At first she was made much of,
in an offensively patronising manner. The connection with the great de
Barral gratified their vanity even in the moment of the smash. They
dragged her to their place of worship, whatever it might have been, where
the congregation stared at her, and they gave parties to other beings
like themselves at which they exhibited her with ignoble
self-satisfaction. She did not know how to defend herself from their
importunities, insolence and exigencies. She lived amongst them, a
passive victim, quivering in every nerve, as if she were flayed. After
the trial her position became still worse. On the least occasion and
even on no occasions at all she was scolded, or else taunted with her
dependence. The pious girl lectured her on her defects, the romping girl
teased her with contemptuous references to her accomplishments, and was
always trying to pick insensate quarrels with her about some "fellow" or
other. The mother backed up her girls invariably, adding her own silly,
wounding remarks. I must say they were probably not aware of the
ugliness of their conduct.
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