Paul knew she referred to Clara, and he smiled.
"Do you say such nasty things about me ?" he laughed.
"No, my duck," the hunchback woman answered, lavishly tender.

She was thirty-nine.

"No, my duck, because you don't think yourself a fine figure in marble and us nothing but dirt.

I'm as good as you, aren't I, Paul ?" and the question delighted her.
"Why, we're not better than one another, are we ?" he replied.
"But I'm as good as you, aren't I, Paul ?" she persisted daringly.
"Of course you are.

If it comes to goodness, you're better." She was rather afraid of the situation.