Loneliness had taught Harriet that there was always someone who understood - it was just so often that they were dead, and in a book.

Please, God,' Ruth would pray, 'don't let me be competitive. Let me realize what a privilege it is to study. Let me remember that knowledge must be pursued for its own sake and please, please stop me wanting to beat Verena Plackett in the exams.' She prayed hard and she meant what she said. But God was busy that autumn as the International Brigade came back, defeated, from Spain, Hitler's bestialities increased, and sparrows everywhere continued to fall.

The dowager rose and slipped from her pew. There was the sound of tearing silk as she threw up her arms to embrace her son. Then: "Oh, Rupert, darling," she exclaimed in tones of theatrical despair, "don't you see? The game's up!

That's silly, Anna," said the Honorable Olive. "Being afraid is silly, you know it is.

It's true that adventures are good for people even when they are very young. Adventures can get in a person's blood even if he doesn't remember having them.

One must not judge other cultures by the standars of one's one,' said Aunt Hilda

Loneliness had taught Harriet that there was always someone who understood - it was just so often that they were dead, and in a book.