that she was accountable for her actions?

Kroll. Hm!--Do you remember whether at that time you had, in the
house any books dealing with the purport of marriage--according to
the advanced views of to-day?

Rosmer. I remember Miss West's lending me a work of the kind. She
inherited Dr. West's library, you know. But, my dear Kroll, you
surely do not suppose that we were so imprudent as to let the
poor sick creature get wind of any such ideas? I can solemnly
swear that we were in no way to blame. It was the overwrought
nerves of her own brain that were responsible for these frantic
aberrations.

Kroll. There is one thing, at any rate, that I can tell you now,
and that is that your poor tortured and overwrought Beata put an
end to her own life in order that yours might be happy--and that
you might be free to live as you pleased.

Rosmer (starting half up from his chair). What do you mean by
that?

Kroll. You must listen to me quietly, Rosmer--because now I can
speak of it. During the last year of her life she came twice to
see me, to tell me what she suffered from her fears and her
despair.

Rosmer. On that point?

Kroll. No. The first time she came she declared that you were on