When I could get an opportunity to speak, I asked her if she had ever tried taking a long breath and speaking as she let the breath out.

I had to insist a little to keep her mind on the suggestion at all, but finally succeeded.

She took a long breath and then stopped.
There was perhaps for half a minute a blessed silence, and then what was my surprise to hear her remark: "I--I--can't think of anything to say." "Try it again," I told her.

She took another long breath, and again gave up because she could not think of anything to say.

She did not like that little game very much, and thought she would not make another effort, and in about three minutes she began the chatter, and went on talking until some necessary interruption parted us.
This woman's talking was nothing more nor less than a nervous habit.
Her thought and her words were not practically connected at all.