the legacy of cain-第67章

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on　a　matter　concerning　himself。　The　competent　person　is　the
sagacious　（not　to　say　sly）　old　gentlemanwhom　we　used　to　call
the　Governor。　You　know　him；　I　believe？〃

〃Yes。　But　I　am　at　a　loss　to　imagine　why　Philip　should　have
consulted　him。〃

〃Have　you　ever　heard　or　read；　Miss　Helena；　of　such　a　thing　as　'an
old　man's　fancy'？〃

〃I　think　I　have。〃

〃Well；　the　Governor　has　taken　an　old　man's　fancy　to　your　sister。
They　appeared　to　understand　each　other　perfectly　when　I　was　at
the　farmhouse。〃

〃Excuse　me；　Mrs。　Tenbruggen；　that　is　what　I　know　already。　Why　did
Philip　go　to　the　Governor？〃

She　smiled。　〃If　anybody　is　acquainted　with　the　true　state　of　your
sister's　feelings；　the　Governor　is　the　man。　I　sent　Mr。　Dunboyne
to　consult　himand　there　is　the　reason　for　it。〃

This　open　avowal　of　her　motives　perplexed　and　offended　me。　After
declaring　herself　to　be　interested　in　my　marriage…engagement　had
she　changed　her　mind；　and　resolved　on　favoring　Philip's　return　to
Eunice？　What　right　had　he　to　consult　anybody　about　the　state　of
that　girl's　feelings？　_My_　feelings　form　the　only　subject　of
inquiry　that　was　properly　open　to　him。　I　should　have　said
something　which　I　might　have　afterward　regretted；　if　Mrs。
Tenbruggen　had　allowed　me　the　opportunity。　Fortunately　for　both
of　us；　she　went　on　with　her　narrative　of　her　own　proceedings。

〃Philip　Dunboyne　is　an　excellent　fellow；〃　she　continued；　〃I
really　like　himbut　he　has　his　faults。　He　sadly　wants　strength
of　purpose；　and；　like　weak　men　in　general；　he　only　knows　his　own
mind　when　a　resolute　friend　takes　him　in　hand　and　guides　him。　I
am　his　resolute　friend。　I　saw　him　veering　about　between　you　and
Eunice；　and　I　decided　for　his　sakemay　I　say　for　your　sake
also？on　putting　an　end　to　that　mischievous　state　of　indecision。
You　have　the　claim　on　him；　you　are　the　right　wife　for　him；　and
the　Governor　was　（as　I　thought　likely　from　what　I　had　myself
observed）　the　man　to　make　him　see　it。　I　am　not　in　anybody's
secrets；　it　was　pure　guesswork　on　my　part；　and　it　has　succeeded。
Th　ere　is　no　more　doubt　now　about　Miss　Eunice's　sentiments。　The
question　is　settled。〃

〃In　my　favor？〃

〃Certainly　in　your　favoror　I　should　not　have　said　a　word　about
it。〃

〃Was　Philip's　visit　kindly　received？　Or　did　the　old　wretch　laugh
at　him？〃

〃My　dear　Miss　Gracedieu；　the　old　wretch　is　a　man　of　the　world；
and　never　makes　mistakes　of　that　sort。　Before　he　could　open　his
lips；　he　had　to　satisfy　himself　that　your　lover　deserved　to　be
taken　into　his　confidence；　on　the　delicate　subject　of　Eunice's
sentiments。　He　arrived　at　a　favorable　conclusion。　I　can　repeat
Philip's　questions　and　the　Governor's　answers　after　putting　the
young　man　through　a　stiff　examination　just　as　they　passed：　'May　I
inquire；　sir；　if　she　has　spoken　to　you　about　me？'　'She　has　often
spoken　about　you。'　'Did　she　seem　to　be　angry　with　me？'　'She　is
too　good　and　too　sweet　to　be　angry　with　you。'　'Do　you　think　she
will　forgive　me？'　'She　has　forgiven　you。'　'Did　she　say　so
herself？'　'Yes；　of　her　own　free　will。'　'Why　did　she　refuse　to　see
me　when　I　called　at　the　farm？'　'She　had　her　own　reasonsgood
reasons。'　'Has　she　regretted　it　since？'　'Certainly　not。'　'Is　it
likely　that　she　would　consent；　if　I　proposed　a　reconciliation？'
'I　put　that　question　to　her　myself。'　'How　did　she　take　it；　sir？'
'She　declined　to　take　it。'　'You　mean　that　she　declined　a
reconciliation？'　'Yes。'　'Are　you　sure　she　was　in　earnest？'　'I　am
positively　sure。'　That　last　answer　seems；　by　young　Dunboyne's　own
confession；　to　have　been　enough；　and　more　than　enough　for　him。　He
got　up　to　goand　then　an　odd　thing　happened。　After　giving　him
the　most　unfavorable　answers；　the　Governor　patted　him　paternally
on　the　shoulder；　and　encouraged　him　to　hope。　'Before　we　say
good…by；　Mr。　Philip；　one　word　more。　If　I　was　as　young　as　you　are；
I　should　not　despair。'　There　is　a　sudden　change　of　front！　Who　can
explain　it？〃

The　Governor's　mischievous　resolution　to　reconcile　Philip　and
Eunice　explained　it；　of　course。　With　the　best　intentions
（perhaps）　Mrs。　Tenbruggen　had　helped　that　design　by　bringing　the
two　men　together。　〃Go　on；〃　I　said；　〃I　am　prepared　to　hear　next
that　Philip　has　paid　another　visit　to　my　sister；　and　has　been
received　this　time。〃

I　must　say　this　for　Mrs。　Tenbruggen：　she　kept　her　temper
perfectly。

〃He　has　not　been　to　the　farm；〃　she　said；　〃but　he　has　done
something　nearly　as　foolish。　He　has　written　to　your　sister。〃

〃And　he　has　received　a　favorable　reply；　of　course？〃

She　put　her　hand　into　the　pocket　of　her　dress。

〃There　is　your　sister's　reply；〃　she　said。

Any　persons　who　have　had　a　crushing　burden　lifted；　unexpectedly
and　instantly；　from　off　their　minds；　will　know　what　I　felt　when　I
read　the　reply。　In　the　most　positive　language；　Eunice　refused　to
correspond　with　Philip；　or　to　speak　with　him。　The　concluding
words　proved　that　she　was　in　earnest。　〃You　are　engaged　to　Helena。
Consider　me　as　a　stranger　until　you　are　married。　After　that　time
you　will　be　my　brother…in…law；　and　then　I　may　pardon　you　for
writing　to　me。〃

Nobody　who　knows　Eunice　would　have　supposed　that　she　possessed
those　two　valuable　qualitiescommon…sense　and　proper　pride。　It
is　pleasant　to　feel　that　I　can　now　send　cards　to　my　sister；　when
I　am　Mrs。　Philip　Dunboyne。

I　returned　the　letter　to　Mrs。　Tenbruggen；　with　the　sincerest
expressions　of　regret　for　having　doubted　her。　〃I　have　been
unworthy　of　your　generous　interest　in　me；〃　I　said；　〃I　am　almost
ashamed　to　offer　you　my　hand。〃

She　took　my　hand；　and　gave　it　a　good；　heady　shake。

〃Are　we　friends？〃　she　asked；　in　the　simplest　and　prettiest
manner。　〃Then　let　us　be　easy　and　pleasant　again；〃　she　went　on。
〃Will　you　call　me　Elizabeth；　and　shall　I　call　you　Helena？　Very
well。　Now　I　have　got　something　else　to　say；　another　secret　which
must　be　kept　from　Philip　（I　call　_him_　by　his　name　now；　you　see）
for　a　few　days　more。　Your　happiness；　my　dear；　must　not　depend　on
his　miserly　old　father。　He　must　have　a　little　income　of　his　own
to　marry　on。　Among　the　hundreds　of　unfortunate　wretches　whom　I
have　relieved　from　torture　of　mind　and　body；　there　is　a　grateful
minority。　Small！　small！　but　there　they　are。　I　have　influence
among　powerful　people；　and　I　am　trying　to　make　Philip　private
secretary　to　a　member　of　Parliament。　When　I　have　succeeded；　you
shall　tell　him　the　good　news。〃

What　a　vile　humor　I　must　have　been　in；　at　the　time；　not　to　have
appreciated　the　delightful　gayety　of　this　good　creature；　I　went
to　the　other　extreme　now；　and　behaved　like　a　gushing　young　miss
fresh　from　school。　I　kissed　her。

She　burst　out　laughing。　〃What　a　sacrifice！〃　she　cried。　〃A　kiss
for　me；　which　ought　to　have　been　kept　for　Philip！　By…the…by；　do
you　know　what　I　should　do；　Helena；　in　your　place？　I　should　take
our　handsome　young　man　away　from　that　hotel！〃

〃I　will　do　anything　that　you　advise；〃　I　said。

〃And　you　will　do　well；　my　child。　In　the　first　place；　the　hotel　is
too　expensive　for　Philip's　small　means。　In　the　second　place；　two
of　the　chambermaids　have　audaciously　presumed　to　be　charming
girls；　and　the　men；　my　dearwell！　well！　I　will　leave　you　to　find
that　out　for　yourself。　In　the　third　place；　you　want　to　have
Philip　under　your　own　wing；　domestic　familiarity　will　make　him
fonder　of　you　than　ever。　Keep　him　out　of　the　sort　of　company　that
he　meets　with　in　the　billiard…room　and　the　smoking…room。　You　have
got　a　spare　bed　here；　I　know；　and　your　poor　father　is　in　no
condition　to　use　his　authority。　Make　Philip　one　of　the　family。〃

This　last　piece　of　advice　staggered　me。　I　mentioned　the
Proprieties。　Mrs。　Tenbruggen　laughed　at　the　Proprieties。

〃Make　Selina　of　some　use；〃　she　suggested。　〃While　you　have　got
_her_　in　the　house；　Propriety　is　rampant。　Why　condemn　poor
helpless　Philip　to　cheap　lodgings？　Time　enough　to　cast　him　out　to
the　feather…bed　and　the　fleas　on　the　night　before　your　marriage。
Besides；　I　shall　be　in　and　out　constantlyfor　I　mean　to　cure
your　father。　The　tongue　of　scandal　is　silent　in　my　awful
presence；　an　atmosphere　of　virtue　surrounds　Mamma　Tenbruggen。
Think　of　it。〃


CHAPTER　LV。

HELENA'S　DIARY　RESUMED。


I　DID　think　of　it。　Philip　came　to　us；　and　lived　in　our　house。

Let　me　hasten　to　add　that　the　protest