The Evil Genius: A Domestic Story — page 93: what you’re looking at

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82 THE EVIL GENIUS. herself planning beforehand what she would say in speaking to her husband. A second message interrupted her, announcing that the two brothers had just arrived. She joined them immediately in the drawing-room. Linley was sitting in a corner by himself. The dreadful dis- covery that the child’s life (by the doctor’s confession) was in danger had completely overwhelmed him: he never even lifted his head when his wife opened the door. Randaland Mrs. Presty were talking together. The old lady’s insatiable curiosity was eager for news from London; she wanted to know how Randal had amused himself when he was not attending to bus- iness. He was grieving for Kitty, and he was looking sadly at his brother. ‘‘I don’t remember,” he answered, absently. Other women might have discovered that they had chosen their time badly. Mrs. Presty, with the best possible intentions, remon- strated. ‘* Really, Randal, you must rouse yourself. Surely you can tell us something. Did you meet with any agreeable people while you were away ?”” ‘‘T met one person who interested me,” he said, with weary resignation. Mrs. Presty smiled. ‘‘ A woman of course.” ‘*A man,” Randal answered; ‘‘a guest like myself at a club dinner.” ‘‘Who is he ?” ‘Captain Bennydeck.” ‘‘In the army ?” ‘* No; formerly in the navy.” ‘* And you and he had a long talk together ?” Randal’s tones began to betray irritation. ‘‘ No,” he said, *‘ we Te at opposite ends of the table—and the captain went away early.’ Mrs. Presty’s vigorous intellect discovered an improbability rok Nae ‘*Then how came you to feel interested in him !” she ob- jected. Even Randal’s patience gave way. ‘‘I can’t account for it,” he said, sharply. ‘‘I only know I took a lking to Captain Bennydeck.” He left Mrs. Presty, and sat down by his brother. ‘* You know I feel for you,” he said, taking Linley’s hand. ‘‘ Try to hope.” The bitterness of the father’s despair broke out in his answer. ‘*T can bear other troubles, Randal, as well as most men. This affliction revolts me. There’s something so horribly unnatural in the child being threatened by death, while the parents (who should die first) are alive and well——” MHechecked himself, ‘‘T had better say no more, I shall only shock you.”’ The misery in his face wrung the faithful heart of his wife. She forgot the conciliatory expressions which she had prepared herself to use. ‘‘ Hope, my dear, as Randal tells you,” she said, ‘‘ because there 7s hope.” Gomichbooks (©)