If he was really wanted, Mrs.Gallilee had only to speak.

After a last moment of hesitation, the pitiless necessities of her position decided her once more.

"You see me too ill to move," she said; "the first thing to do, is to tell you why." She related the plain facts; without a word of comment, without a sign of emotion.

But her husband's horror of her had left an impression, which neither pride nor contempt had been strong enough to resist.

She allowed the music-master to infer, that contending claims to authority over Carmina had led to a quarrel which provoked the assault.