The fact that little Flora is seriously ill suggests again the very innocence of the girl. However much she might be able to pretend on some subjects, it would be quite difficult to feign a feverish sickness. In other words, she must be deeply repulsed by the behavior of the governess. The reader should note how concerned the governess is with the possibility that the employer will hear everything from Flora, who will make the governess out to be “the lowest creature.” Most of her actions are designed to influence or impress her employer. In the ensuing days, she hopes to bring Miles to her side and then she will be able to convince the master of the rightness of her actions.
Mrs. Grose is convinced of Flora’s evilness simply because the little girl has used some bad words. The child’s behavior is easily explainable when we consider that Miles, while away at the school, must have picked up some bad words and could have passed them on to Flora. But for the genteel Mrs. Grose who is, in fact, rather old, these words sound horrible and wicked when spoken by the child, and on this proof, she is willing to accept the premises that the girl could only learn them from an evil influence.
Little Flora’s illness acts as a method of foreshadowing and preparing for Miles’ reaction in the final sections. If the suggestion of the appearance of a ghost makes Flora ill, then in the next sections, the governess’ actions could be too much for the nerves of the young boy.
