Jack was still Northern in this: he seemed brusque, to strangers; he wasn't shy, he simply hadn't been brought up to enjoy words. Now he put his arm briefly around Stella's waist, and said: «Marvellous, Stell, marvellous.» They walked on, pleased with each other. Stella had with Jack, her husband had with Dorothy, these moments, when they said to each other wordlessly: If I were not married to my husband, if you were not married to your wife, how delightful it would be to be married to you. These moments were not the least of the pleasures of this four-sided friendship.

DORIS LESSING, U. K.,
in "A Man and Two Women", 1965


Nisto, Jack ainda era do Norte: parecia brusco aos estranhos; não era tímido, só não tinha sido educado para apreciar as palavras. Passou brevemente o braço em volta da cintura de Stella, e disse: «Maravilhoso, Stell, maravilhoso.» Foram andando, satisfeitos um com o outro. Stella tinha com Jack e o marido tinha com Dorothy momentos destes, em que diziam sem palavras: Se eu não fosse casada com o meu marido, se tu não fosses casado com a tua mulher, seria tão bom estar casada(o) contigo. Momentos assim não eram prazeres menores nesta amizade a quatro.