In a word, she had a refined mind, and although she treated her women as friends, yet she very frequently used to say that 'she and they were not made of the same stuff.
-- Narrator (Pages 7 - 12)

Importance: At the start of the short story, the narrator delineates Madame Tellier's character and station from that of the five women who work for and with her. Though she cares for them, she believes that she is inherently superior to them. However, over the course of the story, this dynamic evolves. Madame Tellier's trip away with her girls gradually impacts and alters her understanding of them. This line, therefore, foreshadows the way coming change in their relationship. It also speaks to the author's thematic interest in community and connection.

The lantern behind the grating was not alight; there was not a sound in the house; everything seemed dead.
-- Narrator (Pages 7 - 12)

Importance: In the first section of the short...