The late governess had been a mature person of features rather serviceable than handsome; that her successor was of a different type appeared sufficiently from the fair round head, the gracefully handed neck, the perfect shoulders, the slight, beautiful form.

Waymark took his place and waited with some curiosity till she moved.

When she did so, and, rising, suddenly became aware of his presence, there was a little start on both sides; Miss Enderby--so Waymark soon heard her called by the pupils--had not been aware, owing to the noise, of a stranger's entrance, and Waymark on his side was so struck with the face presented to him.

He had expected, at the most, a pretty girl of the commonplace kind: he saw a countenance in which refinement was as conspicuous as beauty.

She was probably not more than eighteen or nineteen.