the legacy of cain-第48章

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committing　the　crime　without　an　accomplice　to　help　her；　and　she
decided　on　taking　her　maid；　an　elderly　woman；　into　her
confidence。　The　poison　was　secretly　obtained　by　this　person；　and
the　safest　manner　of　administering　it　was　under　discussion
between　the　mistress　and　the　maid；　when　the　door　of　the　room　was
suddenly　opened。　The　husband；　accompanied　by　his　brother；　rushed
in；　and　charged　his　wife　with　plotting　the　murder　of　his　mother。
The　young　lady　（she　was　only　twenty…three）　must　have　been　a
person　of　extraordinary　courage　and　resolution。　She　saw　at　once
that　her　maid　had　betrayed　her；　and；　with　astonishing　presence　of
mind；　she　turned　on　the　traitress；　and　said　to　her　husband：
〃There　is　the　wretch　who　has　been　trying　to　persuade　me　to　poison
your　mother！〃　As　it　happened；　the　old　lady's　temper　was　violent
and　overbearing；　and　the　maid　had　complained　of　being　ill…treated
by　her；　in　the　hearing　of　the　other　servants。　The　circumstances
made　it　impossible　to　decide　which　of　the　two　was　really　the
guilty　woman。　The　servant　was　sent　away；　and　the　husband　and　wife
separated　soon　afterward；　under　the　excuse　of　incompatibility　of
temper。　Years　passed；　and　the　truth　was　only　discovered　by　the
death…bed　confession　of　the　wife。　A　remarkable　story；　which　has
made　such　an　impression　on　me　that　I　have　written　it　in　my
Journal。　I　am　not　rich　enough　to　buy　the　book。


For　the　last　two　days；　I　have　been　confined　to　my　room　with　a　bad
feverish　coldcaught；　as　I　suppose；　by　sitting　at　an　open　window
reading　my　book　till　nearly　three　o'clock　in　the　morning。　I　sent
a　note　to　Philip；　telling　him　of　my　illness。　On　the　first　day；　he
called　to　inquire　after　me。　On　the　second　day；　no　visit；　and　no
letter。　Here　is　the　third　dayand　no　news　of　him　as　yet。　I　am
better；　but　not　fit　to　go　out。　Let　me　wait　another　hour；　and；　if
that　exertion　of　patience　meets　with　no　reward；　I　shall　send　a
note　to　the　hotel。

No　news　of　Philip。　I　have　sent　to　the　hotel。　The　servant　has　just
returned；　bringing　me　back　my　note。　The　waiter　informed　her　that
Mr。　Dunboyne　had　gone　away　to　London　by　the　morning　train。　No
apology　or　explanation　left　for　me。

_Can_　he　have　deserted　me？　I　am　in　such　a　frenzy　of　doubt　and
rage　that　I　can　hardly　write　that　horrible　question。　Is　it
possibleoh；　I　feel　it　_is_　possible　that　he　has　gone　away　with
Eunice。　Do　I　know　where　to　find　them？　if　I　did　know；　what　could　I
do？　I　feel　as　if　I　could　kill　them　both！

CHAPTER　LIII。

HELENA'S　DIARY　RESUMED。


AFTER　the　heat　of　my　anger　had　cooled；　I　made　two　discoveries。
One　cost　me　a　fee　to　a　messenger；　and　the　other　exposed　me　to　the
insolence　of　a　servant。　I　pay　willingly　in　my　purse　and　my　pride；
when　the　gain　is　peace　of　mind。　Through　my　messenger　I
ascertained　that　Eunice　had　never　left　the　farm。　Through　my　own
inquiries；　answered　by　the　waiter　with　an　impudent　grin；　I　heard
that　Philip　had　left　orders　to　have　his　room　kept　for　him。　What
misery　our　stupid　housemaid　might　have　spared　me；　if　she　had
thought　of　putting　that　question　when　I　sent　her　to　the　hotel！

The　rest　of　the　day　passed　in　vain　speculations　on　Philip's
motive　for　this　sudden　departure。　What　poor　weak　creatures　we
are！　I　persuaded　myself　to　hope　that　anxiety　for　our　marriage　had
urged　him　to　make　an　effort　to　touch　the　heart　of　his　mean
father。　Shall　I　see　him　to…morrow？　And　shall　I　have　reason　to　be
fonder　of　him　than　ever？


We　met　again　to…day　as　usual。　He　has　behaved　infamously。

When　I　asked　what　had　been　his　object　in　going　to　London；　I　was
told　that　it　was　〃a　matter　of　business。〃　He　made　that　idiotic
excuse　as　coolly　as　if　he　really　thought　I　should　believe　it。　I
submitted　in　silence；　rather　than　mar　his　return　to　me　by　the
disaster　of　a　quarrel。　But　this　was　an　unlucky　day。　A　harder
trial　of　my　self…control　was　still　to　come。　Without　the　slightest
appearance　of　shame；　Philip　informed　me　that　he　was　charged　with
a　message　from　Mrs。　Tenbruggen！　She　wanted　some　Irish　lace；　and
would　I　be　so　good　as　to　tell　her　which　was　the　best　shop　at
which　she　could　buy　it？

Was　he　really　in　earnest？　〃You；〃　I　said；　〃who　distrusted　and
detested　heryou　are　on　friendly　terms　with　that　woman？〃

He　remonstrated　with　me。　〃My　dear　Helena；　don't　speak　in　that　way
of　Mrs。　Tenbruggen。　We　have　both　been　mistaken　about　her。　That
good　creature　has　forgiven　the　brutal　manner　in　which　I　spoke　to
her；　when　she　was　in　attendance　on　my　father。　She　was　the　first
to　propose　that　we　should　shake　hands　and　forget　it。　My　darling；
don't　let　all　the　good　feeling　be　on　one　side。　You　have　no　idea
how　kindly　she　speaks　of　you；　and　how　anxious　she　is　to　help　us
to　be　married。　Come！　come！　meet　her　half…way。　Write　down　the　name
of　the　shop　on　my　card；　and　I　will　take　it　back　to　her。〃

Sheer　amazement　kept　me　silent：　I　let　him　go　on。　He　was　a　mere
child　in　the　hands　of　Mrs。　Tenbruggen：　she　had　only　to　determine
to　make　a　fool　of　him；　and　she　could　do　it。

But　why　did　she
　do　it？　What　advantage　had　she　to　gain　by　insinuating　herself　in
this　way　into　his　good　opinion；　evidently　with　the　intention　of
urging　him　to　reconcile　us　to　each　other？　How　could　we　two　poor
young　people　be　of　the　smallest　use　to　the　fashionable　Masseuse？

My　silence　began　to　irritate　Philip。　〃I　never　knew　before　how
obstinate　you　could　be；〃　he　said；　〃you　seem　to　be　doing　your
bestI　can't　imagine　whyto　lower　yourself　in　my　estimation。〃

I　held　my　tongue；　I　assumed　my　smile。　It　is　all　very　well　for　men
to　talk　about　the　deceitfulness　of　women。　What　chance　（I　should
like　to　ask　somebody　who　knows　about　it）　do　the　men　give　us　of
making　our　lives　with　them　endurable；　except　by　deceit！　I　gave
way；　of　course；　and　wrote　down　the　address　of　the　shop。

He　was　so　pleased　that　he　kissed　me。　Yes！　the　most　fondly
affectionate　kiss　that　he　had　given　me；　for　weeks　past；　was　my
reward　for　submitting　to　Mrs。　Tenbruggen。　She　is　old　enough　to　be
his　mother；　and　almost　as　ugly　as　Miss　Jillgalland　she　has　made
her　interests　his　interests　already！


On　the　next　day；　I　fully　expected　to　receive　a　visit　from　Mrs。
Tenbruggen。　She　knew　better　than　that。　I　only　got　a　polite　little
note；　thanking　me　for　the　address；　and　adding　an　artless
concession：　〃I　earn　more　money　than　I　know　what　to　do　with；　and　I
adore　Irish　lace。〃

The　next　day　came；　and　still　she　was　careful　not　to　show　herself
too　eager　for　a　personal　reconciliation。　A　splendid　nosegay　was
sent　to　me；　with　another　little　note：　〃A　tribute；　dear　Helena；
offered　by　one　of　my　grateful　patients。　Too　beautiful　a　present
for　an　old　woman　like　me。　I　agree　with　the　poet：　'Sweets　to　the
sweet。'　A　charming　thought　of　Shakespeare's；　is　it　not？　I　should
like　to　verify　the　quotation。　Would　you　mind　leaving　the　volume
for　me　in　the　hall；　if　I　call　to…morrow？〃

Well　done；　Mrs。　Tenbruggen！　She　doesn't　venture　to　intrude　on
Miss　Gracedieu　in　the　drawing…room；　she　only　wants　to　verify　a
quotation　in　the　hall。　Oh；　goddess　of　Humility　（if　there　is　such
a　person）；　how　becomingly　you　are　dressed　when　your　milliner　is
an　artful　old　woman！

While　this　reflection　was　passing　through　my　mind；　Miss　Jillgall
came　insaw　the　nosegay　on　the　tableand　instantly　pounced　on
it。　〃Oh；　for　me！　for　me！〃　she　cried。　〃I　noticed　it　this　morning
on　Elizabeth's　table。　How　very　kind　of　her！〃　She　plunged　her
inquisitive　nose　into　the　poor　flowers；　and　looked　up
sentimentally　at　the　ceiling。　〃The　perfume　of　goodness；〃　she
remarked；　〃mingled　with　the　perfume　of　flowers！〃　〃When　you　have
quite　done　with　it；〃　I　said；　〃perhaps　you　will　be　so　good　as　to
return　my　nosegay？〃　〃_Your_　nosegay！〃　she　exclaimed。　〃There　is
Mrs。　Tenbruggen's　letter；〃　I　replied；　〃if　you　would　like　to　look
at　it。〃　She　did　look　at　it。　All　the　bile　in　her　body　flew　up　into
her　eyes；　and　turned　them　green；　she　looked　as　if　she　longed　to
scratch　my　face。　I　gave　the　flowers　afterward　to　Maria；　Miss
Jillgall's　nose　had　completely　spoiled　them。


It　would　have　been　too　ridiculous　to　have　allowed　Mrs。　Tenbruggen
to　consult　Shakespeare　in　the　hall。　I　had　the　honor　of　receiving
her　in　my　own　room。　We　accomplished　a　touching　reconciliation；
and　we　quite　forgot　Shakespeare。

She　troubles　me；　she　does　indeed　trouble　me。

Having　set　herself　entirely　right　with　Philip；　she　is　determined
on　performing　the　same　miracle　with　me。　Her　reform　of　herself　is
already　complete。　Her　vulgar　humor　was　kept　under　strict
restraint；　she　was　quiet　and　well…bred；　and　readier　to　listen
than　to　talk。　This　change　was　not　presented　abruptly。　She
contrived　to　express　her　friendly　interests　in　Philip　and　in　me
by　hints　dropped　here　and　there；　assisted　in　their　effort　by
answers　on　my　part；　into　which　I　was　tempted　so　skillfully　that　I
only　discovered　the　snare　set　for　me；　on　reflection。　What　is　it；
I　ask　again；　that　she　has　in　view　in　taking　all　this　trouble？
Where　is　her　motive　for　encouraging　a　love…affair；　which　Miss
Jillgall　must　have　denounced　to　her　as　an　abominable　wrong
inflicted　on　Eunice？　Money　（even　if　there　was　a　prospect　of　such
a　thing；　in　our　case）　cannot　be　her　object；　it　is　quite　true　that
her　success　sets　her　above　pecuniary　anxiety。　Spiteful　feeling
against　Eunice　is　out　of　the　question。　They　have　only　met　once；
and　her　opinion　was　expressed　to　me　with　evident　sincerity：　〃Your
sister　is　a　nice　girl；　but　she　is　like　other　nice　girlsshe
doesn't　interest　me。〃　There　is　Eunice's　character；　drawn　from　the
life　in　few　words。　In　what　an　irritating　position　do　I　find
myself　placed！　Never　before　have　I　felt　so　interested　in　trying
to　look　into　a　person's　secret　mind；　and　never　before　have　I　been
so　completely　baffled。

I　had　written　as　far　as　this；　and　was　on　the　point　of　closing　my
Journal；　when　a　third　note　arrived　from　Mrs。　Tenbruggen。

She　had　been　thinking　about　me　at　intervals　（she　wrote）　all
through　the　rest　of　the　day；　and；　kindly　as　I　had　received　her；
she　was　conscious　of　being　the　object　of　doubts　on　my　part　which
her　visit　had　failed　to　remove。　Might　she　ask　leave　to　call　on
me；　in　the　hope　of　improving　her　position　in　my　estimation？　An
appointment　followed　for　the　next　day。

What　can　she　have　to　say　to　me　which　she　has　not　already　said？　Is
it　anything　about　Philip；　I　wonder？


CHAPTER　LIV。

HELENA'S　DIARY　RESUMED。


AT　our　interview　of　the　next　day；　Mrs。　Tenbruggen's　capacity　for
self…reform　appeared　under　a　new　aspect。　She　dropped　all
familiarity　with　me；　and　she　stated　the　object　of　her　visit
without　a　superfluous　word　of　explanation　or　apology。

I　thought　this　a　remarkable　effort　for　a　woman；　and　I　recognized
the　merit　of　it　by　leaving　the　lion's　share　of　the　talk　to　my
visitor。　In　these　terms　she　opened　her　business　with　me：

〃Has　Mr。　Philip　Dunboyne　told　you　why　he　went　to　London？〃

〃He　made　a　commonplace　excuse；〃　I　answered。　〃Business；　he　said；
took　him　to　London。　I　know　no　more。〃

〃You　have　a　fair　prospect　of　happiness；　Miss　Helena；　when　you　are
marriedyour　future　husband　is　evidently　afraid　of　you。　I　am　not
afraid　of　you；　and　I　shall　confide　to　your　private　ear　something
which　you　have　an　interest　in　knowing。　The　business　which　took
young　Mr。　Dunboyne　to　London　was　to　consult　a　competent　person；
on　a　matter　concerning　himself。　The　competent　person　is　the
sagaciou