But the gods fought on Miriam's side. Cecilia went into the library during the latter part of the morning and discovered young James alone there. She found him uncommunicative and solemn, which, in the nature of things, was only to be expected; and he took her completely by surprise by asking after a few moments, in the most ordinary tone:
"Who is Marcelline Lefèbre, Aunt Cecilia?"
Mrs. James stifled a gasp, and waited before replying till she was sure of her voice.
"Why? How did you ever hear of her?" she said.
"Oh, in this. There's a lot more about it to-day. She was badly hurt, wasn't she?"
Mrs. James looked up and saw the newspaper lying open on the desk in front of which James was sitting.
"Oh, yes.... An actress, I think."
"Yes," said James, "it says that here." The words and tone clearly implied that James expected her to tell him something he did not know already, but she parried.
"Had you ever heard of her before?"
"No, never. That's just the funny part of it. Why should we never have heard of a person Father knew well enough to take out to ride? Did you ever know her?"