When she looked up from the paper, and saw Agnes, a vacant expression of doubt was the only expression in her wild black eyes.

After a few moments, the lost remembrances and associations appeared to return slowly to her mind.
The pen dropped from her hand.

Haggard and trembling, she looked closer at Agnes, and recognised her at last.

'Has the time come already ?' she said in low awe-struck tones.

'Give me a little longer respite, I haven't done my writing yet!' She dropped on her knees, and held out her clasped hands entreatingly.
Agnes was far from having recovered, after the shock that she had suffered in the night: her nerves were far from being equal to the strain that was now laid on them.