VERA: ( the name can make one think of veracity, which is totally opposite to what she says)
No physical description. She is only known through her character and age.
15 years old: adolescence/childhood: as she is still young she might not realize what harm she is
doing. Moreover a world of fantasy and reality intermingles in her mind.
Rebellion against the world of adults ( she wants to be nasty to a rather boring man who only
thought of his nerves)
She is self-possessed ( l.2)( =assuré; qui garde son sang-froid). When Mrs Sappleton appears, when
the other characters appear in the window l.88 'I expect it was the spaniel" said the niece calmly, " he
told me he had a horror of dogs"
She is quick-witted /clever: She analyses the situation and the people ( quickly sees that Mr Nuttel is
going to be an easy victim or prey and she's going to build up a clever trap L.92: Romance at short
notice was her specialty" No sooner had she finished with her stories than she began another one,
even more exotic and imaginative than the previous ones ( banks of the Ganges, scene in a cemetery ,
spending the night in a grave)
She is cheeky: ( effrontée, insolente): l.2: "in the meantime, you must try and put with me"
She has imagination: invents such a story, such a tragedy. She adds that it is the third anniversary l;34
and l.63. At the end she starts on a new story about Mr Nuttel. So she starts a new romance, a new
story.
She's devilish, cynical: taking advantage of such a fragile/weak creature just for fun.
She knows how to play a role, how to pretend. She is a comedian:l.39: " here the child's voice lost its
self-posessed note and became falteringly human" l.74: " the child was staring out through the
window with dazed horror in her eyes"
l.49: " she broke off with a little shudder".
She's a liar: l.88 " he told me he had a horror of dogs". That was not true at all.