"Yes, sir."
"Good news?"
"No. My mother writes me that I must not expect her. She has to fight
with a dishonest executor. Oh, money, money!"
At that moment Zoe entered the room, but Severne paced the landing. He
did not care to face Miss Gale; and even in that short interval of time
he had persuaded Zoe to protect her brother against this formidable young
lady, and shorten the interview if she could.
So Zoe entered the room bristling with defense of her brother. At sight
of her, Miss Gale rose, and her features literally shone with pleasure.
This was rather disarming to one so amiable as Zoe, and she was surprised
into smiling sweetly in return; but still her quick, defensive eye drank
Miss Gale on the spot, and saw, with alarm, the improvement in her
appearance. She was very healthy, as indeed she deserved to be; for she
was singularly temperate, drank nothing but water and weak tea without
sugar, and never eat nor drank except at honest meals. Her youth and pure
constitution had shaken off all that pallor, and the pleasure of seeing
Zoe lent her a lovely color. Zoe microscoped her in one moment: not one
beautiful feature in her whole face; eyes full of intellect, but not in
the least love-darting; nose, an aquiline steadily reversed; mouth,
vastly expressive, but large; teeth, even and white, but ivory, not
pearl; chin, ordinary; head symmetrical, and set on with grace.
Pages:
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357