"My father took it absolutely for granted that having made this tremendous social advance, you would bury your past, all but the Tracy part of it, as if it had been something disgraceful which the exalted Comber family agreed to overlook." "And what did you say ?" "I?
Oh, I told him that, of course, you would do as you pleased about that, but that for my part I should urge you most strongly to do nothing of the kind." "And he ?" "He got four inches taller.

What is so odd is that as long as I never opposed my father's wishes, as long as I was the clock on the chimney piece, I was terrified at him.

The thought of opposing myself to him made my knees quake.

But the moment I began doing so, I found there was nothing to be frightened at." Sylvia got up and began walking up and down the long room.
"But what am I to do about it, Michael ?" she asked.

"Oh, I blush when I think of a conversation I had with Hermann about you, just before Christmas, when I knew you were going to propose to me.