Her face was very pale, in part no doubt from recent agitation.

Her dark brown hair, disordered from the same cause, had fallen negligently from its bonds, and hung upon her neck; for which instance of its waywardness no male observer would have had the heart to blame it.
Her attire was that of a lady, but extremely plain; and in her manner, even when she sat as still as she did then, there was an indefinable something which appeared to be in kindred with her scrupulously unpretending dress.

She had sat, at first looking anxiously towards the bed; but seeing that the patient remained quiet, and was busy with his writing, she had softly moved her chair into its present place; partly, as it seemed, from an instinctive consciousness that he desired to avoid observation; and partly that she might, unseen by him, give some vent to the natural feelings she had hitherto suppressed.
Of all this, and much more, the rosy landlady of the Blue Dragon took as accurate note and observation as only woman can take of woman.

And at length she said, in a voice too low, she knew, to reach the bed: 'You have seen the gentleman in this way before, miss?
Is he used to these attacks ?' 'I have seen him very ill before, but not so ill as he has been tonight.' 'What a Providence!' said the landlady of the Dragon, 'that you had the prescriptions and the medicines with you, miss!' 'They are intended for such an emergency.

We never travel without them.' 'Oh!' thought the hostess, 'then we are in the habit of travelling, and of travelling together.' She was so conscious of expressing this in her face, that meeting the young lady's eyes immediately afterwards, and being a very honest hostess, she was rather confused.
'The gentleman--your grandpapa'-- she resumed, after a short pause, 'being so bent on having no assistance, must terrify you very much, miss ?' 'I have been very much alarmed to-night.