"Because the children need the things," I replied, bending my face still closer over my darning.
"Quite so; but if I want to speak to you, you ought to have a little time."
I thought that I had been rude, perhaps, since after all he was the master, so I got up from the chair and looked at him submissively.
"You know," he said very slowly and with a peculiar inflection in his voice—"you know that I mean to be kind to you, that your welfare interests me, and that I would not mind a little sacrifice on my part if you would only appreciate it."
I opened my mouth to make some clumsy reply, but with his hand he waved to me to be silent, and continued:
"You must know yourself that you are in somewhat pressed circumstances, and I am quite willing to give you a large advance. There is, of course, no need that you should mention that to my wife...." And while he finished the last sentence he produced a small bundle of bank-notes and put it on the table.
At that I lost my head and flew into a terrible rage.
"Take that money away," I shouted, "or I will tear it up!" and because he did not take it away at once, I flung it at his feet. He stooped to pick it up, but his eyes as he turned them to me were shining with anger.
"I am going to tell my wife at once," he said, "to get a lady and no servant-girl for my children."
After that he went.