Birkin knew she was waiting for him to participate. And dutifully he spoke up.

‘I think Gerald is right — race is the essential element in nationality, in Europe at least,’ he said.

Again Hermione paused, as if to allow this statement to cool. Then she said with strange assumption of authority:

‘Yes, but even so, is the patriotic appeal an appeal to the racial instinct? Is it not rather an appeal to the proprietory instinct, the COMMERCIAL instinct? And isn’t this what we mean by nationality?’

‘Probably,’ said Birkin, who felt that such a discussion was out of place and out of time.

But Gerald was now on the scent of argument.