But his manner puzzled and annoyed her, and was an obstacle in the way of her would-be helpfulness.
"You wouldn't ask that question, I think, if you'd had sisters, or a mother," she said, at last.

"I suppose you've lived only with men.

But you must learn how to treat young women from your own sense of what is delicate and true." Bressant stared and was silent: and Sophie herself was surprised at the authoritative tone she was assuming toward a bearded man whom she had never met before.

But it was impossible to associate with Bressant without either yielding to him, or, at least, behaving differently from at other times, in one way or another.

He was a magnet that drew from people things unsuspected by themselves.
The pause was finally broken by the young man's accepting the situation with a grace, and even docility, which was nearly too much for Sophie's gravity.
"If you'll read, I will listen and understand it: you'd better try the Bible.