the legacy of cain-第54章

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〃Where　is　Miss　Gracedieu？〃

〃Resting　upstairs；　miss；　in　her　room。〃

〃Look　at　the　clock；　and　tell　me　when　you　expect　her　to　come　down
here。〃

〃I　am　to　call　her；　miss；　in　ten　minutes　more。〃

〃Wait　in　the　dining…room；　Maria；　till　I　come　back　to　you。　〃

She　joined　me。　I　held　the　door　open　for　her　to　go　into　Philip's
room。　It　was　not　out　of　curiosity；　the　feeling　that　urged　me　was
sympathy；　when　I　waited　a　moment　to　see　their　first　meeting。　She
bent　over　the　poor；　pallid；　trembling；　suffering　man；　and　raised
him　in　her　arms；　and　laid　his　head　on　her　bosom。　〃My　Philip！〃　She
murmured　those　words　in　a　kiss。　I　closed　the　door；　I　had　a　good
cry；　and；　oh；　how　it　comforted　me！

There　was　only　a　minute　to　spare　when　she　came　out　of　the　room。
Maria　was　waiting　for　her。　Euneece　said；　as　quietly　as　ever：　〃Go
and　call　Miss　Gracedieu。〃

The　girl　looked　at　her；　and　sawI　don't　know　what。　Maria　became
alarmed。　But　she　went　up　the　stairs；　and　returned　in　haste　to
tell　us　that　her　young　mistress　was　coming　down。

The　faint　rustling　of　Helena's　dress　as　she　left　her　room　reached
us　in　the　silence。　I　remained　at　the　open　door　of　the
dining…room；　and　Maria　approached　and　stood　near　me。　We　were　both
frightened。　Euneece　stepped　forward；　and　stood　on　the　mat　at　the
foot　of　the　stairs；　waiting。　Her　back　was　toward　me；　I　could　only
see　that　she　was　as　still　as　a　statue。　The　rustling　of　the　dress
came　nearer。　Oh；　heavens！　what　was　going　to　happen？　My　teeth
chattered　in　my　head；　I　held　by　Maria's　shoulder。　Drops　of
perspiration　showed　themselves　on　the　girl's　forehead；　she　stared
in　vacant　terror　at　the　slim　little　figure；　posted　firm　and　still
on　the　mat。

Helena　turned　the　corner　of　the　stairs；　and　waited　a　moment　on
the　last　landing；　and　saw　her　sister。

〃You　here？〃　she　said。　〃What　do　you　want？〃

There　was　no　reply。　Helena　descended；　until　she　reached　the　last
stair　but　one。　There；　she　stopped。　Her　staring　eyes　grew　large
and　wild；　her　hand　shook　as　she　stretched　it　out；　feeling　for　the
banister；　she　staggered　as　she　caught　at　it；　and　held　herself　up。
The　silence　was　still　unbroken。　Something　in　me；　stronger　than
myself；　drew　my　steps　along　the　hall　nearer　and　nearer　to　the
stair；　till　I　could　see　the　face　which　had　struck　that　murderous
wretch　with　terror。

I　looked。

No！　it　was　not　my　sweet　girl；　it　was　a　horrid　transformation　of
her。　I　saw　a　fearful　creature；　with　glittering　eyes　that
threatened　some　unimaginable　vengeance。　Her　lips　were　drawn　back；
they　showed　her　clinched　teeth。　A　burning　red　flush　dyed　her
face。　The　hair　of　her　head　rose；　little　by　little；　slowly。　And；
most　dreadful　sight　of　all；　she　seemed；　in　the　stillness　of　the
house；　to　be　_listening　to　something。_　If　I　could　have　moved；　I
should　have　fled　to　the　first　place　of　refuge　I　could　find。　If　I
could　have　raised　my　voice；　I　should　have　cried　for　help。　I　could
do　neither　the　one　nor　the　other。　I　could　only　look；　look；　look；
held　by　the　horror　of　it　with　a　hand　of　iron。

Helena　must　have　roused　her　courage；　and　resisted　her　terror。　I
heard　her　speak：

〃Let　me　by！〃

〃No。〃

Slowly；　steadily；　in　a　whisper；　Euneece　made　that　reply。

Helena　tried　once　morestill　fighting　against　her　own　terror：　I
knew　it　by　the　trembling　of　her　voice。

〃Let　me　by；〃　she　repeated；　〃I　am　on　my　way　to　Philip's　room。〃

〃You　will　never　enter　Philip's　room　again。〃

〃Who　will　stop　me？〃

〃I　will。〃

She　had　spoken　in　the　same　steady　whisper　throughoutbut　now　she
moved。　I　saw　her　set　her　foot　on　the　first　stair。　I　saw　the
horrid　glitter　in　her　eyes　flash　close　into　Helena's　face。　I
heard　her　say：

〃Poisoner；　go　back　to　your　room。〃

Silent　and　shuddering；　Helena　shrank　away　from　herdaunted　by
her　glittering　eyes；　mastered　by　her　lifted　hand　pointing　up　the
stairs。

Helena　slowly　ascended　till　she　reached　the　landing。　She　turned
and　looked　down；　she　tried　to　speak。　The　pointing　hand　struck　her
dumb；　and　drove　her　up　the　next　flight　of　stairs。　She　was　lost　to
view。　Only　the　small　rustling　sound　of　the　dress　was　to　be　heard；
growing　fainter　and　fainter；　then　an　interval　of　stillness；　then
the　noise　of　a　door　opened　and　closed　again；　then　no　sound
morebut　a　change　to　be　seen：　the　transformed　creature　was　cr
ouching　on　her　knees；　still　and　silent；　her　face　covered　by　her
hands。　I　was　afraid　to　approach　her；　I　was　afraid　to　speak　to
her。　After　a　time；　she　rose。　Suddenly；　swiftly；　with　her　head
turned　away　from　me；　she　opened　the　door　of　Philip's　roomand
was　gone。

I　looked　round。　There　was　only　Maria　in　the　lonely　hall。　Shall　I
try　to　tell　you　what　my　sensations　were？　It　may　sound　strangely；
but　it　is　trueI　felt　like　a　sleeper；　who　has　half…awakened　from
a　dream。


CHAPTER　LX。

DISCOVERY。


A　LITTLE　later；　on　that　eventful　day；　when　I　was　most　in　need　of
all　that　your　wisdom　and　kindness　could　do　to　guide　me；　came　the
telegram　which　announced　that　you　were　helpless　under　an　attack
of　gout。　As　soon　as　I　had　in　some　degree　got　over　my
disappointment；　I　remembered　having　told　Euneece　in　my　letter
that　I　expected　her　kind　old　friend　to　come　to　us。　With　the
telegram　in　my　hand　I　knocked　softly　at　Philip's　door。

The　voice　that　bade　me　come　in　was　the　gentle　voice　that　I　knew
so　well。　Philip　was　sleeping。　There；　by　his　bedside；　with　his
hand　resting　in　her　hand；　was　Euneece；　so　completely　restored　to
her　own　sweet　self　that　I　could　hardly　believe　what　I　had　seen；
not　an　hour　since。　She　talked　of　you；　when　I　showed　her　your
message；　with　affectionate　interest　and　regret。　Look　back；　my
admirable　friend；　at　what　I　have　written　on　the　two　or　three
pages　which　precede　this；　and　explain　the　astounding　contrast　if
you　can。

I　was　left　alone　to　watch　by　Philip；　while　Euneece　went　away　to
see　her　father。　Soon　afterward；　Maria　took　my　place；　I　had　been
sent　for　to　the　next　room　to　receive　the　doctor。

He　looked　care…worn　and　grieved。　I　said　I　was　afraid　he　had
brought　bad　news　with　him。

〃The　worst　possible　news；〃　he　answered。　〃A　terrible　exposure
threatens　this　family；　and　I　am　powerless　to　prevent　it；〃

He　then　asked　me　to　remember　the　day　when　I　had　been　surprised　by
the　singular　questions　which　he　had　put　to　me；　and　when　he　had
engaged　to　explain　himself　after　he　had　made　some　inquiries。　Why；
and　how；　he　had　set　those　inquiries　on　foot　was　what　he　had　now
to　tell。　I　will　repeat　what　he　said；　in　his　own　words；　as　nearly
as　I　can　remember　them。　While　he　was　in　attendance　on　Philip；　he
had　observed　symptoms　which　made　him　suspect　that　Digitalis　had
been　given　to　the　young　man；　in　doses　often　repeated。　Cases　of
attempted　poisoning　by　this　medicine　were　so　rare；　that　he　felt
bound　to　put　his　suspicions　to　the　test　by　going　round　among　the
chemists's　shopsexcepting　of　course　the　shop　at　which　his　own
prescriptions　were　made　upand　asking　if　they　had　lately
dispensed　any　preparation　of　Digitalis；　ordered　perhaps　in　a
larger　quantity　than　usual。　At　the　second　shop　he　visited；　the
chemist　laughed。　〃Why；　doctor；〃　he　said；　〃have　you　forgotten　your
own　prescription？〃　After　this；　the　prescription　was　asked　for；
and　produced。　It　was　on　the　paper　used　by　the　doctorpaper　which
had　his　address　printed　at　the　top；　and　a　notice　added；　telling
patients　who　came　to　consult　him　for　the　second　time　to　bring
their　prescriptions　with　them。　Then；　there　followed　in　writing：
〃Tincture　of　Digitalis；　one　ounce〃with　his　signature　at　the
end；　not　badly　imitated；　but　a　forgery　nevertheless。　The　chemist
noticed　the　effect　which　this　discovery　had　produced　on　the
doctor；　and　asked　if　that　was　his　signature。　He　could　hardly；　as
an　honest　man；　have　asserted　that　a　forgery　was　a　signature　of
his　own　writing。　So　he　made　the　true　reply；　and　asked　who　had
presented　the　prescription。　The　chemist　called　to　his　assistant
to　come　forward。　〃Did　you　tell　me　that　you　knew；　by　sight；　the
young　lady　who　brought　this　prescription？〃　The　assistant　admitted
it。　〃Did　you　tell　me　she　was　Miss　Helena　Gracedieu？〃　〃I　did。〃
〃Are　you　sure　of　not　having　made　any　mistake？〃　〃Quite　sure。〃　The
chemist　then　said：　〃I　myself　supplied　the　Tincture　of　Digitalis；
and　the　young　lady　paid　for　it；　and　took　it　away　with　her。　You
have　had　all　the　information　that　I　can　give　you；　sir；　and　I　may
now　ask；　if　you　can　throw　any　light　on　the　matter。〃　Our　good
friend　thought　of　the　poor　Minister；　so　sorely　afflicted；　and　of
the　famous　name　so　sincerely　respected　in　the　town　and　in　the
country　round；　and　said　he　could　not　undertake　to　give　an
immediate　answer。　The　chemist　was　excessively　angry。　〃You　know　as
well　as　I　do；〃　he　said；　〃that　Digitalis；　given　in　certain　doses；
is　a　poison；　and　you　cannot　deny　that　I　honestly　believed　myself
to　be　dispensing　your　prescription。　While　you　are　hesitating　to
give　me　an　answer；　my　character　may　suffer；　I　may　be　suspected
myself。〃　He　ended　in　declaring　he　should　consult　his　lawyer。　The
doctor　went　home；　and　questioned　his　servant。　The　man　remembered
the　day　of　Miss　Helena's　visit　in　the　afternoon；　and　the
intention　that　she　expressed　of　waiting　for　his　master's　return。
He　had　shown　her　into　the　parlor　which　opened　into　the
consulting…room。　No　other　visitor　was　in　the　house　at　that　time；
or　had　arrived　during　the　rest　of　the　day。　The　doctor's　own
experience；　when　he　got　home；　led　him　to　conclude　that　Helena　had
gone　into　the　consulting…room。　He　had　entered　that　room；　for　the
purpose　of　writing　some　prescriptions；　and　had　found　the　leaves
of　paper　that　he　used　diminished　in　number。　After　what　he　had
heard；　and　what　he　had　discovered　（to　say　nothing　of　what　he
suspected）；　it　occurred　to　him　to　look　along　the　shelves　of　his
medical　library。　He　found　a　volume　（treating　of　Poisons）　with　a
slip　of　paper　left　between　the　leaves；　the　poison　described　at
the　place　so　marked　being　Digitalis；　and　the　paper　used　being　one
of　his　own　prescription…papers。　〃If；　as　I　fear；　a　legal
investigation　into　Helena's　conduct　is　a　possible　event；〃　the
doctor　concluded；　〃there　is　the　evidence　that　I　shall　be　obliged
to　give；　when　I　am　called　as　a　witness。〃

It　is　my　belief　that　I　could　have　felt　no　greater　dismay；　if　the
long　arm　of　the　Law　had　laid　its　hold　on　me　while　he　was
speaking。　I　asked　what　was　to　be　done。

〃If　she　leaves　the　house　at　once；〃　the　doctor　replied；　〃she　may
escape　the　infamy　of　being　charged　with　an　attempt　at　murder　by
poison；　and；　in　her　absence；　I　can　answer　for　Philip's　life。　I
don't　urge　you　to　warn　her；　because　that　might　be　a　dangerous
thing　to　do。　It　is　for　you　to　decide；　as　a　member　of　the　family；
whether　you　will　run　the　risk。〃

I　tried　to　speak　to　him　of　Euneece；　and　to　tell　him　what　I　had
already　related　to　yourself。　He　was　in　no　humor　to　listen　to　me。
〃Keep　it　for　a　fitter　time；〃　he　answered；　〃and　think　of　what　I
have　just　said　to　you。〃　With　that；　he　left　me；　on　his　way　to
Philip's　room。

Mental　exertion　was　completely　beyond　me。　Can　you　understand　a
poor　middle…aged　spinster　being　frightened　into　doing　a　dangerous
thing？　That　may　seem　to　be　nonsense。　But　if　you　ask　why　I　took　a
morsel　of　paper；　and　wrote　the　warning　which　I　was　afraid　to
communicate　by　word　of　mouthwhy　I　went　upstairs　with　my　knees
knocking　together；　and　opened　the　door　of　Helena's　room　just　wide
e