He remained very still, leaning forward, apparently quite oblivious of her.

Then he came to himself with a quick smile, which she recognised as characteristic of all that disturbed her about this man--a smile in which there was humour, a little malice and self-sufficiency and--many, many things she did not try to analyse.
"Don't you really want an unreliable servant ?" he asked.
His perverse humour perplexed her, but she smiled.
"Don't you remember that I once asked you if you needed an able-bodied man ?" he insisted.
She nodded.
"Well, I'm that man." She assented, smiling conventionally, not at all understanding.

He laughed, too, thoroughly enjoying something.
"It isn't really very funny," he said, "Ask your brother-in-law.

I had an interview with him before I came here.

And I think there's a chance that he may give me a desk and a small salary in his office." "How absurd!" she said.
"It is rather absurd.