the legacy of cain-第50章
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I mean when a sense of injury comes？ Did you ever see that； when
you were master in the prison？〃
I had seen itand； after a moment's doubt； I said I had seen it。
〃Did you pity those poor wretches？〃
〃Certainly！ They deserved pity。〃
〃I am one of them！〃 she said。 〃Pity _me。_ If Helena looks at
meif Helena speaks to meif I only see Helena by accidentdo
you know what she does？ She tempts me！ Tempts me to do dreadful
things！ Tempts me〃 The poor child threw her arms round my neck；
and whispered the next fatal words in my ear。
The mother！ Prepared as I was for the accursed discovery； the
horror of it shook me。
She left me； and started to her feet。 The inherited energy showed
itself in furious protest against the inherited evil。 〃What does
it mean？〃 she cried。 〃I'll submit to anything。 I'll bear my hard
lot patiently； if you will only tell me what it means。 Where does
this horrid transformation of me out of myself come from？ Look at
my good father。 In all this world there is no man so perfect as
he is。 And oh； how he has taught me！ there isn't a single good
thing that I have not learned from him since I was a little
child。 Did you ever hear him speak of my mother？ You must have
heard him。 My mother was an angel。 I could never be worthy of her
at my bestbut I have tried！ I have tried！ The wickedest girl in
the world doesn't have worse thoughts than the thoughts that have
come to me。 Since when？ Since Helenaoh； how can I call her by
her name as if I still loved her？ Since my sistercan she be my
sister； I ask myself sometimes！ Since my enemythere's the word
for hersince my enemy took Philip away from me。 What does it
mean？ I have asked in my prayersand have got no answer。 I ask
you。 What does it mean？ You must tell me！ You shall tell me！ What
does it mean？〃
Why did I not try to calm her？ I had vainly tried to calm herI
who knew who her mother was； and what her mother had been。
At last； she had forced the sense of my duty on me。 The simplest
way of calming her was to put her back in the place by my side
that she had left。 It was useless to reason with her； it was
impossible to answer her。 I had my own idea of the one way in
which I might charm Eunice back to her sweeter self。
〃Let us talk of Philip；〃 I said。
The fierce flush on her face softened； the swelling trouble of
her bosom began to subside； as that dearly…loved name passed my
lips！ But there was some influence left in her which resisted me。
〃No；〃 she said； 〃we had better not talk of him。〃
〃Why not？〃
〃I have lost all my courage。 If you speak of Philip； you will
make me cry。〃
I drew her nearer to me。 If she had been my own child； I don't
think I could have felt for her more truly than I felt at that
moment。 I only looked at her； I only said：
〃Cry！〃
The love that was in her heart rose； and poured its tenderness
into her eyes。 I had longed to see the tears that would comfort
her。 The tears came。
There was silence between us for a while。 It was possible for me
to think。
In the absence of physical resemblance between parent and child；
is an unfavorable influence exercised on the tendency to moral
resemblance？ Assuming the possibility of such a result as this；
Eunice （entirely unlike her mother） must； as I concluded； have
been possessed of qualities formed to resist； as well as of
qualities doomed to undergo； the infection of evil。 While；
therefore； I resigned myself to recognize the existence of the
hereditary maternal taint； I firmly believed in the
counterbalancing influences for good which had been part of the
girl's birthright。 They had been derived； perhaps； from the
better qualities in her father's nature； they had been certainly
developed by the tender care； the religious vigilance； which had
guarded the adopted child so lovingly in the Minister's
household； and they had served their purpose until time brought
with it the change； for which the tranquil domestic influences
were not prepared。 With the great； the vital transformation；
which marks the ripening of the girl into the woman's maturity of
thought and passion； a new power for Good； strong enough to
resist the latent power for Evil； sprang into being； and
sheltered Eunice under the supremacy of Love。 Love ill…fated and
ill…bestowedbut love that no profanation could stain； that no
hereditary evil could conquerthe True Love that had been； and
was； and would be； the guardian angel of Eunice's life。
If I am asked whether I have ventured to found this opinion on
what I have observed in one instance only； I reply that I have
had other opportunities of investigation； and that my conclusions
are derived from experience which refers to more instances than
one。
No man in his senses can doubt that physical qualities are
transmitted from parents to children。 But inheritance of moral
qualities is less easy to trace。 Here； the exploring mind finds
its progress beset by obstacles。 That those obstacles have been
sometimes overcome I do not deny。 Moral resemblances have been
traced between parents and children。 While； however； I admit
this； I doubt the conclusion which sees； in inheritance of moral
qualities； a positive influence exercised on moral destiny。 There
are inherent emotional forces in humanity to which the inherited
influences must submit； they are essentially influences under
controlinfluences which can be encountered and forced back。
That we； who inhabit this little planet； may be the doomed
creatures of fatality； from the cradle to the grave； I am not
prepared to dispute。 But I absolutely refuse to believe that it
is a fatality with no higher origin than can be found in our
accidental obligation to our fathers and mothers。
Still absorbed in these speculations； I was disturbed by a touch
on my arm。
I looked up。 Eunice's eyes were fixed on a shrubbery； at some
little distance from us； which closed the view of the garden on
that side。 I noticed that she was trembling。 Nothing to alarm her
was visible that I could discover。 I asked what she had seen to
startle her。 She pointed to the shrubbery。
〃Look again；〃 she said。
This time I saw a woman's dress among the shruhs。 The woman
herself appeared in a moment more。 It was Helena。 She carried a
small portfolio； and she approached us with a smile。
CHAPTER XLI。
THE WHISPERING VOICE。
I LOOKED at Eunice。 She had risen； startled by her first
suspicion of the person who was approaching us through the
shrubbery； but she kept her place near me； only changing her
position so as to avoid confronting Helena。 Her quickened
breathing was all that told me of the effort she was making to
preserve her self…control。
Entirely free from unbecoming signs of hurry and agitation；
Helena opened her business with me by means of an apology。
〃Pray excuse me for disturbing you。 I am obliged to leave the
house on one of my tiresome domestic errands。 If you will kindly
permit it； I wish to express； before I go； my very sincere regret
for what I was rude enough to say； when I last had the honor of
seeing you。 May I hope to be forgiven？ How…do…you…do； Eunice？
Have you enjoyed your holiday in the country？〃
Eunice neither moved nor answered。 Having some doubt of what
might happen if the two girls remained together； I proposed to
Helena to leave the garden and to let me hear what she had to
say； in the house。
〃Quite needless；〃 she replied； 〃I shall not detain you for more
than a minute。 Please look at this。〃
She offered to me the portfolio that she had been carrying； and
pointed to a morsel of paper attached to it； which contained this
inscription：
〃Philip's Letters To Me。 Private。 Helena Gracedieu。〃
〃I have a favor to ask；〃 she said； 〃and a proof of confidence in
you to offer。 Will you be so good as to look over what you find
in my portfolio？ I am unwilling to give up the hopes that I had
founded on our interview； when I asked for it。 The letters will；
I venture to think； plead my cause more convincingly than I was
able to plead it for myself。 I wish to forget what passed between
us； to the last word。 To the last word；〃 she repeated
emphaticallywith a look which sufficiently informed me that I
had not been be
