Here's a short story:

CHAPTER XV--THE END OF THE MEETING 

Stephen went on in her calm, cold voice: 

'Did he tell you that I had asked him to marry me?' Despite herself, as she spoke the words a red tide dyed her face. It was not a flush; it was not a blush; it was a sort of flood which swept through her, leaving her in a few seconds whiter than before. Harold saw and understood. He could not speak; he lowered his head silently. Her eyes glittered more coldly. The madness that every human being may have once was upon her. Such a madness is destructive, and here was something more vulnerable than herself. 

'Did he tell you how I pressed him?' There was no red tide this time, nor ever again whilst the interview lasted. To bow in affirmation was insufficient; with an effort he answered: 

'I understood so.' She answered with an icy sarcasm: 

'You understood so! Oh, I don't doubt he embellished the record with some of his own pleasantries. But you understood it; and that is sufficient.' After a pause she went on: 

'Did he tell you that he had refused me?' 

'Yes!' Harold knew now that he was under the torture, and that there was no refusing. She went on, with a light laugh, which wrung his heart even more than her pain had done . . . Stephen to laugh like that! 

'And I have no doubt that he embellished that too, with some of his fine masculine witticisms. I understood myself that he was offended at my asking him. I understood it quite well; he told me so!' Then with feminine intuition she went on:  (End of story)

Provide your best guess for the following question. Give ONLY the guess, no other words or explanation.

For example:

Guess: <most likely guess, as short as possible; not a complete sentence, just the guess!>

Here are a few examples of questions and answers:

Question: Who has an unusual name for her gender?
Guess: Stephen

Question: Had she asked something of someone?
Guess: yes

Question: What was it?
Guess: to marry her

Question: Had he told someone about it?
Guess: yes

Question: Who?
Guess: Harold

Question: Was she persistant in her proposal?
Guess: yes

Question: Was her proposal accepted?
Guess: no

Question: What color was her face when she asked Harold if he knew?
Guess: red

Question: Was she emberassed?
Guess: no

Question: Did Harold answer quickly?
Guess: no

Question: How was he responding to her?
Guess: silently

Question: Did she think the object of her affection had elaborated on the story?
Guess: yes

Question: How did she think he felt to be asked such a thing?
Guess: offended

Question: How did she realize this?
Guess: he told her so

Question: Did she continue to speak of it?
Guess: yes

Question: With what?
Guess: with feminine intuition

Question: Did Harold feel that he was being abused in some way?
Guess: yes

Question: Could he escape it?
Guess: no

Now answer the following question in the same format.

Question: How did he describe his treatment?

as torture