the legacy of cain-第44章

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pen；　he　turned　away　his　face；　ashamed　to　let　me　see　what　he
suffered。　Was　this　the　same　man；　whose　great　nature　had　so　nobly
asserted　itself　in　the　condemned　cell？　Poor　mortality！

The　letter　was　easily　written。

I　had　only　to　inform　Mr。　Dunboyne　of　his　son's　conduct；
repeating；　in　the　plainest　language　that　I　could　use；　what　Miss
Jillgall　had　related　to　me。　Arrived　at　the　conclusion；　I
contrived　to　make　Mr。　Gracedieu　express　himself　in　these　strong
terms：　〃I　protest　against　the　marriage　in　justice　to　you；　sir；　as
well　as　to　myself。　We　can　neither　of　us　content　to　be　accomplices
in　an　act　of　domestic　treason　of　the　basest　kind。〃

In　silence；　the　Minister　read　the　letter；　and　attached　his
signature　to　it。　In　silence；　he　rose　and　took　my　arm。　I　asked　if
he　wished　to　go　to　his　room。　He　only　replied　by　a　sign。　I　offered
to　sit　with　him；　and　try　to　cheer　him。　Gratefully；　he　pressed　my
hand：　gently；　he　put　me　back　from　the　door。　Crushed　by　the
miserable　discovery　of　the　decay　of　his　own　faculties！　What　could
I　do？　what　could　I　say？　Nothing！



Miss　Jillgall　was　in　the　drawing…room。　With　the　necessary
explanations；　I　showed　her　the　letter。　She　read　it　with
breathless　interest。　〃It　terrifies　one　to　think　how　much　depends
on　old　Mr。　Dunboyne；〃　she　said。　〃You　know　him。　What　sort　of　man
is　he？〃

I　could　only　assure　her　（after　what　I　remembered　of　his　letter　to
me）　that　he　was　a　man　whom　we　could　depend　upon。

Miss　Jillgall　possessed　treasures　of　information　to　which　I　could
lay　no　claim。　Mr。　Dunboyne；　she　told　me；　was　a　scholar；　and　a
writer；　and　a　rich　man。　His　views　on　marriage　were　liberal　in　the
extreme。　Let　his　son　find　good　principles；　good　temper；　and　good
looks；　in　a　wife；　and　he　would　promise　to　find　the　money。

〃I　get　these　particulars；〃　said　Miss　Jillgall；　〃from　dear
Euneece。　They　are　surely　encouraging？　That　Helena　may　carry　out
Mr。　Dunboyne's　views　in　her　personal　appearance　is；　I　regret　to
say；　what　I　can't　deny。　But　as　to　the　other　qualifications；　how
hopeful　is　the　prospect！　Good　principles；　and　good　temper？　Ha！
ha！　Helena　has　the　principles　of　Jezebel；　and　the　temper　of　Lady
Macbeth。〃

After　dashing　off　this　striking　sketch　of　character；　the　fair
artist　asked　to　look　at　my　letter　again；　and　observed　that　the
address　was　wanting。　〃I　can　set　this　right　for　you；〃　she　resumed；
〃thanks；　as　before；　to　my　sweet　Euneece。　And　（don't　be　in　a
hurry）　I　can　make　myself　useful　in　another　way。　Oh；　how　I　do
enjoy　making　myself　useful！　If　you　trust　your　letter　to　the
basket　in　the　hall；　Helena's　lovely　eyescapable　of　the　meanest
conceivable　actionsare　sure　to　take　a　peep　at　the　address。　In
that　case；　do　you　think　your　letter　would　get　to　London？　I　am
afraid　you　detect　a　faint　infusion　of　spitefulness　in　that
question。　Oh；　for　shame！　I'll　post　the　letter　myself。〃


CHAPTER　XXXVII。

THE　SHAMELESS　SISTER。


FOR　some　reason；　which　my　unassisted　penetration　was　unable　to
discover；　Miss　Helena　Gracedieu　kept　out　of　my　way。

At　dinner；　on　the　day　of　my　arrival；　and　at　breakfast　on　the　next
morning；　she　was　present　of　course；　ready　to　make　herself
agreeable　in　a　modest　way；　and　provided　with　the　necessary　supply
of　cheerful　small…talk。　But　the　meal　having　come　to　an　end；　she
had　her　domestic　excuse　ready；　and　unostentatiously　disappeared
like　a　well…bred　young　lady。　I　never　met　her　on　the　stairs；　never
found　myself　intruding　on　her　in　the　drawing…room；　never　caught
her　getting　out　of　my　way　in　the　garden。　As　much　at　a　loss　for　an
explanation　of　these　mysteries　as　I　was；　Miss　Jillgall's　interest
in　my　welfare　led　her　to　caution　me　in　a　vague　and　general　way。

〃Take　my　word　for　it；　dear　Mr。　Governor；　she　has　some　design　on
you。　Will　you　allow　an　insignificant　old　maid　to　offer　a
suggestion？　Oh；　thank　you；　I　will　venture　to　advise。　Please　look
back　at　your　experience　of　the　very　worst　female　prisoner　you
ever　had　to　deal　withand　be　guided　accordingly　if　Helena
catches　you　at　a　private　interview。〃

In　less　than　half　an　hour　afterward；　Helena　caught　me。　I　was
writing　in　my　room；　when　the　maidservant　came　in　with　a　message：
〃Miss　Helena's　compliments；　sir；　and　would　you　please　spare　her
half　an　hour；　downstairs？〃

My　first　excuse　was　of　course　that　I　was　engaged。　This　was
disposed　of　by　a　second　message；　provided　beforehand；　no　doubt；
for　an　anticipated　refusal：　〃Miss　Helena　wished　me　to　say；　sir；
that　her　time　is　your　time。〃　I　was　still　obstinate；　I　pleaded
next　that　my　day　was　filled　up。　A　third　message　had　evidently
been　prepared；　even　for　this　emergency：　〃Miss　Helena　will　regret；
sir；　having　the　pleasure　deferred；　but　she　will　leave　you　to　make
your　own　appointment　for　to…morrow。〃　Persistency　so　inveterate　as
this　led　to　a　result　which　Mr。　Gracedieu's　cautious　daughter　had
not　perhaps　contemplated：　it　put　me　on　my　guard。　There　seemed　to
be　a　chance；　to　say　the　least　of　it；　that　I　might　serve　Eunice's
interests　if　I　discovered　what　the　enemy　had　to　say。　I　locked　up
my　writingdeclared　myself　incapable　of　putting　Miss　Helena　to
needless　inconvenienceand　followed　the　maid　to　the　lower　floor
of　the　house。

The　room　to　which　I　was　conducted　proved　to　be　empty。　I　looked
round　me。

If　I　had　been　told　that　a　man　lived　there　who　was　absolutely
indifferent　to　appearances；　I　should　have　concluded　that　his
views　were　faithfully　represented　by　his　place　of　abode。　The
chairs　and　tables　reminded　me　of　a　railway　waiting…room。　The
shabby　little　bookcase　was　the　mute　record　of　a　life　indifferent
to　literature。　The　carpet　was　of　that　dreadful　drab　color；　still
the　cherished　favorite　of　the　average　English　mind；　in　spite　of
every　protest　that　can　be　entered　against　it；　on　behalf　of　Art。
The　ceiling；　recently　whitewashed；　made　my　eyes　ache　when　they
looked　at　it。　On　either　side　of　the　window；　flaccid　green
curtains　hung　helplessly　with　nothing　to　loop　them　up。　The
writing…desk　and　the　paper…case；　viewed　as　specimens　of　woodwork；
recalled　the　ready…made　bedrooms　on　show　in　cheap　shops。　The
books；　mostly　in　slate…colored　bindings；　were　devoted　to　the
literature　which　is　called　religious；　I　only　discovered　three
worldly　publications　among　themDomestic　Cookery；　Etiquette　for
Ladies；　and　Hints　on　the　Breeding　of　Poultry。　An　ugly　little
clock；　ticking　noisily　in　a　black　case；　and　two　candlesticks　of
base　metal　placed　on　either　side　of　it；　completed　the　ornaments
on　the　chimney…piece。　Neither　pictures　nor　prints　hid　the
barrenness　of　the　walls。　I　saw　no　needlework　and　no　flowers。　The
one　object　in　the　place　which　showed　any　pretensions　to　beauty
was　a　looking…glass　in　an　elegant　gilt　framesacred　to　vanity；
and　worthy　of　the　office　that　it　filled。　Such　was　Helena
Gracedieu's　sitting…room。　I　really　could　not　help　thinking：　How
like　her！

She　came　in　with　a　face　perfectly　adapted　to　the
circumstancespleased　and　smiling；　amiably　deferential；　in
consideration　of　the　claims　of　her　father's　guestand；　to　my
surprise；　in　some　degree　suggestive　of　one　of　those　incorrigible
female　prisoners；　to　whom　Miss　Jillgall　had　referred　me　when　she
offered　a　word　of　advice。

〃How　kind　of　you　to　come　so　soon！　Excuse　my　receiving　you　in　my
housekeeping…room；　we　shall　not　be　interrupted　here。　Very　plainly
furnished；　is　it　not？　I　dislike　ostentation　and　display。
Ornaments　are　out　of　place　in　a　room　devoted　to　domestic
necessities。　I　hate　domestic　necessities。　You　notice　the
looking…glass？　It's　a　present。　I　should　never　have　put　such　a
thing　up。　Perhaps　my　vanity　excuses　it。〃

She　pointed　the　last　remark　by　a　look　at　herself　in　the　glass；
using　it；　while　she　despised　it。　Yes：　there　was　a　handsome　face；
paying　her　its　reflected　complimentbut　not　so　well　matched　as
it　might　have　been　by　a　handsome　figure。　Her　feet　were　too　large；
her　shoulders　were　too　high；　the　graceful　undulations　of　a
well…made　girl　were　absent　when　she　walked；　and　her　bosom　was；　to
my　mind；　unduly　developed　for　her　time　of　life。

She　sat　down　by　me　with　her　back　to　the　light。　Happening　to　be
opposite　to　the　window；　I　offered　her　the　advantage　of　a　clear
view　of　my　face。　She　waited　for　me；　and　I　waited　for　herand
there　was　an　awkward　pause　before　we　spoke。　She　set　the　example。

〃I