The children were in the den.

I came down and Arthur was already in the hall and he said, “Stay inside,” and I said, “No,” and we went out onto the front steps together, which is one of about three decisions I made that autumn that I would make again without changing a thing.

Julian got out.

He looked at me first.

He said: “So this is where you’ve been.”

I said, “Say what you came to say.”