Since she had been very small, she had made up stories and recited them to 
the Primer, which were often digested and incorporated into the Primer's 
stories. It had come naturally to Nell to do the same work for Madame Ping. But 
now her boss was calling it a performance, and Nell had to admit that it was, 
in a way. Her stories were being digested, not by the Primer, but by another 
human being, becoming a part of that person's mind.