The Evil Genius: A Domestic Story — page 189: what you’re looking at

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

178 THE HVIL GENIUS. ‘‘T only doubt whether I ought to let you see what I have seen; [ am only afraid of the risk of making you unhappy. You tempt me torun the risk. The help of a woman—and of such a woman as you are—is the one thing I have wanted. Your influence would succeed where my influence has often failed. How good, how thoughtful you would be!” ‘* T only want to be worthy of you,” she said, humbly. ‘‘ When may I see your home ?” He drew her closer to him; tenderly and timidly he kissed her for the first time. ‘‘ Itrests with you,” he answered. ‘‘ When will you be my wife?” She hesitated; he felt hertrembling. ‘‘ Is there any obstacle ?” he asked. | Before she could reply, Kitty’s voice was heard calling to her mother—Kitty ran up to them. Catherine turned cold as the child touched her, eagerly claim- jng her attention. The father, the living father, who had such terrible reason (if he ever knew it) to call her to account; the false position which it was her first duty to have revealed to the true lover who trusted her, who had her promise to be his wife—all that she should have remembered, all that she had forgotten in a few bright minutes of illusion—rose in judgment against her, and struck her mind prostrate in an instant, when she felt the touch of her child. Bennydeck saw the change in her. Was it possible that Kitty’s sudden appearance had startled her? Kitty had some- thing to say, and said it before he could speak. ‘‘Mamma, I want to go where the other children are going. Susan’s gone to her supper. You take me.” Her mother was not even listening. The child turned im- patiently to Bennydeck. ‘‘ Why won't mamma speak to me ?” she asked. He quieted her by a word. ‘‘ You shall go with me.” His anxiety about Catherine was more than he could en- dure. ‘‘ Pray let me take you back to the house,” he said. ‘‘I am afraid you are not well.” at I shall be better directly. Do me a kindness—take the child.” She spoke faintly and vacantly. Bennydeck hesitated. She lifted her trembling hands in entreaty. ‘‘I bez you will leave me!” Her voice, her manner, made it impossible to disobey. He turned resignedly to Kitty, and asked which way she wanted to go. The child pointed down the path to one of the towers of the Crystal Palace, visible in the distance. ‘‘ The governess has taken the others to see the company go away,” she said; ‘‘I want to go too.” Bennydeck looked back before he Jost sight of Catherine. She remained seated, in the attitude in which he had left her. At the further end of the path which led tothe hotel, he thought he saw a figure in the twilight approaching from the house. There would be help near if Catherine wanted it. His uneasy mind was in some degree relieved as he and Kitty left the garden together. Gomichbooksrico