Whenever I talk with my old friends, it is my habit to converted the subject to the old memories, which I feel a warm comfort unconsciously.

'No-one to comfort them in their old age, ' added the butcher.

In turn, there is consolation in realizing that our case is only one of the thousands.

There was, however, a small consolation.

These expressions are involuntary, not deliber­ate, but one of their evolutionary functions is to cause others who see the expressions to feel concern and want to offer comfort.