the legacy of cain-第3章

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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　faint　breath　of　relief；　just　audible　in　the　silence；　told　me
that　she　had　heard　him。　It　was　her　last　effort。　He　laid　her；
insensible；　on　the　bed；　by　the　side　of　her　sleeping　child。　〃Look
at　them；〃　was　all　he　said　to　me；　〃how　could　I　refuse？〃

CHAPTER　V。

MISS　CHANCE　ASSERTS　HERSELF。


THE　services　of　our　medical　officer　were　required；　in　order　to
hasten　the　recovery　of　the　Prisoner's　senses。

When　the　Doctor　and　I　left　the　cell　together；　she　was　composed；
and　ready　（in　the　performance　of　her　promise）　to　listen　to　the
exhortations　of　the　Minister。　The　sleeping　child　was　left
undisturbed；　by　the　mother's　desire。　If　the　Minister　felt　tempted
to　regret　what　he　had　done；　there　was　the　artless　influence　which
would　check　him！　As　we　stepped　into　the　corridor；　I　gave　the
female　warder　her　instructions　to　remain　on　the　watch；　and　to
return　to　her　post　when　she　saw　the　Minister　come　out。

In　the　meantime；　my　companion　had　walked　on　a　little　way。

Possessed　of　ability　and　experience　within　the　limits　of　his
profession；　he　was　in　other　respects　a　man　with　a　crotchety　mind；
bold　to　the　verge　of　recklessness　in　the　expression　of　his
opinion；　and　possessed　of　a　command　of　language　that　carried
everything　before　it。　Let　me　add　that　he　was　just　and　merciful　in
his　intercourse　with　others；　and　I　shall　have　summed　him　up
fairly　enough。　When　I　joined　him　he　seemed　to　be　absorbed　in
reflection。

〃Thinking　of　the　Prisoner？〃　I　said。

〃Thinking　of　what　is　going　on；　at　this　moment；　in　the　condemned
cell；〃　he　answered；　〃and　wondering　if　any　good　will　come　of　it。〃

I　was　not　without　hope　of　a　good　result；　and　I　said　so。

The　Doctor　disagreed　with　me。　〃I　don't　believe　in　that　woman's
penitence；〃　he　remarked；　〃and　I　look　upon　the　parson　as　a　poor
weak　creature。　What　is　to　become　of　the　child？〃

There　was　no　reason　for　concealing　from　one　of　my　colleagues　the
benevolent　decision；　on　the　part　of　the　good　Minister；　of　which　I
had　been　a　witness。　The　Doctor　listened　to　me　with　the　first
appearance　of　downright　astonishment　that　I　had　ever　observed　in
his　face。　When　I　had　done；　he　made　an　extraordinary　reply：

〃Governor；　I　retract　what　I　said　of　the　parson　just　now。　He　is
one　of　the　boldest　men　that　ever　stepped　into　a　pulpit。〃

Was　the　doctor　in　e　arnest？　Strongly　in　earnest；　there　could　be
no　doubt　of　it。　Before　I　could　ask　him　what　he　meant；　he　was
called　away　to　a　patient　on　the　other　side　of　the　prison。　When　we
parted　at　the　door　of　my　room；　I　made　it　a　request　that　my
medical　friend　would　return　to　me　and　explain　what　he　had　just
said。

〃Considering　that　you　are　the　governor　of　a　prison；〃　he　replied；
〃you　are　a　singularly　rash　man。　If　I　come　back；　how　do　you　know　I
shall　not　bore　you？〃

〃My　rashness　runs　the　risk　of　that；〃　I　rejoined。

〃Tell　me　something；　before　I　allow　you　to　run　your　risk；〃　he
said。　〃Are　you　one　of　those　people　who　think　that　the　tempers　of
children　are　formed　by　the　accidental　influences　which　happen　to
be　about　them？　Or　do　you　agree　with　me　that　the　tempers　of
children　are　inherited　from　their　parents？〃

The　Doctor　（as　I　concluded）　was　still　strongly　impressed　by　the
Minister's　resolution　to　adopt　a　child　whose　wicked　mother　had
committed　the　most　atrocious　of　all　crimes。　Was　some　serious
foreboding　in　secret　possession　of　his　mind？　My　curiosity　to　hear
him　was　now　increased　tenfold。　I　replied　without　hesitation：

〃I　agree　with　you。〃

He　looked　at　me　with　his　sense　of　humor　twinkling　in　his　eyes。
〃Do　you　know　I　rather　expected　that　answer？〃　he　said；　slyly。　〃All
right。　I'll　come　back。〃

Left　by　myself；　I　took　up　the　day's　newspaper。

My　attention　wandered；　my　thoughts　were　in　the　cell　with　the
Minister　and　the　Prisoner。　How　would　it　end？　Sometimes；　I　was
inclined　to　doubt　with　the　Doctor。　Sometimes；　I　took　refuge　in　my
own　more　hopeful　view。　These　idle　reflections　were　agreeably
interrupted　by　the　appearance　of　my　friend；　the　Chaplain。

〃You　are　always　welcome；〃　I　said；　〃and　doubly　welcome　just　now。　I
am　feeling　a　little　worried　and　anxious。〃

〃And　you　are　naturally；〃　the　Chaplain　added；　not　at　all　disposed
to　receive　a　stranger？〃

〃Is　the　stranger　a　friend　of　yours？〃　I　asked。

〃Oh；　no！　Having　occasion；　just　now；　to　go　into　the　waiting…room；
I　found　a　young　woman　there；　who　asked　me　if　she　could　see　you。
She　thinks　you　have　forgotten　her；　and　she　is　tired　of　waiting。　I
merely　undertook；　of　course；　to　mention　what　she　had　said　to　me。〃

The　nurse　having　been　in　this　way　recalled　to　my　memory；　I　felt
some　little　interest　in　seeing　her；　after　what　had　passed　in　the
cell。　In　plainer　words；　I　was　desirous　of　judging　for　myself
whether　she　deserved　the　hostile　feeling　which　the　Prisoner　had
shown　toward　her。　I　thanked　the　Chaplain　before　he　left　me；　and
gave　the　servant　the　necessary　instructions。　When　she　entered　the
room；　I　looked　at　the　woman　attentively　for　the　first　time。

Youth　and　a　fine　complexion；　a　well…made　figure　and　a　natural
grace　of　movementthese　were　her　personal　attractions；　so　far　as
I　could　see。　Her　defects　were；　to　my　mind；　equally　noticeable。
Under　a　heavy　forehead；　her　piercing　eyes　looked　out　at　persons
and　things　with　an　expression　which　was　not　to　my　taste。　Her
large　mouthanother　defect；　in　my　opinionwould　have　been
recommended　to　mercy；　in　the　estimation　of　many　men；　by　her
magnificent　teeth；　white；　well…shaped；　cruelly　regular。　Believers
in　physiognomy　might　perhaps　have　seen　the　betrayal　of　an
obstinate　nature　in　the　lengthy　firmness　of　her　chin。　While　I　am
trying　to　describe　her；　let　me　not　forget　her　dress。　A　woman's
dress　is　the　mirror　in　which　we　may　see　the　reflection　of　a
woman's　nature。　Bearing　in　mind　the　melancholy　and　impressive
circumstances　under　which　she　had　brought　the　child　to　the
prison；　the　gayety　of　color　in　her　gown　and　her　bonnet　implied
either　a　total　want　of　feeling；　or　a　total　want　of　tact。　As　to
her　position　in　life；　let　me　confess　that　I　felt；　after　a　closer
examination；　at　a　loss　to　determine　it。　She　was　certainly　not　a
lady。　The　Prisoner　had　spoken　of　her　as　if　she　was　a　domestic
servant　who　had　forfeited　her　right　to　consideration　and　respect。
And　she　had　entered　the　prison；　as　a　nurse　might　have　entered　it；
in　charge　of　a　child。　I　did　what　we　all　do　when　we　are　not　clever
enough　to　find　the　answer　to　a　riddleI　gave　it　up。

〃What　can　I　do　for　you？〃　I　asked。

〃Perhaps　you　can　tell　me；〃　she　answered；　〃how　much　longer　I　am　to
be　kept　waiting　in　this　prison。〃

〃The　decision；〃　I　reminded　her；　〃doesn't　depend　on　me。〃

〃Then　who　does　it　depend　on？〃

The　Minister　had　undoubtedly　acquired　the　sole　right　of　deciding。
It　was　for　him　to　say　whether　this　woman　should；　or　should　not；
remain　in　attendance　on　the　child　whom　he　had　adopted。　In　the
meanwhile；　the　feeling　of　distrust　which　was　gaining　on　my　mind
warned　me　to　remember　the　value　of　reserve　in　holding　intercourse
with　a　stranger。

She　seemed　to　be　irritated　by　my　silence。　〃If　the　decision
doesn't　rest　with　you；〃　she　asked；　〃why　did　you　tell　me　to　stay
in　the　waiting…room？〃

〃You　brought　the　little　girl　into　the　prison；〃　I　said；　〃was　it
not　natural　to　suppose　that　your　mistress　might　want　you〃

〃Stop；　sir！〃

I　had　evidently　given　offense；　I　stopped　directly。

〃No　person　on　the　face　of　the　earth；〃　she　declared；　loftily；　〃has
ever　had　the　right　to　call　herself　my　mistress。　Of　my　own　free
will；　sir；　I　took　charge　of　the　child。〃

〃Because　you　are　fond　of　her？〃　I　suggested。

〃I　hate　her。〃

It　was　unwise　on　my　partI　protested。　〃Hate　a　baby　little　more
than　a　year　old！〃　I　said。

〃_Her_　baby！〃

She　said　it　with　the　air　of　a　woman　who　had　produced　an
unanswerable　reason。　〃I　am　accountable　to　nobody；〃　she　went　on。
〃If　I　consented　to　trouble　myself　with　the　child；　it　was　in
remembrance　of　my　friendshipnotice；　if　you　please；　that　I　say
friendshipwith　the　unhappy　father。〃

Putting　together　what　I　had　just　heard；　and　what　I　had　seen　in
the　cell；　I　drew　the　right　conclusion　at　last。　The　woman；　whose
position　in　life　had　been　thus　far　an　impenetrable　mystery　to　me；
now　stood　revealed　as　one；　among　other　objects　of　the　Prisoner's
jealousy；　during　her　disastrous　married　life。　A　serious　doubt
occurred　to　me　as　to　the　authority　under　which　the　husband's
mistress　might　be　acting；　after　the　husband's　death。　I　instantly
put　it　to　the　test。

〃Do　I　understand　you　to　assert　any　claim　to　the　child？〃　I　asked。

〃Claim？〃　she　repeated。　〃I　know　no　more　of　the　child　than　you　do。
I　heard　for　the　first　time　that　such　a　creature　was　in　existence；
when　her　murdered　father　sent　for　me　in　his　dying　moments。　At　his
entreaty　I　promised　to　take　care　of　her；　while　her　vile　mother
was　out　of　the　house　and　in　the　hands　of　the　law。　My　promise　has
been　performed。　If　I　am　expected　（having　brought　her　to　the
prison）　to　take　her　away　again；　understand　this：　I　am　under　no
obligation　（even　if　I　could　afford　it）　to　burden　myself　with　that
child；　I　shall　hand　her　over　to　the　workhouse　authorities。〃

I　forgot　myself　once　moreI　lost　my　temper。

〃Leave　the　room；〃　I　said。　〃Your　unworthy　hands　will　not　touch　the
poor　baby　again。　She　is　provided　for。〃

〃I　don't　believe　you！〃　the　wretch　burst　out。　〃Who　has　taken　the
child？〃

A　quiet　voice　answered：　〃_I_　have　taken　her。〃

We　both　looked　round　and　saw　the　Minister　standing　in　the　open
doorway；　with　the　child　in　his　arms。　The　ordeal　that　he　had　gone
through　in　the　condemned　cell　was　visible　in　his　face；　he　looked
miserably　haggard　and　broken。　I　was　eager　to　know　if　his　merciful
interest　in　the　Prisoner　had　purified　her　guilty　soulbut　at　the
same　time　I　was　afraid；　after　what　he　had　but　too　plainly
suffered；　to　ask　him　to　enter　into　details。

〃Only　one　word；〃　I　said。　〃Are　your　anxieties　at　rest？〃

〃God's　mercy　has　helped　me；〃　he　answered。　〃I　have　not　spoken　in
vain。　She　believes；　she　repents；　she　has　confessed　the　crime。〃

After　handing　the　written　and　signed　confession　to　me；　he
approached　the　venomous　creature；　still　lingering　in　the　room　to
hear　what　passed　between　us。　Before　I　could　stop　him；　he　spoke　to
her；　under　a　natural　impression　that　he　was　addressing　the
Prisoner's　servant。

〃I　am　afraid　you　will　be　disappointed；〃　he　said；　〃when　I　tell　you
that　your　services　will　no　longer　be　required。　I　have　reasons　for
placing　the　child　under　the　care　of　a　nurse　of　my　own　choosing。〃

She　listened　with　an　evil　smile。

〃I　know　who　furnished　you　with　your　reasons；〃　she　answered。
〃Apologies　are　quite　needless；　so　far　as　I　am　concerned。　If　you
had　proposed　to　me　t　o　look　after　the　new　member　of　your　family
there；　I　should　have　felt　it　my　duty　to　myself　to　have　refused。　I
am　not　a　nurseI　am　an　independent　single　lady。　I　see　by　your
dress　that　you　are　a　clergyman。　Allow　me　to　present　myself　as　a
mark　of　respect　to　your　cloth。　I　am　Miss　Elizabeth　Chance。　May　I
ask　the　favor　of　your　name？〃

Too　weary　and　too　preoccupied　to　notice　the　insolence　of　her
manner；　the　Minister　mentioned　his　name。　〃I　am　anxious；〃　he　said；
〃to　know　if　the　child　has　been　baptized。　Perhaps　you　can
enlighten　me？〃

Still　insolent；