"I was a good deal excited," she continued.
"But I didn't mind till afterwards; when--" she paused, and saw the figure of the bloated little man again--"I became terrified." From the look in her eyes it was evident she was again terrified.

Helen was really at a loss what to say.

From the little she knew of Rachel's upbringing she supposed that she had been kept entirely ignorant as to the relations of men with women.

With a shyness which she felt with women and not with men she did not like to explain simply what these are.

Therefore she took the other course and belittled the whole affair.
"Oh, well," she said, "He was a silly creature, and if I were you, I'd think no more about it." "No," said Rachel, sitting bolt upright, "I shan't do that.