He was of the type which adjusts itself to the opinions his company may have of him.

Praise Mallinson and he deserved praises; ignore him and he sank like a plummet to depths of insignificance, conscious of insignificance and of nothing more except a dull rancour against the person who impressed the knowledge on him.

That way Drake had offended unwittingly at the Grand Hotel; he had recognised no distinction between the Mallinson of to-day and the Mallinson of ten years ago.
Mallinson was asked to dinner on Friday of the next week.
'Really,' said the aunt after his departure, 'he is very clever.

I didn't understand what he said, but he is very clever.' 'Yes,' said Clarice reflectively, 'I suppose--I mean of course he is.' She spoke in a tone of hesitation which surprised her auditor, for hitherto Clarice had been very certain as to her impressions on the point.
At dinner on the following Friday Mallinson was confronted by Conway and had Mrs.Willoughby upon his right.

Mallinson liked Mrs.Willoughby, the widow of the black hair and blue eyes, now in the mauve stage of widowhood.