the legacy of cain-第15章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
annoyedespecially when the characters were all alone in the
wildernessby bursts of singing and playing which interrupted us
at the most interesting moments。 Philip persevered with a manly
firmness。 What could I do but follow his exampleat a distance？
He said： 〃Is it really true that your visit to Mrs。 Staveley is
coming to an end？〃
I answered： 〃It comes to an end the day after to…morrow。〃
〃Are you sorry to be leaving your friends in London？〃
What I might have said if he had made that inquiry a day earlier；
when I was the most miserable creature living； I would rather not
try to guess。 Being quite happy as things were； I could honestly
tell him I was sorry。
〃You can't possibly be as sorry as I am； Eunice。 May I call you
by your pretty name？〃
〃Yes； if you please。〃
〃Eunice！〃
〃Yes。〃
〃You will leave a blank in my life when you go away〃
There another chorus stopped him； just as I was eager for more。
It was such a delightfully new sensation to hear a young
gentleman telling me that I had left a blank in his life。 The
next change in the Oratorio brought up a young lady； singing
alone。 Some people behind us grumbled at the smallness of her
voice。 We thought her voice perfect。 It seemed to lend itself so
nicely to our whispers。
He said： 〃Will you help me to think of you while you are away？ I
want to imagine what your life is at home。 Do you live in a town
or in the country？〃
I told him the name of our town。 When we give a person
information； I have always heard that we ought to make it
complete。 So I mentioned our address in the town。 But I was
troubled by a doubt。 Perhaps he preferred the country。 Being
anxious about this； I said： 〃Would you rather have heard that I
live in the country？〃
〃Live where you may； Eunice； the place will be a favorite place
of mine。 Besides； your town is famous。 It has a public attraction
which brings visitors to it。〃
I made another of those mistakes which no sensible girl； in my
position； would have committed。 I asked if he alluded to our new
market…place。
He set me right in the sweetest manner： 〃I alluded to a building
hundreds of years older than your market…placeyour beautiful
cathedral。〃
Fancy my not having thought of the cathedral！ This is what comes
of being a Congregationalist。 If I had belonged to the Church of
England； I should have forgotten the market…place； and remembered
the cathedral。 Not that I want to belong to the Church of
England。 Papa's chapel is good enough for me。
The song sung by the lady with the small voice was so pretty that
the audience encored it。 Didn't Philip and I help them！ With the
sweetest smiles the lady sang it all over again。 The people
behind us left the concert。
He said： 〃Do you know； I take the greatest interest in
cathedrals。 I propose to enjoy the privilege and pleasure of
seeing _your_ cathedral early next week。〃
I had only to look at him to see that I was the cathedral。 It was
no surprise to hear next that he thought of 〃paying his respects
to Mr。 Gracedieu。〃 He begged me to tell him what sort of
reception he might hope to meet with when he called at our house。
I got so excited in doing justice to papa that I quite forgot to
whisper when the next question came。 Philip wanted to know if Mr。
Gracedieu disliked strangers。 When I answered； 〃Oh dear； no！〃 I
said it out loud； so that the people heard me。 Cruel； cruel
people！ They all turned round and stared。 One hideous old woman
actually said； 〃Silence！〃 Miss Staveley looked disgusted。 Even
kind Mrs。 Staveley lifted her eyebrows in astonishment。
Philip； dear Philip； protected and composed me。
He held my hand devotedly till the end of the performance。 When
he put us into the carriage； I was last。 He whispered in my ear：
〃Expect me next week。〃 Miss Staveley might be as ill…natured as
she pleased； on the way home。 It didn't matter what she said。 The
Eunice of yesterday might have been mortified and offended。 The
Eunice of to…day was indifferent to the sharpest things that
could be said to her。
。 。 。 。 。 。 。
All through yesterday's delightful evening； I never once thought
of Philip's father。 When I woke this morning； I remembered that
old Mr。 Dunboyne was a rich man。 I could eat no breakfast for
thinking of the poor girl who was not allowed to marry her young
gentleman； because she had no money。
Mrs。 Staveley waited to speak to me till the rest of them had
left us together。 I had expected her to notice that I looked dull
and dismal。 No！ her cleverness got at my secret in quite another
way。
She said： 〃How do you feel after the concert？ You must be hard to
please indeed if you were not satisfied with the accompaniments
last night。〃
〃The accompaniments of the Oratorio？〃
〃No； my dear。 The accompaniments of Philip。〃
I suppose I ought to have laughed。 In my miserable state of mind；
it was not to be done。 I said： 〃I hope Mr。 Dunboyne's father will
not hear how kind he was to me。〃
Mrs。 Staveley asked why。
My bitterness overflowed at my tongue。 I said： 〃Because papa is a
poor man。〃
〃And Philip's papa is a rich man；〃 says Mrs。 Staveley； putting my
own thought into words for me。 〃Where do you get these ideas；
Eunice？ Surely； you are not allowed to read novels？〃
〃Oh no！〃
〃And you have certainly never seen a play？〃
〃Never。〃
〃Clear your head； child； of the nonsense that has got into itI
can't think how。 Rich Mr。 Dunboyne has taught his heir to despise
the base act of marrying for money。 He knows that Philip will
meet young ladies at my house； and he has written to me on the
subject of his son's choice of a wife。 'Let Philip find good
principles； good temper； and good looks； and I promise beforehand
to find the money。' There is what he says。 Are you satisfied with
Philip's father； now？〃
I jumped up in a state of ecstasy。 Just as I had thrown my arms
round Mrs。 Staveley's neck； the servant came in with a letter；
and handed it to me。
Helena had written again； on this last day of my visit。 Her
letter was full of instructions for buying things that she wants；
before I leave London。 I read on quietly enough until I came to
the postscript。 The effect of it on me may be told in two words：
I screamed。 Mrs。 Staveley was naturally alarmed。 〃Bad news？〃 she
asked。 Being quite unable to offer an opinion； I read the
postscript out loud； and left her to judge for herself。
This was Helena's news from home：
〃I must prepare you for a surprise； before your return。 You will
find a strange lady established at home。 Don't suppose there is
any prospect of her bidding us good…by； if we only wait long
enough。 She is already （with father's full approval） as much a
member of the family as we are。 You shall form your own unbiased
opinion of her； Eunice。 For the present； I say no more。〃
I asked Mrs。 Staveley what she thought of my news from home。 She
said： 〃Your father approves of the lady； my dear。 I suppose it's
good news。〃
But Mrs。 Staveley did not look as if she believed in the good
news； for all that。
CHAPTER XIV。
HELENA'S DIARY。
TO…DAY I went as usual to the Scripture…class for girls。 It was
harder work than ever； teaching without Eunice to help me。
Indeed； I felt lonely all day without my sister。 When I got home；
I rather hoped that some friend might have come to see us； and
have been asked to stay to tea。 The housemaid opened the door to
me。 I asked Maria if anybody had called。
〃Yes； miss； a lady； to see the master。〃
〃A stranger？〃
〃Never saw her before； miss； in all my life。〃 I put no more
questions。 Many ladies visit my father。 They call it consulting
the Minister。 He advises them in their troubles； and guides them
in their religious difficulties； and so on。 They come and go in a
sort of secrecy。 So far as I know； they are mostly old maids； and
they waste the Minister's time。
When my father came in to tea； I began to feel some curiosity
about the lady who had called on him。 Visitors of that sort； in
general； never appear to dwell on his mind after they have gone
away； he sees too many of them； and is too well accustomed to
what they have to say。 On this particular evening； however； I
perceived appearances that set me
