The protagonist is grappling with conflicting emotions after receiving a compliment from her flatmate, Marjorie. Instead of dwelling on the unsettling insight into Marjorie's darker side, she chooses to take solace in the positive remark. However, this decision is complicated by her anxiety over Marjorie's disturbing willingness to engage in extreme actions for personal gain. The juxtaposition between admiration and fear leaves the protagonist feeling uneasy.

This situation highlights a deeper internal struggle as she contemplates the lengths to which Marjorie would go to achieve her desires. The protagonist feels a sense of unease about this willingness, recognizing that compromise can distort reality. It forces her to confront the darker aspects of ambition and the moral dilemmas that accompany it, triggering a battle between her admiration for Marjorie's confidence and her fear of her potential for cruelty.