The
glance which she took of him seemed to be one rather of uncertainty
and hesitation, than of bashfulness or timidity. Aunt Judith took her
by the hand, and led her slowly forward--her dark eyes, however,
continued to be fixed on Nigel, with an expression of melancholy by
which he felt strangely affected. Even when she was seated on the
vacant stool, which was placed there probably for her accommodation,
she again looked on him more than once with the same pensive,
lingering, and anxious expression, but without either shyness or
embarrassment, not even so much as to call the slightest degree of
complexion into her cheek.
So soon as this singular female had taken up the prayer-book, which
was laid upon her cushion, she seemed immersed in devotional duty; and
although Nigel's attention to the service was so much disturbed by
this extraordinary apparition, that he looked towards her repeatedly
in the course of the service, he
could never observe that her eyes or her thoughts strayed so much as a
single moment from the task in which she was engaged. Nigel himself
was less attentive, for the appearance of this lady seemed so
extraordinary, that, strictly as he had been bred up by his father to
pay the most reverential attention during performance of divine
service, his thoughts in spite of himself were disturbed by her
presence, and he earnestly wished the prayers were ended, that his
curiosity might obtain some gratification.
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