At first she was made much of, in an offensively patronising manner.

The connection with the great de Barral gratified their vanity even in the moment of the smash.

They dragged her to their place of worship, whatever it might have been, where the congregation stared at her, and they gave parties to other beings like themselves at which they exhibited her with ignoble self-satisfaction.

She did not know how to defend herself from their importunities, insolence and exigencies.

She lived amongst them, a passive victim, quivering in every nerve, as if she were flayed.