Maltenby was one of those old-fashioned houses where the port is served as a lay sacrament and the call of the drawing-room is responded to tardily.

After the departure of the women, Doctor Lennard drew his chair up to Julian's.
"An interesting face, your dinner companion's," he remarked.

"They tell me that she is a very brilliant young lady." "She certainly has gifts," acknowledged Julian.
"I watched her whilst she was talking to you," the Oxford don continued.
"She is one of those rare young women whose undoubted beauty is put into the background by their general attractiveness.

Lady Maltenby was telling me fragments of her history.

It appears that she is thinking of giving up her artistic career for some sort of sociological work." "It is curious," Julian reflected, "how the cause of the people has always appealed to gifted Russians.