“It was only the vulgarly mediocre that repelled her.”
“No, mother; no. She was really keen on Italy. This travel is quite a crisis for her.” He found the situation full of whimsical romance: there was something half attractive, half repellent in the thought of this vulgar woman journeying to places he loved and revered. Why should she not be transfigured? The same had happened to the Goths.”
“The only sin is mediocrity.”
“Idleness is fatal only to the mediocre.”
“Only the mediocre are always at their best. ”
“She just eyed them coolly, as if they were nothing to her, as if their nothingness surprised and slightly repelled her.”