The Evil Genius: A Domestic Story — page 149: what you’re looking at

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

188 THE EVIL GENIUS. Mr. Romsey’s wife appealed to him in despair. ‘‘ What am I] to do?” she asked, hopelessly. ‘* Do nothing,” was the wise reply. ‘* Didn’t you say she was going away to-morrow ?” ‘*That’s the worst of it,” Mrs. Romsey declared. ‘‘ Her little girl] Kitty gives a farewell dinner to-morrow to cur children; and I’ve promised to take them to say good-bye.” Lady Myrie pronounced sentence without hesitation. ‘** Of course your girls mustn’t go. Daughters! Think of their repu- tation when they grow up!” ‘i ate you in the same scrape with my wife?” Mr. Romsey asked. Lady Myrie corrected his language. ‘I have been deceived in the same way,” she said. ‘‘Though my children are boys (which perhaps makes a difference), I feel it my duty as a mother not to let them get into bad company. I do nothing myself in an underhand way. No excuses! I shall send a note and tell Mrs. Ormond why she doesn’t see my boys to-mor- row.” ‘‘Surely that’s a little hard on her?” said merciful Mrs. Rom- Mr. Romsey agreed with his wife, on grounds of expediency, ‘*Never make a row if you can help it,” was the peaceable principle to which this gentleman committed himself. ‘‘Send word that the children have caught colds, and get over it in that way.” Mrs. Romsey looked gratefully at her admirable husband. ** Just the thing!” she said, with an air of relief. Lady Myrie’s contempt expressed itself with the strictest ad- herence to the laws of courtesy. She rose, smiled, and said ** Good-night.” % % % + * * % Almost at the same moment, innocent little Kitty astonished her mother and her grandmother by appearing before them in her night-gown, after she had been put to bed nearly two hours since. ‘* What will this child do next?’ Mrs. Presty exclaimed. Kitty told the truth. ‘‘I can’t go to sleep, grandmamma,” ‘*Why not, my darling?” her mother asked. ‘*T’m so excited, mamma.” ‘* About what, Kitty ?” ** About my dinner-party to-morrow. Oh,” said the child, clasping her hands earnestly as she thought of her playfellows, **T do so hope it will go off well!” CHAPTER XXXIV. MRS. PRESTY. BELONGING to the elder generation which has lived to «see the Age of Hurry, and has no sympathy with it, Mrs. Presty en- tered the sitting-room at the hotel two hours before the time that had been fixed for leaving Sandyseal, with her mind at ease on the subject of her luggage. ‘‘ My boxesare locked, strapped, EOMNICLOOOKS (c@) m