" 'And once I saw a film ... a middle-aged couple in raincoats, and it all took place on a railway station ... can you believe me? In my day, we should never have cared for that ... we did such things at home, in the proper place ... when our husbands were out ...'
'You conjure up such a lovely picture of salmon-pink satin boudoirs and lace négligées. What if the husband should come back in the middle?'
'The middle? The middle of what?' Julia sounded aghast. Miss Bastable was bringing in the tray. 'We will discuss this when we are alone.' Her voice became loud and toneless.
'We will do nothing of the kind,' Harriet said. 'We will leave it there, in the pink boudoir, if you please.'
Harriet thought of the drinking in bars, lingering in tea-shops, railway-stations, benches in parks; in streets under a dark building, in the darkest place between two lamps. The course of unlawful love never does run smooth; or with dignity; or with romance."
From A Game of Hide and Seek
Yes I spotted that too! Just finished the book this morning so I hope I may be in a position to contribute to the discussion tomorrow.
Posted by: Dark Puss | 19 November 2010 at 02:06 PM
That bit really made me laugh!
Posted by: Cornflower | 19 November 2010 at 02:08 PM
Lovely reference to "Brief Encounter" Views do change. I watched this way, back as a teenager, and thought it a great romance. Saw it again a couple of years ago with another elderly friend and we both agreed that Trevor Howard played a sleezy rotter and the woman was extremely stupid.
Posted by: Erika | 19 November 2010 at 04:42 PM
Erika, are not both views valid and indeed mutually compatible?
Posted by: Dark Puss | 19 November 2010 at 05:15 PM
A huge thank-you for suggesting this book, I loved it! The bit with the shop girls and hot wax made me laugh out loud at the train station.
Vesey's flair for the dramatic at the beginning had me enamoured but later on I just wanted him to grow up. Another reading may have me understanding him a bit better.
A book rich with phrases and yet succinct...that's talent.
Posted by: Darlene | 20 November 2010 at 12:52 PM