the legacy of cain-第22章
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let me in。〃 I waited to see if the door would be openednothing
happened。 I waited again； to hear if some person inside would
answernobody spoke。 But somebody； or something； made a sound of
splashing water on the other side of the door。
I showed myself； and asked what was the matter。
Mrs。 Molly looked at me helplessly。 She said： 〃Miss Eunice； it's
the baby。〃
〃What has the baby done？〃 I inquired。
Mrs。 Molly got on her feet； and whispered in my ear： 〃You know
he's a fine child？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Well； miss； he's bewitched a lady。〃
〃What lady？〃
〃Miss Jillgall。〃
The very person I had been trying to find！ I asked where she was。
The laundress pointed dolefully to the locked door： 〃In there。〃
〃And where is your baby？〃
The poor woman still pointed to the door： 〃I'm beginning to
doubt； miss； whether it is my baby。〃
〃Nonsense； Mrs。 Molly。 If it isn't yours； whose baby can it be？〃
〃Miss Jillgall's。〃
Her puzzled face made this singular reply more funny still。 The
splashing of water on the other side of the door began again。
〃What is Miss Jillgall doing now？〃 I said。
〃Washing the baby； miss。 A week ago； she came in here； one
morning； very pleasant and kind； I must own。 She found me putting
on the baby's things。 She says： 'What a cherub！' which I took as
a compliment。 She says： 'I shall call again to…morrow。' She
called again so early that she found the baby in his crib。 'You
be a good soul；' she says； 'and go about your work； and leave the
child to me。' I says： 'Yes； miss； but please to wait till I've
made him fit to be seen。' She says： 'That's just what I mean to
do myself。' I stared； and I think any other person would have
done the same in my place。 'If there's one thing more than
another I enjoy；' she says； 'it's making myself useful。 Mrs。
Molly； I've taken a fancy to your boy…baby；' she says； 'and I
mean to make myself useful to _him。_' If you will believe me；
Miss Jillgall has only let me have one opportunity of putting my
own child tidy。 She was late this morning； and I got my chance；
and had the boy on my lap； drying himwhen in she burst like a
blast of wind； and snatched the baby away from me。 'This is your
nasty temper；' she says； 'I declare I'm ashamed of you！' And
there she is； with the door locked against me； washing the child
all over again herself。 Twice I've knocked； and asked her to let
me in； and can't even get an answer。 They do say there's luck in
odd numbers； suppose I try again？〃 Mrs。 Molly knocked； and the
proverb proved to be true； she got an answer from Miss Jillgall
at last： 〃If you don't be quiet and go away； you shan't have the
baby back at all。〃 Who could help it？I burst out laughing。 Miss
Jillgall （as I supposed from the tone of her voice） took severe
notice of this act of impropriety。 〃Who's that laughing？〃 she
called out； 〃give yourself a name。〃 I gave my name。 The door was
instantly thrown open with a bang。 Papa's cousin appeared； in a
disheveled state； with splashes of soap and water all over her。
She held the child in one arm； and she threw the other arm round
my neck。 〃Dearest Euneece； I have been longing to see you。 How do
you like Our baby？〃
To the curious story of my introduction to Miss Jillgall； I ought
perhaps to add that I have got to be friends with her al ready。 I
am the friend of anybody who amuses me。 What will Helena say when
she reads this？
CHAPTER XIX。
EUNICE'S DIARY。
WHEN people are interested in some event that is coming； do they
find the dull days； passed in waiting for it； days which they are
not able to remember when they look back？ This is my unfortunate
case。 Night after night； I have gone to bed without so much as
opening my Journal。 There was nothing worth writing about；
nothing that I could recollect； until the postman came to…day。 I
ran downstairs； when I heard his ring at the bell； and stopped
Maria on her way to the study。 There； among papa's usual handful
of letters； was a letter for me。
〃DEAR MISS EUNICE：
。 。 。 。 。 。 。
〃Yours ever truly。〃
I quote the passages in Philip's letter which most deeply
interested meI am his dear miss； and he is mine ever truly。 The
other part of the letter told me that he had been detained in
London； and he lamented it。 At the end was a delightful
announcement that he was coming to me by the afternoon train。 I
ran upstairs to see how I looked in the glass。
My first feeling was regret。 For the thousandth time； I was
obliged to acknowledge that I was not as pretty as Helena。 But
this passed off。 A cheering reflection occurred to me。 Philip
would not have found； in my sister's face； what seems to have
interested him in my face。 Besides； there is my figure。
The pity of it is that I am so ignorant about some things。 If I
had been allowed to read novels； I might （judging by what papa
said against them in one of his sermons） have felt sure of my own
attractions； I might even have understood what Philip really
thought of me。 However； my mind was quite unexpectedly set at
ease on the subject of my figure。 The manner in which it happened
was so amusingat least； so amusing to methat I cannot resist
mentioning it。
My sister and I are forbidden to read newspapers； as well as
novels。 But the teachers at the Girls' Scripture Class are too
old to be treated in this way。 When the morning lessons were
over； one of them was reading the newspaper to the other； in the
empty schoolroom； I being in the passage outside； putting on my
cloak。
It was a report of 〃an application made to the magistrates by the
lady of his worship the Mayor。〃 Hearing this； I stopped to
listen。 The lady of his worship （what a funny way of describing a
man's wife！） is reported to be a little too fond of notoriety；
and to like hearing the sound of her own voice on public
occasions。 But this is only my writing； I had better get back to
the report。 〃In her address to the magistrates； the Mayoress
stated that she had seen a disgusting photograph in the shop
window of a stationer； lately established in the town。 She
desired to bring this person within reach of the law； and to have
all his copies of the shameless photograph destroyed。 The usher
of the court was thereupon sent to purchase the photograph。〃On
second thoughts； I prefer going back to my own writing again； it
is so uninteresting to copy other people's writing。 Two of the
magistrates were doing justice。 They looked at the
photographand what did it represent？ The famous statue called
the Venus de' Medici！ One of the magistrates took this discovery
indignantly。 He was shocked at the gross ignorance which could
call the classic ideal of beauty and grace a disgusting work。 The
other one made polite allowances。 He thought the lady was much to
be pitied； she was evidently the innocent victim of a neglected
education。 Mrs。 Mayor left the court in a rage； telling the
justices she knew where to get law。 〃I shall expose Venus；〃 she
said； 〃to the Lord Chancellor。〃
When the Scripture Class had broken up for the day； duty ought to
have taken me home。 Curiosity led me astrayI mean； led me to
the stationer's window。
There I found our two teachers； absorbed in the photograph；
having got to the shop first by a short cut。 They seemed to think
I had taken a liberty whom I joined them。 〃We are here；〃 they
were careful to explain； 〃to get a lesson in the ideal of beauty
and grace。〃 There was quite a little crowd of townsfolk collected
before the window。 Some of them giggled； and some of them
wondered whether it was taken from the life。 For my own part；
gratitude to Venus obliges me to own that she effected a great
improvement in the state of my mind。 She encouraged me。 If that
stumpy little creaturewith no waist； and oh； such uncertain
legs！represented the ideal of beauty and grace； I had reason
indeed to be satisfied with my own figure； and to think it quite
possible that my sweetheart's favorable opinion of me was not
ill…bestowed。
I was at the bedroom window when the time approached for Philip's
arrival。
Quite at the far end of the road； I discovered him。 He was on
foot； he walked like a king。 Not that I ever saw a king； but I
have my ideal。 Ah； what a smile he gave m
