So long as they confined themselves to silence, neglect, and general exclusion, Mary heeded little their behavior, for no intercourse with them, beyond that of external good offices, could be better than indifferent to her; but, when they advanced to positive interference, her position became indeed hard to endure.

They would, for instance, keep watch on her serving, and, as soon as the customer was gone, would find open fault with this or that she had said or done.

But even this was comparatively endurable: when they advanced to the insolence of doing the same in the presence of the customer, she found it more than she could bear with even a show of equanimity.

She did her best, however; and for some time things went on without any symptom of approaching crisis.

But it was impossible this should continue; for, had she been capable of endless endurance, her persecutors would only have gone on to worse.