The Evil Genius by Wilkie Collins
page 126 of 475 (26%)
page 126 of 475 (26%)
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addressed to her daughter on the day of Sydney's arrival at Mount
Morven. "The good qualities of that unfortunate young creature" (she had said) "can _not_ have always resisted the horrid temptations and contaminations about her. Hundreds of times she must have lied through ungovernable fear." Elevated a little higher than ever in her own estimation, Mrs. Presty took Sydney's arm, and led her down to breakfast with motherly familiarity. Linley met them at the foot of the stairs. His mother-in-law first stole a look at Sydney, and then shook hands with him cordially. "My dear Herbert, how pale you are! That horrid smoking. You look as if you had been up all night." Mrs. Linley paid her customary visit to the schoolroom that morning. The necessary attention to her guests had left little leisure for the exercise of observation at the breakfast-table; the one circumstance which had forced itself on her notice had been the boisterous gayety of her husband. Too essentially honest to practice deception of any kind cleverly, Linley had overacted the part of a man whose mind was entirely at ease. The most unsuspicious woman living, his wife was simply amused "How he does enjoy society!" she thought. "Herbert will be a young man to the end of his life." In the best possible spirits--still animated by her successful exertions to entertain her friends--Mrs. Linley opened the schoolroom door briskly. "How are the lessons getting on?" she |
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