She lived all alone with two old servants , man and maid . Except these two and Jims nobody had ever seen her for twenty years . Jims did n't know why , but he thought it must be because of the scar on her face . He never referred to it , but one day Miss Avery told him what caused it . `` I dropped a lamp and my dress caught fire and burned my face , Jims . It made me hideous . I was beautiful before that -- very beautiful . Everybody said so . Come in and I will show you my picture . '' She took him into her big parlor and showed him the picture hanging on the wall between the two high windows . It was of a young girl in white . She certainly was very lovely , with her rose-leaf skin and laughing eyes . Jims looked at the pictured face gravely , with his hands in his pockets and his head on one side . Then he looked at Miss Avery . `` You were prettier then -- yes , '' he said , judicially , `` but I like your face ever so much better now . '' `` Oh , Jims , you ca n't , '' she protested . `` Yes , I do , '' persisted Jims . `` You look kinder and -- nicer now . '' It was the nearest Jims could get to expressing what he felt as he looked at the picture . The young girl was beautiful , but her face was a little hard .
There was pride and vanity and something XXXXX the insolence of great beauty in it .
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