The Evil Genius: A Domestic Story — page 216: what you’re looking at

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

THE EVIL GENIUS. 205 She read: ‘‘ Whosoever shall marry her thatis divorced com- mitteth adultery.” Another innocent woman, in her place, might have pointed to that first part of the verse, which presupposes the infidelity cf the divorced wife, and might have asked if those words applied to her. This woman, knowing that she had lost him, knew also what she owed to herself. She rose in silence, and held out her hand at parting. ‘‘ Have you nothing to say to me?” he asked. ‘Good-bye, my one last friend—good-bye forever!” When she had said that, she had said all. He drew her to him gently, and kissed her on the forehead. The agony in his face was more than she could support; she re- coiled from it in horror. His last act was devoted to the tran- quillity of the one woman he had loved. He signed to her to leave him, CHAPTER LIITI. THE LARGEST NATURE, THE LONGEST LOVE. Mrs. PRESTY waited in the garden to be joined by her daugh- ter and Captain Bennydeck, and waited in vain. It was past her grandchild’s bedtime; she decided on returning to the house. ‘* Suppose we look for them in the sitting-room ¢” Kitty pro- osed., rage Suppose we wait a moment, before we go in?” her wise grandmother advised. ‘‘ If I hear them talking, Ishall take you up-stairs to bed.” SS OWity ?? ‘‘ Because we mustn’t interrupt them.” SAV ye Mrs. Presty favored Kitty with a hint, relating to the manage- ment of inquisitive children, which might prove useful to her in after-life. ‘‘ When you grow up to be a woman, my dear, be- ware of making the mistake that I have just committed. Never A foolish enough to mention your reasons when a child asks hy.” ‘* Was that how they treated you, grandmamma, when you were a child yourself ?”’ ‘*Of course it was!” “Why ?” They had reached the sitting-room door by this time. Kitty opened it without ceremony, and looked in. The room was empty. Having confided her granddaughter to the nursemaid’s care, Mrs. Presty knocked at Catherine’s bedroom door ‘‘May I come in ?” ‘*Come in directly! Where is Kitty ?” ‘*Susan is putting her to bed.” ‘“Stop it! Kitty mustn’t go to bed. No questions! I'll ex- io myself when you come back.” There was a wildness in ier eyes, and atone of angry command in her voice, which warned her mother to set dignity aside and submit. COMMICLO® S (E() m