The Evil Genius: A Domestic Story — page 75: what you’re looking at

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

64 THE EVIL GENIUS. crossed the room to her husband, and took hisarm. ‘In my state of fatigue, Herbert, I shall never get up our steep stairs unless you help me.” As they ascended the stairs together, Linley found that hig wife had a reason of her own for leaving the drawing-room. ‘‘T am quite weary enough to go to bed,” she explained. ‘‘ But I wanted to speak to you first. It’s about Miss Westerfield. (No, no, we needn’t stop on the landing.) Doyou know, I think I have found out what has altered our little governess so strangely—lI seem to startle you?” “SAINQeys ‘‘T am only astonished, ‘‘ Mrs. Linley resumed, ‘‘ at my own stupidity in not having discovered it before. We must be kinder than ever to the poor girl now; can’t you guess why? My dear, how dull you are! Must [remind you that we have had two single men among our visitors. One of them is old, and doesn’t matter. But the other—I mean Sir George, of course—is young, handsome, and agreeable. JIamsosorry for Sydney Westerfield. It’s plain to me that she is hopelessly in love with a man who has run through his fortune, and must marry money if he mar- ries at all. I shall speak to Sydney to-morrow; and I hope and trust I shall succeed in winning her confidence. Thank Heaven, here we are at my door at last! I can’t say more now: I’m ready to drop. Good-night, dear; you look tired too. It’s a nice thing to have friends, I know; but oh what a relief it is some- times to get rid of them!” | She kissed him, and let him go. Left to himself, to compare his wife’s innocent mistake with the terrible enlightenment that awaited her, Linley’s courage failed him. He leaned on the quaintly carved rail that pro- tected the outer side of the landing, and looked down at the stone hall far below. If the old woodwork (he thought) would only give way under his weight, there would be an escape from the coming catastrophe found in an instant. A timely remembrance of Sydney recalled him to himself. For her sake he was bound to prevent Mrs. Presty’s contemplated interview with his wife on the next morning. Descending the stairs, he met his brother in the corridor on the first floor. ‘‘The very man I wanted to see,” Randal said. ‘‘ Tell me, Herbert, what is the matter with that curious old woman ?” ‘* Do you mean Mrs. Presty ?” ‘‘Yes. She has just been telling me that our friend Mrs. Mac- Edwin has taken a fancy to Miss Westerfield, and would be only too glad to deprive us of our pretty governess.” ‘- Did Mrs. Presty say that in Miss Westerfield’s presence ?” ‘“No. Soon after you and Catherine left the room, Miss Westerfield left it too. I dare say I am wrong, for I haven’t had time to think of it; but Mrs. Presty’s manner suggested te “a that she would be glad to see the poor girl sent out of the uuse.” ‘‘T am going to speak to her, Randal, on that very subject. Is she still in the drawing-room ?” Gomichdooks (€©) im