The Evil Genius: A Domestic Story — page 137: what you’re looking at

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

b-a& 26 THE EVIL GENIUS. Mr. Sarrazin’s kindness still encouraged her. ‘* Well,” he said, ‘‘and what happened after that ?” ‘“Grandmamma came in. She told mamma to keep up her spirits. She says, ‘It will be all overina few hours more.’ She says, ‘ Whata burden it will be off your mind.’ She says, ‘Is that childasleep?” And mamma says‘ Yes.’ And grandmamma took one of mamma’s towels. And I thought she was going to wash herself. What would you have thought ?”’ Mr. Sarrazin began to doubt whether he would do well to dis- cuss Mrs. Presty’s object in taking the towel. He only said ‘‘ Go on 9 with a grave face; ‘‘ but she didn’t wash herself. She went to one of mamma’s boxes. Though she’s so old, she’s awfully strong, Ican tell you. She rubbed off the luggage-label in no time. Mamma says, ‘What are you doing that for? And Grandmamma says—this is the dreadful thing that I want to explain; oh, I can remember it all; it’s like learning lessons, only much nicer—grandmamma, says, ‘ Before the day’s over the name on your boxes will be your name no longer.” Mr. Sarrazin now became aware of the labyrinth into which his young friend had innocently led him. The divorce, and the inevitable return (when the husband was no longer the hus- band) to the wife’s maiden name—these were the subjects on which Kitty’s desire for enlightenment applied to the wisest per- gon within her reach, her mother’s legal adviser. Mr. Sarrazin tried to put her off hisknee. She held him round the neck. He thought of the railway as a promising excuse, and told her he must go back to London. She held him a little tighter. ‘‘I really can’t wait, my dear;” he got up as he said it. Kitty hung on to him with her legs as well as her arms, and finding the position uncomfortable, she lost her temper. ‘‘Mamma’s going to have a new name,” she shouted, as if the Jawyer had suddenly become deaf. ‘‘Grandmamma says she must be Mrs. Ormond. AndI must be Miss Ormond. I won't! Where’s papa? I want to write to him; I know he won’t allow it. Do you hear? Where’s papa?” She fastened her little hands on Mr. Sarrazin’s coat collar and tried to shake him, in a fury of resolution to know what it all meant. At that critical moment Mrs. Presty opened the door, and stood petrified on the threshold. ** Hanging on to Mr. Sarrazin with her arms and her legs!” ex- claimed the old lady. ‘* You little wretch, which are you, a monkey or a child ?” The lawyer gently deposited Kitty on the floor. ‘‘I mean to have it out of you,” she whispered, as he set her on her feet. Mrs. Presty pointed sternly to the open door. ‘‘ Screaming, too,” she resumed, ‘‘ when quiet in the house is of the utmost importance to your mother. Go! if I hear you again, bread and water and no doll for the rest of the week.” Kitty retired in disgrace, and Mrs. Presty sharpened her tongue on Mr. Sarrazin next. ‘‘I’m astonished, sir, at your al- lowing that impudent grandchild of mine to take such liberties “ Grandmamma dipped it into the water-jug,” Kitty continued, ECOMICLOOOKS. CO m