I know what Miss Jones suffered during those weeks. She was not an
old lady of very great power of resistance, and it must have
positively terrified her that these small children should so
vindictively hate her. She could not have seen it as anything but
hatred, being entirely ignorant of children and the strange forces
to whose power they are subject, and she must have shivered in her
bedroom at the dreariness and terror of the prospect before her.
Many, many times she must have resolved not to be beaten, and many,
many times she must have admitted herself beaten as badly as any one
can be.

Her life with the people downstairs was not intimate enough, nor
were those people themselves perceptive enough for any realisation
of what was occurring to penetrate.

"I hope you're happy with the children, Miss Jones," once or twice
said Mrs. Cole.

"Very, thank you," said Miss Jones.

"They're good children, I think, although parents are always
prejudiced, of course. Jeremy is a little difficult perhaps. It's so
hard to tell what he's really thinking. You find him a quiet,
reserved little boy?"

"Very," said Miss Jones.

"In a little while, when you know him better, he will come out. Only
you have to let him take his time. He doesn't like to be forced--"