the legacy of cain-第5章
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hear what passed between us。 Before I could stop him； he spoke to
her； under a natural impression that he was addressing the
Prisoner's servant。
〃I am afraid you will be disappointed；〃 he said； 〃when I tell you
that your services will no longer be required。 I have reasons for
placing the child under the care of a nurse of my own choosing。〃
She listened with an evil smile。
〃I know who furnished you with your reasons；〃 she answered。
〃Apologies are quite needless； so far as I am concerned。 If you
had proposed to me t o look after the new member of your family
there； I should have felt it my duty to myself to have refused。 I
am not a nurseI am an independent single lady。 I see by your
dress that you are a clergyman。 Allow me to present myself as a
mark of respect to your cloth。 I am Miss Elizabeth Chance。 May I
ask the favor of your name？〃
Too weary and too preoccupied to notice the insolence of her
manner； the Minister mentioned his name。 〃I am anxious；〃 he said；
〃to know if the child has been baptized。 Perhaps you can
enlighten me？〃
Still insolent； Miss Elizabeth Chance shook her head carelessly。
〃I never heardand； to tell you the truth； I never cared to
hearwhether she was christened or not。 Call her by what name
you like； I can tell you thisyou will find your adopted
daughter a heavy handful。〃
The Minister turned to me。 〃What does she mean？〃
〃I will try to tell you；〃 Miss Chance interposed。 〃Being a
clergyman； you know who Deborah was？ Very well。 I am Deborah now；
and _I_ prophesy。〃 She pointed to the child。 〃Remember what I
say； reverend sir！ You will find the tigress…cub take after its
mother。〃
With those parting words； she favored us with a low curtsey； and
left the room。
CHAPTER VI。
THE DOCTOR DOUBTS。
THE Minister looked at me in an absent manner； his attention
seemed to have been wandering。 〃What was it Miss Chance said？〃 he
asked。
Before I could speak； a friend's voice at the door interrupted
us。 The Doctor； returning to me as he had promised； answered the
Minister's question in these words：
〃I must have passed the person you mean； sir； as I was coming in
here； and I heard her say： 'You will find the tigress…cub take
after its mother。' If she had known how to put her meaning into
good English； Miss Chancethat is the name you mentioned； I
thinkmight have told you that the vices of the parents are
inherited by the children。 And the one particular parent she had
in her mind；〃 the Doctor continued； gently patting the child's
cheek； 〃was no doubt the mother of this unfortunate little
creaturewho may； or may not； live to show you that she comes of
a bad stock and inherits a wicked nature。〃
I was on the point of protesting against my friend's
interpretation； when the Minister stopped me。
〃Let me thank you； sir； for your explanation；〃 he said to the
Doctor。 〃As soon as my mind is free； I will reflect on what you
have said。 Forgive me； Mr。 Governor；〃 he went on； 〃if I leave
you； now that I have placed the Prisoner's confession in your
hands。 It has been an effort to me to say the little I have said；
since I first entered this room。 I can think of nothing but that
unhappy criminal； and the death that she must die to…morrow。〃
〃Does she wish you to be present？〃 I asked。
〃She positively forbids it。 'After what you have done for me；'
she said； 'the least I can do in return is to prevent your being
needlessly distressed。' She took leave of me； she kissed the
little girl for the last timeoh； don't ask me to tell you about
it！ I shall break down if I try。 Come； my darling！〃 He kissed the
child tenderly； and took her away with him。
〃That man is a strange compound of strength and weakness；〃 the
Doctor remarked。 〃Did you notice his face； just now？ Nine men out
of ten； suffering as he suffered； would have failed to control
themselves。 Such resolution as his _may_ conquer the difficulties
that are in store for him yet。〃
It was a trial of my temper to hear my clever colleague
justifying； in this way； the ignorant prediction of an insolent
woman。
〃There are exceptions to all rules；〃 I insisted。 〃And why are the
virtues of the parents not just as likely to descend to the
children as the vices？ There was a fund of good； I can tell you；
in that poor baby's fatherthough I don't deny that he was a
profligate man。 And even the horrible motheras you heard just
nowhas virtue enough left in her to feel grateful to the man
who has taken care of her child。 These are facts； you can't
dispute them。〃
The Doctor took out his pipe。 〃Do you mind my smoking？〃 he asked。
〃Tobacco helps me to arrange my ideas。〃
I gave him the means of arranging his ideas； that is to say； I
gave him the match…box。 He blew some preliminary clouds of smoke
and then he answered me：
〃For twenty years past； my friend； I have been studying the
question of hereditary transmission of qualities； and I have
found vices and diseases descending more frequently to children
than virtue and health。 I don't stop to ask why： there is no end
to that sort of curiosity。 What I have observed is what I tell
you； no more and no less。 You will say this is a horribly
discouraging result of experience； for it tends to show that
children come into the world at a disadvantage on the day of
their birth。 Of course they do。 Children are born deformed；
children are born deaf； dumb； or blind； children are born with
the seeds in them of deadly diseases。 Who can account for the
cruelties of creation？ Why are we endowed with lifeonly to end
in death？ And does it ever strike you； when you are cutting your
mutton at dinner； and your cat is catching its mouse； and your
spider is suffocating its fly； that we are all； big and little
together； born to one certain inheritancethe privilege of
eating each other？〃
〃Very sad；〃 I admitted。 〃But it will all be set right in another
world。〃
〃Are you quite sure of that？〃 the Doctor asked。
〃Quite sure； thank God！ And it would be better for you if you
felt about it as I do。〃
〃We won't dispute； my dear Governor。 I don't scoff at comforting
hopes； I don't deny the existence of occasional compensations。
But I do see； nevertheless； that Evil has got the upper hand
among us； on this curious little planet。 Judging by my
observation and experience； that ill…fated baby's chance of
inheriting the virtues of her parents is not to be compared with
her chances of inheriting their vices； especially if she happens
to take after her mother。 _There_ the virtue is not conspicuous；
and the vice is one enormous fact。 When I think of the growth of
that poisonous hereditary taint； which may come with timewhen I
think of passions let loose and temptations lying in ambushI
see the smooth surface of the Minister's domestic life with
dangers lurking under it which make me shake in my shoes。 God！
what a life I should lead； if I happened to be in his place； some
years hence。 Suppose I said or did something （in the just
exercise of my parental authority） which offended my adopted
daughter。 What figure would rise from the dead in my memory； when
the girl bounced out of the room in a rage？ The image of her
mother would be the image I should see。 I should remember what
her mother did when _she_ was provoked； I should lock my bedroom
door； in my own house； at night。 I should come down to breakfast
with suspicions in my cup of tea； if I discovered that my adopted
daughter had poured it out。 Oh； yes； it's quite true that I might
be doing the girl a cruel injustice all the time； but how am I to
be sure of that？ I am only sure that her mother was hanged for
one of the most merciless murders committed in our time。 Pass the
match…box。 My pipe's out； and my confession of faith has come to
an end。〃
It was useless to dispute with a man who possessed his command of
language。 At the same time； there was a bright side to the poor
Minister's prospects which the Doctor had failed to see。 It was
barely possible that I might succeed in putting my positive
friend in the wrong。 I tried the experiment； at any rate。
〃You seem to have forgotten；〃 I reminded him； 〃that the child
will have every advantage that education can offer to her； and
wil
