"It's a funny thing. As a rule, there's such a lot of movement around Indian families. 'Swirl' we used to call it."
"Oh, I don't know: there's no 'swirl' of acquaintances round us!"
"No, we've had 'swirl' enough among ourselves: Mamma saw to that at least!"
"It made Mamma lose her friends too."
"Of course it did. Mamma's life has really been hardly decent ... with her three husbands!"
"Well, of course.... I don't allow it to upset me.... But the family isn't thought much of."
"No. Grandmamma was the first to begin it. She also did just what she pleased...."
"I've heard a lot of vague rumours...."
"Well, I've heard a lot of rumours too, but they weren't vague. Grandmamma was a grande coquette in her day and inspired more than her share of the great passions in Java."
"They say that Mamma ..."