He must preserve it, however, as they preserved the Ark of the Covenant.

It was his redemption, his ticket out of hell--that blue-serge coat.
To witness this girl sewing on a loose button, flopping the coat about on her knees, tickled his ironic sense of humour; and laughter bubbled into his throat.

He smothered it down with such a good will that the reaction set his heart to pounding.

The walls rocked, the footrail of the bed wavered, and the girl's head had the nebulosity of a composite photograph.

So he shut his eyes.
Presently he heard her voice.
"I must tell you," she was saying.