They were blinded by partisan zeal.

With a discreet gesture, she reminded him to mind his manners.

The hypnotic movements of the dancing youthmen, and the young women who were now joining them, were to her like the strong flames of a nomadic band's camp fire, and that warmed her.

There are various ways of dealing with the fact that you are suddenly surrounded by creature who can see and would like to eat you, but one way, a molluscan specialty, is to grow a hard shell and live within or beneath it.