the legacy of cain-第2章

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sentenced　to　deathand　that　criminal　a　woman　and　a　mother。　I
own；　sir；　that　I　am　shaken　by　the　prospect　before　me。〃

I　suggested　that　he　should　wait　a　while；　in　the　hope　that　time
and　quiet　might　help　him。　He　thanked　me；　and　refused。

〃If　I　have　any　knowledge　of　myself；〃　he　said；　〃terrors　of
anticipation　lose　their　hold　when　I　am　face　to　face　with　a
serious　call　on　me。　The　longer　I　remain　here；　the　less　worthy　I
shall　appear　of　the　trust　that　has　been　placed　in　methe　trust
which；　please　God；　I　mean　to　deserve。〃

My　own　observation　of　human　nature　told　me　that　this　was　wisely
said。　I　led　the　way　at　once　to　the　cell。

CHAPTER　IV。

THE　MINISTER　SAYS　YES。

THE　Prisoner　was　seated　on　her　bed；　quietly　talking　with　the
woman　appointed　to　watch　her。　When　she　rose　to　receive　us；　I　saw
the　Minister　start。　The　face　that　confronted　him　would；　in　my
opinion；　have　taken　any　man　by　surprise；　if　he　had　first　happened
to　see　it　within　the　walls　of　a　prison。

Visitors　to　the　picture…galleries　of　Italy；　growing　weary　of　Holy
Families　in　endless　succession；　observe　that　the　idea　of　the
Madonna；　among　the　rank　and　file　of　Italian　Painters；　is　limited
to　one　changeless　and　familiar　type。　I　can　hardly　hope　to　be
believed　when　I　say　that　the　personal　appearance　of　the　murderess
recalled　that　type。　She　presented　the　delicate　light　hair；　the
quiet　eyes；　the　finely…shaped　lower　features　and　the　correctly
oval　form　of　face；　repeated　in　hundreds　on　hundreds　of　the
conventional　works　of　Art　to　which　I　have　ventured　to　allude。　To
those　who　doubt　me；　I　can　only　declare　that　what　I　have　here
written　is　undisguised　and　absolute　truth。　Let　me　add　that　daily
observation　of　all　classes　of　criminals；　extending　over　many
years；　has　considerably　diminished　my　faith　in　physiognomy　as　a
safe　guide　to　the　discovery　of　character。　Nervous　trepidation
looks　like　guilt。　Guilt；　firmly　sustained　by　insensibility；　looks
like　innocence。　One　of　the　vilest　wretches　ever　placed　under　my
charge　won　the　sympathies　（while　he　was　waiting　for　his　trial）　of
every　person　who　saw　him；　including　even　the　persons　employed　in
the　prison。　Only　the　other　day；　ladies　and　gentlemen　coming　to
visit　me　passed　a　body　of　men　at　work　on　the　road。　Judges　of
physiognomy　among　them　were　horrified　at　the　criminal　atrocity
betrayed　in　every　face　that　they　noticed。　They　condoled　with　me
on　the　near　neighborhood　of　so　many　convicts　to　my　official　place
of　residence。　I　looked　out　of　the　window　and　saw　a　group　of
honest　laborers　（whose　only　crime　was　poverty）　employed　by　the
parish！

Having　instructed　the　female　warder　to　leave　the　roombut　to
take　care　that　she　waited　within　callI　looked　again　at　the
Minister。

Confronted　by　the　serious　responsibility　that　he　had　undertaken；
he　justified　what　he　had　said　to　me。　Still　pale；　still
distressed；　he　was　now　nevertheless　master　of　himself。　I　turned
to　the　door　to　leave　him　alone　with　the　Prisoner。　She　called　me
back。

〃Before　this　gentleman　tries　to　convert　me；〃　she　said；　〃I　want
you　to　wait　here　and　be　a　witness。〃

Finding　that　we　were　both　willing　to　comply　with　this　request；
she　addressed　herself　directly　to　the　Minister。　〃Suppose　I
promise　to　listen　to　your　exhortations；〃　she　began；　〃what　do　you
promise　to　do　for　me　in　return？〃

The　voice　in　which　she　spoke　to　him　was　steady　and　clear；　a
marked　contrast　to　the　tremulous　earnestness　with　which　he
answered　her。

〃I　promise　to　urge　you　to　repentance　and　the　confession　of　your
crime。　I　promise　to　implore　the　divine　blessing　on　me　in　the
effort　to　save　your　poor　guilty　soul。〃

She　looked　at　him；　and　listened　to　him；　as　if　he　was　speaking　to
her　in　an　unknown　tongue；　and　went　on　with　what　she　had　to　say　as
quietly　as　ever。

〃When　I　am　hanged　to…morrow；　suppose　I　die　without　confessing；
without　repentingare　you　one　of　those　who　believe　I　shall　be
doomed　to　eternal　punishment　in　another　life？〃

〃I　believe　in　the　mercy　of　God。〃

〃Answer　my　question；　if　you　please。　Is　an　impenitent　sinner
eternally　punished？　Do　you　believe　that？〃

〃My　Bible　leaves　me　no　other　alternative。〃

She　paused　for　a　while；　evidently　considering　with　special
attention　what　she　was　about　to　say　next。

〃As　a　religious　man；〃　she　resumed；　〃would　you　be　willing　to　make
some　sacrifice；　rather　than　let　a　fellow…creature　goafter　a
disgraceful　deathto　everlasting　torment？〃

〃I　know　of　no　sacrifice　in　my　power；〃　he　said；　fervently；　〃to
which　I　would　not　rather　submit　than　let　you　die　in　the　present
dreadful　state　of　your　mind。〃

The　Prisoner　turned　to　me。　〃Is　the　person　who　watches　me　waiting
outside？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Will　you　be　so　kind　as　to　call　her　in？　I　have　a　message　for
her。〃

It　was　plain　that　she　had　been　leading　the　way　to　the　delivery　of
that　message；　whatever　it　might　be；　in　all　that　she　had　said　up
to　the　present　time。　So　far　my　poor　powers　of　penetration　helped
me；　and　no　further。

The　warder　appeared；　and　received　her　message。　〃Tell　the　woman
who　has　come　here　with　my　little　girl　that　I　want　to　see　the
child。〃

　Taken　completely　by　surprise；　I　signed　to　the　attendant　to　wait
for　further　instructions。

In　a　moment　more　I　had　sufficiently　recovered　myself　to　see　the
impropriety　of　permitting　any　obstacle　to　interp　ose　between　the
Minister　and　his　errand　of　mercy。　I　gently　reminded　the　Prisoner
that　she　would　have　a　later　opportunity　of　seeing　her　child。
〃Your　first　duty；〃　I　told　her；　〃is　to　hear　and　to　take　to　heart
what　the　clergyman　has　to　say　to　you。〃

For　the　second　time　I　attempted　to　leave　the　cell。　For　the　second
time　this　impenetrable　woman　called　me　back。

〃Take　the　parson　away　with　you；〃　she　said。　〃I　refuse　to　listen　to
him。〃

The　patient　Minister　yielded；　and　appealed　to　me　to　follow　his
example。　I　reluctantly　sanctioned　the　delivery　of　the　message。

After　a　brief　interval　the　child　was　brought　to　us；　tired　and
sleepy。　For　a　while　the　nurse　roused　her　by　setting　her　on　her
feet。　She　happened　to　notice　the　Minister　first。　Her　bright　eyes
rested　on　him；　gravely　wondering。　He　kissed　her；　and；　after　a
momentary　hesitation；　gave　her　to　her　mother。　The　horror　of　the
situation　overpowered　him：　he　turned　his　face　away　from　us。　I
understood　what　he　felt；　he　almost　overthrew　my　own　self…command。

The　Prisoner　spoke　to　the　nurse　in　no　friendly　tone：　〃You　can
go。〃

The　nurse　turned　to　me；　ostentatiously　ignoring　the　words　that
had　been　addressed　to　her。　〃Am　I　to　go；　sir；　or　to　stay？〃　I
suggested　that　she　should　return　to　the　waiting…room。　She
returned　at　once　in　silence。　The　Prisoner　looked　after　her　as　she
went　out；　with　such　an　expression　of　hatred　in　her　eyes　that　the
Minister　noticed　it。

〃What　has　that　person　done　to　offend　you？〃　he　asked。

〃She　is　the　last　person　in　the　whole　world　whom　I　should　have
chosen　to　take　care　of　my　child；　if　the　power　of　choosing　had
been　mine。　But　I　have　been　in　prison；　without　a　living　creature
to　represent　me　or　to　take　my　part。　No　more　of　that；　my　troubles
will　be　over　in　a　few　hours　more。　I　want　you　to　look　at　my　little
girl；　whose　troubles　are　all　to　come。　Do　you　call　her　pretty？　Do
you　feel　interested　in　her？〃

The　sorrow　and　pity　in　his　face　answered　for　him。

Quietly　sleeping；　the　poor　baby　rested　on　her　mother's　bosom。　Was
the　heart　of　the　murderess　softened　by　the　divine　influence　of
maternal　love？　The　hands　that　held　the　child　trembled　a　little。
For　the　first　time　it　seemed　to　cost　her　an　effort　to　compose
herself；　before　she　could　speak　to　the　Minister　again。

〃When　I　die　to…morrow；〃　she　said；　〃I　leave　my　child　helpless　and
friendlessdisgraced　by　her　mother's　shameful　death。　The
workhouse　may　take　heror　a　charitable　asylum　may　take　her。〃　She
paused；　a　first　tinge　of　color　rose　on　her　pale　face；　she　broke
into　an　outburst　of　rage。　〃Think　of　_my_　daughter　being　brought
up　by　charity！　She　may　suffer　poverty；　she　may　be　treated　with
contempt；　she　may　be　employed　by　brutal　people　in　menial　work。　I
can't　endure　it；　it　maddens　me。　If　she　is　not　saved　from　that
wretched　fate；　I　shall　die　despairing；　I　shall　die　cursing〃

The　Minister　sternly　stopped　her　before　she　could　say　the　next
word。　To　my　astonishment　she　appeared　to　be　humbled；　to　be　even
ashamed：　she　asked　his　pardon：　〃Forgive　me；　I　won't　forget　myself
again。　They　tell　me　you　have　no　children　of　your　own。　Is　that　a
sorrow　to　you　and　your　wife？〃

Her　altered　tone　touched　him。　He　answered　sadly　and　kindly：　〃It
is　the　one　sorrow　of　our　lives。〃

The　purpose　which　she　had　been　keeping　in　view　from　the　moment
when　the　Minister　entered　her　cell　was　no　mystery　now。　Ought　I　to
have　interfered？　Let　me　confess　a　weakness；　unworthy　perhaps　of
my　office。　I　was　so　sorry　for　the　childI　hesitated。

My　silence　encouraged　the　mother。　She　advanced　to　the　Minister
with　the　sleeping　infant　in　her　arms。

〃I　daresay　you　have　sometimes　thought　of　adopting　a　child？〃　she
said。　〃Perhaps　you　can　guess　now　what　I　had　in　my　mind；　when　I
asked　if　you　would　consent　to　a　sacrifice？　Will　you　take　this
wretched　innocent　little　creature　home　with　you？〃　She　lost　her
self…possession　once　more。　〃A　motherless　creature　to…morrow；〃　she
burst　out。　〃Think　of　that。〃

God　knows　how　I　still　shrunk　from　it！　But　there　was　no
alternative　now；　I　was　bound　to　remember　my　duty　to　the　excellent
man；　whose　critical　position　at　that　moment　was；　in　some　degree
at　least；　due　to　my　hesitation　in　asserting　my　authority。　Could　I
allow　the　Prisoner　to　presume　on　his　compassionate　nature；　and　to
hurry　him　into　a　decision　which；　in　his　calmer　moments；　he　might
find　reason　to　regret？　I　spoke　to　_him。_　Does　the　man　live
whohaving　to　say　what　I　had　to　saycould　have　spoken　to　the
doomed　mother？

〃I　am　sorry　to　have　allowed　this　to　go　on；〃　I　said。　〃In　justice
to　yourself；　sir；　don't　answer！〃

She　turned　on　me　with　a　look　of　fury。

〃He　shall　answer；〃　she　cried。

I　saw；　or　thought　I　saw；　signs　of　yielding　in　his　face。　〃Take
time；〃　I　persisted〃take　time　to　consider　before　you　decide。〃

She　stepped　up　to　me。

〃Take　time？〃　she　repeated。　〃Are　you　inhuman　enough　to　talk　of
time；　in　my　presence？〃

She　laid　the　sleeping　child　on　her　bed；　and　fell　on　her　knees
before　the　Minister：　〃I　promise　to　hear　your　exhortationsI
promise　to　do　all　a　woman　can　to　believe　and　repent。　Oh；　I　know
myself！　My　heart；　once　hardened；　is　a　heart　that　no　human
creature　can　touch。　The　one　way　to　my　better　natureif　I　have　a
better　natureis　through　that　poor　babe。　Save　her　from　the
workhouse！　Don't　let　them　make　a　pauper　of　her！〃　She　sank
prostrate　at　his　feet；　and　beat　her　hands　in　frenzy　on　the　floor。
〃You　want　to　save　my　guilty　soul；〃　she　reminded　him　furiously。
〃There's　but　one　way　of　doing　it。　Save　my　child！〃

He　raised　her。　Her　fierce　tearless　eyes　questioned　his　face　in　a
mute　expectation　dreadful　to　see。　Suddenly；　a　foretaste　of
deaththe　death　that　was　so　near　now！struck　her　with　a
shivering　fit：　her　head　dropped　on　the　Minister's　shoulder。　Other
men　might　have　shrunk　from　the　contact　of　it。　That　true　Christian
let　it　rest。

Under　the　maddening　sting　of　suspense；　her　sinking　energies
rallied　for　an　instant。　In　a　whisper；　she　was　just　able　to　put
the　supreme　question　to　him。

〃Yes？　or　No？〃

He　answered：　〃Yes。〃

A　fa