the legacy of cain-第76章
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night for a few minutes only。 I'm really afraid I shall be led
into doing it； if she goes on persuading me much longer。〃
I commended Maria for feeling scruples which proved her to be the
best of good girls； and promised to relieve her from all fear of
future temptation。 This was easily done。 Euneece kept the key of
Philip's door in her pocket； and I kept the key of the
dining…room door in mine。
CHAPTER LXI。
ATROCITY。
ON the next day； a Tuesday in the week； an event took place which
Euneece and I viewed with distrust。 Early in the afternoon； a
young man called with a note for Helena。 It was to be given to
her immediately； and no answer was required。
Maria had just closed the house door； and was on her way upstairs
with the letter； when she was called back by another ring at the
bell。 Our visitor was the doctor。 He spoke to Maria in the hall：
〃I think I see a note in your hand。 Was it given to you by the
young man who has just left the house？〃
〃Yes； sir。
〃If he's your sweetheart； my dear； I have nothing more to say。〃
〃Good gracious； doctor； how you do talk！ I never saw the young
man before in my life。〃
〃In that case； Maria； I will ask you to let me look at the
address。 Aha！ Mischief！〃
The moment I heard that I threw open the dining…room door。
Curiosity is not easily satisfied。 When it hears； it wants to
see； when it sees； it wants to know。 Every lady will agree with
me in this observation。
〃Pray come in；〃 I said。
〃One minute； Miss Jillgall。 My girl； when you give Miss Helena
that note； try to get a sly look at her when she opens it； and
come and tell me what you have seen。〃 He joined me in the
dining…room； and closed the door。 〃The other day；〃 he went on；
〃when I told you what I had discovered in the chemist's shop； I
think I mentioned a young man who was called to speak to a
question of identityan assistant who knew Miss Helena Gracedieu
by sight。〃
〃Yes； yes！〃
〃That young man left the note which Maria has just taken
upstairs。〃
〃Who wrote it； doctor； and what does it say？〃
〃Questions naturally asked； Miss Jillgalland not easily
answered。 Where is Eunice？ Her quick wit might help us。〃
She had gone out to buy some fruit and flowers for Philip。
The doctor accepted his disappointment resignedly。 〃Let us try
what we can do without her；〃 he said。 〃That young man's master
has been in consultation （you may remember why） with his lawyer；
and Helena may be threatened by an investigation before the
magistrates。 If this wild guess of mine turns out to have hit the
mark； the poisoner upstairs has got a warning。〃
I asked if the chemist had written the note。 Foolish enough of me
when I came to think of it。 The chemist would scarcely act a
friendly part toward Helena； when she was answerable for the
awkward position in which he had placed himself。 Perhaps the
young man who had left the warning was also the writer of the
warning。 The doctor reminded me that he was all but a stranger to
Helena。 〃We are not usually interested；〃 he remarked； 〃in a
person whom we only know by sight。〃
〃Remember that he is a young man；〃 I ventured to say。 This was a
strong hint； but the doctor failed to see it。 He had evidently
forgotten his own youth。 I made another attempt。
〃And vile as Helena is；〃 I continued； 〃we cannot deny that this
disgrace to her sex is a handsome young lady。〃
He saw it at last。 〃Woman's wit！〃 he cried。 〃You have hit it；
Miss Jillgall。 The young fool is smitten with her； and has given
her a chance of making her escape。〃
〃Do you think she will take the chance？〃
〃For all our sakes； I pray God she may！ But I don't feel sure
about it。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Recollect what you and Eunice have done。 You have shown your
suspicion of her without an attempt to conceal it。 If you had put
her in prison you could not have more completely defeated her
infernal design。 Do you think she is a likely person to submit to
that； without an effort to be even with you？〃
Just as he said those terrifying words； Maria came back to us。 He
asked at once what had kept her so long upstairs。
The girl had evidently something to say； which had inflated her
（if I may use such an expression） with a sense of her own
importance。
〃Please to let me tell it； sir；〃 she answered； 〃in my own way。
Miss Helena turned as pale as ashes when she opened the letter；
and then she took a turn in the room； and then she looked at me
with a smilewell； miss； I can only say that I felt that smile
in the small of my back。 I tried to get to the door。 She stopped
me。 She says： 'Where's Miss Eunice？' I says： 'Gone out。' She
says： 'Is there anybody in the drawing…room？' I says： 'No； miss。'
She says： 'Tell Miss Jillgall I want to speak to her； and say I
am waiting in the drawing…room。' It's every word of it true！ And；
if a poor servant may give an opinion； I don't like the look of
it。〃
The doctor dismissed Maria。 〃Whatever it is；〃 he said to me； 〃you
must go and hear it。〃
I am not a courageous woman； I expressed myself as being willing
to go to her； if the doctor went with me。 He said that was
impossible； she would probably refuse to speak before any
witness； and certainly before him。 But he promised to look after
Philip in my absence； and to wait below if it really so happened
that I wanted him。 I need only ring the bell； and he would come
to me the moment he heard it。 Such kindness as this roused my
courage； I suppose。 At any rate； I went upstairs。
She was standing by the fire…place； with her elbow on the
chimney…piece； and her head； resting on her hand。 I stopped just
inside the door； waiting to hear what she had to say。 In this
position her side…face only was presented to me。 It was a ghastly
face。 The eye that I could see turned wickedly on me when I came
inthen turned away again。 Otherwise； she never moved。 I confess
I trembled； but I did my best to disguise it。
She broke out suddenly with what she had to say： 〃I won't allow
this state of things to go on any longer。 My horror of an
exposure which will disgrace the family has kept me silent；
wrongly silent； so far。 Philip's life is in danger。 I am
forgetting my duty to my affianced husband； if I allow myself to
be kept away from him any longer。 Open those locked doors； and
relieve me from the sight of you。 Open the doors； I say； or you
will both of youyou the accomplice； she the wretch who directs
yourepent it to the end of your lives。〃
In my own mind； I asked myself if she had gone mad。 But I only
answered： 〃I don't understand you。〃
She said again： 〃You are Eunice's accomplice。〃
〃Accomplice in what？〃 I asked。
She turned her head slowly and faced me。 I shrank from looking at
her。
〃All the circumstances prove it；〃 she went on。 〃I have supplanted
Eunice in Philip's affection。 She was once engaged to marry him；
I am engaged to marry him now。 She is resolved that he shall
never make me his wife。 He will die if I delay any longer。 He
will die if I don't crush her； like the reptile she is。 She comes
hereand what does she do？ Keeps him prisoner under her own
superintendence。 Who gets his medicine？ She gets it。 Who cooks
his food？ She cooks it。 The doors are locked。 I might be a
witness of what goes on； and I am kept out。 The servants who
ought to wait on him are kept out。 She can do what she likes with
his medicine； she can do what she likes with his food： she is
infuriated with him for deserting her； and promising to marry me。
Give him back to my care； or； dreadful as it is to denounce my
own sister； I shall claim protection from the magistrates。〃
I lost all fear of her： I stepped close up to the place at which
she was standing； I cried out： 〃Of what； in God's name； do you
accuse your sister？〃
She answered： 〃I accuse her of poisoning Philip Dunboyne。〃
I ran out of the room； I rushed headlong down the stairs。 The
doctor heard me； and came running into the hall。 I caught hold of
him like a madwoman。 〃Euneece！〃 My breath was gone； I could only
say： 〃Euneece！〃
He dragged me into the dining…room。 There was wine on the
side…board； which he had ordered medically for Philip。 He forced
me to drink some of it。 It ran through me like fire； it helped me
to
