This is very important, as you will presently see. On her side,
I have reason to be assured that the circumstances had been truly
explained to her, and that she understood I was in no way to blame.
Now, knowing all these necessary things as you do, explain to me,
if you can, why, when I rose and met that woman's eyes looking at me,
I turned cold from head to foot, and shuddered, and shivered,
and knew what a deadly panic of fear was, for the first time in my
life.'

The Doctor began to feel interested at last.

'Was there anything remarkable in the lady's personal appearance?'
he asked.

'Nothing whatever!' was the vehement reply. 'Here is the true
description of her:--The ordinary English lady; the clear cold
blue eyes, the fine rosy complexion, the inanimately polite manner,
the large good-humoured mouth, the too plump cheeks and chin:
these, and nothing more.'

'Was there anything in her expression, when you first looked at her,
that took you by surprise?'

'There was natural curiosity to see the woman who had been
preferred to her; and perhaps some astonishment also, not to see
a more engaging and more beautiful person; both those feelings
restrained within the limits of good breeding, and both not lasting
for more than a few moments--so far as I could see. I say, "so far,"
because the horrible agitation that she communicated to me disturbed
my judgment. If I could have got to the door, I would have run out