cigarette from his lips, bared his teeth, and putting the tip of his tongue between his teeth spat off a grain of tobacco, turning slightly aside, like a man who is alone, or who is lost in thought.

‘I don’t know what the effect actually IS, on one,’ he said, and again he looked down at her. Her eyes were dark and stricken with knowledge, looking into his. He saw her submerged, and he turned aside his face. ‘But I absolutely am not the same. There’s nothing left, if you understand what I mean. You seem to be clutching at the void — and at the same time you are void yourself. And so you don’t know what to DO.’

‘No,’ she murmured. A heavy thrill ran down her nerves, heavy, almost pleasure, almost pain. ‘What can be done?’ she added.