I was having a chat with one of the few remaining Elderhostelites - she did her Masters in Duke in the summer of '39 and was enchanted to learn that we won the Maryland home game on Sunday by more than 20 points. She was also enchanted to learn that I'm a bridge fanatic, seeing as she runs a duplicate game herself back home. I fleetingly considered asking her if she was any good - although the answer to that question is usually precisely the opposite of the truth.

Anyway, they've all gone now, and the place is very quiet, and I sit in the Pink Room reciting silent incantations to myself, a biological catechism: asteroidea, holothuroidea, ophiuroidea, echinoidea...