His face was streaked with dried
perspiration and dust, his collar was no longer a collar at all.
As for Sabina, she had tried to take off the fawn-coloured hat, but it
had in some way become entangled with her unruly hair, and it was
hanging down her back. Otherwise, as she sat there her dress was not
visibly much the worse for the terrible adventure. Her skirt was torn
and soiled, indeed, but the table hid it, and the coat had kept the
body of her frock quite clean. She did not look much more dishevelled
than if she had been at a romping picnic in the country.
Nor did she look at all ill, after the wine and the first mouthfuls of
food had brought all the warmth back to her. If anything, she was less
pale than usual now, her lips were red again, and there was light in
her eyes. There are little women who look as if they had no strength
at all, and seem often on the point of breaking down, but who could go
through a battle or a shipwreck almost without turning a hair, and
without much thought of their appearance either; nor are they by any
means generally the mildest and least reckless of their sex.
The two ate in silence for several minutes, but they looked at each
other and smiled now and then, while they swallowed mouthful after
mouthful.
"I wish I had counted the slices of bread I have eaten," said Sabina
at last.
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