She sat there, head bent, silent, impassive, acquiescent under the physical and mental strain to which she had never become thoroughly hardened.

How many such scenes had she witnessed! She could not count them.

They differed very little in detail, and not at all in their ultimate object, which was to get what money she had.

This was his method of reimbursing himself for his losses.
He made an end to his outburst after a while.

Only his dreadful fat breathing now filled the silence; and supposing he had finished, she found her voice with an effort: "I am sorry.