the legacy of cain-第56章

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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　safe；　so　farprovided　you　obey　me。　I
have　a　solemn　and　terrible　duty　to　perform。　This　is　not　the　right
place　for　it。　Follow　me　downstairs。〃

He　led　the　way　out。　The　doctor；　waiting　in　the　passage；　was　not
near　the　stairs；　　and　so　escaped　notice。　〃What　is　it？〃　Mr。　W
ellwood　whispered。　In　the　same　guarded　way；　I　said：　〃He　has　not
told　me　yet；　I　have　been　careful　not　to　irritate　him。〃　When　we
descended　the　stairs；　the　doctor　followed　us　at　a　safe　distance。
He　mended　his　pace　when　the　Minister　opened　the　door　of　the
study；　and　when　he　saw　us　both　pass　in。　Before　he　could　follow；
the　door　was　closed　and　locked　in　his　face。　Mr。　Gracedieu　took
out　the　key　and　threw　it　through　the　open　window；　into　the　garden
below。

Turning　back　into　the　room；　he　laid　the　folded　sheet　of　paper　on
the　table。　That　done；　he　spoke　to　me。

〃I　distrust　my　own　weakness；〃　he　said。　〃A　dreadful　necessity
confronts　meI　might　shrink　from　the　horrid　idea；　and；　if　I
could　open　the　door；　might　try　to　get　away。　Escape　is　impossible
now。　We　are　prisoners　together。　But　don't　suppose　that　we　are
alone。　There　is　a　third　person　present；　who　will　judge　between
you　and　me。　Look　there！〃

He　pointed　solemnly　to　the　portrait　of　his　wife。　It　was　a　small
picture；　very　simply　framed；　representing　the　face　in　a
〃three…quarter〃　view；　and　part　of　the　figure　only。　As　a　work　of
art　it　was　contemptible；　but；　as　a　likeness；　it　answered　its
purpose。　My　unhappy　friend　stood　before　it；　in　an　attitude　of
dejection；　covering　his　face　with　his　hands。

In　the　interval　of　silence　that　followed；　I　was　reminded　that　an
unseen　friend　was　keeping　watch　outside。

Alarmed　by　having　heard　the　key　turned　in　the　lock；　and　realizing
the　embarrassment　of　the　position　in　which　I　was　placed；　the
doctor　had　discovered　a　discreet　way　of　communicating　with　me。　He
slipped　one　of　his　visiting…cards　under　the　door；　with　these
words　written　on　it：　〃How　can　I　help　you？〃

I　took　the　pencil　from　my　pocketbook；　and　wrote　on　the　blank　side
of　the　card：　〃He　has　thrown　the　key　into　the　garden；　look　for　it
under　the　window。〃　A　glance　at　the　Minister；　before　I　returned　my
reply；　showed　that　his　attitude　was　unchanged。　Without　being　seen
or　suspected；　I；　in　my　turn；　slipped　the　card　under　the　door。

The　slow　minutes　followed　each　otherand　still　nothing　happened。

My　anxiety　to　see　how　the　doctor's　search　for　the　key　was
succeeding；　tempted　me　to　approach　the　window。　On　my　way　to　it；
the　tail　of　my　coat　threw　down　a　little　tray　containing　pens　and
pencils；　which　had　been　left　close　to　the　edge　of　the　table。
Slight　as　the　noise　of　the　fall　was；　it　disturbed　Mr。　Gracedieu。
He　looked　round　vacantly。

〃I　have　been　comforted　by　prayer；〃　he　told　me。　〃The　weakness　of
poor　humanity　has　found　strength　in　the　Lord。〃　He　pointed　to　the
portrait　once　more：　〃My　hands　must　not　presume　to　touch　it；　while
I　am　still　in　doubt。　Take　it　down。〃

I　removed　the　picture　and　placed　it；　by　his　directions；　on　a
chair　that　stood　midway　between　us。　To　my　surprise　his　tones
faltered；　I　saw　tears　rising　in　his　eyes。　〃You　may　think　you　see
a　picture　there；〃　he　said。　〃You　are　wrong。　You　see　my　wife
herself。　Stand　here；　and　look　at　my　wife　with　me。〃

We　stood　together；　with　our　eyes　fixed　on　the　portrait。

Without　anything　said　or　done　on　my　part　to　irritate　him；　he
suddenly　turned　to　me　in　a　state　of　furious　rage。　〃Not　a　sign　of
sorrow！〃　he　burst　out。　〃Not　a　blush　of　shame！　Wretch；　you　stand
condemned　by　the　atrocious　composure　that　I　see　in　your　face！〃

A　first　discovery　of　the　odious　suspicion　of　which　I　was　the
object；　dawned　on　my　mind　at　that　moment。　My　capacity　for
restraining　myself　completely　failed　me。　I　spoke　to　him　as　if　he
had　been　an　accountable　being。　〃Once　for　all；〃　I　said；　〃tell　me
what　I　have　a　right　to　know。　You　suspect　me　of　something。　What　is
it？〃

Instead　of　directly　replying；　he　seized　my　arm　and　led　me　to　the
table。　〃Take　up　that　paper；〃　he　said。　〃There　is　writing　on　it。
Readand　let　Her　judge　between　us。　Your　life　depends　on　how　you
answer　me。〃

Was　there　a　weapon　concealed　in　the　room？　or　had　he　got　it　in　the
pocket　of　his　dressing…gown？　I　listened　for　the　sound　of　the
doctor's　returning　footsteps　in　the　passage　outside；　and　heard
nothing。　My　life　had　once　depended；　years　since；　on　my　success　in
heading　the　arrest　of　an　escaped　prisoner。　I　was　not　conscious；
then；　of　feeling　my　energies　weakened　by　fear。　But　_that_　man　was
not　mad；　and　I　was　younger；　in　those　days；　by　a　good　twenty　years
or　more。　At　my　later　time　of　life；　I　could　show　my　old　friend
that　I　was　not　afraid　of　himbut　I　was　conscious　of　an　effort　in
doing　it。

I　opened　the　paper。　〃Am　I　to　read　this　to　myself？〃　I　asked。　〃Or
am　I　to　read　it　aloud？〃

〃Read　it　aloud！〃

In　these　terms；　his　daughter　addressed　him：


〃I　have　been　so　unfortunate；　dearest　father；　as　to　displease　you；
and　I　dare　not　hope　that　you　will　consent　to　receive　me。　What　it
is　my　painful　duty　to　tell　you；　must　be　told　in　writing。

〃Grieved　as　I　am　to　distress　you；　in　your　present　state　of
health；　I　must　not　hesitate　to　reveal　what　it　has　been　my
misfortuneI　may　even　say　my　misery；　when　I　think　of　my
motherto　discover。

〃But　let　me　make　sure；　in　such　a　serious　matter　as　this　is；　that
I　am　not　mistaken。

〃In　those　happy　past　days；　when　I　was　still　dear　to　my　father；
you　said　you　thought　of　writing　to　invite　a　dearly…valued　friend
to　pay　a　visit　to　this　house。　You　had　first　known　him；　as　I
understood；　when　my　mother　was　still　living。　Many　interesting
things　you　told　me　about　this　old　friend；　but　you　never　mentioned
that　he　knew；　or　that　he　had　even　seen；　my　mother。　I　was　left　to
suppose　that　those　two　had　remained　strangers　to　each　other　to
the　day　of　her　death。

〃If　there　is　any　misinterpretation　here　of　what　you　said；　or
perhaps　of　what　you　meant　to　say；　pray　destroy　what　I　have
written　without　turning　to　the　next　page；　and　forgive　me　for
having　innocently　startled　you　by　a　false　alarm。〃


Mr。　Gracedieu　interrupted　me。

〃Put　it　down！〃　he　cried；　〃I　won't　wait　till　you　have　got　to　the
endI　shall　question　you　now。　Give　me　the　paper；　it　will　help　me
to　keep　this　mystery　of　iniquity　clear　in　my　own　mind。〃

I　gave　him　the　paper。

He　hesitatedand　looked　at　the　portrait　once　more。　〃Turn　her
away　from　me；〃　he　said；　〃I　can't　face　my　wife。〃

I　placed　the　picture　with　its　back　to　him。

He　consulted　the　paper；　reading　it　with　but　little　of　the
confusion　and　hesitation　which　my　experience　of　him　had　induced
me　to　anticipate。　Had　the　mad　excitement　that　possessed　him
exercised　an　influence　in　clearing　his　mind；　resembling　in　some
degree　the　influence　exercised　by　a　storm　in　clearing　the　air？
Whatever　the　right　explanation　may　be；　I　can　only　report　what　I
saw。　I　could　hardly　have　mastered　what　his　daughter　had　written
more　readily；　if　I　had　been　reading　it　myself。

〃Helena　tells　me；〃　he　began；　〃that　you　said　you　knew　her　by　her
likeness　to　her　mother。　Is　that　true？〃

〃Quite　true。〃

〃And　you　made　an　excuse　for　leaving　hersee！　here　it　is；　written
down。　You　made　an　excuse；　and　left　her　when　she　asked　for　an
explanation。〃

〃I　did。〃

He　consulted　the　paper　again。

〃My　daughter　saysNo！　I　won't　be　hurried　and　I　won't　be
interruptedshe　says　you　were　confused。　Is　that　so？〃

〃It　is　so。　Let　your　questions　wait　for　a　moment。　I　wish　to　tell
you　why　I　was　confused。〃

〃Haven't　I　said　I　won't　be　interrupted？　Do　you　think　you　can
shake　_my_　resolution？〃　He　referred　to　the　paper　again。　〃I　have
lost　the　place。　It's　your　faultfind　it　for　me。〃

The　evidence　which　was　intended　to　convict　me　was　the　evidence
which　I　was　expected　to　find！　I　pointed　it　out　to　him。

His　natural　courtesy　asserted　itself　in　spite　of　his　anger。　He
said　〃Thank　you；〃　and　questioned　me　the　moment　after　as　fiercely
as　ever。　〃Go　back　to　the　time；　sir；　when　we　met　in　your　rooms　at
the　prison。　Did　you　know　my　wife　then？〃

〃Certainly　not。〃

〃Did　you　and　she　see　each　otherha！　I've　got　it　nowdid　you　see
each　other　after　I　had　left　the　town？　No　prevarication！　You　own
to　telling　Hele