‘ ... bloody,
Luxurious, avaricious, false, deceitful,
Sudden, malicious, smacking of every sin
That has a name....
And that reminds me, Judy, I hear you acquitted yourself with supreme distinction in your tripos. I’m very glad—very proud to know you.’
‘It hasn’t given me much satisfaction.’
‘Now, now! Less of that.’
‘Oh, it’s true. I’m not being modest.’ She turned away from him and said: ‘I worked very very hard. I thought of nothing but work, because I didn’t have anything else—particularly pleasant—to think about. One doesn’t much value that sort of success.’
There was a silence.
‘And I suppose,’ said Julian, ‘that’s all I’m to be told about it.’
She shrugged her shoulders.
‘Oh, there’s nothing,’ she said. ‘Just that.’
‘Nobody ever will confide in me,’ he complained. ‘I don’t know why. I’m quite madly interested—especially in love affairs. I suppose my face puts them off.’