And:
“That's exactly what you ought to be!” said that horrible voice from the other end of the room.
I sat up abruptly—I had sunk into a chair under the blow of the letter—then I dropped back again and my hair rose in a thick prickle on the top of my head. Coming majestically across the floor towards me was a highly polished pair of thick laced shoes. I stared at them in a sort of dreadful fascination, and then something about their gait attracted my attention and I recognized them.
“See here,” I said sternly. “What do you mean by appearing here like this?”
“I can't help it,” said the voice, which seemed to come from a point about five and a half feet above the shoes. I raised my eyes and presently distinguished her round protruding mouth.
“Why can't you? A nice way to act, to walk in in sections——”
“If you'll give me time,” said the mouth in an exasperated voice, “I assure you the rest of me will presently arrive.”
“But what's the matter with you? You never acted this way before.”
She seemed stung to make a violent effort, for a portion of a fishy eye and the end of her nose popped into view with a suddenness that made me jump.
“It's all your fault.” She glared at me, while part of her hair and her plaid skirt began slowly to take form.