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           Grosethatshewasnotatthesetimesachild,butanold,oldwoman,andthatdescriptionofhercouldnothavebeenmorestrikinglyconfirmedthaninthewayinwhich,forallanswertothis,shesimplyshowedme,withoutaconcession,anadmission,ofhereyes,acountenanceofdeeperanddeeper,ofindeedsuddenlyquitefixed,reprobation.Iwasbythistime—ifIcanputthewholethingatalltogether—moreappalledatwhatImayproperlycallhermannerthanatanythingelse,thoughitwassimultaneouslywiththisthatIbecameawareofhavingMrs.Grosealso,andveryformidably,toreckonwith.Myeldercompanion,thenextmoment,atanyrate,blottedouteverythingbutherownflushedfaceandherloud,shockedprotest,aburstofhighdisapproval.“Whatadreadfulturn,tobesure,miss!Whereonearthdoyouseeanything?”

           Icouldonlygrasphermorequicklyyet,forevenwhileshespokethehideousplainpresencestoodundimmedandundaunted.Ithadalreadylastedaminute,anditlastedwhileIcontinued,seizingmycolleague,quitethrustingheratitandpresentinghertoit,toinsistwithmypointinghand.“Youdon’tseeherexactlyaswesee?—youmeantosayyoudon’tnow—now?She’sasbigasablazingfire!Onlylook,dearestwoman,look—!”Shelooked,evenasIdid,andgaveme,withherdeepgroanofnegation,repulsion,compassion—themixturewithherpityofherreliefatherexemption—asense,touchingtomeeventhen,thatshewouldhavebackedmeupifshecould.