The doctor looked relieved, though surprised, at her apparent
nonchalance.

"I am very sorry, signora," he said--"very sorry."

"Must I see the Pretore?" she said.

"I am afraid so, signora. They will want to ask you a few questions. The
body ought not to have been moved from the place where--"

"We could not leave him in the sea," she said, as she had said in the
night.

"No, no. You will only just have to say--"

"I will tell them what I know. He went down to bathe."

"Yes. But the Pretore will want to know why he went to Salvatore's
terreno."

"I suppose he bathed from there. He knew the people in the Casa delle
Sirene, I believe."

She spoke indifferently. It seemed to her so utterly useless, this
inquiry by strangers into the cause of her sorrow.

"I must just write something," she added.

She went up the steps into the sitting-room. Gaspare was there with three
men--the Pretore, the Cancelliere and the Maresciallo. As she came in the
strangers turned and saluted her with grave politeness, all looking
earnestly at her with their dark eyes. But Gaspare did not look at her.
He had the ugly expression on his face that Hermione had noticed the day
before.

"Will you please allow me to write a line to a friend?" Hermione said.
"Then I shall be ready to answer your questions."