I never knew that you felt like this." "No, how could you know?
Who would tell you?
Not Ernest," she replied bitterly.
"But, Dorothea, you are happy, are you not ?" "Happy, I was until I knew better, till two years ago when I saw your mother and you with her.

Then Ernest came back thinking himself a German officer--he is an officer, you know--and the way he treated our mother and me!" "Treated your mother! Surely he is not unkind to your mother ?" Larry had a vision of a meek, round-faced, kindly, contented woman, who was obviously proud of her only son.
"Kind, kind," cried Dorothea, "he is kind as German sons are kind.

But you cannot understand.

Why did I speak to you of this?
Yes, I will tell you why," she added, apparently taking a sudden resolve.

"Let's go slowly.