The Evil Genius: A Domestic Story

bsorbed in thoughts which had never before troubled his easy

old gardens at Versailles, and called the French Garden. The other path led to a grassy walk, winding its way capriciously through a t

ced, when he heard a momentary rustling of leaves at some little distance in advance of him. The faint breeze had died away; the movement among the leaves had been no doubt produced by the creeping or t

t was the figure of a woman. Was it one of the female servants, hurrying back to the house after an interview with a sweetheart? In his black evening dress, he was, in all probability, completely h

t so late?

stood still for a moment, and then tur

d," he said. "Surel

showed himself in the moonlight,

he ex

in which she answered hi

ught there would be no harm-please let me

t? I have been tempted out by the lovely night, like you. Take my arm. It is so close

y silent, he led her back to the open space. Some garden chairs were

shut out," she repeated

lained. "They are all asleep at the house by this time. No! no! don't be frightened again.

t offended with me now, Mr. Linley," she

erfectly in drawing back the lock; but the door, when he pushed it, resisted him. He put his s

aware that Mr. Linley had gone into the garden-noticed the door, and carefu

circumstances. Linley led the way down t

o be merely amused; he treated their common m

en six and seven o'clock; the weather is perfect; and the summer-house in the French Garden has one easy-chair in

and looked up

e them hear u

garden at an advanced hour of the night; but her innocence pleaded with him to be silent. He only said, "You forget that we all sleep at the top of our

ached the French Garden without anot

ht up by a careful mother would have understood and appreciated his hesitation; she would have concealed any feeling of embarrassment that might have troubled her at the moment, and would have asked him to come back and let her know when the rising of the sun beg

estable mistress. He excused Sydney; he felt for her. She held th

isted that she should take it; and, searching the summer-house, found a wooden stool for himself. The small circular room receive

ugh?" he asked

h the open door, at the stillness of the night. "What should I have done," she wondered, "if I had been shut out of the house by myself?" Her eyes re

they hate to see a woman in tears. Linley treated her like a child; he smiled, and patted her on th

he bent over it, and kissed it gratefully. He drew his hand away from her as if the sof

dear-n

s to place himself further away. Something in that action, at that time, shocked and humiliated her. Completely misunderstanding him, she thought he was reminding her of the distance that separated them in social rank. Oh, the sham

ressed, he follo

to him in return. Breath and strength failed her together; she lifted her hand, vainly grasping at the broad pedestal behind her; she would have fallen if he had not caught her in his arms. Her head sank faintly backward on his breast. H

ntly wonderful to herself in the feeling that bound Sydney to her first friend, was a mystery no more. Love lifted its veil, Nature reveal

whispered,

rous silence. Her kiss

ring in the bracelet that Sydney wore gave way as she held him to her; the bright trinket fell on the grass at her feet. Th

nfessed in the action, simple as it was

at trembled with agitation, h

e pointed to the bracelet on the grass. "Take it up

therine Linley's love." His head sank on his breast; he unders

ave lived among vile peopl

a heavy sigh. "Kitty!" she said

thinking of the child," he a

t of herself had inspired her with terror of Linley, fr

ee each other no more. I must say good-by to Kitty-I

nation; he shrank from the pro

o go if you leav

the new world in the west, with other emigrants. Give me something to look forward to that is not shame and despair

im. He rose to her leve

e till we are calmer, before you speak of the future again." He pointed to the sum

ening fascination of her presence, his mind grew clearer. He resisted the temptation

e eastern heaven. The darkness daunted him; he saw in it the shadow of his own sense of guilt. The gray glimmering of dawn, the songs of birds

u?" he asked, wa

N

me out and s

or, waiting to hear wh

ffended me-I was trying to remember what I owed to my good wife. I have been thinking of her again. We must spare her a discovery too terrible to be endured, while her attention is clai

you. My worst enemy is my own miserable wicked heart. O

hat she meant. "Say no more," he answered sadly. "W

refuge from him in the summer-house. Not a word more passed between them until the unbarring of doors was heard in t

at this early hour. If they do see you, you have your cloak on; they will think you have been in the gard

When she disappeared, he turned back to wait where she had been waiting. With his sense of the duty he owed to his wife penitently present to his mind, the memory of that fat