the legacy of cain-第79章

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accept　the　expression　of　your　gratitude；〃　I　said；　〃I　must　know　a
little　more　of　you　than　I　know　now。　This　is　only　the　second
occasion　on　which　we　have　met。　Let　us　look　back　a　little；　Mr。
Philip　Dunboyne。　You　were　Eunice's　affianced　husband；　and　you
broke　faith　with　her。　That　was　a　rascally　action。　How　do　you
defend　it？〃

His　head　sank。　〃I　am　ashamed　to　defend　it；〃　he　answered。

I　pressed　him　without　mercy。　〃You　own　yourself；〃　I　said；　〃that　it
was　a　rascally　action？〃

〃Use　stronger　language　against　me；　even　than　that；　sirI　deserve
it。〃

〃In　plain　words；〃　I　went　on；　〃you　can　find　no　excuse　for　your
conduct？〃

〃In　the　past　time；〃　he　said；　〃I　might　have　found　excuses。〃

〃But　you　can't　find　them　now？〃

〃I　must　not　even　look　for　them　now。〃

〃Why　not？〃

〃I　owe　it　to　Eunice　to　leave　my　conduct　at　its　worst；　with
nothing　saidby　meto　defend　it。〃

〃What　has　Eunice　done　to　have　such　a　claim　on　you　as　that？〃

〃Eunice　has　forgiven　me。〃

It　was　gratefully　and　delicately　said。　Ought　I　to　have　allowed
this　circumstance　to　weigh　with　me？　I　ask；　in　return；　had　_I_
never　committed　any　faults？　As　a　fellow…mortal　and　fellow…sinner；
had　I　any　right　to　harden　my　heart　against　an　expression　of
penitence　which　I　felt　to　be　sincere　in　its　motive？

But　I　was　bound　to　think　of　Eunice。　I　did　think　of　her；　before　I
ventured　to　accept　the　positionthe　critical　position；　as　I
shall　presently　showof　Philip's　friend。

After　more　than　an　hour　of　questions　put　without　reserve；　and　of
answers　given　without　prevarication；　I　had　traveled　over　the
whole　ground　laid　out　by　the　narratives　which　appear　in　these
pages；　and　had　arrived　at　my　conclusionso　far　as　Philip
Dunboyne　was　concerned。

I　found　him　to　be　a　man　with　nothing　absolutely　wicked　in
himbut　with　a　nature　so　perilously　weak；　in　many　respects；　that
it　might　drift　into　wickedness　unless　a　stronger　nature　was　at
hand　to　bold　it　back。　Married　to　a　wife　without　force　of
character；　the　probabilities　would　point　to　him　as　likely　to
yield　to　examples　which　might　make　him　a　bad　husband。　Married　to
a　wife　with　a　will　of　her　own；　and　with　true　love　to　sustain
hera　wife　who　would　know　when　to　take　the　command　and　how　to
take　the　commanda　wife　who；　finding　him　tempted　to　commit
actions　unworthy　of　his　better　self；　would　be　far…sighted　enough
to　perceive　that　her　husband's　sense　of　honor　might　sometimes
lose　its　balance；　without　being　on　that　account　hopelessly
depravedthen；　and；　in　these　cases　only；　the　probabilities　would
point　to　Philip　as　a　man　likely　to　be　the　better　and　the　happier
for　his　situation；　when　the　bonds　of　wedlock　had　got　him。

But　the　serious　question　was　not　answered　yet。

Could　I　feel　justified　in　placing　Eunice　in　the　position　toward
Philip　which　I　have　just　endeavored　to　describe？　I　dared　not
allow　my　mind　to　dwell　on　the　generosity　which　had　so　nobly
pardoned　him；　or　on　the　force　of　character　which　had　bravely
endured　the　bitterest　disappointment；　the　cruelest　humiliation。
The　one　consideration　which　I　was　bound　to　face；　was　the　sacred
consideration　of　her　happiness　in　her　life　to　come。

Leaving　Philip；　with　a　few　words　of　sympathy　which　might　help　him
to　bear　his　suspense；　I　went　to　my　room　to　think。

The　time　passedand　I　could　arrive　at　no　positive　conclusion。
Either　waywith　or　without　Philipthe　contemplation　of　Eunice's
future　harassed　me　with　doubt。　Even　if　I　had　conquered　my　own
indecision；　and　had　made　up　my　mind　to　sanction　the　union　of　the
two　young　people；　the　difficulties　that　now　beset　me　would　not
have　been　dispersed。　Knowing　what　I　alone　knew；　I　could　certainly
remove　Eunice's　one　objection　to　the　marriage。　In　other　words；　I
had　only　to　relate　what　had　happened　on　the　day　when　the　Chaplain
brought　the　Minister　to　the　prison；　and　the　obstacle　of　their
union　would　be　removed。　But；　without　considering　Philip；　it　was
simply　out　of　the　question　to　do　this；　in　mercy　to　Eunice
herself。　What　was　Helena's　disgrace；　compared　with　the　infamy
which　stained　the　name　of　the　poor　girl's　mother！　The　other
alternative　of　telling　her　part　of　the　truth　only　was　before　me；
if　I　could　persuade　myself　to　adopt　it。　I　failed　to　persuade
myself；　my　morbid　anxiety　for　her　welfare　made　me　hesitate　again。
Human　patience　could　endure　no　more。　Rashness　prevailed　and
prudence　yieldedI　left　my　decision　to　be　influenced　by　the
coming　interview　with　Eunice。

The　next　day　I　drove　to　the　farm。　Philip's　entreaties　persuaded
me　to　let　him　be　my　companion；　on　one　conditionthat　he　waited
in　the　carriage　while　I　went　into　the　house。

I　had　carefully　arranged　my　ideas；　and　had　decided　on　proceeding
with　the　greatest　caution；　before　I　ventured　on　saying　the
all…important　words　which；　once　spoken；　were　not　to　be　recalled。
The　worst　of　those　anxieties；　under　which　the　delicate　health　of
Mr。　Gracedieu　had　broken　down；　was　my　anxiety　now。　Could　I
reconcile　it　to　my　conscience　to　permit　a　man；　innocent　of　all
knowledge　of　the　truth；　to　marry　the　daughter　of　a　condemned
murderess；　without　honestly　telling　him　what　he　was　about　to　do？
Did　I　deserve　to　be　pitied？　did　I　deserve　to　be　blamed？my　mind
was　still　undecided　when　I　entered　the　house。

She　ran　to　meet　me　as　if　she　had　been　my　daughter；　she　kissed　me
as　if　she　had　been　my　daughter；　she　fondly　looked　up　at　me　as　if
she　had　been　my　daughter。　At　the　sight　of　that　sweet　young　face；
so　sorrowful；　and　so　patiently　enduring　sorrow；　all　my　doubts　and
hesitations；　everything　artificial　about　me　with　which　I　had
entered　the　room；　vanished　in　an　instant。

After　she　had　thanked　me　for　coming　to　see　her；　I　saw　her　tremble
a　little。　The　uppermost　interest　in　her　heart　was　forcing　its　way
outward　to　expression；　try　as　she　might　to　keep　it　back。　〃Have
you　seen　Philip？〃　she　asked。　The　tone　in　which　she　put　that
question　decided　meI　was　resolved　to　let　her　marry　him。
Impulse！　Yes；　impulse；　asserting　itself　inexcusably　in　a　man　at
the　end　of　his　life。　I　ought　to　have　known　better　than　to　have
given　way。　Very　likely。　But　am　I　the　only　mortal　who　ought　to
have　known　betterand　did　not？

When　Eunice　asked　if　I　had　seen　Philip；　I　owned　that　he　was
outside　in　the　carriage。　Before　she　could　reproach　me；　I　went　on
with　what　I　had　to　say：　〃My　child；　I　know　what　a　sacrifice　you
have　made；　and　I　should　honor　your　scruples；　if　you　had　any
reason　for　feeling　them。〃

〃Any　reason　for　feeling　them？〃　She　turned　pale　as　she　repeated
the　words。

An　idea　came　to　me。　I　rang　for　the　servant；　and　sent　her　to　the
carriage　to　tell　Philip　to　come　in。　〃My　dear；　I　am　not　putting
you　to　any　unfair　trial；〃　I　assured　her；　〃I　am　going　to　prove
that　I　love　you　as　truly　as　if　you　were　my　own　child。〃

When　they　were　both　present；　I　resolved　that　they　should　not
suffer　a　moment　of　needless　suspense。　Standing　between　them；　I
took　Eunice's　hand；　and　laid　my　other　hand　on　Philip's　shoulder；
and　spoke　out　plainly。

〃I　am　here　to　make　you　both　happy；〃　I　said。　〃I　can　remove　the
only　obstacle　to　your　marriage；　and　I　mean　to　do　it。　But　I　must
insist　on　one　condition。　Give　me　your　promise；　Philip；　that　you
will　ask　for　no　explanations；　and　that　you　will　be　satisfied　with
the　one　true　statement　which　is　all　that　I　can　offer　to　you。〃

He　gave　me　his　promise；　without　an　instant's　hesitation。

〃Philip　grants　what　I　ask；〃　I　said　to　Eunice。　〃Do　you　grant　it；
too？〃

Her　hand　turned　cold　in　mine；　but　she　spoke　firmly　when　she　said：
〃Yes。〃

I　gave　her　into　Philip's　care。　It　was　his　privilege　to　console
and　support　her。　It　was　my　duty　to　say　the　decisive　words：

〃Rouse　your　courage；　dear　Eunice；　you　are　no　more　affected　by
Helena's　disgrace　than　I　am。　You　are　not　her　sister。　Her　father
is　not　your　father；　her　mother　was　not　your　mother。　I　was
present；　in　the　time　of　your　infancy；　when　Mr。　Gracedieu's
fatherly　kindness　received　you　as　his　adopted　child。　This；　I
declare　to　you　both；　on　my　word　of　honor；　is　the　truth。〃

How　she　bore　it　I　am　not　able　to　say。　My　foolish　old　eyes　were
filling　with　tears。　I　could　just　see　plainly　enough　to　find　my
way　to　the　door；　and　leave　them　together。

In　my　reckless　state　of　mind；　I　never　asked　myself　if　Time　would
be　my　accomplice；　and　keep　the　part　of