There had been many others.

Utterly aloof, herself, from all emotions of panic or terror, it had, from the very earliest age, interested her to see those passions at work in others.

Cruelty for cruelty's sake had no interest for her at all; to pull the wings from flies, to tie kettles to the tails of agitated puppies, to throw stones at cats, did not, in the least, amuse her.

She had once put a cat in the fire, but only because she had seen it play with a terrified mouse.

That had affronted her sense of justice.
But she was gravely and quite dispassionately interested in the terror of Mary Kitson.