The Evil Genius: A Domestic Story — page 179: what you’re looking at

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

168 ASOD SAS idl SP Ra G8 OO i de ‘¢Buck’s Hotel, Sydenham,” Mr. Sarrazin answered. ‘‘ She has got the address down in her nice little poctet-book.” ‘* What amazing weakness!” Randal exclaimed. Mr. Sarrazin cordially agreed with him. ‘* Amazing weak- ness, as you say. Pretty Miss Sydney knows many things more besides the address. She knows that Mrs. Ormond is here on business relating to new investments of her money. She knows besides that one of the trustees is keeping us waiting. She also made sensible remarks. She mentioned having heard Mrs. Ormond say that the air of London never agreed with her; and she hoped that a comparatively healthy neighborhood had been chosen for Mrs. Ormond’s place of residence. This, you see, was leading up to the discovery of the address. The spirit of mischief possessed me; I allowed Miss Westerfield to take a little peep at the truth. ‘ Mrs. Ormond is not actually in Lon- don,’ I said; ‘she is only in the neighborhood.’ For what fol- lowed on this, my experience of ladies ought to have prepared me. JI am ashamed to say this lady took me completely by surprise.” ‘* What did she do?” ‘Fell on her knees, poor dear—and said, ‘Oh, Mr. Sarrazin, be kinder to me than you have ever been yet; tell me where Mrs. Ormond is!’ I put her back in her chair, and I took her yandkerchief out of her pocket and I wiped her eyes.” ‘* And then you told her the address ?” ‘‘T was near it, but I didn’t doit yet. I asked what you had done in the matter. Alas, your kind heart had led you to prom- ise more than you could perform. She had waited to hear from you if Mrs. Ormond consented to see her, and had waited in vain. Hard on her, wasn’t it? Iwas sorry, but I was still ob- durate. I only felt the symptoms which warned me that I was going to make a fool of myself, when she let me into her secret for the first time, and said plainly what she wanted with Mrs. Ormond. Her tears and entreaties | had resisted. The confes- sion of her motives overpowered me. It is right,” cried Mr. Sarrazin, suddenly warming into enthusiasm, ‘‘ that these two women should meet. Remember how that poor girl has proved that her repentance is no sham. I say she has a right to tell, and the lady whom she has injured has a right to hear, what she has done to atone for the past, what confession she is willing to make to the one woman in the world (though she 7¢s a di- vorced woman) who is most interested in hearing what Miss Westerfield’s life has been with that wretched brother of yours. Ah, yes, I know what the English cant may say. Away with the English cant! it is the worst obstacle to the progress of the En- glish nation!” Randall listened absently; he was thinking. There could be little doubt to what destination Sydney Wester- field had betaken herself when she left the lawyer’s office. At that moment, perhaps, she and Catherine were together—and together alone. . Mr. Sarrazin had noticed his friend's silence. ‘‘Is it possible you don’t agree with me?” he asked. COMICLOOOKS.eEO m