Now it had come to them welcome as a gift from Heaven.

The moment was one of which the perfect enjoyment was not to be marred by any speech.

Only a grunt of satisfaction or a deep sigh of pleasure was now and then to be heard, as the smoke curled upwards from the little paper sticks.

Each man competed with his neighbour in the slowness of his respiration, each man wanted to be the last to lay down his cigarette and go about his work.

And then the Doctor said in a whisper to Major Dewes: "That's bad.