You, for example, you do not seem much cast down?"
Brand avoided his inquisitive look, and merely said,
"One must take things as one finds them. There is no use repining over
what happens."
Calabressa now rose and took his cap; then he laid it down on the table
again.
"One moment before I go, my dear Monsieur Brand. I told you to expect
news; perhaps you will not understand. Shall I show you something to
help? Regard this: it is only a little trick; but it may help you to
understand when the news comes to you."
He took from his pocket a piece of white paper, square, and with
apparently nothing on it. He laid it on the table, and produced a red
pencil.
"May I trouble you for a small pair of scissors, my dear friend?"
Brand stepped aside to a writing-desk, and brought him the scissors; he
was scarcely thinking of Calabressa, at all; he was thinking of the
message he would send to Naples.
Calabressa slowly and carefully cut the piece of paper into four
squares, and proceeded to fold these up. Brand looked on, it is true,
but with little interest; and he certainly did not perceive that his
companion had folded three of these pieces with the under side inward,
the fourth with the upper side inward, while this had the rough edges
turned in a different direction from the other three.
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