"Oh, it fills in. One can't always be so terribly in earnest."
"Elijah is."
Helen restrained herself with difficulty. She felt an hysterical and unreasonable desire to laugh.
"That's why I'm in his office, probably. I'm a relief."
Helen's reply was reassuring to Amy. It was a new reason for the relations between Elijah and Helen. She accepted it without question.
"I'm afraid that I am too much interested in his work. It isn't good for him, but I can't help it. I think you are right about his being too much in earnest." Amy spoke laboriously; she evidently had some ulterior purpose in view, more evident to Helen than she knew. With all the guile that she could muster, Amy looked at Helen. "What is your work?"
Helen did not feel the pathos of what was passing before her eyes, she only saw the absurdity of it.
"Oh, nothing much. I just keep the books. That's easy. Then I write letters, and see that they are mailed, and for amusement, I have arguments with Ralph Winston; he's the engineer, you know."
"Yes, I know Mr. Winston. I don't think much of him. He's rather conceited, don't you think so?"
"Very."