the legacy of cain-第72章
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Third Period _（continued）。_
_EVENTS IN THE FAMILY； RELATED BY MISS JILLGALL。_
CHAPTER LVIII。
DANGER。
〃IF anything of importance happens； I trust to you to write an
account of it； and to send the writing to me。 I will come to you
at once； if I see reason to believe that my presence is
required。〃 Those lines； in your last kind reply to me； rouse my
courage； dear Mr。 Governor； and sharpen the vigilance which has
always been one of the strong points in my character。 Every
suspicious circumstance which occurs in this house will be （so to
speak） seized on by my pen； and will find itself （so to speak
again） placed on its trial； before your unerring judgment！ Let
the wicked tremble！ I mention no names。
Taking up my narrative where it came to an end when I last wrote；
I have to say a word first on the subject of my discoveries； in
regard to Philip's movements。
The advertisement of a private inquiry office； which I read in a
newspaper； put the thing into my head。 I provided myself with
money to pay the expenses byI blush while I write itpawning
my watch。 This humiliation of my poor self has been rewarded by
success。 Skilled investigation has proved that our young man has
come to his senses again； exactly as I supposed。 On each occasion
when he was suspiciously absent from the house； he has been
followed to the farm。 I have been staying there myself for a day
or two； in the hope of persuading Eunice to relent。 The hope has
not yet been realized。 But Philip's devotion； assisted by my
influence； will yet prevail。 Let me not despair。
Whether Helena knows positively that she has lost her wicked hold
on Philip I cannot say。 It seems hardly possible that she could
have made the discovery just yet。 The one thing of which I am
certain is； that she looks like a fiend。
Philip has wisely taken my advice； and employed pious fraud。 He
will get away from the wretch； who has tempted him once and may
tempt him again； under pretense of using the interest of his
friends in London to find a place under Government。 He has not
been very well for the last day or two； and the execution of our
project is in consequence delayed。
I have news of Mrs。 Tenbruggen which will； I think； surprise you。
She has kept away from us in a most unaccountable manner。 I
called on her at the hotel； and heard she was engaged with her
lawyer。 On the next day； she suddenly returned to her old habits；
and paid the customary visit。 I observed a similar alteration in
her state of feeling。 She is now coldly civil to Helena； and she
asks after Eunice with a maternal interest touching to seeI
said to her： 〃Elizabeth； you appear to have changed your opinion
of the two girls； since I saw you。〃 She answered； with a
delightful candor which reminded me of old times： 〃Completely！〃 I
said： 〃A woman of your intellectual caliber； dear； doesn't change
her mind without a
good reason for it。〃 Elizabeth cordially agreed with me。 I
ventured to be a little more explicit： 〃You have no doubt made
some interesting discovery。〃 Elizabeth agreed again； and I
ventured again： 〃I suppose I may not ask what the discovery is？〃
〃No； Selina； you may not ask。〃
This is curious； but it is nothing to what I have got to tell you
next。 Just as I was longing to take her to my bosom again as my
friend and confidante； Elizabeth has disappeared。 And； alas！
alas！ there is a reason for it which no sympathetic person can
dispute。
I have just received some overwhelming news； in the form of a
neat parcel； addressed to myself。
There has been a scandal at the hotel。 That monster in human
form； Elizabeth's husband； is aware of his wife's professional
fame； has heard of the large sums of money which she earns as the
greatest living professor of massage； has been long on the
lookout for her； and has discovered her at last。 He has not only
forced his way into her sitting…room at the hotel； he insists on
her living with him again； her money being the attraction； it is
needless to say。 If she refuses； he threatens her with the law；
the barbarous law； which； to use his own coarse expression； will
〃restore his conjugal rights。〃
All this I gather from the narrative of my unhappy friend； which
forms one of the two inclosures in her parcel。 She has already
made her escape。 Ha！ the man doesn't live who can circumvent
Elizabeth。 The English Court of Law isn't built which can catch
her when she roams the free and glorious Continent。
The vastness of this amazing woman's mind is what I must pause to
admire。 In the frightful catastrophe that has befallen her； she
can still think of Philip and Euneece。 She is eager to hear of
their marriage； and renounces Helena with her whole heart。 〃I too
was deceived by that cunning young Woman；〃 she writes。 〃Beware of
her； Selina。 Unless I am much mistaken； she is going to end
badly。 Take care of Philip； take care of Euneece。 If you want
help； apply at once to my favorite hero in real life； The
Governor。〃 I don't presume to correct Elizabeth's language。 I
should have called you The idol of the Women。
The second inclosure contains； as I suppose； a wedding present。
It is carefully sealedit feels no bigger than an ordinary
letterand it contains an inscription which your
highly…cultivated intelligence may be able to explain。 I copy it
as follows：
〃To be inclosed in another envelope； addressed to Mr。 Dunboyne
the elder； at Percy's Private Hotel； London； and delivered by a
trustworthy messenger； on the day when Mr。 Philip Dunboyne is
married to Miss Eunice Gracedieu。 Placed meanwhile under the care
of Miss Selina Jillgall。〃
Why is this mysterious letter to be sent to Philip's father？ I
wonder whether that circumstance will puzzle you as it has
puzzled me。
I have kept my report back； so as to send you the last news
relating to Philip's state of health。 To my great regret； his
illness seems to have made a serious advance since yesterday。
When I ask if he is in pain； he says： 〃It isn't exactly pain； I
feel as if I was sinking。 Sometimes I am giddy； and sometimes I
find myself feeling thirsty and sick。〃 I have no opportunity of
looking after him as I could wish； for Helena insists on nursing
him； assisted by the housemaid。 Maria is a very good girl in her
way； but too stupid to be of much use。 If he is not better
to…morrow； I shall insist on sending for the doctor。
He is no better； and he wishes to have medical help。 Helena
doesn't seem to understand his illness。 It was not until Philip
had insisted on seeing him that she consented to send for the
doctor。
You had some talk with this experienced physician when you were
here； and you know what a clever man he is。 When I tell you that
he hesitates to say what is the matter with Philip； you will feel
as much alarmed as I do。 I will wait to send this to the post
until I can write in a more definite way。
Two days more have passed。 The doctor has put two very strange
questions to me。
He asked； first； if there was anybody staying with us besides the
regular members of the household。 I said we had no visitor。 He
wanted to know； next； if Mr。 Philip Dunboyne had made any enemies
since he has been living in our town。 I said none that I knew
ofand I took the liberty of asking what he meant。 He answered
to this； that he has a few more inquiries to make； and that he
will tell me what he means to…morrow。
For God's sake come here as soon as you possibly can。 The whole
burden is thrown on meand I am quite unequal to it。
I received the doctor to…day in the drawing…room。 To my
amazement； he begged leave to speak with me in the garden。 When I
asked why； he answered： 〃I don't want to have a listener at the
door。 Come out on the lawn； where we can be sure that we are
alone。〃
When we were in the garden； he noticed that I was trembling。
〃Rouse your courage； Miss Jillgall；〃 he said。 〃In the Minister's
helpless state there is nobody whom I can speak to but yourself。〃
I ventured to remind him that he might speak to Helena as well as
to myself。
He looked as black as thunder when I mentioned her name。 All he
said was； 〃No！〃 But； oh； if you had heard his voiceand he so
gentle and sweet…tempered at
