the legacy of cain-第55章
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for regretting my conduct in the past time。
I found Miss Jillgall waiting in the passage to see me come out。
Before I could tell her what had happened； there was a ring at
the house…bell。 The visitor proved to be Mr。 Wellwood； the
doctor。 I was anxious to speak to him on the subject of Mr。
Gracedieu's health。 Miss Jillgall introduced me； as an old and
dear friend of the Minister； and left us together in the
dining…room。
〃What do I think of Mr。 Gracedieu？〃 he said； repeating the first
question that I put。 〃Well； sir； I think badly of him。〃
Entering into details； after that ominous reply； Mr。 Wellwood did
not hesitate to say that his patient's nerves were completely
shattered。 Disease of the brain had； as he feared； been already
set up。 〃As to the causes which have produced this lamentable
break…down；〃 the doctor continued； 〃Mr。 Gracedieu has been in the
habit of preaching extempore twice a day on Sundays； and
sometimes in the week as welland has uniformly refused to spare
himself when he was in most urgent need of rest。 If you have ever
attended his chapel； you have seen a man in a state of fiery
enthusiasm； feeling intensely every word that he utters。 Think of
such exhaustion as that implies going on for years together； and
accumulating its wasting influences on a sensitively organized
constitution。 Add that he is tormented by personal anxieties；
which he confesses to no one； not even to his own children and
the sum of it all is that a worse case of its kind； I am grieved
to say； has never occurred in my experience。〃
Before the doctor left me to go to his patient； I asked leave to
occupy a minute more of his time。 My object was； of course； to
speak about Eunice。
The change of subject seemed to be agreeable to Mr。 Wellwood。 He
smiled good…humoredly。
〃You need feel no alarm about the health of that interesting
girl；〃 he said。 〃When she complained to meat her age！of not
being able to sleep； I should have taken it more seriously if I
had been told that she too had her troubles； poor little soul。
Love…troubles； most likelybut don't forget that my professional
limits keep me in the dark！ Have you heard that she took some
composing medicine； which I had prescribed for her father？ The
effect （certain； in any case； to be injurious to a young girl）
was considerably aggravated by the state of her mind at the time。
A dream that frightened her； and something resembling delirium；
seems to have followed。 And she made matters worse； poor child；
by writing in her diary about the visions and supernatural
appearances that had terrified her。 I was afraid of fever； on the
day when they first sent for me。 We escaped that complication；
and I was at liberty to try the best of all remediesquiet and
change of air。 I have no fears for Miss Eunice。〃
With that cheering reply he went up to the Minister's room。
All that I had found perplexing in Eunice was now made clear。 I
understood how her agony at the loss of her lover； and her keen
sense of the wrong that she had suffered； had been strengthened
in their disastrous influence by her experiment on the sleeping
draught intended for her father。 In mind and body； both； the poor
girl was in the condition which offered its opportunity to the
lurking hereditary taint。 It was terrible to think of what might
have happened； if the all…powerful counter…influence had not been
present to save her。
Before I had been long alone the servant…maid came in； and said
the doctor wanted to see me。
Mr。 Wellwood was waiting in the passage； outside the Minister's
bedchamber。 He asked if he could speak to me without
interruption； and without the fear of being overheard。 I led him
at once to the room which I occupied as a guest。
〃At the very time when it is most important to keep Mr。 Gracedieu
quiet；〃 he said； 〃something has happened to exciteI might
almost say to infuriate him。 He has left his bed； and is walking
up and down the room； and； I don't scruple to say； he is on the
verge of madness。 He insists on seeing you。 Being wholly unable
to control him in any other way； I have consented to this。 But I
must not allow you to place yourself in what may be a
disagreeable position； without a word of warning。 Judging by his
tones and his looks； he seems to have no very friendly motive for
wishing to see you。〃
Knowing perfectly well what had happened； and being one of those
impatient people who can never endure suspenseI offered to go
at once to Mr。 Gracedieu's room。 The doctor asked leave to say
one word more。
〃Pray be careful that you neither say nor do anything to thwart
him；〃 Mr。 Wellwood resumed。 〃If he expresses an opinion； agree
with him。 If he is insolent and overbearing； don't answer him。 In
the state of his brain； the one hopeful course to take is to let
him have his own way。 Pray remember that。 I will be within call；
in case of your wanting me。〃
CHAPTER XLV。
THE FATAL PORTRAIT。
I KNOCKED at the bedroom door。
〃Who's there？〃
Only two wordsbut the voice that uttered them； hoarse and
peremptory； was altered almost beyond recognition。 If I had not
known whose room it was； I might have doubted whether the
Minister had really spoken to me。
At the instant when I answered him； I was allowed to pass in。
Having admitted me； he closed the door； and placed himself with
his back against it。 The customary pallor of his face had
darkened to a deep red； there was an expression of ferocious
mockery in his eyes。 Helena's vengeance had hurt her unhappy
father far more severely than it seemed likely to hurt me。 The
doctor had said he was on the verge of madness。 To my thinking；
he had already passed the boundary line。
He received me with a boisterous affectation of cordiality。
〃My excellent friend！ My admirable； honorable； welcome guest； you
don't know how glad I am to see you。 Stand a little nearer to the
light； I want to admire you。〃
Remembering the doctor's advice； I obeyed him in silence。
〃Ah； you were a handsome fellow when I first knew you；〃 he said；
〃and you have some remains of it still left。 Do you remember the
time when you were a favorite with the ladies？ Oh； don't pretend
to be modest； don't turn your back； now you are old； on what you
were in the prime of your life。 Do you own that I am right？〃
What his object might be in saying thisif； indeed； he had an
objectit was impossible to guess。 The doctor's advice left me
no alternative； I hastened to own that he was right。 As I made
that answer； I observed that he held something in his hand which
was half hidden up the sleeve of his dressing…gown。 What the
nature of the object was I failed to discover。
〃And when I happened to speak of you somewhere；〃 he went on； 〃I
forget wherea member of my congregationI don't recollect who
it wastold me you were connected with the aristocracy。 How were
you connected？〃
He surprised me； but； however he had got his information； he had
not been deceived。 I told him that I was connected； through my
mother； with the family to which he had alluded。
〃The aristocracy！〃 he repeated。 〃A race of people who are rich
without earning their money； and noble because their
great…grandfathers were noble before them。 They live in idleness
and luxuryprofligates who gratify their passions without shame
and without remorse。 Deny； if you dare； that this is a true
description of them。〃
It was really pitiable。 Heartily sorry for him； I pacified him
again。
〃And don't suppose I forget that you are one of them。 Do you hear
me； my noble friend？〃
There was no help for itI made another conciliatory reply。
〃So far；〃 he resumed； 〃I don't complain of you。 You have not
attempted to deceive meyet。 Absolute silence is what I require
next。 Though you may not suspect it； my mind is in a ferment； I
must try to think。〃
To some extent at least； his thoughts betrayed themselves in his
actions。 He put the object that I had half seen in his hand into
the pocket of his dressing…gown； and moved to the toilet…table。
Opening one of the drawers； he took from it a folded sheet of
paper； and came back to me。
〃A minister of the Gospel；〃 he said； 〃is a sacred man； and has a
horror of crime。 You are s
