dont fear , navva said , her whispery voice filling his mind like sweet-smelling smoke ; though it was easier said than done , for navva , like many women her age who considered the gradual colouring of their eyes a very private affair , to be shared solely with their mates , wore a long veil that hid her face completely , so that whenever she spoke , the words were for a moment indistinguishable from the sound of her breath and the rustle of the milcloth , like an obscure utterance in the original language .