humility.

Miss Minerva passed over this reply without notice. Perhaps she was not
a believer in the humility of musicians.

"The young lady's Christian name," she proceeded, "is Carmina; (put
the accent, if you please, on the _first_ syllable). The moment Mrs.
Gallilee heard the name, it struck her like a blow. She enlightened the
old woman, and asserted herself as Miss Carmina's aunt in an instant.
'I am Mrs. Gallilee:' that was all she said. The result"--Miss Minerva
paused, and pointed to the ceiling; "the result is up there. Our
charming guest was on the sofa, and the hideous old nurse was fanning
her, when I had the honour of seeing them just now. No, Mr. Le Frank!
I haven't done yet. There is a last act in this drama of private life
still to relate. A medical gentleman was present at the concert, who
offered his services in reviving Miss Carmina. The same gentleman is now
in attendance on the interesting patient. Can you guess who he is?"

Mr. Le Frank had sold a ticket for his concert to the medical adviser of
the family--one Mr. Null. A cautious guess in this direction seemed to
offer the likeliest chance of success.

"He is a patron of music," the pianist began.

"He hates music," the governess interposed.

"I mean Mr. Null," Mr. Le Frank persisted.

_"I_ mean--" Miss Minerva paused (like the cat with the mouse
again!)--_"I_ mean, Mr. Ovid Vere."

What form the music-master's astonishment might have assumed may be
matter for speculation, it was never destined to become matter of fact.
At the moment when Miss Minerva overwhelmed him with the climax of her
story, a little, rosy, elderly gentleman, with a round face, a sweet
smile, and a curly gray head, walked into the room, accompanied by two
girls. Persons of small importance--only Mr. Gallilee and his daughters.

"How d'ye-do, Mr. Le Frank. I hope you got plenty of money by the
concert. I gave away my own two tickets. You will excuse me, I'm sure.
Music, I can't think why, always sends me to sleep. Here are your two
pupils, Miss Minerva, safe and sound. It struck me we were rather in the
way, when that sweet young creature was brought home. Sadly in want
of quiet, poor thing--not in want of _us._ Mrs. Gallilee and Ovid, so
clever and attentive, were just the right people in the right place. So
I put on my hat--I'm always available, Mr. Le Frank; I have the great
advantage of never having anything to do--and I said to the girls,
'Let's have a walk.'