Certainly she came away from school with little more knowledge than she had taken into it, even with regard to herself. Vague yearnings she was aware of, vague inhibitions and promptings; together with tastes and distastes that were not vague at all. She put the latter down on a bit of paper, in an effort to come to a clearer understanding of the girl who was Joan Darcy.
She liked:
1. Books. On any subject whatever, provided they did not try to teach anything and came up to her rather exacting standards of style.
2. Dancing—if people kept in step with the music and did not hold her too close.
3. Out-of-doors, especially when the wind was blowing.
4. Music, if there was no one around to discuss it or analyse it.
5. Children, without their families.
6. Almost any sort of a dog, particularly if it did not seem to belong to anybody. Strays regarded her as their own.
She disliked (and here there were no qualifications. It was never hard for Joan to say what she disliked!):
1. Debt.