More Chalet School Characterizations

I'm quoting some characterizations and introductions to important characters mainly so that I can refer to them later. When I first read the first two volumes of the Chalet books, I had trouble keeping some of the characters straight. There are so many characters introduced so quickly.

From pages 27 and 28 in The School at the Chalet (note that I am trying to keep to the British spelling as I type these quotes, unless I accidentally revert to the American spelling):

'It's to-morrow you go, Grizel, isn't it?' said the elder of the two, a pretty fair child of fourteen, Rosalie Dene by name. 'Aren't you sorry to leave home?'

Grizel decides to inform the girls, Rosalie and Mary, that her home is anything but happy, much to their horror.

'Sorry?' she said fervently. 'I'm not sorry; I'm glad—glad, I tell you!'

'Grizel!' gasped Rosalie. 'Glad to leave home and go right away!'

' 'Tisn't like your home,' replied Grizel sombrely. 'You've a mother!'

'Well, but you have Mrs Cochrane, and I'm sure she's awfully sweet to you.'

'Yes, when there's anyone there to see it,' replied Grizel recklessly.

The two schoolgirls stood in horrified silence. They did not know what to say.

From page 31, regarding Madge Bettany's response to a friendly man's comment about the weather:

Years ago, Miss Madge's nurse had accused her of being 'as friendly as a mongrel puppy.' She had kept this quality throughout her life. She was always interested in people, and, having met nothing but friendliness in all her twenty-four years, she had the same fearless, somewhat confiding manner with strangers as the pup to which nurse had likened her. So, instead of snubbing the good-hearted little man's advance with frosty good breeding, she answered him pleasantly.

From page 35, regarding the personalities of Joey and Grizel:

The outlook of the two children was so totally different. Joey always saw Paris through a rose-mist of history and legend: Grizel, now that her first wonder was over, so obviously took all that side of it for granted, and devoted herself to its life and people. At the church of the Invalides she did rouse to enthusiasm over Napoleon; but it was only temporary and she stared at Joey when that faithful devotee pushed a few sprays of lilies of the valley between the railings that surround the famous Emperor's tomb.

From page 53:

'I am Gisela Marani, and these are Gertrud Steinbrücke, Bernhilda and Frieda Mensch, Bette Rincini, and my younger sister Maria.'

'These are Grizel Cochrane and Simone Lecoutier,' said Joey, waving her hand in their direction, while she looked eagerly at them.

The two Marinis and Bette Rincini were slight, graceful girls; Gisela and Maria very dark; Bette, brown, with wavy brown hair, brown eyes, and a warm brown skin. Gertrud was brown-haired, grey-eyed, and very pretty, and the two Mensches were of the fair German type. They were all between the ages of twelve and sixteen, with the exception of Maria, who was obviously not more than nine.

From pages 61-62:

Amy and Margia Stevens were nice little people of eight and eleven, who had spent most of their short lives in travelling, since their father was Foreign Correspondent to one of the great London dailies. Margia, the elder child, was a motherly person, who adored her small sister; Amy was a dainty, fairylike little creature, who thought Margia was all that was wonderful.

From page 73:

Towards the end of the meal Herr Mensch appeared. He was a big, jolly man, with fair hair and grey eyes, and, since he was in one of the big banks in Innsbrück, his English was much more fluent than his wife's. His children obviously adored him, and he sat down, pulling Frieda on to his knee with a loud and hearty kiss.