It became at once more formal and more polite.

It would have been impossible to talk quite easily of anything that came into their heads, and to say the word prostitute as simply as any other word.

The talk now turned upon literature and politics, and Ridley told stories of the distinguished people he had known in his youth.

Such talk was of the nature of an art, and the personalities and informalities of the young were silenced.

As they rose to go, Helen stopped for a moment, leaning her elbows on the table.
"You've all been sitting here," she said, "for almost an hour, and you haven't noticed my figs, or my flowers, or the way the light comes through, or anything.