The Evil Genius: A Domestic Story — page 135: what you’re looking at

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

124 THE EVIL GENIUS. furious! It’s a most improper thing for a person m my posi- tion to say of a person in the lord president’s position, but I do say it—he ought to be ashamed of himself.” ‘* After giving us our divorce!” Mrs. Presty exclaimed, ** What has he done ?”’ Mr. Sarrazin repeated what the judge had said of Mrs. Linley. ‘©In my opinion,” he added, ** such language as that is an insult to your daughter.” ‘* And yet,” Mrs. Presty repeated, ‘‘he has given us our di- vorce.” She returned tothe sideboard, poured out a second dose of the remedy against worry, and took it herself. ‘*‘ What sort of character does the lord president bear ?” she asked, when she had emptied her glass. Tliis seemed to be an extraordinary question to put, under the circumstances. Mr. Sarrazin answered it, however, to the best of his ability. ‘‘ An excellent character,” he said—‘‘ that’s the unaccountable part of it. I hear that he is one of the most careful and considerate men who ever sat on the bench. Ex- cuse me, Mrs. Presty, I didn’t intend to produce that impression on you.” “What impression, Mr. Sarrazin ?” ‘You look as if you thought there was some excuse for the udge.” . “That's exactly what I do think.” ‘‘‘You find an excuse for him ?” ‘““T do.” ‘¢ What is it, ma’am ?” ‘‘ Constitutional infirmity, sir.” ‘‘May I ask of what nature?” “You may. Gout.” Mr. Sarrazin thought he understood her at last. ** You know the lord-president,” he said. Mrs. Presty denied it positively. ‘*‘No, Mr. Sarrazin, I don’t get at itin that way. I merely consult my experience of another official person of high rank, and apply it to the lord president. You know that my first husband was a cabinet minister ?”’ ‘‘T have heard you say so, Mrs. Presty, on more than one oc- casion.” “Very well. You may also have heard that the late Mr. Or- mond was a remarkably well-bred man. In and out of the House of Commons, courteous almost to a fault. One day I happened to interrupt him when he was absorbed over an act of Parliament. Before I could apologize—I tell you this in the strictest confidence—he threw the act of Parliament at my head. Ninety-nine women out of a hundred would have thrown it back again. Knowing his constitution I decided on waiting a day or two. On the second day my anticipations were reai- ized. Mr. Ormond’s great toe was as big as my fist and as red as a lobster: he apologized for the act of Parliament with tears in his eyes. Suppressed gout in Mr. Ormond’s temper; sup- pressed gout in the lord president’s temper. He will have a toe; and, if I can prevail upon my daughter to call upon him, I have CONNICLOOKS .(eO©