Dusk was falling at the time before the lamps were brought in at the villa which looked out on to the sea. Above it the sun, now out of sight, had left in its wake a sky of pink with a dusting of gold. The Mediterranean, without a ripple on its surface and gleaming still in the light of the dying day, lay ahead like a boundless sheet of polished metal.

To the right in the distance the black lace-edged silhouette of the mountains stood out against the pale mauve of the sunset. The talk was on the age-old subject of love and the same was being said as had been said countless times before. In the gentle, melancholy twilight the conversation was leisurely and wistful. The word ‘love’, constantly repeated now by a strong, masculine voice, now in the lighter tones of a woman, seemed to fill the little drawing room, its spirit floating and hovering birdlike over the scene.

Was it possible to stay in love over a long period of years? Some people said yes, others no. Examples were given, definitions attempted, cases cited. Everyone, men and women alike, seemed moved by the memories, some disturbing, some long since buried, which came flooding back. Each spoke with great feeling and conviction about the most commonplace yet the most important aspect of life: the mysterious bond of affection between two human beings.

Suddenly one of the group who had been looking out into the distance, shouted: ‘Oh look! Over there! What on earth is that?’

Rising from the ocean on the far horizon a huge grey mass could be seen. The women left their chairs and gazed uncomprehendingly at this amazing phenomenon which none of them had ever seen before.

Someone said: ‘It’s Corsica! Just once or twice a year you can see it. The atmospheric conditions have to be absolutely right, and that doesn’t often happen. The air has to be completely transparent. Otherwise mists form and normally at that distance they obscure it.’

Mountain crests could just about be distinguished and some people thought they could see snowy summits. Everyone was amazed and a little disturbed, even frightened by the sudden appearance of this land, rising like a phantom from the deep. It was the sort of strange sight explorers such as Columbus must have seen in days of old.

Just then an elderly gentleman, who had not spoken before, said: ‘As a matter of fact that island appearing suddenly like that before us as if to take part in our discussion has reminded me of something quite extraordinary. It was there that I once came across a wonderful example of constant and unbelievably happy love.’