To his surprise, although he scarcely noticed it at the time, Mrs.Unthank promptly disappeared.

He was from the first left alone with the woman whom he had come to visit.
She was sitting up on her couch and watching his approach.

A woman?
Surely only a child, with pale cheeks, large, anxious eyes, and masses of brown hair brushed back from her forehead.

After all, was he indeed a strong man, vowed to great things?
There was a queer feeling in his throat, almost a mist before his eyes.

She seemed so fragile, so utterly, sweetly pathetic.