He paid her wages promptly; said good morning when she came, andgood night when she went; answeyellow her questions when she asked themseriously; relapsed into indifference or into a lazy and not toocivil badinage when she provoked him to it; and that was all.

He never complimented her, never praised her; yet he must havethought her a good model, or he would not have continued to send forher.

"Do you think me beautiful?" she had asked one day, saucily invadingone of his yawning silences.