the legacy of cain-第53章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


offering　an　opportunity　to　Worry；　and　Worry　is　the　favorite　agent
of　Death　when　the　destroyer　handles　his　work　in　a　lingering　way；
and　achieves　premature　results。　Never　look　back；　and　never　look
forward；　as　long　as　you　can　possibly　help　it。　Looking　back　leads
the　way　to　sorrow。　And　looking　forward　ends　in　the　cruelest　of
all　delusions：　it　encourages　hope。　The　present　time　is　the
precious　time。　Live　for　the　passing　day：　the　passing　day　is　all
that　we　can　be　sure　of。　You　suggested；　just　now；　that　I　should
ask　my　son　if　he　was　engaged　to　be　married。　How　do　we　know　what
wear　and　tear　of　your　nervous　texture　I　succeeded　in　saving　when
I　said。　'Wait　till　Philip　mentions　it　without　asking？'　There　is
the　personal　application　of　my　system。　I　have　explained　it　in　my
time　to　every　woman　on　the　list　of　my　acquaintance；　including　the
female　servants。　Not　one　of　them　has　rewarded　me　by　adopting　my
system。　How　do　you　feel　about　it？〃

Mrs。　Staveley　declined　to　tell　me　whether　she　had　offered　a
bright　example　of　gratitude　to　the　rest　of　the　sex。　When　I　asked
why；　she　declared　that　it　was　my　turn　now　to　tell　her　what　I　had
been　doing。

You　will　anticipate　what　followed。　She　objected　to　the　mystery　in
which　my　prospects　seemed　to　be　involved。　In　plain　English；　was
I；　or　was　I　not；　engaged　to　marry　her　dear　Eunice？　I　said；　No。
What　else　could　I　say？　If　I　had　told　Mrs。　Staveley　the　truth；
when　she　insisted　on　my　explaining　myself；　she　would　have　gone
back　to　my　father；　and　would　have　appealed　to　his　sense　of
justice　to　forbid　our　marriage。　Finding　me　obstinately　silent；
she　has　decided　on　writing　to　Eunice。　So　we　parted。　But　don't　be
disheartened。　On　my　way　out　of　the　house；　I　met　Mr。　Staveley
coming　in；　and　had　a　little　talk　with　him。　He　and　his　wife　and
his　family　are　going　to　the　seaside；　next　week。　Mrs。　Staveley
once　out　of　our　way；　I　can　tell　my　father　of　our　engagement
without　any　fear　of　consequences。　If　she　writes　to　him；　the
moment　he　sees　my　name　mentioned；　and　finds　violent　language
associated　with　it；　he　will　hand　the　letter　to　me。　〃Your
business；　Philip：　don't　interrupt　me。〃　He　will　say　that；　and　go
back　to　his　books。　There　is　my　father；　painted　to　the　life！
Farewell；　for　the　present。

。　。　。　。　。　。　。

Remarks　by　H。　G。Philip's　grace　and　gayety　of　style　might　be
envied　by　any　professional　Author。　He　amuses　me；　but　he　rouses　my
suspicion　at　the　same　time。　This　slippery　lover　of　mine　tells　me
to　defer　writing　to　his　father；　and　gives　no　reason　for　offering
that　strange　advice　to　the　young　lady　who　is　soon　to　be　a　member
of　the　family。　Is　this　merely　one　more　instance　of　the　weakness
of　his　character？　Or；　now　that　he　is　away　from　my　influence；　is
he　beginning　to　regret　Eunice　already？

Added　by　the　Governor。I　too　have　my　doubts。　Is　the　flippant
nonsense　which　Philip　has　written　inspired　by　the　effervescent
good　spirits　of　a　happy　young　man？　Or　is　it　assumed　for　a
purpose？　In　this　latter　case；　I　should　gladly　conclude　that　he
was　regarding　his　conduct　to　Eunice　with　becoming　emotions　of
sorrow　and　shame。


CHAPTER　XLIII。

THE　MASTERFUL　MASSEUSE。


My　next　quotations　will　suffer　a　process　of　abridgment。　I　intend
them　to　present　the　substance　of　three　letters；　reduced　as
follows：


Second　Extract。

Weak　as　he　may　be；　Mr。　Philip　Dunboyne　shows　（in　his　second
letter）　that　he　can　feel　resentment；　and　that　he　can　express　his
feelings；　in　replying　to　Miss　Helena。　He　protests　against
suspicions　which　he　has　not　deserved。　That　he　does　sometimes
think　of　Eunice　he　sees　no　reason　to　deny。　He　is　conscious　of
errors　and　misdeeds；　whichtraceable　as　they　are　to　Helena's
irresistible　fascinationsmay　perhaps　be　considered　rather　his
misfortune　than　his　fault。　Be　that　as　it　may；　he　does　indeed　feel
anxious　to　hear　good　accounts　of　Eunice's　health。　If　this　honest
avowal　excites　her　sister's　jealousy；　he　will　be　disappointed　in
Helena　for　the　first　time。

His　third　letter　shows　that　this　exhibition　of　spirit　has　had　its
effect。

The　imperious　young　lady　regrets　that　she　has　hurt　his　feelings；
and　is　rewarded　for　the　apology　by　receiving　news　of　the　most
gratifying　kind。　Faithful　Philip　has　told　his　father　that　he　is
engaged　to　be　married　to　Miss　Helena　Gracedieu；　daughter　of　the
celebrated　Congregational　preacherand　so　on；　and　so　on。　Has　Mr。
Dunboyne　the　elder　expressed　any　objection　to　the　young　lady？
Certainly　not！　He　knows　nothing　of　the　other　engagement　to
Eunice；　and　he　merely　objects；　on　principle；　to　looking　forward。
〃How　do　we　know；〃　says　the　philosopher；　〃what　accidents　may
happen；　or　what　doubts　and　hesitations　may　yet　turn　up？　I　am　not
to　burden　my　mind　in　this　matter；　till　I　know　that　I　must　do　it。
Let　me　hear　when　she　is　ready　to　go　to　church；　and　I　will　be
ready　with　the　settlements。　My　compliments　to　Miss　and　her　papa；
and　let　us　wait　a　little。〃　Dearest　Helenaisn't　he　funny？

The　next　letter　has　been　already　mentioned。

In　this　there　occurs　the　first　startling　reference　to　Mrs。
Tenbruggen；　by　name。　She　is　in　London；　finding　her　way　to
lucrative　celebrity　by　twisting；　turning；　and　pinching　the　flesh
of　credulous　persons；　afflicted　with　nervous　disorders；　and　she
has　already　paid　a　few　medical　visits　to　old　Mr。　Dunboyne。　He
persists　in　poring　over　his　books　while　Mrs。　Tenbruggen　operates；
sometimes　on　his　cramped　right　hand；　sometimes　（in　the　fear　that
his　brain　may　have　something　to　do　with　it）　on　the　back　of　his
neck。　One　of　them　frowns　over　her　rubbing；　and　the　other　frowns
over　his　reading。　It　would　be　delightfully　ridiculous；　but　for　a
drawback；　Mr。　Philip　Dunboyne's　first　impressions　of　Mrs。
Tenbruggen　do　not　incline　him　to　look　at　that　lady　from　a
humorous　point　of　view。

Helena's　remarks　follow；　as　usual。　She　has　seen　Mrs。　Tenbruggen's
name　on　the　address　of　a　letter　written　by　Miss　Jillgallwhich
is　quite　enough　to　condemn　Mrs。　Tenbruggen。　As　for　Philip
himself；　she　feels　not　quite　sure　of　him；　even　yet。　No　more　do　I。

Third　Extract。

The　letter　that　follows　must　be　permitted　to　speak　for　itself：

I　have　flown　into　a　passion；　dearest　Helena；　and　I　am　afraid　I
shall　make　you　fly　into　a　passion；　too。　Blame　Mrs。　Tenbruggen；
don't　blame　me。

On　the　first　occasion　when　I　found　my　father　under　the　hands　of
the　Medical　Rubber；　she　took　no　notice　of　me。　On　the　second
occasionwhen　she　had　been　in　daily　attendance　on　him　for　a
week；　at　an　exorbitant　feeshe　said　in　the　coolest　manner：　〃Who
is　this　young　gentleman？〃　My　father　laid　down　his　book；　for　a
moment　only：　〃Don't　interrupt　me　again；　ma'am。　The　young
gentleman　is　my　son　Philip。〃　Mrs。　Tenbruggen　eyed　me　with　an
appearance　of　interest　which　I　was　at　a　loss　to　account　for。　I
hate　an　impudent　woman。　My　visit　came　suddenly　to　an　end。

The　next　time　I　saw　my　father；　he　was　alone。

I　asked　him　how　he　got　on　with　Mrs。　Tenbruggen。　As　badly　as
possible；　it　appeared。　〃She　takes　liberties　with　my　neck；　she
interrupts　me　in　my　reading；　and　she　does　me　no　good。　I　shall
end；　Philip；　in　applying　a　medical　rubbing　to　Mrs。　Tenbruggen。〃

A　few　days　later；　I　found　the　masterful　〃Masseuse〃　torturing　the
poor　old　gentleman's　muscles　again。　She　had　the　audacity　to　say
to　me：　〃Well；　Mr。　Philip；　when　are　you　going　to　marry　Miss　Eunice
Gracedieu？〃　My　father　looked　up。　〃Eunice？〃　he　repeated。　〃When　my
son　told　me　he　was　engaged　to　Miss　Gracedieu；　he　said　'Helena'！
Philip；　what　does　this　mean？〃　Mrs。　Tenbruggen　was　so　obliging　as
to　answer　for　me。　〃Some　mistake；　sir；　it's　Eunice　he　is　engaged
to。〃　I　confess　I　forgot　myself。　〃How　the　devil　do　you　know　that？〃
I　burst　out。　Mrs。　Tenbruggen　ignored　me　and　my　language。　〃I　am
sorry　to　see；　sir；　that　your　son's　education　has　been　neglected；
he　seems　to　be　grossly　ignorant　of　the　laws　of　politeness。〃
〃Never　mind　the　laws　of　politeness；〃　says　my　father。　〃You　appear
to　be　better　acquainted　with　my　son's　matrimonial　prospects　than
he　is　himself。　How　is　that？〃　Mrs。　Tenbruggen　favored　him　with
another　ready　reply：　〃My　authority　is　a　letter；　addressed　to　me
by　a　relative　of　Mr。　Gracedieumy　dear　and　intimate　friend；　Miss
Jillgall。〃　My　father's　keen　eyes　traveled　backward　and　forward
between　his　female　surgeon　and　his　son。　〃Which　am　I　to