The Evil Genius: A Domestic Story — page 231: what you’re looking at

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

220 THE EVIL GENIUS. in the following order. Am I wrong in assuming that, on this occasion at least, you will agree with Mrs. Presty? First Objection: Nobody has ever done such a thing before. Second Objection: Penitent or not penitent, Mr. Herbert Lin- ley doesn’t deserve it. Third Objection: No respectable person will visit them. First Reply: The question is not whether the thing has been done before, but whether the doing of the thing is right in itself. There is no clause in the marriage service forbidding a wife to forgive her husband; but there is a direct prohibition to any separation between them. It is therefore not wrong to for- give Mr. Herbert Linley, and it is absolutely right to marry him again. “acentid Reply: When their child brings him home, and takes it for granted that her father and mother should live together, because they are her father and mother, innocent Kitty has ap- ealed from the Law of Divorce to the Law of Nature. Whether erbert Linley has deserved it, or whether he has not, there he is, in the only fit place for him—and there is an end of the second objection. Third Reply: A flat contradiction to the assertion that no re- spectable person will visit her. Mrs. Sarrazin will visit her. Yes, you will, my dear! Not because I insist upon it—do I ever | insist on anything? No; you will act on your own responsibility, out of compassion for amisguided old woman. Judge for your- self if Mrs. Presty is not sadly in need of the good example of an ornament to her sex. The Evil Genius of the family joined us in the cottage parlor when our consultation had come to anend. [I had the honor of communicating the decision at which we had arrived. Mrs. Presty marched to the door; and, from that commanding po- sition, addressed a few farewell remarks to her daughter: ‘‘T have done with you, Catherine. You have reached the limits of my maternal endurance at last. I shall set up my own establishment, and live again—in memory—with Mr. Ormond and Mr. Presty. May you be happy. I don’t anticipate it.” She left the room, and came back again for a last word, ad- dressed this time to Randal Linley. ‘‘When you next see your friend Captain Bennydeck, give him my compliments, Mr. Randal, and say that I congratulate him on having been jilted by my daughter. It would have been asad thing indeed if such a sensible man had married an idiot. Good-morning.” She left the room again, and came back again for another last word, addressed on this occasion tome. Her better nature made an effort to express itself, not altogether without success. ‘‘T think it quite likely, Mr. Sarrazin, that some dreadful mis- fortune will fall on my daughter, as the punishment of her un- dutiful disregard of her mother’s objections. In that case I shall teel it my duty to return and administer maternal consolation. When you write, address me at my banker’s. I make allow- ances for a lawyer, sir; I don’t blame you.” She opened the door for the third time—stepped out, and EONNICIOOKS ,e€O