"Have you so much experience of my sex, then?"
"More than most men, perhaps. God help me!"
"You don't seem to realise that that is a dangerous admission to make to a woman."
"Why? You let me see very plainly yesterday that our ways lie far apart. In fact, that whatever my rank may once have been, I am now only your father's servant."
She rose from the box on which she had been sitting and stamped her foot. He looked up and saw that indignant tears stood in her eyes.
"You are very unjust and very unkind. I'm sure I never said or implied anything of the sort."
"Then I must crave your pardon once more for misunderstanding you. I certainly understood that to be your meaning."
She sat down again and fell to scraping up the shavings and litter with her foot. He resumed his sawing. For the space of about three minutes neither spoke. Then she said timidly:
"I notice that you are very patient and persevering."
He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye suspiciously. This was too novel and satisfactory not to make him a little distrustful.