"A man whom we had never seen before was wished on us for luncheon one day... He was placed next to my sister

[Edith Sitwell], and took it into his head to enquire of her: 'Do you remember this house being built, Miss Sitwell?'

"Mrs. Alice Keppel overheard this, and said to him quickly: 'My dear man, be careful! Not even the nicest girl in the world likes to be asked if she is four hundred years old.'"