the legacy of cain-第41章

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for　me　at　the　door？〃

〃Miss　Helena　thought；〃　I　said；　〃that　the　lady　recognized　me　as　a
person　whom　she　had　seen　before。〃

〃And　what　did　you　think　yourself？〃

〃I　thought　Miss　Helena　was　wrong。〃

〃Very　extraordinary！〃　With　that　remark；　Miss　Jillgall　dropped　the
subject。　The　meaning　of　her　reiterated　inquiries　was　now；　as　it
seemed　to　me；　clear　enough。　She　was　eager　to　discover　how　I　could
have　inspired　the　distrust　of　me；　expressed　in　the　caution
addressed　to　her　by　her　friend。

When　we　reached　the　upper　floor；　she　paused　before　the　Minister's
room。

〃I　believe　many　years　have　passed；〃　she　said；　〃since　you　last　saw
Mr。　Gracedieu。　I　am　afraid　you　have　found　him　a　sadly　changed
man？　You　won't　be　angry　with　me；　I　hope；　for　asking　more
questions？　I　owe　Mr。　Gracedieu　a　debt　of　gratitude　which　no
devotion；　on　my　part；　can　ever　repay。　You　don't　know　what　a　favor
I　shall　consider　it；　if　you　will　tell　me　what　you　think　of　him。
Did　it　seem　to　you　that　he　was　not　quite　himself？　I　don't　mean　in
his　looks；　poor　dearI　mean　in　his　mind。〃

There　was　true　sorrow　and　sympathy　in　her　face。　I　believe　I
should　hardly　have　thought　her　ugly；　if　we　had　first　met　at　that
moment。　Thus　far；　she　had　only　amused　me。　I　began　really　to　like
Miss　Jillgall　now。

〃I　must　not　conceal　from　you；〃　I　replied；　〃that　the　state　of　Mr。
Gracedieu's　mind　surprised　and　distressed　me。　But　I　ought　also　to
tell　you　that　I　saw　him　perhaps　at　his　worst。　The　subject　on
which　he　wished　to　speak　with　me　would　have　agitated　any　man；　in
his　state　of　health。　He　consulted　me　about　his　daughter's
marriage。〃

Miss　Jillgall　suddenly　turned　pale。

〃His　daughter's　marriage？〃　she　repeated。　〃Oh；　you　frighten　me！〃

〃Why　should　I　frighten　you？〃

She　seemed　to　find　some　difficulty　in　expressing　herself。　〃I
hardly　know　how　to　put　it；　sir。　You　will　excuse　me　（won't　you？）
if　I　say　what　I　feel。　You　have　influencenot　the　sort　of
influence　that　finds　places　for　people　who　don't　deserve　them；
and　gets　mentioned　in　the　newspapersI　only　mean　influence　over
Mr。　Gracedieu。　That's　what　frightens　me。　How　do　I　know？　Oh；
dear；　I'm　asking　another　question！　Allow　me；　for　once；　to　be
plain　and　positive。　I'm　afraid；　sir；　you　have　encouraged　the
Minister　to　consent　to　Helena's　marriage。〃

〃Pardon　me；〃　I　answered；　〃you　mean　Eunice's　marriage。〃

〃No；　sir！　Helena。〃

〃No；　madam！　Eunice。〃

〃What　does　he　mean？〃　said　Miss　Jillgall　to　herself。

I　heard　her。　〃This　is　what　I　mean；〃　I　asserted；　in　my　most
positive　manner。　〃The　only　subject　on　which　the　Minister　has
consulted　me　is　Miss　Eunice's　marriage。〃

My　tone　left　her　no　alternative　but　to　believe　me。　She　looked　not
only　bewildered；　but　alarmed。　〃Oh；　poor　man；　has　he　lost　himself
in　such　a　dreadful　way　as　that？〃　she　said　to　herself。　〃I　daren't
believe　it！〃　She　turned　to　me。　〃You　have　been　talking　with　him
for　some　time。　Please　try　to　remember。　While　Mr。　Gracedieu　was
speaking　of　Euneece；　did　he　say　nothing　of　Helena's　infamous
conduct　to　her　sister？〃

Not　the　slightest　hint　of　any　such　thing；　I　assured　her；　had
reached　my　ears。

〃Then；〃　she　cried；　〃I　can　tell　you　what　he　has　forgotten！　We　kept
as　much　of　that　miserable　story　to　ourselves　as　we　could；　in
mercy　to　him。　Besides；　he　was　always　fondest　of　Euneece；　she
would　live　in　his　memory　when　he　had　forgotten　the　otherthe
wretch；　the　traitress；　the　plotter；　the　fiend！〃　Miss　Jillgall's
good　manners　slipped；　as　it　were；　from　under　her；　she　clinched
her　fists　as　a　final　means　of　expressing　her　sentiments。　〃The
wretched　English　language　isn't　half　strong　enough　for　me；〃　she
declared　with　a　look　of　fury。

I　took　a　liberty。　〃May　I　ask　what　Miss　Helena　has　done？〃　I　said。

〃_May_　you　ask？　Oh；　Heavens！　you　must　ask；　you　shall　ask。　Mr。
Governor；　if　your　eyes　are　not　opened　to　Helena's　true　character；
I　can　tell　you　what　she　will　do；　she　will　deceive　you　into　taking
her　part。　Do　you　think　she　went　to　the　station　out　of　regard　for
the　great　man？　Pooh！　she　went　with　an　eye　to　her　own　interests；
and　she　means　to　make　the　great　man　useful。　Thank　God；　I　can　stop
that！〃

She　checked　herself　there；　and　looked　suspiciously　at　the　door　of
Mr。　Gracedieu's　room。

〃In　the　interest　of　our　conversation；〃　she　whispered；　〃we　have
not　given　a　thought　to　the　place　we　have　been　talking　in。　Do　you
think　the　Minister　has　heard　us？〃

〃Not　if　he　is　asleepas　I　left　him；〃

Miss　Jillgall　shook　her　head　ominously。　〃The　safe　way　is　this
way；〃　she　said。　〃Come　with　me。〃


CHAPTER　XXXV。

THE　FUTURE　LOOKS　GLOOMY。


MY　ever…helpful　guide　led　me　to　my　roomwell　out　of　Mr。
Gracedieu's　hearing；　if　he　happened　to　be　awakeat　the　other　end
of　the　passage。　Having　opened　the　door；　she　paused　on　the
threshold。　The　decrees　of　that　merciless　English　despot；
Propriety；　claimed　her　for　their　own。　〃Oh；　dear！〃　she　said　to
herself；　〃ought　I　to　go　in？〃

My　interest　as　a　man　（and；　what　is　more；　an　old　man）　in　the
coming　disclosure　was　too　serious　to　be　trifled　with　in　this　way。
I　took　her　arm；　and　led　her　into　my　room　as　if　I　was　at　a
dinner…party；　leading　her　to　the　table。　Is　it　the　good　or　the
evil　fortune　of　mortals　that　the　comic　side　of　life；　and　the
serious　side　of　life；　are　perpetually　in　collision　with　each
other？　We　burst　out　laughing；　at　a　moment　of　grave　importance　to
us　both。　Perfectly　inappropriate；　and　perfectly　natural。　But　we
were　neither　of　us　philosophers；　and　we　were　ashamed　of　our　own
merriment　the　moment　it　had　ceased。

〃When　you　hear　what　I　have　to　tell　you；〃　Miss　Jillgall　began；　〃I
hope　you　will　think　as　I　do。　What　has　slipped　Mr。　Gracedieu'　s
memory；　it　may　be　safer　to　sayfor　he　is　sometimes　irritable；
poor　dearwhere　he　won't　know　anything　about　it。〃

With　that　she　told　the　lamentable　story　of　the　desertion　of
Eunice。

In　silence　I　listened；　from　first　to　last。　How　could　I　trust
myself　to　speak；　as　I　must　have　spoken；　in　the　presence　of　a
woman？　The　cruel　injury　inflicted　on　the　poor　girl；　who　had
interested　and　touched　me　in　the　first　innocent　year　of　her
lifewho　had　grown　to　womanhood　to　be　the　victim　of　two
wretches；　both　trusted　by　her；　both　bound　to　her　by　the　sacred
debt　of　loveso　fired　my　temper　that　I　longed　to　be　within　reach
of　the　man；　with　a　horsewhip　in　my　hand。　Seeing　in　my　face；　as　I
suppose；　what　was　passing　in　my　mind；　Miss　Jillgall　expressed
sympathy　and　admiration　in　her　own　quaint　way：　〃Ah；　I　like　to　see
you　so　angry！　It's　grand　to　know　that　a　man　who　has　governed
prisoners　has　got　such　a　pitying　heart。　Let　me　tell　you　one
thing；　sir。　You　will　be　more　angry　than　ever；　when　you　see　my
sweet　girl　to…morrow。　And　mind　thisit　is　Helena's　devouring
vanity；　Helena's　wicked　jealousy　of　her　sister's　good　fortune；
that　has　done　the　mischief。　Don't　be　too　hard　on　Philip？　I　do
believe；　if　the　truth　was　told；　he　is　ashamed　of　himself。〃

I　felt　inclined　to　be　harder　on　Philip　than　ever。　〃Where　is　he？〃
I　asked。

Miss　Jillgall　started。　〃Oh；　Mr。　Governor；　don't　show　the　severe
side　of　yourself；　after　the　pretty　compliment　I　have　just　paid　to
you！　What　a　masterful　voice！　and　what　eyes；　dear　sir；　what
terrifying　eyes！　I　feel　as　if　I　was　one　of　your　prisoners；　and
had　misbehaved　myself。〃

I　repeated　my　question　with　improvement；　I　hope；　in　my　looks　and
tones：　〃Don't　think　me　obstinate；　my　dear　lady。　I　only　want　to
know　if　he　is　in　this　town。〃

Miss　Jillgall　seemed　to　take　a　curious　pleasure　in　disappointing
me；　she　had　not　forgotten　my　unfortunate　abruptness　of　look　and
manner。　〃You　won't　find　him　here；〃　she　said。

〃Perhaps　he　has　left　England？〃

〃If　you　must　know；　sir；　he　is　in　Londonwith　Mr。　Dunboyne。〃

The　name　startled　me。

In　a　moment　more　it　recalled　to　my　memory　a　remarkable　letter；
addressed　to　me　many　years　ago；　which　will　be　found　in　my
introductory　narrative。　The　writeran　Irish　gentleman；　named
Dunboyne　confided　to　me　that　his　marriage　had　associated　him　with
the　murderess；　who　had　then　been　recently　executed；　as
brother…in…law　to　that　infamous　woman。　This　circumstance　he　had
naturally　kept　a　secret　from　every　one；　including　his　son；　then　a
boy。　I　alone　was　made　an　exception　to　the　general　rule；　because　I
alone　could　tell　him　what　had　become　of　the　poor　little　girl；　wh