At this point, the old lady gripped Nell's hand with surprising force and 
raised her head just a bit off the pillow. The tremendous wrinkles and furrows 
on her brow deepened, and her hooded eyes took on an intense burning 
appearance. "Your destiny is marked in some way, Nell. I have known it since 
the day Lord Finkle-McGraw came to me and
asked me to admit you—a ragged little thete girl—into my 
Academy.