Peter Fern was mad on mountains. Climbing was the love of his life. Church towers, seaside cliffs, rock faces, ice mountains, anything—'if it's there' he used to say, 'then I want to climb it'. So the news of his marriage gave me a surprise. I'd never known him to take much interest in girls. Well, well, Peter Fern a married man. I couldn't get over it. I wondered whether his wife would try to stop some of his risky adventures. She was French perhaps—from that place where he usually spent his holidays. Chamonixm, wasn't it? From Chamonix he's climbed Mont Blanc on his 17th birthday, and one of the Aifuilles the day after. That was it, then: she was French from a family, most of whom like climbing. No doubt. No other explanation. A month later I met them both in town. Anna surprised me because she was English. She was a dancer in the theatre. 'Never climbed more than 60 steps in my life'. She told me. 'Peter has his interests, and I've got mine. No problems'. 'No problems'. 'None at all', Peter said, smiling. 'Where did you spend your honeymoon?' 'I flew to New York to see the Drake Dancers on Broadway. A wonderful show'. Peter said, 'I didn't want to miss the good weather. So I went to Switzerland and climbed the north face of the Eiger with Allen Dunlop. Great fun, the Eiger. Grand place a honeymoon. I'll show you the photographs we took one day'. Peter was mad on mountains. means ______.