There were innumerable little matters, things to be copied for the appendix and revisions.

It was impossible for me to keep my mind upon them.
It had come suddenly home to me that this was the world that I belonged to; that I had come back to it as if from an under world; that to this I owed allegiance.

She herself had recognised that; she herself had bidden me tell him what was a-gate against him.

It was a duty too; he was my friend.

But, face to face with him, it became almost an impossibility.
It was impossible even to put it into words.