"But your privation, your keeping out of everything, has been--hasn't it ?--by your own choice." "Oh yes; it has been necessary--that is it has been better for you.
What I mean is only that I seem to have ceased to serve you." "How can you tell that ?" he asked.

"You don't know how you serve me.
When you cease--" "Well ?" she said as he dropped.
"Well, I'll LET you know.

Be quiet till then." She thought a moment.

"Then you positively like me to stay ?" "Don't I treat you as if I did ?" "You're certainly very kind to me.

But that," said Maria, "is for myself.