the legacy of cain-第57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！
each other after I had left the town？ No prevarication！ You own
to telling Helena that you knew her by her likeness to her
mother。 You must have seen her mother。 Where？〃
I made another effort to defend myself。 He again refused
furiously to hear me。 It was useless to persist。 Whatever the
danger that threatened me might be； the sooner it showed itself
the easier I should feel。 I told him that Mrs。 Gracedieu had
called on me； after he and his wife had left the town。
〃Do you mean to tell me；〃 he cried； 〃that She came to Yo u？〃
〃I do。〃
After that answer； he no longer required the paper to help him。
He threw it from him on the floor。
〃And you received her；〃 he said； 〃without inquiring whether I
knew of her visit or not？ Guilty deception on your partguilty
deception on her part。 Oh； the hideous wickedness of it！〃
When his mad suspicion that I had been his wife's lover betrayed
itself in this way； I made a last attempt； in the face of my own
conviction that it was hopeless； to place my conduct and his
wife's conduct before him in the true light。
〃Mrs。 Gracedieu's object was to consult me〃 Before I could say
the next words； I saw him put his hand into the pocket of his
dressing…gown。
〃An innocent man；〃 he sternly declared； 〃would have told me that
my wife had been to see himyou kept it a secret。 An innocent
woman would have given me a reason for wishing to go to youshe
kept it a secret； when she left my house； she kept it a secret
when she came back。〃
〃Mr。 Gracedieu； I insist on being heard！ Your wife's motive〃
He drew from his pocket the thing that he had hidden from me。
This time； there was no concealment； he let me see that he was
opening a razor。 It was no time for asserting my innocence； I had
to think of preserving my life。 When a man is without firearms；
what defense can avail against a razor in the hands of a madman？
A chair was at my side； it offered the one poor means of guarding
myself that I could see。 I laid my hand on it； and kept my eye on
him。
He paused； looking backward and forward between the picture and
me。
〃Which of them shall I kill first？〃 he said to himself。 〃The man
who was my trusted friend？ Or the woman whom I believed to be an
angel on earth？〃 He stopped once more； in a state of fierce
self…concentration； debating what he should do。 〃The woman；〃 he
decided。 〃Wretch！ Fiend！ Harlot！ How I loved her！！！〃
With a yell of fury； he pounced on the pictureripped the canvas
out of the frameand cut it malignantly into fragments。 As they
dropped from the razor on the floor； he stamped on them； and
ground them under his foot。 〃Go； wife of my bosom；〃 he cried；
with a dreadful mockery of voice and look〃go； and burn
everlastingly in the place of torment！〃 His eyes glared at me。
〃Your turn now；〃 he saidand rushed at me with his weapon ready
in his hand。 I hurled the chair at his right arm。 The razor
dropped on the floor。 I caught him by the wrist。 Like a wild
animal he tried to bite me。 With my free handif I had known how
to defend myself in any other way； I would have taken that
waywith my free hand I seized him by the throat； forced him
back； and held him against the wall。 My grasp on his throat kept
him quiet。 But the dread of seriously injuring him so completely
overcame me； that I forgot I was a prisoner in the room； and was
on the point of alarming the household by a cry for help。
I was still struggling to preserve my self…control； when the
sound of footsteps broke the silence outside。 I heard the key
turn in the lock； and saw the doctor at the open door。
CHAPTER XLVI。
THE CUMBERSOME LADIES。
I CANNOT prevail upon myself to dwell at any length on the events
that followed。
We secured my unhappy friend； and carried him to his bed。 It was
necessary to have men in attendance who could perform the duty of
watching him。 The doctor sent for them； while I went downstairs
to make the best I could of the miserable news which it was
impossible entirely to conceal。
All that I could do to spare Miss Jillgall； I did。 I was obliged
to acknowledge that there had been an outbreak of violence； and
that the portrait of the Minister's wife had been destroyed by
the Minister himself。 Of Helena's revenge on me I said nothing。
It had led to consequences which even her merciless malice could
not have contemplated。 There were no obstacles in the way of
keeping secret the attempt on my life。 But I was compelled to own
that Mr。 Gracedieu had taken a dislike to me； which rendered it
necessary that my visit should be brought to an end。 I hastened
to add that I should go to the hotel； and should wait there until
the next day； in the hope of hearing better news。
Of the multitude of questions with which poor Miss Jillgall
overwhelmed meof the wild words of sorrow and alarm that
escaped herof the desperate manner in which she held by my arm；
and implored me not to go away； when I must see for myself that
〃she was a person entirely destitute of presence of mind〃I
shall say nothing。 The undeserved suffering that is inflicted on
innocent persons by the sins of others demands silent sympathy；
and； to that extent at least； I can say that I honestly felt for
my quaint and pleasant little friend。
In the evening the doctor called on me at the hotel。 The medical
treatment of his patient had succeeded in calming the maddened
brain under the influence of sleep。 If the night passed quietly；
better news might be hoped for in the morning。
On the next day I had arranged to drive to the farm； being
resolved not to disappoint Eunice。 But I shrank from the prospect
of having to distress her as I had already distressed Miss
Jillgall。 The only alternative left was to repeat the sad story
in writing； subject to the concealments which I had already
observed。 This I did； and sent the letter by messenger；
overnight； so that Eunice might know when to expect me。
The medical report； in the morning； justified some hope。 Mr。
Gracedieu had slept well； and there had been no reappearance of
insane violence on his waking。 But the doctor's opinion was far
from encouraging when we spoke of the future。 He did not
anticipate the cruel necessity of placing the Minister under
restraintunless some new provocation led to a new outbreak。 The
misfortune to be feared was imbecility。
I was just leaving the hotel to keep my appointment with Eunice；
when the waiter announced the arrival of a young lady who wished
to speak with me。 Before I could ask if she had mentioned her
name； the young lady herself walked inHelena Gracedieu。
She explained her object in calling on me； with the exasperating
composure which was peculiarly her own。 No parallel to it occurs
to me in my official experience of shameless women。
〃I don't wish to speak of what happened yesterday； so far as I
know anything about it；〃 she began。 〃It is quite enough for me
that you have been obliged to leave the house and to take refuge
in this hotel。 I have come to say a word about the future。 Are
you honoring me with your attention？〃
I signed to her to go on。 If I had answered in words； I should
have told her to leave the room。
〃At first；〃 she resumed； 〃I thought of writing； but it occurred
to me that you might keep my letter； and show it to Philip； by
way of lowering me in his good opinion； as you have lowered me in
the good opinion of his father。 My object in coming here is to
give you a word of warning。 If you attempt to make mischief next
between Philip and myself； I shall hear of itand you know what
to expect； when you have Me for an enemy。 It is not worth while
to say any more。 We understand each other； I hope？〃
She was determined to have a replyand she got it。
〃Not quite yet；〃 I said。 〃I have been hitherto； as becomes a
gentleman； always mindful of a woman's claims to forbearance。 You
will do well not to tempt me into forgetting that _you_ are a
woman； by prolonging your visit。 Now； Miss Helena Gracedieu； we
understand each other。〃 She made me a low curtsey； and answered
in her finest tone of irony： 〃I only desire to wish you a
pleasant journey home。〃
I rang for the waiter。 〃Show this lady out；〃 I said。
Even this failed to have the sli
