Tietjens said:
"For a swan song, it's not wild, sir. You're asking for a swan song. I am to go up into the line so that the morals of the troops in your command may not be contaminated by the contemplation of my marital infelicities."
The general said:
"You don't want to go back to England, do you?"
Tietjens exclaimed:
"Certainly not! Very certainly not! I can never go home. I have to go underground somewhere. If I went back to England there would be nothing for me but going underground by suicide."
The general said:
"You see all that? I can give you testimonials. . . ."
Tietjens asked:
"Who couldn't see that it's impossible?"