the legacy of cain-第60章

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and　you　refused　to　give　your　name　when　the　servant　asked　for　it。
A　few　days　afterward；　I　heard　you　（quite　accidentally）　forbid
Miss　Jillgall　to　mention　your　name　in　my　hearing。　I　am　at　a　loss
to　understand　it。〃

Before　she　could　answer　me；　the　chaise　drew　up　at　the　gate　of　the
farmhouse。　Mrs。　Tenbruggen　carefully　promised　to　explain　what　had
puzzled　me；　at　the　first　opportunity。　〃If　it　escapes　my　memory；〃
she　said；　〃pray　remind　me　of　it。〃

I　determined　to　remind　her　of　it。　Whether　I　could　depend　on　her
to　tell　me　the　truth；　might　be　quite　another　thing。



CHAPTER　XLVIII

THE　DECISION　OF　EUNICE。


EUNICE　ran　out　to　meet　us；　and　opened　the　gate。　She　was　instantly
folded　in　Miss　Jillgall's　arms。　On　her　release；　she　came　to　me；
eager　for　news　of　her　father's　health。　When　I　had　communicated
all　that　I　thought　it　right　to　tell　her　of　the　doctor's　last
report；　she　noticed　Mrs。　Tenbruggen。　The　　appearance　of　a　stranger
seemed　to　embarrass　h　er。　I　left　Miss　Jillgall　to　introduce　them
to　each　other。

〃Darling　Euneece；　you　remember　Mrs。　Tenbruggen's　name；　I　am　sure？
Elizabeth；　this　is　my　sweet　girl；　I　mentioned　her　in　my　letters
to　you。〃

〃I　hope　she　will　be　_my_　sweet　girl；　when　we　know　each　other　a
little　better。　May　I　kiss　you；　dear？　You　have　lovely　eyes；　but　I
am　sorry　to　see　that　they　don't　look　like　happy　eyes。　You　want
Mamma　Tenbruggen　to　cheer　you。　What　a　charming　old　house！〃

She　put　her　arm　round　Eunice's　waist　and　led　her　to　the　house
door。　Her　enjoyment　of　the　creepers　that　twined　their　way　up　the
pillars　of　the　porch　was　simply　perfection　as　a　piece　of　acting。
When　the　farmer's　wife　presented　herself；　Mrs。　Tenbruggen　was　so
irresistibly　amiable；　and　took　such　flattering　notice　of　the
children；　that　the　harmless　British　matron　actually　blushed　with
pleasure。　〃I'm　sure；　ma'am；　you　must　have　children　of　your　own；〃
she　said。　Mrs。　Tenbruggen　cast　her　eyes　on　the　floor；　and　sighed
with　pathetic　resignation。　A　sweet　little　family；　and　all　cruelly
swept　away　by　death。　If　the　performance　meant　anything；　it　did
most　assuredly　mean　that。

〃What　wonderful　self…possession！〃　somebody　whispered　in　my　ear。
The　children　in　the　room　were　healthy；　well…behaved　little
creaturesbut　the　name　of　the　innocent　one　among　them　was
Selina。

Before　dinner　we　were　shown　over　the　farm。

The　good　woman　of　the　house　led　the　way；　and　Miss　Jillgall　and　I
accompanied　her。　The　children　ran　on　in　front　of　us。　Still
keeping　possession　of　Eunice；　Mrs。　Tenbruggen　followed　at　some
distance　behind。　I　looked　back；　after　no　very　long　interval；　and
saw　that　a　separation　had　taken　place。　Mrs。　Tenbruggen　passed　me；
not　looking　so　pleasantly　as　usual；　joined　the　children；　and
walked　with　two　of　them；　hand　in　hand；　a　pattern　of　maternal
amiability。　I　dropped　back　a　little；　and　gave　Eunice　an
opportunity　of　joining　me；　having　purposely　left　her　to　form　her
own　opinion；　without　any　adverse　influence　exercised　on　my　part。

〃Is　that　lady　a　friend　of　yours？〃　she　asked。　〃No；　only　an
acquaintance。　What　do　you　think　of　her？〃

〃I　thought　I　should　like　her　at　first；　she　was　so　kind；　and
seemed　to　take　such　an　interest　in　me。　But　she　said　such　strange
thingsasked　if　I　was　reckoned　like　my　mother；　and　which　of　us
was　the　eldest；　my　sister　or　myself；　and　whether　we　were　my
father's　only　two　children；　and　if　one　of　us　was　more　his
favorite　than　the　other。　What　I　could　tell　her；　I　did　tell。　But
when　I　said　I　didn't　know　which　of　us　was　the　oldest；　she　gave　me
an　impudent　tap　on　the　cheek；　and　said；　'I　don't　believe　you；
child；'　and　left　me。　How　can　Selina　be　so　fond　of　her？　Don't
mention　it　to　any　one　else；　I　hope　I　shall　never　see　her　again。〃

〃I　will　keep　your　secret；　Eunice；　and　you　must　keep　mine。　I
entirely　agree　with　you。〃

〃You　agree　with　me　in　disliking　her？〃

〃Heartily。〃

We　could　say　no　more　at　that　time。　Our　friends　in　advance　were
waiting　for　us。　We　joined　them　at　once。

If　I　had　felt　any　doubt　of　the　purpose　which　had　really　induced
Mrs。　Tenbruggen　to　leave　London；　all　further　uncertainty　on　my
part　was　at　an　end。　She　had　some　vile　interest　of　her　own　to
serve　by　identifying　Mr。　Gracedieu's　adopted　childbut　what　the
nature　of　that　interest　might　be；　it　was　impossible　to　guess。　The
future；　when　I　thought　of　it　now；　filled　me　with　dismay。　A　more
utterly　helpless　position　than　mine　it　was　not　easy　to　conceive。
To　warn　the　Minister；　in　his　present　critical　state　of　health；
was　simply　impossible。　My　relations　with　Helena　forbade　me　even
to　approach　her。　And；　as　for　Selina；　she　was　little　less　than　a
mere　tool　in　the　hands　of　her　well…beloved　friend。　What；　in　God's
name；　was　I　to　do？

At　dinner…time　we　found　the　master　of　the　house　waiting　to　bid　us
welcome。

Personally　speaking；　he　presented　a　remarkable　contrast　to　the
typical　British　farmer。　He　was　neither　big　nor　burly；　he　spoke
English　as　well　as　I　did；　and　there　was　nothing　in　his　dress
which　would　have　made　him　a　fit　subject　for　a　picture　of　rustic
life。　When　he　spoke；　he　was　able　to　talk　on　subjects　unconnected
with　agricultural　pursuits；　nor　did　I　hear　him　grumble　about　the
weather　and　the　crops。　It　was　pleasant　to　see　that　his　wife　was
proud　of　him；　and　that　he　was；　what　all　fathers　ought　to　be；　his
children's　best　and　dearest　friend。　Why　do　I　dwell　on　these
details；　relating　to　a　man　whom　I　was　not　destined　to　see　again？
Only　because　I　had　reason　to　feel　grateful　to　him。　When　my
spirits　were　depressed　by　anxiety；　he　made　my　mind　easy　about
Eunice；　as　long　as　she　remained　in　his　house。

The　social　arrangements；　when　our　meal　was　over；　fell　of
themselves　into　the　right　train。

Miss　Jillgall　went　upstairs；　with　the　mother　and　the　children；　to
see　the　nursery　and　the　bedrooms。　Mrs。　Tenbruggen　discovered　a
bond　of　union　between　the　farmer　and　herself；　they　were　both
skilled　players　at　backgammon；　and　they　sat　down　to　try
conclusions　at　their　favorite　game。　Without　any　wearisome
necessity　for　excuses　or　stratagems；　Eunice　took　my　arm　and　led
me　to　the　welcome　retirement　of　her　own　sitting…room。

I　could　honestly　congratulate　her；　when　I　heard　that　she　was
established　at　the　farm　as　a　member　of　the　family。　While　she　was
governess　to　the　children；　she　was　safe　from　dangers　that　might
have　threatened　her；　if　she　had　been　compelled　by　circumstances
to　return　to　the　Minister's　house。

The　entry　in　her　Journal；　which　she　was　anxious　that　I　should
read；　was　placed　before　me　next。


I　followed　the　poor　child's　account　of　the　fearful　night　that　she
had　passed；　with　an　interest　that　held　me　breathless　to　the　end。
A　terrible　dream；　which　had　impressed　a　sense　of　its　reality　on
the　sleeper　by　reaching　its　climax　in　somnambulismthis　was　the
obvious　explanation；　no　doubt；　and　a　rational　mind　would　not
hesitate　to　accept　it。　But　a　rational　mind　is　not　a　universal
gift；　even　in　a　country　which　prides　itself　on　the　idol…worship
of　Fact。　Those　good　friends　who　are　always　better　acquainted　with
our　faults；　failings；　and　weaknesses　than　we　can　pretend　to　be
ourselves；　had　long　since　discovered　that　my　nature　was
superstitious；　and　my　imagination　likely　to　mislead　me　in　the
presence　of　events　which　encouraged　it。　Well！　I　was　weak　enough
to　recoil　from　the　purely　rational　view　of　all　that　Eunice　had
suffered；　and　heard；　and　seen；　on　the　fateful　night　recorded　in
her　Journal。　Good　and　Evil　walk　the　ways　of　this　unintelligible
world；　on　the　same　free　conditions。　If　we　cling；　as　many　of　us
do；　to　the　comforting　belief　that　departed　spirits　can　minister
to　earthly　creatures　for　goodcan　be　felt　moving　in　us；　in　a
train　of　thought；　and　seen　as　visible　manifestations；　in　a
dreamwith　what　pretense　of　reason　can　we　deny　that　the　same
freedom　of　supernatural　influence　which　is　conceded　to　the
departed　spirit；　working　for　good；　is　also　permitted　to　the
departed　spirit；　working　for　evil？　If　the　grave　cannot　wholly
part　mother　and　child；　when　the　mother's　life　has　been　good；　does
eternal　annihilation　separate　them；　when　the　mother's　life　has
been　wicked？　No！　If　the　departed　spirit　can　bring　with　it　a
blessing；　the　departed　spirit　can　bring　with　it　a　curse。　I　dared
not　confess　to　Eunice　that　the　influen