She was not disturbed or surprised at my sudden appearance there: her face was impassive, and her eyes when they met mine appeared to look not at me but at something distant, and her words were spoken mechanically.
I said that I was hot and thirsty and tired and would be glad of a glass of milk.
Without a word she turned and left me standing there, and presently returned with a tumbler of milk which she placed on a deal table standing near me.

To my remarks she replied in monosyllables, and stood impassively, her hands at her side, her eyes cast down, waiting for me to drink the milk and go.

And when I had finished it and set the glass down and thanked her, she turned in silence and went back to that inner room from which she first came.

And hot and tired as I had felt a few moments before, and desirous of an interval of rest in the cool shade, I was glad to be out in the burning sun once more, for the sight of that young woman had chilled my blood and made the heat out-of-doors seem grateful to me.
The sight of such a face in the midst of such surroundings had produced a shock of surprise, for it was noble in shape, the features all fine and the mouth most delicately chiselled, the eyes dark and beautiful, and the hair of a raven blackness.

But it was a colourless face, and even the lips were pale.