Perhaps she was really not pretty at all.

Tall, slim, but strong and supple, she struck one by the irregularities of the lines of her face.

Her eyes were set somewhat like a Kalmuck's, slanting; she was pale and thin in the face with high cheek-bones, but there was something in the face that conquered and fascinated! There was something powerful in the ardent glance of her dark eyes.

She always made her appearance "like a conquering heroine, and to spread her conquests." She seemed proud and at times even arrogant.

I don't know whether she succeeded in being kind, but I know that she wanted to, and made terrible efforts to force herself to be a little kind.