the legacy of cain-第3章

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child。〃

　Taken　completely　by　surprise；　I　signed　to　the　attendant　to　wait
for　further　instructions。

In　a　moment　more　I　had　sufficiently　recovered　myself　to　see　the
impropriety　of　permitting　any　obstacle　to　interp　ose　between　the
Minister　and　his　errand　of　mercy。　I　gently　reminded　the　Prisoner
that　she　would　have　a　later　opportunity　of　seeing　her　child。
〃Your　first　duty；〃　I　told　her；　〃is　to　hear　and　to　take　to　heart
what　the　clergyman　has　to　say　to　you。〃

For　the　second　time　I　attempted　to　leave　the　cell。　For　the　second
time　this　impenetrable　woman　called　me　back。

〃Take　the　parson　away　with　you；〃　she　said。　〃I　refuse　to　listen　to
him。〃

The　patient　Minister　yielded；　and　appealed　to　me　to　follow　his
example。　I　reluctantly　sanctioned　the　delivery　of　the　message。

After　a　brief　interval　the　child　was　brought　to　us；　tired　and
sleepy。　For　a　while　the　nurse　roused　her　by　setting　her　on　her
feet。　She　happened　to　notice　the　Minister　first。　Her　bright　eyes
rested　on　him；　gravely　wondering。　He　kissed　her；　and；　after　a
momentary　hesitation；　gave　her　to　her　mother。　The　horror　of　the
situation　overpowered　him：　he　turned　his　face　away　from　us。　I
understood　what　he　felt；　he　almost　overthrew　my　own　self…command。

The　Prisoner　spoke　to　the　nurse　in　no　friendly　tone：　〃You　can
go。〃

The　nurse　turned　to　me；　ostentatiously　ignoring　the　words　that
had　been　addressed　to　her。　〃Am　I　to　go；　sir；　or　to　stay？〃　I
suggested　that　she　should　return　to　the　waiting…room。　She
returned　at　once　in　silence。　The　Prisoner　looked　after　her　as　she
went　out；　with　such　an　expression　of　hatred　in　her　eyes　that　the
Minister　noticed　it。

〃What　has　that　person　done　to　offend　you？〃　he　asked。

〃She　is　the　last　person　in　the　whole　world　whom　I　should　have
chosen　to　take　care　of　my　child；　if　the　power　of　choosing　had
been　mine。　But　I　have　been　in　prison；　without　a　living　creature
to　represent　me　or　to　take　my　part。　No　more　of　that；　my　troubles
will　be　over　in　a　few　hours　more。　I　want　you　to　look　at　my　little
girl；　whose　troubles　are　all　to　come。　Do　you　call　her　pretty？　Do
you　feel　interested　in　her？〃

The　sorrow　and　pity　in　his　face　answered　for　him。

Quietly　sleeping；　the　poor　baby　rested　on　her　mother's　bosom。　Was
the　heart　of　the　murderess　softened　by　the　divine　influence　of
maternal　love？　The　hands　that　held　the　child　trembled　a　little。
For　the　first　time　it　seemed　to　cost　her　an　effort　to　compose
herself；　before　she　could　speak　to　the　Minister　again。

〃When　I　die　to…morrow；〃　she　said；　〃I　leave　my　child　helpless　and
friendlessdisgraced　by　her　mother's　shameful　death。　The
workhouse　may　take　heror　a　charitable　asylum　may　take　her。〃　She
paused；　a　first　tinge　of　color　rose　on　her　pale　face；　she　broke
into　an　outburst　of　rage。　〃Think　of　_my_　daughter　being　brought
up　by　charity！　She　may　suffer　poverty；　she　may　be　treated　with
contempt；　she　may　be　employed　by　brutal　people　in　menial　work。　I
can't　endure　it；　it　maddens　me。　If　she　is　not　saved　from　that
wretched　fate；　I　shall　die　despairing；　I　shall　die　cursing〃

The　Minister　sternly　stopped　her　before　she　could　say　the　next
word。　To　my　astonishment　she　appeared　to　be　humbled；　to　be　even
ashamed：　she　asked　his　pardon：　〃Forgive　me；　I　won't　forget　myself
again。　They　tell　me　you　have　no　children　of　your　own。　Is　that　a
sorrow　to　you　and　your　wife？〃

Her　altered　tone　touched　him。　He　answered　sadly　and　kindly：　〃It
is　the　one　sorrow　of　our　lives。〃

The　purpose　which　she　had　been　keeping　in　view　from　the　moment
when　the　Minister　entered　her　cell　was　no　mystery　now。　Ought　I　to
have　interfered？　Let　me　confess　a　weakness；　unworthy　perhaps　of
my　office。　I　was　so　sorry　for　the　childI　hesitated。

My　silence　encouraged　the　mother。　She　advanced　to　the　Minister
with　the　sleeping　infant　in　her　arms。

〃I　daresay　you　have　sometimes　thought　of　adopting　a　child？〃　she
said。　〃Perhaps　you　can　guess　now　what　I　had　in　my　mind；　when　I
asked　if　you　would　consent　to　a　sacrifice？　Will　you　take　this
wretched　innocent　little　creature　home　with　you？〃　She　lost　her
self…possession　once　more。　〃A　motherless　creature　to…morrow；〃　she
burst　out。　〃Think　of　that。〃

God　knows　how　I　still　shrunk　from　it！　But　there　was　no
alternative　now；　I　was　bound　to　remember　my　duty　to　the　excellent
man；　whose　critical　position　at　that　moment　was；　in　some　degree
at　least；　due　to　my　hesitation　in　asserting　my　authority。　Could　I
allow　the　Prisoner　to　presume　on　his　compassionate　nature；　and　to
hurry　him　into　a　decision　which；　in　his　calmer　moments；　he　might
find　reason　to　regret？　I　spoke　to　_him。_　Does　the　man　live
whohaving　to　say　what　I　had　to　saycould　have　spoken　to　the
doomed　mother？

〃I　am　sorry　to　have　allowed　this　to　go　on；〃　I　said。　〃In　justice
to　yourself；　sir；　don't　answer！〃

She　turned　on　me　with　a　look　of　fury。

〃He　shall　answer；〃　she　cried。

I　saw；　or　thought　I　saw；　signs　of　yielding　in　his　face。　〃Take
time；〃　I　persisted〃take　time　to　consider　before　you　decide。〃

She　stepped　up　to　me。

〃Take　time？〃　she　repeated。　〃Are　you　inhuman　enough　to　talk　of
time；　in　my　presence？〃

She　laid　the　sleeping　child　on　her　bed；　and　fell　on　her　knees
before　the　Minister：　〃I　promise　to　hear　your　exhortationsI
promise　to　do　all　a　woman　can　to　believe　and　repent。　Oh；　I　know
myself！　My　heart；　once　hardened；　is　a　heart　that　no　human
creature　can　touch。　The　one　way　to　my　better　natureif　I　have　a
better　natureis　through　that　poor　babe。　Save　her　from　the
workhouse！　Don't　let　them　make　a　pauper　of　her！〃　She　sank
prostrate　at　his　feet；　and　beat　her　hands　in　frenzy　on　the　floor。
〃You　want　to　save　my　guilty　soul；〃　she　reminded　him　furiously。
〃There's　but　one　way　of　doing　it。　Save　my　child！〃

He　raised　her。　Her　fierce　tearless　eyes　questioned　his　face　in　a
mute　expectation　dreadful　to　see。　Suddenly；　a　foretaste　of
deaththe　death　that　was　so　near　now！struck　her　with　a
shivering　fit：　her　head　dropped　on　the　Minister's　shoulder。　Other
men　might　have　shrunk　from　the　contact　of　it。　That　true　Christian
let　it　rest。

Under　the　maddening　sting　of　suspense；　her　sinking　energies
rallied　for　an　instant。　In　a　whisper；　she　was　just　able　to　put
the　supreme　question　to　him。

〃Yes？　or　No？〃

He　answered：　〃Yes。〃

A　faint　breath　of　relief；　just　audible　in　the　silence；　told　me
that　she　had　heard　him。　It　was　her　last　effort。　He　laid　her；
insensible；　on　the　bed；　by　the　side　of　her　sleeping　child。　〃Look
at　them；〃　was　all　he　said　to　me；　〃how　could　I　refuse？〃

CHAPTER　V。

MISS　CHANCE　ASSERTS　HERSELF。


THE　services　of　our　medical　officer　were　required；　in　order　to
hasten　the　recovery　of　the　Prisoner's　senses。

When　the　Doctor　and　I　left　the　cell　together；　she　was　composed；
and　ready　（in　the　performance　of　her　promise）　to　listen　to　the
exhortations　of　the　Minister。　The　sleeping　child　was　left
undisturbed；　by　the　mother's　desire。　If　the　Minister　felt　tempted
to　regret　what　he　had　done；　there　was　the　artless　influence　which
would　check　him！　As　we　stepped　into　the　corridor；　I　gave　the
female　warder　her　instructions　to　remain　on　the　watch；　and　to
return　to　her　post　when　she　saw　the　Minister　come　out。

In　the　meantime；　my　companion　had　walked　on　a　little　way。

Possessed　of　ability　and　experience　within　the　limits　of　his
profession；　he　was　in　other　respects　a　man　with　a　crotchety　mind；
bold　to　the　verge　of　recklessness　in　the　expression　of　his
opinion；　and　possessed　of　a　command　of　language　that　carried
everything　before　it。　Let　me　add　that　he　was　just　and　merciful　in
his　intercourse　with　others；　and　I　shall　have　summed　him　up
fairly　enough。　When　I　joined　him　he　seemed　to　be　absorbed　in
reflection。

〃Thinking　of　the　Prisoner？〃　I　said。

〃Thinking　of　what　is　going　on；　at　this　moment；　in　the　condemned
cell；〃　he　answered；　〃and　wondering　if　any　good　will　come　of　it。〃

I　was　not　without　hope　of　a　good　result；　and　I　said　so。

The　Doctor　disagreed　with　me。　〃I　don't　believe　in　that　woman's
penitence；〃　he　remarked；　〃and　I　look　upon　the　parson　as　a　poor
weak　creature。　What　is　to　become　of　the　child？〃

There　was　no　reason　for　concealing　from　one　of　my　colleagues　the
benevolent　decision；　on　the　part　of　the　good　Minister；　of　which　I
had　been　a　witness。　The　Doctor　listened　to　me　wi