The Evil Genius: A Domestic Story — page 105: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

94 THE EVIL GENIUS. i Spare me!” she cried, passionately; ‘‘ you don’t know how fF suffer.” ‘©Oh, I know it—no words can say how I feel for you! Are you sorry for me, Sydney? Have you thought of me since we parted ?” She had striven against herself, and against him, till her last effort at resistance was exhausted. In reckless despair she let the truth escape her at last. ‘“* When do I ever think of anything else! Iam a wretch un- worthy of all the kindness that has been shown to me. _ I don’t deserve your interest; I don’t even deserve your pity. Send me away—be hard on me —be brutal tome. Have some mercy on a miserable creature whose life is one long, hopeless effort to forget you!” Her voice, her look, maddened him. He drew her to his bosom; he held her in his arms; she struggled vainly to get awarv from him. ‘‘ Oh,” she murmured, ‘*‘ how cruel you are! Remember, my dear one, remember how weak Iam. Oh, Herbert, I’m dying—dying—dying’’ Her voice grew fainter and fainter; her head sank on his breast. He lifted her face to him with whispered words of love. He kissed her again and again. x % % % a % The curtains over the library entrance moved noiselessly when they were parted. The footsteps of Catherixe Linley were inaudible as she passed through and entered the room. She stood still for a moment in silent horror. Not a sound warned them when she advanced. After hesitat- ing for a moment, she raised her hand toward her husband, as if to tell him of her presence by a touch; drew it back, suddenly recoiling from her own first intention, and touched Sydney in- stead. Then, and then only, they knew what had happened. Face to face those three person—with every tie that had once united them snapped asunder in an instant—looked at each other. The man owed a duty to the lost creature whose weak: ness had appealed to him in vain. The man broke the silence. ‘* Catherine (4 With immeasurable contempt looking brightly out of he steady eyes his wife stopped hun. ‘*Not a word!” He refused to be silent. ‘‘Itis I,” he said, ‘‘I only who am to blame.” ‘‘Spare yourself the trouble of making excuses,” she an- swered; ‘‘ they are needless. Herbert Linley, the woman who was once your wife despises you.” Her eyes turned from him, and rested on Sydney Westerfield. ‘‘T have a last word to say to you. Look at me, if you can. Listen to me, if you can.” Sydney lifted her head. She looked vacantly at the outraged woman before her, as if she saw a woman in a dream. With the same terrible self-possession which she had pre- served from the first—standing between her husband and lv governess—Mrs. Linley spoke. EONNICLOOKS ,eO©