She believed me to have been neglecting Mother, and her interest in my "doing something worth while" was inspired merely because she wished Mother to be supplied with those "luxuries and conveniences" she had mentioned.

Well, my question was answered; this was the difference my working or idling made to her.

And, for a minute or two, I had been foolish enough to fancy her interested, as a friend, in my success or failure in life.

I might have known better.

And yet, because of the novelty of the thing, because I had so few friends, I felt a pang of disappointment.
But I resolved she should not know she had disappointed me.