‘Dunno,’ he said.

‘I hate subtleties,’ said Ursula.

Hermione looked at her slowly.

‘Do you?’ she said.

‘I always think they are a sign of weakness,’ said Ursula, up in arms, as if her prestige were threatened.

Hermione took no notice. Suddenly her face puckered, her brow was knit with thought, she seemed twisted in troublesome effort for utterance.

‘Do you really think, Rupert,’ she asked, as if Ursula were not present, ‘do you really think it is worth while? Do you really think the children are better for being roused to consciousness?’

A dark