"And I am sorry for you."
Maud started and repeated: "Sorry for me! Why are you sorry for me?"
"Because you are young. I used once, until lately, to think it a privilege to be young; now I consider it a privilege to be very old or dead."
Maud felt more and more uncomfortable. This was not a cheerful way of looking at things. Maud had quite enough unpleasant matters to occupy her mind, and she was quite unstrung. What business had this woman with her? She would try. She spoke somewhat tremulously:
"Can I be of any use to you?"
"No. Nor can I be of much to you."
"To me!" said Maud in surprise. "I hope no one has been asking you to do anything unreasonable for me. Of course, as I did not know you until now, and never heard your name, you will excuse my not thanking you for what you may have done for me."
"I have done nothing for you but evil."
"Evil! I assure you you must be mistaken. No one has done me harm, as far as I know."
"But there may be evil you do not know of, and I may have been the innocent cause of it."