The other man was sitting back, gazing at nothing as though the matter to him were indifferent.
Caldigate could understand it all.

The man was there simply to act or to speak when he might be wanted.
As the ceremony was completed John Caldigate stood by and played with all proper words and actions the part of the young father.

No one standing there could see by his face that he had been struck violently; that he had for a few moments been almost unable to stand.

But he himself was aware that a cold sweat had broken out all over him as before.

Though he leaned over the baby lying in his mother's arms and kissed it, and smiled on the young mother, he did so as some great actor will carry out his part before the public when nearly sinking to the ground from sudden suffering.