The Evil Genius: A Domestic Story — page 98: what you’re looking at

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

THE EVIL GENIUS. 87 for instance, from the rain, found the temptation to talk with Captain Bennydeck irresistible; and, when the weather cleared, they mostly carried away with them the same favorable impres- sion—‘‘ One would like to meet with that gentleman again.” Randal’s first words of welcome relieved the captain of certain modest doubts of his reception, which appeared to trouble him when he entered the room. ‘‘Iam glad to find you remember me as kindly as [remember you.” Those were his first words when he and Randal shook hands. ‘“ You might have felt sure of that,” Randal said. The captain’s modesty still doubted. ‘* You see, the circum- stances were a little against me. We met at a dull dinner- among wearisome, worldly men, full of boastful talk about them- selves. It was all, ‘I did this’ and ‘I said that ’—and the gen- tlemen who were present had always been right; and the gentle- men who were absent had always been wrong. And, oh, dear, when they came to politics, how they bragged about what they would have done if they had only been at the head of the government; and how cruelly hard to please they were in the matter of wine. Do you remember recommending me to spend my next holiday in Scotland ?” ‘* Perfectly. My advice was selfish; it really meant that I wanted to see you again.” ‘“And you have your wish, at your brother’s house. The guide-book did it. First, I saw your family name. Then, I read on and discovered that there were pictures at Mount Morven, and that strangers were allowed to see them. I like pictures. And here I am.” This allusion to the house naturally reminded Randal of the master. ‘‘I wish I could introduce you to my brother and his wife,” he said. ‘‘ Unhappily, their only child is ill——” Captain Bennydeck started to his feet. *‘Il. am ashamed of having intruded on you,” he began. His new friend pressed nim back into his chair without ceremony. ‘‘ On the contrary, you have arrived at the best of all possible times—the time when our suspense is at an end. The doctor has just told us that his poor little patient is out of danger. You may imagine how happy we are.” ‘* And how grateful to God!” The captain said these words in tones that trembled, speaking to himself. Randal was conscious of feeling a momentary embarrassment. The character of his visitor had presented itself in a new light. Captain Bennydeck looked at him—understood him—and re- turned to the subject of his travels. ‘*Do you remember your holiday time when you were a boy, and when you had to go back to school?’ he asked, with a smile. ‘‘ My mind is in much the same state at leaving Scot- land, and going back to my work in London. I hardly know which I admire most, your beautiful country or the people who inhabit it. I have had some pleasant talk with your poorer neighbors; the one improvement I could wish for among them is a keener sense of their religious duties.” COMMNICLO© S (CE) im