“It appeared that nobody ever said a thing they meant, or ever talked of a feeling they felt, but that was what music was for.”
After concluding that people do not tell the truth or express their true selves, Rachel expresses the idea that music is the only true mode of expression. For Rachel, music provides an escape from daily troubles and allows people to open up and be themselves without being self-conscious.
"What with misery for her children, the poor, and the rain."
As Helen is leaving London in order to travel to South America with her husband Ridley, she is in a bad mood. She feels miserable about leaving her children but is also impacted by the atmosphere in London. She feels miserable for poor people she sees while in London, which is then compounded by the terrible English weather.
"She might be interesting... [if she] were ever to think, feel, laugh, or express herself."
When Helen meets Rachel, she passes judgment upon her apparent lack of intelligence. This is something Rachel is faced with throughout the text from various characters, including St. John Hirst. Although Helen is quick to judge, Rachel develops positively as a character throughout the novel, displaying independence and critical thought.
