Buttheywereunwillingtotakeonthehumdrumofmakingaliving，andwereinmostcasesincapableofinitiatingacongenialmethodofemployingtheirpowers，theirnew-found，splendid，gloriouspowers，bymeansofwhichtheyhadsavedanempireandaworld。
Theyhadbecomecommonmenagain，theyinwhosesoulsbutafewweeksagohadflamedthegloryandsplendourofadivineheroism！
Smallwonderthatsomeofthesemen，tinglingwiththeconsciousnessofpowersofwhichthesebusy，engagedpeopleofthestreetsandshopsknewnothing，turnedwithdisdainfromthepetty，paltry，manyofthemnon-manlytasksthatmenpursuedsolelythattheymightlive。Live！Fortheselastterrible，greatandgloriousfiftymonthstheyhadschooledthemselvestothenotionthatthemainbusinessoflifewasnottolive。Therehadbeenforthemathingtodoinfinitelymoreworthwhilethantolive。Indeed，hadtheybeendeterminedatallcoststolive，thentheyhadbecometothemselves，totheircomrades，andindeedtoalltheworld，themostdespicableofalllivingthings，deservingandwinningtheinfinitecontemptofalltruemen。
Whilethe“gratuitymoney“lastedlifewentmerrilyenough，butwhenthelastchequehadbeencashed，andthegrimrealitythatrationshadceasedandQ。M。Storeswerenotlongeravailablethrustitselfvividlyintothefaceofthedemobilisedveteran，andwhenafterexperiencinginjobhuntingvaryingdegreesofhumiliationthesameveteranmadethestartlingandpainfuldiscoverythatforhiswaresofheroicself-immolation，ofdoggedendurancedoneupinkhaki，therewasnodemandinthebloodlessbutnonethelessstrenuousconflictofliving；andthatotherdiscovery，moredisconcerting，thathewasnotthemanhehadbeeninpre-wardaysandthoughthimselfstilltobe，butquiteanother，thenhewasreadyforoneoftwoalternatives，tosurrendertotheinevitabledictumthatafteralllifewasreallynotworthafight，moreparticularlyifitcouldbesustainedwithoutone，or，toflinghishatintotheBolshevistring，readyfortheoldthing，war——waragainsttheenemiesofcivilisationandhisownenemies，againstthosewhopossessedthingswhichheverymuchdesiredbutwhichforsomeinexplicablecausehewaspreventedfromobtaining。
Theformerclass，toagreaterorlessdegree，JackMaitlandrepresented；thelatter，TonyPerrotte。Fromtheirwarexperiencetheywerenowknittogetherinbondsthatranintolifeissues。