Miss Hero Wantage
She was a very young lady, and she did not at this
moment appear to advantage. The round
gown she wore was of an unbecoming
shade of pink and, had palpably come to
her at second-hand, since it seemed to
have been made originally for a larger
lady, and had been inexpertly adapted to
her diminutive size. A drab cloak was
tied round her neck, its hood hanging
down over her shoulders; and in her hand
she held a crumpled and damp handkerchief.
There were tear-stains on her
cheeks, and her wide grey eyes were
reddened and a little blurred. Her dusky
ringlets, escaping from a frayed ribbon,
were tumbled and very untidy.
(ch. ii)