She remained silent, standing perhaps a trifle more lightly erect as she gazed at the rows of blind windows in silence.
Neither of them uttered a word for some time, but at length Bettina roused herself.

She had a six-mile walk before her and must go.
"I am very much obliged to you," she began, and then paused a second.
A curious hesitance came upon her, though she knew that under ordinary circumstances such hesitation would have been totally out of place.

She had occupied the man's time for an hour or more, he was of the working class, and one must not be guilty of the error of imagining that a man who has work to do can justly spend his time in one's service for the mere pleasure of it.

She knew what custom demanded.

Why should she hesitate before this man, with his not too courteous, surly face.