For years she had kissed him only when he returned from voyages or departed on voyages.

But this kiss had tasted soapsuds, and the lips, he had noticed, were flabby.

There had been no quick, vigorous lip-pressure such as should accompany any kiss.

Hers was the kiss of a tired woman who had been tired so long that she had forgotten how to kiss.

He remembered her as a girl, before her marriage, when she would dance with the best, all night, after a hard day's work at the laundry, and think nothing of leaving the dance to go to another day's hard work.