the legacy of cain-第70章
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As I crouched behind the hedge； I heard voices approaching on the
other side of it。 At last fortune had befriended me。 The person
speaking at the moment was Miss Jillgall； and the person who
answered her was Philip。
〃I am afraid； dear Mr。 Philip； you don't quite understand my
sweet Euneece。 Honorable； high minded； delicate in her feelings；
and； oh； so unselfish！ I don't want to alarm you； but when she
hears you have been deceiving Helena〃
〃Upon my word； Miss Jillgall； you are so provoking！ I have not
been deceiving Helena。 Haven't I told you what discouraging
answers I got； when I went to see the Governor？ Haven't I shown
you Eunice's reply to my letter？ You can't have forgotten it
already？〃
〃Oh； yes； I have。 Why should I remember it？ Don't I know poor
Euneece was in your mind； all the time？〃
〃You're wrong again！ Eunice was not in my mind all the time。 I
was hurtI was offended by the cruel manner in which she had
treated me。 And what was the consequence？ So far was I from
deceiving Helenashe rose in my estimation by comparison with
her sister。〃
〃Oh； come； come； Mr。 Philip！ that won't do。 Helena rising in
anybody's estimation？ Ha！ ha！ ha！〃
〃Laugh as much as you like； Miss Jillgall； you won't laugh away
the facts。 Helena loved me； Helena was true to me。 Don't be hard
on a poor fellow who is half distracted。 What a man finds he can
do on one day； he finds he can't do on another。 Try to understand
that a change does sometimes come over one's feelings。〃
〃Bless my soul； Mr。 Philip； that's just what I have been
understanding all the time！ I know your mind as well as you know
it yourself。 You can't forget my sweet Euneece。〃
〃I tell you I tried to forget her！ On my word of honor as a
gentleman； I tried to forget her； in justice to Helena。 Is it my
fault that I failed？ Eunice was in my mind； as you said just now。
Oh； my friendfor you are my friend； I am surepersuade her to
see me； if it's only for a minute！〃
（Was there ever a man's mind in such a state of confusion as
this！ First； I rise in his precious estimation； and Eunice drops。
Then Eunice rises； and I drop。 Idiot！ Mischievous idiot！ Even
Selina seemed to be disgusted with him； when she spoke next。）
〃Mr。 Philip； you are hard and unreasonable。 I have tried to
persuade her； and I have made my darling cry。 Nothing you can say
will induce me to distress her again。 Go back； you very
undetermined mango back to your Helena。〃
〃Too late。〃
〃Nonsense！〃
〃I say too late。 If I could have married Helena when I first went
to
stay in the house； I might have faced the sacrifice。 As it is； I
can't endure her； and （I tell you this in confidence） she has
herself to thank for what has happened。〃
〃Is that really true？〃
〃Quite true。〃
〃Tell me what she did。
〃Oh； don't talk of her！ Persuade Eunice to see me。 I shall come
back again； and again； and again till you bring her to me。〃
〃Please don't talk nonsense。 If she changes her mind； I will
bring her with pleasure。 If she still shrinks from it； I regard
Euneece's feelings as sacred。 Take my advice； don't press her。
Leave her time to think of you； and to pity youand that true
heart may be yours again； if you are worthy of it。〃
〃Worthy of it？ What do you mean？〃
〃Are you quite sure； my young friend； that you won't go back to
Helena？〃
〃Go back to _her？_ I would cut my throat if I thought myself
capable of doing it！〃
〃How did she set you against her？ Did the wretch quarrel with
you？〃
〃It might have been better for both of us if she had done that。
Oh； her fulsome endearments！ What a contrast to the charming
modesty of Eunice！ If I was rich； I would make it worth the while
of the first poor fellow I could find to rid me of Helena by
marrying her。 I don't like saying such a thing of a woman； but if
you will have the truth〃
〃Well； Mr。 Philipand what is the truth？〃
〃Helena disgusts me。〃
CHAPTER LVII。
HELENA'S DIARY RESUMED。
So it was all settled between them。 Philip is to throw me away；
like one of his bad cigars； for this unanswerable reason： 〃Helena
disgusts me。〃 And he is to persuade Eunice to take my place； and
be his wife。 Yes！ if I let him do it。
I heard no more of their talk。 With that last； worst outrage
burning in my memory； I left the place。
On my way back to the carriage； the dog met me。 Truly； a grand
creature。 I called him by his name； and patted him。 He licked my
hand。 Something made me speak to him。 I said： 〃If I was to tell
you to tear Mr。 Philip Dunboyne to pieces； would you do it？〃 The
great good…natured brute held out his paw to shake hands。 Well！
well！ I was not an object of disgust to the dog。
But the coachman was startled； when he saw me again。 He said
something； I did not know what it was； and he produced a
pocket…flask； containing some spirits； I suppose。 Perhaps he
thought I was going to faint。 He little knew me。 I told him to
drive back to the place at which I had hired the cab； and earn
his money。 He earned it。
On getting home； I found Mrs。 Tenbruggen walking up and down the
dining…room； deep in thought。 She was startled when we first
confronted each other。 〃You look dreadfully ill；〃 she said。
I answered that I had been out for a little exercise； and had
over…fatigued myself； and then changed the subject。 〃Does my
father seem to improve under your treatment？〃 I asked。
〃Very far from it； my dear。 I promised that I would try what
Massage would do for him； and I find myself compelled to give it
up。〃
〃Why？〃
〃It excites him dreadfully。〃
〃In what way？〃
〃He has been talking wildly of events in his past life。 His brain
is in some condition which is beyond my powers of investigation。
He pointed to a cabinet in his room； and said his past life was
locked up there。 I asked if I should unlock it。 He shook with
fear； he said I should let out the ghost of his dead
brother…in…law。 Have you any idea of what he meant？〃
The cabinet was full of old letters。 I could tell her thatand
could tell her no more。 I had never heard of his brother…in…law。
Another of his delusions； no doubt。 〃Did you ever hear him
speak；〃 Mrs。 Tenbruggen went on； 〃of a place called Low Lanes？〃
She waited for my reply to this last inquiry with an appearance
of anxiety that surprised me。 I had never heard him speak of Low
Lanes。
〃Have you any particular interest in the place？〃 I asked。
〃None whatever。〃
She went away to attend on a patient。 I retired to my bedroom；
and opened my Diary。 Again and again； I read that remarkable
story of the intended poisoning； and of the manner in which it
had ended。 I sat thinking over this romance in real life till I
was interrupted by the announcement of dinner。
Mr。 Philip Dunboyne had returned。 In Miss Jillgall's absence we
were alone at the table。 My appetite was gone。 I made a pretense
of eating； and another pretense of being glad to see my devoted
lover。 I talked to him in the prettiest manner。 As a hypocrite；
he thoroughly matched me； he was gallant； he was amusing。 If
baseness like ours had been punishable by the law； a prison was
the right place for both of us。
Mrs。 Tenbruggen came in again after dinner； still not quite easy
about my health。 〃How flushed you are！〃 she said。 〃Let me feel
your pulse。〃 I laughed； and left her with Mr。 Philip Dunboyne。
Passing my father's door； I looked in； anxious to see if he was
in the excitable state which Mrs。 Tenbruggen had described。 Yes；
the effect which she had produced on himhow； she knows
besthad not passed away yet： he was still talking。 The
attendant told me it had gone on for hours together。 On my
approaching his chair； he called out： 〃Which are you？ Eunice or
Helena？〃 When I had answered him； he beckoned me to come nearer。
〃I am getting stronger every minute；〃 he said。 〃We will go
traveling to…morrow； and see the place where you were born。〃
Where had I been born？ He had never told me where。 Had he
mentioned the place in Mrs。 Tenbruggen's hearing？ I asked the
attendant if he had been present while she was in the room。 Yes；
he had remained at his post； he had also heard the allusion to
the place with the odd name。 Had Mr。 Gracedieu said anything more
about that place？
