And to Enid's searching gaze it seemed that his face was set into unfamiliar and anxious lines; but under his black cap and red hair, his skin looked colorless and drawn.

But after the first glance, her eyes were not for him; with swift apprehension they passed to the six Arch-Mystics who, walking two and two, formed the procession.
Animated by the speed of actual fear, her gaze passed from the abnormally agitated face of old Arian, the blind Arch-Councillor, to the dark, turbulent face of Bale-Corphew, who brought up the rear.

The survey was rapid and comprehensive; and to her uneasy mind the thought came with unerring certainty that, on all the six faces--differing so markedly in physical characteristics--there was a common look of suppressed excitement, of suppressed resolve.
As they passed her seat, Norov turned and shot a glance of cold curiosity in her direction; but otherwise the whole group seemed unaware of her presence.

Still inert, she sat, watching every movement in the scene before her as one might watch a drama that would, at a given moment, cease to be entertainment and become real life.
Very quietly the Prophet advanced to the Scitsym and, following the customary routine, opened it and began to read.
The words were a strange jargon of mystical counsel interspersed with the relation of mystical visions and ecstasies.

On ordinary lips, the long, disjointed sentences and disconnected phrases would have sounded vague and incomprehensible; but, from the first, it had been one of the Prophet's special gifts that his deep, grave voice could lend weight and meaning to the fantastic utterances.