The Countess wore, I remember, a gown of purple velvet fronted with
yellow satin, which to my eyes hung a trifle heavily upon her young
figure and so emphasized its slenderness, imparting even to her neck
and head a certain graceful fragility. The rich colour of her hair was
hidden beneath a mask of powder after the fashion, and below it her
face shone pale, pale indeed as when I saw her last, but with a
wonderful clarity and pureness of complexion, so that as she spoke the
blood came and went very prettily about her cheeks and temples. The
two attributes, however, which I noted with the greatest admiration
were her eyes and voice. For it seemed to me well-nigh beyond belief
that the eyes which I now saw flashing with so lively a fire were the
same which had stared vacantly into mine at Lukstein Castle, and that
the voice which I now heard musical with all the notes of laughter was
that which had sent the shrill, awful scream tearing the night.