“Why do they all have such unfortunate names? First Parthenope Fleet. Now Undine Trevelyan. Why do we never meet a Mary Smith I should like, just once, to meet a Mary Smith."

"What sort of interesting things would ever befall a Mary Smith?" I demanded. "Who would stab or poison or garotte a Mary Smith? It is unthinkable."

"Not everyone of our acquaintance needs be murdered, Veronica. In fact, some people find it preferable to make friends with normal folk."

"How very depressing." I said, sipping again. "I pity them their small lives.”