@noindent
Note the inputs: @file{b} is a symlink to regular file @file{a},
yet the files in destination directory, @file{c/}, are hard-linked.
-Since @option{-a} implies @option{--preserve=links}, and since @option{-H}
-tells @command{cp} to dereference command line arguments, it sees two files
-with the same inode number, and preserves the perceived hard link.
+Since @option{-a} implies @option{--no-dereference} it would copy the symlink,
+but the later @option{-H} tells @command{cp} to dereference the command line
+arguments where it then sees two files with the same inode number.
+Then the @option{--preserve=links} option also implied by @option{-a}
+will preserve the perceived hard link.
Here is a similar example that exercises @command{cp}'s @option{-L} option:
@smallexample