‘We’ll travel together if you like,’ he said.

‘Don’t you usually go first?’ asked Birkin.

‘I can’t stand the crowd,’ replied Gerald. ‘But third’ll be all right. There’s a restaurant car, we can have some tea.’

The two men looked at the station clock, having nothing further to say.

‘What were you reading in the paper?’ Birkin asked.

Gerald looked at him quickly.

‘Isn’t it funny, what they DO put in the newspapers,’ he said. ‘Here are two leaders — ’ he held out his DAILY TELEGRAPH, ‘full of the ordinary newspaper cant — ’