With workmen, Laura isn't quite sure of her position, or who to be. When she sees them, she thinks "They looked impressive." She also "wished now that she had not got the bread-and-butter, but there was nowhere to put it, and she couldn't possibly throw it away. She blushed and tried to look severe and even a little bit short-sighted as she came up to them." In other words, she has to pretend to be someone she thinks she's supposed to be with them. Once they reassure her, she thinks how nice they are. Finally, she feels moved to speak with them. By contrast, with boys of her class, she feels less unbalanced, but also less moved to emotional/true speech.
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