def start(self):
        """
        Start a concurrent operation.

        If we are below the limit, we increment the concurrency count and fire
        the deferred we return. If not, we add the deferred to the waiters list
        and return it unfired.
        """
        # While the implemetation matches the description in the docstring
        # conceptually, it always adds a new waiter and then calls
        # _check_concurrent() to handle the various cases.
        if self._limit < 0:
            # Special case for no limit, never block.
            return succeed(None)
        elif self._limit == 0:
            # Special case for limit of zero, always block forever.
            return Deferred()
        d = self._make_waiter()
        self._check_concurrent()
        return d