# File lib/treetop/compiler/metagrammar.rb, line 3301
      def _nt_space
        start_index = index
        if node_cache[:space].has_key?(index)
          cached = node_cache[:space][index]
          if cached
            cached = SyntaxNode.new(input, index...(index + 1)) if cached == true
            @index = cached.interval.end
          end
          return cached
        end

        s0, i0 = [], index
        loop do
          i1 = index
          r2 = _nt_white
          if r2
            r1 = r2
          else
            r3 = _nt_comment_to_eol
            if r3
              r1 = r3
            else
              @index = i1
              r1 = nil
            end
          end
          if r1
            s0 << r1
          else
            break
          end
        end
        if s0.empty?
          @index = i0
          r0 = nil
        else
          r0 = instantiate_node(SyntaxNode,input, i0...index, s0)
        end

        node_cache[:space][start_index] = r0

        r0
      end