Advancing to take the chair that had been pointed out to her, she hesitated, put her hand on the rail to support herself, and still remained standing.

'Please give me a moment to compose myself,' she said faintly.

Her head sank on her bosom: she stood before Agnes like a conscious culprit before a merciless judge.
The silence that followed was, literally, the silence of fear on both sides.

In the midst of it, the door was opened once more--and Henry Westwick appeared.
He looked at Lady Montbarry with a moment's steady attention--bowed to her with formal politeness--and passed on in silence.

At the sight of her husband's brother, the sinking spirit of the woman sprang to life again.