"But the causes which made you sad before have been removed surely, only things which are occurring now from day to day between you and me, can bring fresh trouble. Is it something I have done?" Silence. "Alathea, if you knew how you exasperate me by your silences! I was always taught that it was very rude not to answer when one was spoken to." "It depends upon who speaks, and what about, and whether they have a right to an answer." "Then the inference is that I have no right to an answer, when you are silent?" "Probably." I grew irritated. "Well, I think I have a right, I ask you a plain question--have I done anything which has caused you distress--distress which is so evident that you must have been crying!" She threw up her arms. "Why on earth cannot you keep to business, it is quite unfair. If I were really your secretary and nothing more you would never persecute me for answers like this!" "Yes I would. I have a perfect right to know why anyone in my service is unhappy. Your fencing tells me that it _is_ something which I have done which has hurt you, and I insist upon knowing what it is." "I shall not tell you," defiantly. "I am very angry with you, Alathea," my voice was stern. "I don't care!" hers was passionate. "I think you are very rude." "You have told me that before--well I am rude then! I will tell you nothing. I will do nothing but just be your servant to obey orders which relate to the work I have been engaged for." I felt so furious I had to lie back in my chair and shut my eye. "You have a very poor sense of a bargain, if you only keep it in the letter. Your underneath constant hostility makes everything so difficult, the inference of your whole attitude toward me, and of everything you say and do, is that you feel injured, that you have some grudge against me." I tried to speak levelly. "What on earth have I ever done to you except treat you with every courtesy? Except that one day when you had the baby in your arms and I was rude, but apologized, and that one other time when I kissed you, and God knows I was sorry enough afterwards and have regretted it ever since. What _is_ the reason of your attitude; it is absolutely unfair?" This seemed to upset her considerably. She hated the idea that she was thought unfair. It may have made her realize too that she _had_ a definite sense of injury. She lost her temper, she stamped her scrap of a foot. "I hate you!" she burst out. "You and your bargain! I wish I was dead!" and then she sank into the sofa and covered her face with her hands, and by the shaking of her shoulders, I saw that she was crying!