"But he may be gone to-morrow," he added, and hearing a short "That's all right," he rang off.
"Now, if you will get your cloak, we might go back into the garden." They found their corner of the terrace unoccupied and sat for a while in silence.

Hillyard recognised that neither questions nor any conversation at all were required from him, but simply the sympathy of his companionship.

He smoked a cigarette while Joan sat by his side.
She stretched out her hand towards the Bishop's Ring, small as a button upon the great shoulder of the Down.
"Do you remember the afternoon when I drove you back from Goodwood ?" "Yes." "You said to me, 'If the great trial is coming, I want to fall back into the rank and file.' And I cried out, 'Oh, I understand that!'" "I remember." "What a fool I was!" said Joan.

"I didn't understand at all.

I thought that it sounded fine, and that was why I applauded.