It was as though she were always expecting to hear Falloden's name, and protecting herself against the shock of it.

But the mistake was soon evident.
"Otto Radowitz told me you had been so kind to him! He is an enthusiastic boy, and a great friend of mine.

He deals always in superlatives.

That is so refreshing here in Oxford where we are all so clever that we are deadly afraid of each other, and everybody talks drab.

And his music is divine! I hear they talk of him in Paris as another Chopin.