the presence of other people the acquaintance of the surroundings or a sense of order and predictability The sentence then delves into Mary's company in the countryside with her childhood In this context the countryside represents her early years and the little drops or fragments of her past These little drops could be memories experiences or even people from her childhood However the countryside is also portrayed as an extended stretch of nothingness and veld which can be seen as a barren desolate landscape This suggests ambivalence in Mary's feelings toward her childhood and the rural environment While she associates it with her past it is also characterized by emptiness and isolation In nature this quote reveals Mary Turner's complex emotional landscape She loves the safety and comfort of the town but also feels a deep connection to her rural upbringing even though it is associated with a sense of emptiness and isolation It highlights the internal conflict and nostalgia that shape her character throughout the novel