The Evil Genius: A Domestic Story — page 136: what you’re looking at

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

THE EVIL GENIUS. 125 not the least doubt he will apologize to her with tears in his eyes.” This interesting experiment was never destined to be tried. Right or wrong, Mrs. Presty’s theory remained the only explana- tion of the judge’s severity. Mr. Sarrazin attempted to change the subject. Mrs. Presty had not quite done with it yet. ‘*There is one more thing 1 want tosay,” she proceeded. ‘* Will his lordship’s remarks appear in the newspapers ?” ** Not a doubt of it.” ‘* In that case I will take care (for my daughter’s sake) that no newspapers enter the house to-morrow. As for visiturs, we needn’t be afraid of them. Catherine is not likely to be able to leave her room; the worry of this miserable business has quite broken her down.”’ The doctor returned at that moment. Without taking the old lady’s gloomy view of his patient, he admitted that she was in a low nervous condition; and he had reason to suppose, judging by her reply to a question which he had ventured to put, that she had associations with Scotland which made a visit to that country far from agreeable to her. His advice was that she should leave Edinburgh as soon as possi- ble, and go South. If the change of climate led to no improve- ment, she would at least be in a position to consult the best phy- sicians in London. In a day or two more it would be safe to remove her—provided she was not permitted to exhaust her strength by taking long railway journeys. Having given his advice the doctor took leave. Soon aiter he had gone, Kitty made her appearance, charged with a message from Mrs. Linley’s room. ‘‘Hasn’t the physic sent your mother to sleep yet?” Mrs. Presty inquired. Kitty shook her head. ‘*‘ Mamma wants to go away to-mor- row, and no physic will make her sleep till she has seen vou, and settled about it. That’s what she told me to say. If I be- haved in that way about my physic, I should catch it.” Mrs. Presty left the room, watched by her granddaughter with an appearance of anxiety which it was not easy to understand. ‘‘What’s the matter?’ Mr. Sarrazin asked. ‘*‘ You look very serious to-day.” Kitty held up a warning hand. ‘‘Grandmamma sometimes listens at doors,” she whispered; ‘‘ I don’t want her to hear me.” She waited a little longer, and then approached Mr. Sarrazin, frowning mysteriously. ‘‘ Take me up on your knee,” she said. ‘* There’s something wrong going on in this house.” Mr. Sarrazin took her on his knee, and rashly asked what had gone wrong. Kitty’s reply puzzled him. ‘‘IT goto mamma’s room every morning when I wake,” the child began. ‘‘I get into her bed and give her a kiss, and say good-morning—and sometimes, if she isn’t in a hurry to get up, I stop in her bed and go to sleep again. Mamma thought I was asleep this morning. I wasn’t asleep—I wasonly quiet. I don’t snow why I was quiet.” COMMICLOO® S (GC) mn