director of the firm that published St. John Clarke's books . He was talking to Smethyck , a museum official I had known slightly at the university . ' When is your book on Isbister appearing ? ' Clapham asked at once .
The whole notion of drinking champagne because your sister was engaged was , in itself , obviously alien to him ; alien both to his temperament and ideals . Champagne no doubt represented to his mind a world he had fled .
Robbins wasn't much to look at , but at least he knew you wanted salt . ' ' Gone to hospital with rupture , ' said Soper . ' This one's a replacement for Robbins . Can't be much worse , if you ask me .
A Dance to the Music of Time: A Novel. Casanova's Chinese restaurant
This omnibus incorporates books four to six, and follows Nicholas Jenkins, Widmerpool and their friends, acquaintances and hangers-on, as they encounter marriage, ambition, social success, and miserable failure.