the legacy of cain-第63章

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my　return　to　London　would　serve；　rather　than　compromise；　the
interests　which　it　was　my　chief　anxiety　to　defend。　I　had　foreseen
that　Mrs。　Tenbruggen　would　wait　to　set　her　enterprise　on　foot；
until　I　was　out　of　her　way；　and　I　had　calculated　on　my　absence　as
an　event　which　would　at　least　put　an　end　to　suspense　by
encouraging　her　to　begin。

The　first　sentences　in　Miss　Jillgall's　letter　explain　the　nature
of　her　interest　in　the　proceedings　of　her　friend；　and　are；　on
that　account；　worth　reading。

〃Things　are　sadly　changed　for　the　worse〃　（Selina　writes）；　〃but　I
don't　forget　that　Philip　was　once　engaged　to　Euneece；　and　that
Mr。　Gracedieu's　extraordinary　conduct　toward　him　puzzled　us　all。
The　mode　of　discovery　which　dear　Elizabeth　suggested　by　letter；
at　that　time；　appears　to　be　the　mode　which　she　is　following　now。
When　I　asked　why；　she　said：　'Philip　may　return　to　Euneece；　the
Minister　may　recoverand　will　be　all　the　more　likely　to　do　so　if
he　tries　Massage。　In　that　case；　he　will　probably　repeat　the
conduct　which　surprised　you；　and　your　natural　curiosity　will　ask
me　again　to　find　out　what　it　means。　Am　I　your　friend；　Selina；　or
am　I　not？'　This　was　so　delightfully　kind；　and　so　irresistibly
conclusive；　that　I　kissed　her　in　a　transport　of　gratitude。　With
what　breathless　interest　I　have　watched　her　progress　toward
penetrating　the　mystery　of　the　girls'　ages；　it　is　quite　needless
to　tell　　you。〃

。　。　。　。　。　。　。

Mrs。　Tenbruggen's　method　o　f　keeping　Miss　Jillgall　in　ignorance
of　what　she　was　really　about；　and　Miss　Jillgall's　admirable
confidence　in　the　integrity　of　Mrs。　Tenbruggen；　being　now　set
forth　on　the　best　authority；　an　exact　presentation　of　the　state
of　affairs　will　be　completed　if　I　add　a　word　more；　relating　to
the　positions　actually　occupied　toward　Mrs。　Tenbruggen's
enterprise；　by　my　correspondent　and　myself。

On　her　side；　Miss　Jillgall　was　entirely　ignorant　that　one　of　the
two　girls　was　not　Mr。　Gracedieu's　daughter；　but　his　adopted
child。　On　my　side；　I　was　entirely　ignorant　of　Mrs。　Tenbruggen's
purpose　in　endeavoring　to　identify　the　daughter　of　the　murderess。
Speaking　of　myself；　individually；　let　me　add　that　I　only　waited
the　event　to　protect　the　helpless　onesmy　poor　demented　friend；
and　the　orphan　whom　his　mercy　received　into　his　heart　and　his
home。

Miss　Jillgall　goes　on　with　her　curious　story；　as　follows：

。　。　。　。　。　。　。

〃Always　desirous　of　making　myself　useful；　I　thought　I　would　give
my　dear　Elizabeth　a　hint　which　might　save　time　and　trouble。　'Why
not　begin；'　I　suggested；　'by　asking　the　Governor　to　help　you？'
That　wonderful　woman　never　forgets　anything。　She　had　already
applied　to　you；　without　success。

〃In　my　next　attempt　to　be　useful；　I　did　violence　to　my　most
cherished　convictions；　by　presenting　the　wretch　Helena　to　the
admirable　Elizabeth。　That　the　former　would　be　cold　as　ice；　in　her
reception　of　any　friend　of　mine；　was　nothing　wonderful。　Mrs。
Tenbruggen　passed　it　over　with　the　graceful　composure　of　a　woman
of　the　world。　In　the　course　of　conversation　with　Helena；　she
slipped　in　a　question：　'Might　I　ask　if　you　are　older　than　your
sister？'　The　answer　was；　of　course：　'I　don't　know。'　And　here；　for
once；　the　most　deceitful　girl　in　existence　spoke　the　truth。

〃When　we　were　alone　again；　Elizabeth　made　a　remark：　'If　personal
appearance　could　decide　the　question；'　she　said；　'the
disagreeable　young　woman　is　the　oldest　of　the　two。　The　next　thing
to　be　done　is　to　discover　if　looks　are　to　be　trusted　in　this
case。'

〃My　friend's　lawyer　received　confidential　instructions　（not　shown
to　me；　which　seems　rather　hard）　to　trace　the　two　Miss　Gracedieus'
registers　of　birth。　Elizabeth　described　this　proceeding　（not　very
intelligibly　to　my　mind）　as　a　means　of　finding　out　which　of　the
girls　could　be　identified　by　name　as　the　elder　of　the　two。

〃The　report　arrived　this　morning。　I　was　only　informed　that　the
result；　in　one　case；　had　entirely　defeated　the　inquiries。　In　the
other　case；　Elizabeth　had　helped　her　agent　by　referring　him　to　a
Birth；　advertised　in　the　customary　columns　of　the　_Times_
newspaper。　Even　here；　there　was　a　fatal　obstacle。　The　name　of　the
place　in　which　Mr。　Gracedieu's　daughter　had　been　born　was　not
added；　as　usual。

〃I　still　tried　to　be　useful。　Had　my　friend　known　the　Minister's
wife？　My　friend　had　never　even　seen　the　Minister's　wife。　And；　as
if　by　a　fatality；　her　portrait　was　no　longer　in　existence。　I
could　only　mention　that　Helena　was　like　her　mother。　But　Elizabeth
seemed　to　attach　very　little　importance　to　my　evidence；　if　I　may
call　it　by　so　grand　a　name。　'People　have　such　strange　ideas　about
likenesses；'　she　said；　'and　arrive　at　such　contradictory
conclusions。　One　can　only　trust　one's　own　eyes　in　a　matter　of
that　kind。'

〃My　friend　next　asked　me　about　our　domestic　establishment。　We　had
only　a　cook　and　a　housemaid。　If　they　were　old　servants　who　had
known　the　girls　as　children；　they　might　be　made　of　some　use。　Our
luck　was　as　steadily　against　us　as　ever。　They　had　both　been
engaged　when　Mr。　Gracedieu　assumed　his　new　pastoral　duties；　after
having　resided　with　his　wife　at　her　native　place。

〃I　asked　Elizabeth　what　she　proposed　to　do　next。

〃She　deferred　her　answer；　until　I　had　first　told　her　whether　the
visit　of　the　doctor　might　be　expected　on　that　day。　I　could　reply
to　this　in　the　negative。　Elizabeth；　thereupon；　made　a　startling
request；　she　begged　me　to　introduce　her　to　Mr。　Gracedieu。

〃I　said：　'Surely；　you　have　forgotten　the　sad　state　of　his　mind？'
No；　she　knew　perfectly　well　that　he　was　imbecile。　'I　want　to
try；'　she　explained；　'if　I　can　rouse　him　for　a　few　minutes。'

〃　'By　Massage？'　I　inquired。

〃She　burst　out　laughing。　'Massage；　my　dear；　doesn't　act　in　that
way。　It　is　an　elaborate　process；　pursued　patiently　for　weeks
together。　But　my　hands　have　more　than　one　accomplishment　at　their
finger…ends。　Oh；　make　your　mind　easy！　I　shall　do　no　harm；　if　I　do
no　good。　Take　me。　Selina；　to　the　Minister。'

〃We　went　to　his　room。　Don't　blame　me　for　giving　way；　I　am　too
fond　of　Elizabeth　to　be　able　to　disappoint　her。

〃It　was　a　sad　sight　when　we　went　in。　He　was　quite　happy；　playing
like　a　child；　at　cup…and…ball。　The　attendant　retired　at　my
request。　I　introduced　Mrs。　Tenbruggen。　He　smiled　and　shook　hands
with　her。　He　said：　'Are　you　a　Christian　or　a　Pagan？　You　are　very
pretty。　How　many　times　can　you　catch　the　ball　in　the　cup？'　The
effort　to　talk　to　her　ended　there。　He　went　on　with　his　game；　and
seemed　to　forget　that　there　was　anybody　in　the　room。　It　made　my
heart　ache　to　remember　what　he　wasand　to　see　him　now。

〃Elizabeth　whispered：　'Leave　me　alone　with　him。'

〃I　don't　know　why　I　did　such　a　rude　thingI　hesitated。

〃Elizabeth　asked　me　if　I　had　no　confidence　in　her。　I　was　ashamed
of　myself；　I　left　them　together。

〃A　long　half…hour　passed。　Feeling　a　little　uneasy；　I　went
upstairs　again　and　looked　into　the　room。　He　was　leaning　back　in
his　chair；　his　plaything　was　on　the　floor；　and　he　was　looking
vacantly　at　the　light　that　came　in　through　the　window。　I　found
Mrs。　Tenbruggen　at　the　other　end　of　the　room；　in　the　act　of
ringing　the　bell。　Nothing　in　the　least　out　of　the　ordinary　way
seemed　to　have　happened。　When　the　attendant　had　answered　the
bell；　we　left　the　room　together。　Mr。　Gracedieu　took　no　notice　of
us。

〃　'Well；'　I　said；　'how　has　it　ended？'

〃Quite　calmly　my　noble　Elizabeth　answered：　'In　total　failure。'

〃　'What　did　you　say　to　him　after　you　sent　me　away？'

〃　'I　tried；　in　every　possible　way；　to　get　him　to　tell　me　which　of
his　two　daughters　was　the　oldest。'

〃　'Did　he　refuse　to　answer？'

〃　'He　was　only　too　ready　to　answer。　First；　he　said　Helena　was　the
oldestthen　he　corrected　himself；　and　declared　that　Eunice　was
the　oldestthen　he　said　they　were　twinsthen　he　went　back　to
Helena　and　Eunice。　Now　one　was　the　oldest；　and　now　the　other。　He
rang　the　changes　on　those　two　names；　I　can't　tell　you　how　often；
and　seemed　to　think　it　a　better　game　than　cup…and…ball。'

〃　'What　is　to　be　done？'

〃　'Nothing　is　to　be　done；　Selina。'

〃　'What！'　I　cried；　'you　give　it　up？'

〃My　heroic　friend　answered：　'I　know　when　I　am　beaten；　my　dearI
give　it　up。'　She　looked　at　her　watch；　it　was　time　to　operate　on
the　muscles　of