"People accuse him of nonaction, but it seems to me he is relying on the psychology that time will soften things."

Maybe time had softened the set of his lips.

He had wondered if their time living in a settled village had softened them.

There is such a thing as hatred which time never softens.

She didn't know whether to be grateful or alarmed that her time here had softened her.

And when time shall have softened your despair, new and dear objects of care will be born to replace those.

These were older ranges, and time had softened them.

I suppose the long bed-ridden and in-doors time of my sickness had softened me.

This time it was her face softened.

Maybe the time he had spent with a crew half full of scientists had softened his position a little.