In the gay light of the drawing-room she was uncanny and oppressive.

But seated in the half-light of the diningroom, sitting stiffly before the shaded candles on the table, she seemed a power, a presence.

She listened and attended with a drugged attention.
The party was gay and extravagant in appearance, everybody had put on evening dress except Birkin and Joshua Mattheson.

The little Italian Contessa wore a dress of tissue, of orange and gold and black velvet in soft wide stripes, Gudrun was emerald green with strange net-work, Ursula was in yellow with dull silver veiling, Miss Bradley was of grey, crimson and jet, Fraulein Marz wore pale blue.

It gave Hermione a sudden convulsive sensation of pleasure, to see these rich colours under the candle-light.