The Evil Genius: A Domestic Story — page 164: what you’re looking at

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

THE EVIL GENIUS. 153 things, is our counselor and guide. To him T must refer you in the first instance. His wisdom will decide the serious question of receiving you into our holy Church, and will discover, in due time, if you have a true vocation toa religious life. With the father’s sanction, you may be sure of my affectionate desire to serve you.” Sydney put the letter back in the envelope, feeling grateful toward the mother superior, but determined by the conditions imposed on her to make no further advance toward the Benedic- tine community. Even if her motive in writing to the convent had remained unchanged, the allusions to the priest would still have decided her on taking this step. The bare idea of opening her inmost heart, and telling her saddest secrets to a man, and that man a stranger, was too repellent to be entertained fora moment. Ina f.w lines of reply, gratefully and reszectfully written, she thanked the mother superior, and withdrew from the corre- spondence. The letter having been closed and posted in the hotel box, she returned to the sitting-room, free from the one doubt that had troubled her; eager to show Herbert how truly she believed in him, how hopefully she looked to the future. With a happy smile on her lips, she opened thedoor. She was on the point of asking him playfully if he had felt surprised at her long absence, when the sight that met her eyes turned her cold with terror in an instant. His arms were stretched outon the table; his head was laid on them; despair confessed itself in his attitude: grief spoke in the deep sobbing breaths that shook him. Love and compassion re-_ stored Sydney’s courage; she advanced to raise him in her arms —and stopped once more. The book on the table caught her eye He was still unconscious of her presence; she ventured to open it. She read the inscription—looked at him—looked back at the writing—and knew the truth at last. The rigor of the torture that she suffered paralyzed all outward expression of pain. Quietly she put the book back on the table, Quietly she touched him, and called him by his name. He started and looked up; he made an attempt to speak to her in his customary tone. ‘‘ I didn’t hear you come in,” he said. She pointed to the book without the slightest change in her tace or her manner. ‘‘T have read the inscription to your wife,” she answered; ‘1 have seen you while you thought you were alone; the mercy which has so long kept the truth from me is mercy wasted now. Your bonds are broken, Herbert. You area free man.” He affected not to have understood her. She let him try to persuade her of it, and made no reply. He declared, honestly declared, that what she had said distressed him. She listened in submissive silence. He took her hand and kissed it. She let him kiss it, and let him drop it at herside. She frightened him; he began to fearfor her reason. There was silence—long, horrid, hapeless silence, COMMICOOO Ss (©) m