Dymphna Lodewyckx was a brilliant linguist who easily won prizes and scholarships but cannot be said to have pursued a career; instead, she married Manning Clark, who earned great fame as an Australian historian.

Occasional translations and classes gave Dymphna much pleasure and some pride, but they were not her priority. How could they be, when she was her husband constant research assistant and unofficial editor, as well as the mother of their six children? This was clearly her choice. Wasn't it?