Read the excerpt from Charles Chesnutt's The House Behind the Cedars. Then, answer the question that follows.

Her abundant hair, of a dark and glossy brown, was neatly plaited and coiled above an ivory column that rose straight from a pair of gently sloping shoulders, clearly outlined beneath the light muslin frock that covered them. He could see that she was tastefully, though not richly, dressed …

Which type of characterization is evident in this passage?

A Direct; the author describes the woman's exact physical appearance
B Direct; the reader must infer what the woman looks like based on dialogue
C Indirect; the author describes the woman's exact physical appearance
D Indirect; the reader must infer what the woman looks like based on dialogue