the legacy of cain-第34章

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〃When　did　I　do　that？〃

〃You　did　it　when　we　met　at　the　station。〃

The　reply　was　too　ridiculous　for　the　preservation　of　any　control
over　my　own　sense　of　humor。　It　was　wrong；　but　it　was
inevitableI　laughed。　She　looked　at　me　with　a　fury；　revealing　a
concentration　of　evil　passion　in　her　which　I　had　not　seen　yet。　I
asked　her　pardon；　I　begged　her　to　think　a　little　before　she
persisted　in　taking　a　view　of　my　conduct　unworthy　of　her；　and
unjust　to　myself。

〃Unjust　to　You！〃　she　burst　out。　〃Who　are　you？　A　man　who　has
driven　your　trade　has　spies　always　at　his　commandyes！　and　knows
how　to　use　them。　You　were　primed　with　private　informationyou
had；　for　all　I　know；　a　stolen　photograph　of　me　in　your
pocketbefore　ever　you　came　to　our　town。　Do　you　still　deny　it？
Oh；　sir；　why　degrade　yourself　by　telling　a　lie？〃

No　such　outrage　as　this　had　ever　been　inflicted　on　me；　at　any
time　in　my　life。　My　forbearance　must；　I　suppose；　have　been　more
severely　tried　than　I　was　aware　of　myself。　With　or　without　excuse
for　me；　I　was　weak　enough　to　let　a　girl's　spiteful　tongue　sting
me；　and；　worse　still；　to　let　her　see　that　I　felt　it。

〃You　shall　have　no　second　opportunity；　Miss　Gracedieu；　of
insulting　me。〃　With　that　foolish　reply；　I　opened　the　door
violently　and　went　out。

She　ran　after　me；　triumphing　in　having　roused　the　temper　of　a　man
old　enough　to　have　been　her　grandfather；　and　caught　me　by　the
arm。　〃Your　own　conduct　has　exposed　you。〃　（That　was　literally　how
she　expressed　herself。）　〃I　saw　it　in　your　eyes　when　we　met　at　the
station。　You；　the　strangeryou　who　allowed　poor　ignorant　me　to
introduce　myselfyou　knew　me　all　the　time；　knew　me　by　sight！〃

I　shook　her　hand　off　with　an　inconsiderable　roughness；
humiliating　to　remember。　〃It's　false！〃　I　cried。　〃I　knew　you　by
your　likeness　to　your　mother。〃

The　moment　the　words　had　passed　my　lips；　I　came　to　my　senses
again；　I　remembered　what　fatal　words　they　might　prove　to　be；　if
they　reached　the　Minister's　ears。

Heard　only　by　his　daughter；　my　reply　seemed　to　cool　the　heat　of
her　anger　in　an　instant。

〃So　you　knew　my　mother？〃　she　said。　〃My　father　never　told　us　that；
when　he　spoke　of　your　being　such　a　very　old　friend　of　his。
Strange；　to　say　the　least　of　it。〃

I　was　wise　enoughnow　when　wisdom　had　come　too　latenot　to
attempt　to　explain　myself；　and　not　to　give　her　an　opportunity　of
saying　more。　〃We　are　neither　of　us　in　a　state　of　mind；〃　I
answered；　〃to　allow　this　interview　to　continue。　I　must　try　to
recover　my　composure；　and　I　leave　you　to　do　the　same。〃

In　the　solitude　of　my　room；　I　was　able　to　look　my　position　fairly
in　the　face。

Mr。　Gracedieu's　wife　had　come　to　me；　in　the　long…past　time；
without　her　husband's　knowledge。　Tempted　to　a　cruel　resolve　by
the　maternal　triumph　of　having　an　infant　of　her　own；　she　had
resolved　to　rid　herself　of　the　poor　little　rival　in　her　husband's
fatherly　affection；　by　consigning　the　adopted　child　to　the
keeping　of　a　charitable　asylum。　She　had　dared　to　ask　me　to　help
her。　I　had　kept　the　secret　of　her　shameful　visitI　can　honestly
say；　for　the　Minister's　sake。　And　now；　long　after　time　had　doomed
those　events　to　oblivion；　they　were　revivedand　revived　by　me。
Thanks　to　my　folly；　Mr。　Gracedieu's　daughter　knew　what　I　had
concealed　from　Mr。　Gracedieu　himself。

What　course　did　respect　for　my　friend；　and　respect　for　myself；
counsel　me　to　take？

I　could　only　see　before　me　a　choice　of　two　evils。　To　wait　for
eventswith　the　too　certain　prospect　of　a　vindictive　betrayal　of
my　indiscretion　by　Helena　Gracedieu。　Or　to　take　the　initiative
into　my　own　hands；　and　risk　consequences　which　I　might　regret　to
the　end　of　my　life；　by　making　my　confession　to　the　Minister。

Before　I　had　decided；　somebody　knocked　at　the　door。　It　was　the
maid…servant　again。　Was　it　possible　she　had　been　sent　by　Helena？

〃Another　message？〃

〃Yes；　sir。　My　master　wishes　to　see　you。〃


CHAPTER　XXXVIII。

THE　GIRLS'　AGES。


HAD　the　Minister's　desire　to　see　me　been　inspired　by　his
daughter's　betrayal　of　what　I　had　unfortunately　said　to　her？
Although　he　would　certainly　not　consent　to　receive　her
personally；　she　would　be　at　liberty　to　adopt　a　written　method　of
communication　with　him；　and　the　letter　might　be　addressed　in　such
a　manner　as　to　pique　his　curiosity。　If　Helena's　vindictive
purpose　had　been　already　accomplishedand　if　Mr。　Gracedieu　left
me　no　alternative　but　to　present　his　unworthy　wife　in　her　true
characterI　can　honestly　say　that　I　dreaded　the　consequences；
not　as　they　might　affect　myself；　but　as　they　might　affect　my
unhappy　friend　in　his　enfeebled　state　of　body　and　mind。

When　I　entered　his　room；　he　was　still　in　bed。

The　bed…curtains　were　so　drawn；　on　the　side　nearest　to　the
window；　as　to　keep　the　light　from　falling　too　brightly　on　his
weak　eyes。　In　the　shadow　thus　thrown　on　him；　it　was　not　possible
to　see　his　face　plainly　enough；　from　the　open　side　of　the　bed；　to
arrive　at　any　definite　conclusion　as　to　what　might　be　passing　in
his　mind。　After　having　been　awake　for　some　hours　during　the
earlier　part　of　the　night；　he　had　enjoyed　a　long　and　undisturbed
sleep。　〃I　feel　stronger　this　morning；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　wish　to
speak　to　you　while　my　mind　is　clear。〃

If　the　quiet　tone　of　his　voice　was　not　an　assumed　tone；　he　was
surely　ignorant　of　all　that　had　passed　between　his　daughter　and
myself。

〃Eunice　will　be　here　soon；〃　he　proceeded；　〃and　I　ought　to　explain
why　I　have　sent　for　her　to　come　and　meet　you。　I　have　reasons；
serious　reasons；　mind；　for　wishing　you　to　compare　her　personal
appearance　with　Helena's　personal　appearance；　and　then　to　tell　me
which　of　the　two；　on　a　fair　comparison；　looks　the　eldest。　Pray
bear　in　mind　that　I　attach　the　greatest　importance　to　the
conclusion　at　which　you　may　arrive。〃

He　spoke　more　clearly　and　collectedly　than　I　had　heard　him　speak
yet。

Here　and　there　I　detected　hesitations　and　repetitions；　which　I
have　purposely　passed　over。　The　substance　of　what　he　said　to　me
is　all　that　I　shall　present　in　this　place。　Careful　as　I　have　been
to　keep　my　record　of　events　within　strict　limits；　I　have　written
at　a　length　which　I　was　far　indeed　from　contemplating　when　I
accepted　Mr。　Gracedieu's　invitation。

Having　promised　to　comply　with　the　strange　request　which　he　had
addressed　to　me；　I　ventured　to　remind　him　of　past　occasions　on
which　he　had　pointedly　abstained；　when　the　subject　presented
itself；　from　speaking　of　the　girls'　ages。　〃You　have　left　it　to　my
discretion；〃　I　added；　〃to　decide　a　question　in　which　you　are
seriously　interested；　relating　to　your　daughters。　Have　I　no
excuse　for　regretting　that　I　have　not　been　admitted　to　your
confidence　a　little　more　freely？〃

〃You　have　every　excuse；〃　he　answered。　〃But　you　trouble　me　all　the
same。　There　was　something　else　that　I　had　to　say　to　youand　your
curiosity　gets　in　the　way。〃

He　said　this　with　a　sullen　emphasis。　In　my　position；　the　worst　of
evils　was　suspense。　I　told　him　that　my　curiosity　could　wait；　and
I　begged　that　he　would　relieve　his　mind　of　what　was　pressing　on
it　at　the　moment。

〃Let　me　think　a　little；〃　he　said。

I　waited　anxiously　for　the　decision　at　which　he　might　arrive。
Nothing　came　of　it　to　justify　my　misgivings。　〃Leave　what　I　have
in　my　mind　to　ripen　in　my　mind；〃　he　said。　〃The　mystery　about　the
girls'　ages　seems　to　irritate　you。　If　I　put　my　good　friend's
temper　to　any　further　trial；　he　will　be　of　no　use　to　me。　Never
mind　if　my　head　swims；　I'm　used　to　that。　Now　listen！〃

Strange　as　the　preface　was；　the　explanation　that　followed　was
stranger　yet。　I　offer　a　shortened　and　simplified　version；　giving
accurately　the　substance　of　what　I　heard。

The　Minister　entered　without　reserve　on　the　mysterious　subject　of
the　ages。　Eunice；　he　informed　me；　was　nearly　two　years　older　than
Helena。　If　she　outwardly　showed　her　superiority　of　age；　any
person　acquainted　with　the　circumstances　under　which　the　adopted
infant　had　been　received　into　Mr。　Gracedieu's　childless
household；　need　only　compare　the　so…called　sisters　in　after…life；
and　would　thereupon　identify　the　eldest…looking　young　lady　of　the
two　as　the　offspring　of　the　woman　who　had　been　hanged　for　murder。
With　such　a　misfortune　as　this　presenting　itself　as　a　possible
prospect；　the　Minister　was　bound　to　prevent　the　girls　from
ignorantly　betraying　each　other　by　allusions　to　their　ages　and
their　birthdays。　After　much　thought；　he　had　devised　a　desperate
means　of　meeting　the　difficultyalready　made　known；　as　I　am
told；　for　the　information　of　strangers　who　may　read　the　pages
that　have　gone　before　mine。　My　friend's　plan　of　proceeding　had；
by　the　nature　of　it；　exposed　him　to　injurious　comment；　to
embarrassing　questions；　and　to　doubts　and　misconceptions；　all
patiently　endured　in　consideration　of　the　security　that　had　been
attained。　Proud　of　his　explanation；　Mr。　Gracedieu's　vanity　called
upon　me　to　acknowledge　that　my　curiosity　had　been　satisfied；　and
my　doubts　completely　set　at　rest。

No：　my　obstinate　common　sense　was　not　reduced　to　submission；　even
yet。　Looking　back　over　a　lapse　of　seventeen　years；　I　asked　what
had　happened；　in　that　long　interval；　to　justify　the　anxieties
which　still　appeared　to　trouble　my　friend。

This　time；　my　harmless　curiosity　could　be　gratified　by　a　reply
expressed　in　three　wordsnothing　had　happened。

Then　what；　in　Heaven's　name；　was　the　Minister　afraid　of？

His　voice　dropped　to　a　whisper。　He　said：　〃I　am　afraid　of　the
women。〃

Who　were　the　women？

Two　of　them　actually　proved　to　be　the　servants　employed　in　Mr。
Gracedieu's　house；　at　the　bygone　time　when　be　had　brought　the
child　home　with　him　from　the　prison！　To　point　out　the　absurdity
of　the　reasons　that　he　gave　for　fearing　what　female　curiosity
might　yet　attempt；　if　circumstances　happened　to　encourage　it；
would　have　been　a　mere　waste　of　words。　Dismissing　the　subject；　I
next　ascertained　that　the　Minister's　doubts　extended　even　to　the
two　female　warders；　who　had　been　appointed　to　watch　the　murderess
in　turn；　during　her　last　days　in　prison。　I　easily　relieved　his
mind　in　this　case。　One　of　the　warders　was　dead。　The　other　had
married　a　farmer　in　Australia。　Had　we　exhausted　the　list　of
suspected　persons　yet？　No：　there　was　one　more　left；　and　the
Minister　declared　that　he　had　first　met　with　her　in　my　official
residence；　at　the　time　when　I　was　Governor　of　the　prison。

〃She　presented　herself　to　me　by　name；〃　he　said；　〃and　she　spoke
rudely。　A　Miss〃　He　paused　to　consult　his　memory；　and　this　time
（thanks　perhaps　to　his　night's　rest）　his　memory　answered　the
appeal。　〃I　have　got　it！〃　he　cried〃Miss　Chance。〃

My　friend　had　interested　me　in　his　imaginary　perils　at　last。　It
was　just　possible　that　he　might　have　a　formidable　person　to　deal
with　now。

During　my　residence　at　Florence；　the　Chaplain　and　I　had　taken
many　a　retrospective　look　（as　old　men　will）　at　past　events　in　our
lives。　My　former　colleague　spoke　of　the　time　when　he　had
performed　clerical　duty　for　his　friend；　the　rector　of　a　parish
church　in　London。　Neither　he　nor　I　had　heard　again　of　the　〃Miss
Chance〃　of　our　disagreeable　prison　experience；　whom　he　had
married　to　the　dashing　Dutch　gentleman；　Mr。　Tenbruggen。　We　could
only　wonder　what　had　become　of　that　mysterious　married　pair。

Mr。　Gracedieu　being　undoubtedly　ignorant　of　the　woman's