var pos = 0
    val limit = string.length
    val result = Buffer()

    while (pos < limit) {
      var dot = string.indexOf('.', startIndex = pos)
      if (dot == -1) dot = limit

      if (!decodeLabel(string, pos, dot, result)) return null

      if (dot < limit) {
        result.writeByte('.'.code)
        pos = dot + 1
      } else {
        break
      }
    }