As Emily, with her newfound consciousness, recapitulated the scene, it was like rereading a story in a book, so little responsibility did she feel for the merely mechanical creature who had bitten the captain’s thumb. Nor was she even very interested: it had been queer, but then there was very little in life which didn’t seem queer, now.

As for Jonsen, he and Emily had avoided each other ever since, by mutual consent. She indeed had been in Coventry with everybody for biting him; none of the other children would play with her all the next day, and she recognised that she thoroughly deserved it⁠—it was a mad thing to have done. And yet Jonsen, in avoiding her, had himself more the air of being ashamed than angry⁠ ⁠… which was unaccountable.

But what interested her more was the curious way Margaret had gone on, those next few days.