"Actress!" said Cliffe, under his breath, with a grin of amusement.
At any rate, her impulse served her well. Her form and dress disappeared
under a cloud of white. She became in a flash, so to speak,
evangelized--a most innocent and spiritual apparition. Her beautiful
head, her kindled and transfigured face, her little hand on the white
folds, these alone remained to mingle their impression with the austere
and moving tragedy which her lips recited. Her audience looked on at
first with the embarrassed or hostile air which is the Englishman's
natural protection against the great things of art; then for those who
understood French the high passion and the noble verse began to tell;
while those who could not follow were gradually enthralled by the
gestures and tones with which the slight, vibrating creature, whom but
ten minutes before most of them had regarded as a mere noisy flirt,
suggested and conveyed the finest and most compelling shades of love,
faith, and sacrifice.
When she ceased, there was a moment's profound silence. Then Lady Edith,
drawing a long breath, expressed the welcome commonplace which restored
the atmosphere of daily life.
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