She looked wildly round the room. Discovering that she was alone with the members of her family, she became composed: her mind slowly recovered its balance. Her first thought was for herself.
“Has that woman disfigured me?” she said to the maid.
Knowing nothing of what had happened, Marceline was at a loss to understand her. “Bring me a glass,” she said. The maid found a hand-glass in the bedroom, and presented it to her. She looked at herself—and drew a long breath of relief. That first anxiety at an end, she spoke to her husband.
“Where is Carmina?”
“Out of the house—thank God!”
The answer seemed to bewilder her: she appealed to Marceline.
“Did he say, thank God?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Can you tell me nothing? Who knows where Carmina has gone?”
“Joseph knows, ma’am. He heard Dr. Benjulia give the address to the cabman.” With that answer, she turned anxiously to her master. “Is Miss Carmina seriously ill, sir?”