“If Italy goes to war, you will have to join up?” she asked him.

“Yes,” he said, with a smile at the futility of the question.

“And I shall have to stay here?”

He nodded, rather gloomily.

“Do you want to go?” she persisted.

“No, I don’t want to go.”

“But you think Italy ought to join in?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Then you do want to go—”

“I want to go if Italy goes in—and she ought to go in—”