Her lips were parted in a sort of chronic sad smile, which showed uneven and discoloured teeth.

She wore a long trailing garment of heavy black silk, not gathered to the figure at the waist, but loose from the shoulders down, and buttoned from throat to feet in front, with small buttons, like a cassock.

From one of the upper buttonholes dangled a thin gold chain, supporting a bunch of small charms against the evil eye, a little coral horn, a tiny silver hunchback, a miniature gilt bell, and two or three coins of gold and silver, besides an Egyptian scarabee in a gold setting.

The woman remained standing before Bosio.
"You wish to consult me, Signore ?" she inquired, in a professional tone, through the chronic smile, as it were.

Her voice was very hoarse.
Bosio bowed gravely, whereupon she pointed to a chair for him, drew another into position for herself, opposite his, and at some distance from it, and then fumbled in the curtains for the cord that pulled them.
"If you will sit down," she said, "I will darken the room." Bosio seated himself, and in a moment the light was shut out as the heavy curtains ran together.