The Evil Genius: A Domestic Story — page 210: what you’re looking at

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

THE EVIL GENIUS. 199 sent you; ij have been anxious to do you no wrong. It is for you, not for me, to say if I have succeeded. Once more, will you read my letter ?” The sad self-possession, the quiet dignity with which she spoke, appealed to his memory of the pardon that she had so generously granted, while he and Sydney Westerfield were still guiltless of the injury inflicted on her at a later time. Silently he took the letter from her and read it. She kept her face turned away from him and from the light. The effort to be still calm and reasonable—to suffer the heart- ache. and not to let the suffering be seen—made cruel demands on the self-betraying nature of a woman possessed by strong emotion. There was a moment when she heard him sigh while he was reading. She looked round at him, and instantly looked away again. He rose and approached her; he held the letter in one hand, and pointed to it with the other. Twice he attempted to speak. Twice the influence of the letter unmanned him. It was a hard struggle, but it was for her sake; he mastered ewer aar Tt and forced his trembling voice to submit to his will. ‘‘Ts the man whom you are going to marry worthy of this ?” he asked, still pointing to the letter. She answered firmly: ‘‘ More than worthy of it.” ‘Marry him, Catherine—and forget me.” The great heart that he had so sorely wounded pitied him, for- gave him, answered him with a burst of tears. She held out one imploring hand. His lips touched it—he was gone. CHAPTER LI. ‘* DUM SPIRO, SPERO.” BRISK and smiling, Mrs. Presty presented herself in the wait- ing-room. ‘‘ He’s gone!” she announced; ‘‘I looked out of the window, and saw him leaving the hotel.” She paused, struck by the deep dejection expressed in her daughter’s attitude. ‘‘ Catherine!” she exclaimed, ‘‘ I tell you Herbert has gone, and you look as if you regretted it. Is there anything wrong? Did my aa fail to bring him here?” é¢ O.”’ ‘‘He was bent on mischief when I saw him last. Has he told eer eg of the divorce ?” és O. > b] ‘Thank Heaven for that! There is no one to be afraid of now. Where is the captain?” ‘* He is still in the sitting-room.” ‘‘ Why don’t you go to him?” ‘*T daren’t!” ‘Shall I go?” ‘‘ Yes—and give him this.” Mrs. Presty took the letter. ‘‘ You mean, tear it up,” she said, ‘‘and quite right too.” ‘* No; I mean what I say.” ECORNICLOO S (E() im