But the obstacle thus set aside only opened the way to a
new difficulty--the difficulty of keeping her veil down while she was
speaking to other persons, without any obvious reason for doing so. An
instant's consideration, and a chance look at her little china palette
of stage colors, suggested to her ready invention the production of a
visible excuse for wearing her veil. She deliberately disfigured herself
by artificially reddening the insides of her eyelids so as to produce
an appearance of inflammation which no human creature but a doctor--and
that doctor at close quarters--could have detected as false. She sprang
to her feet and looked triumphantly at the hideous transformation of
herself reflected in the glass. Who could think it strange now if she
wore her veil down, and if she begged Mrs. Lecount's permission to sit
with her back to the light?
Her last proceeding was to put on the quiet gray cloak which she had
brought from Birmingham, and which had been padded inside by Captain
Wragge's own experienced hands, so as to hide the youthful grace and
beauty of her back and shoulders. Her costume being now complete, she
practiced the walk which had been originally taught her as appropriate
to the character--a walk with a slight limp--and, returning to the glass
after a minute's trial, exercised herself next in the disguise of her
voice and manner.
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