at the letter in her hand.
"It's a telegram from Africa," she said, as if she knew.