Chapter 14
It was the paralyzed Countess who spoke. She had managed to partly raise herself on her couch, and her face expressed positive terror. Her husband hurried to her side,— and, with a curiously cynical smile on his lips, Rimanez rose from the piano. Miss Charlotte, who had sat rigidly upright and silent for some time, hastened to attend upon her sister, but Lady Elton was singularly excited, and appeared to have gained a sudden access of unnatural vigour.
"Go away,—I'm not ill," she said impatiently. "I feel better,—much better than I have done for months. The music does me good." And addressing her husband, she added, "Ask your friend to come and sit here by me,—I want to talk to him. He has a magnificent voice,—and— I know that song he sang,—I remember reading it—in a manuscrip
