"Suddenly this hideous couple hove into view," Niven recalled, "a foul old creature with a crone of a wife. To my horror, the man came over and introduced himself.

"'Good heavens, Niven,' he said, 'I haven't seen you since you were at school.' When they'd gone, I could sense that the girl was looking at me warily. 'Were you really at school with him?' she asked. 'Absolutely,' I told her. 'He was the music master.'"