Anne Douglas Sedgwick

“ Alix told him that she and Maman had often spoken English together and that she had had English governesses. “I always liked your books, too. That made it easier. 'Alice' and the rabbit and 'Pride and Prejudice' and 'Dombey and Son.' Have you read those?”
He said he had. “There are no books in France for girls to read as far as I can make out,” he added; and Alix, suspecting a hint of detraction, replied: “Our chefs d'œuvre are for later in life. Perhaps great books cannot be written for girls.”
“I question that!” said Giles, smiling at her. “Great books should be written for everybody.” ”

“ She had always felt of him that he would fight just as if he were playing tennis; whereas when Giles fought, she felt sure, he would clench his teeth and look fierce and sick. And though he was younger than Captain Owen, he was far more worn, strangely worn for one so young; and he was not at all homme du monde.
Captain Owen had always struck them as homme du monde. But even Maman could not have been sure about that, since she had so emphatically impressed upon Alix that she was to define for her with exactitude the social status of the Bradleys. Maman was sure that they were not noblesse ”

“ Now they were sitting opposite each other at a little table that seemed to have a great many cruets and salt-cellars upon it. It was a very bright and very ugly room, and through the doors, opening and shutting incessantly, came the muffled roar of incoming trains ”