The clip did not directly address his leave-taking from Fox or the reasons for it.

The book and show proceed with a classical sequence familiar from the “Iliad” — leave-taking, combat, mourning — but the men and women in these pictures are emotionally open, touchingly individual and markedly of their time.

“She was as radiant and knowledgeable and fascinated about politics as ever I remember,” Mr. Johnson said of their leave-taking.

To see someone simply disappear feels even worse than if there is a ceremonial leave-taking, sad as that is.

“Of all horrid things, leave-taking is the worst.”