How would you interpret this sentence? How would you interpret this sentence “that’s splendid”? Did the speaker mean it was splendid that the other’s friend was a good man? Or did the speaker mean it was splendid that the other’s friend was a doctor? Thanks. It’s from A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway. the context: We looked at Rinaldi talking with the other nurse. "What is her name?" "Ferguson. Helen Ferguson. Your friend is a doctor, isn't he?" "Yes. He's very good." "That's splendid. You rarely find any one any good this close to the front. This is close to the front, isn't it?" "Quite." "It's a silly front," she said. "But it's very beautiful. Are they going to have an offensive?" "Yes."