the legacy of cain-第56章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


to　go　to　her；　if　the　doctor　went　with　me。　He　said　that　was
impossible；　she　would　probably　refuse　to　speak　before　any
witness；　and　certainly　before　him。　But　he　promised　to　look　after
Philip　in　my　absence；　and　to　wait　below　if　it　really　so　happened
that　I　wanted　him。　I　need　only　ring　the　bell；　and　he　would　come
to　me　the　moment　he　heard　it。　Such　kindness　as　this　roused　my
courage；　I　suppose。　At　any　rate；　I　went　upstairs。

She　was　standing　by　the　fire…place；　with　her　elbow　on　the
chimney…piece；　and　her　head；　resting　on　her　hand。　I　stopped　just
inside　the　door；　waiting　to　hear　what　she　had　to　say。　In　this
position　her　side…face　only　was　presented　to　me。　It　was　a　ghastly
face。　The　eye　that　I　could　see　turned　wickedly　on　me　when　I　came
inthen　turned　away　again。　Otherwise；　she　never　moved。　I　confess
I　trembled；　but　I　did　my　best　to　disguise　it。

She　broke　out　suddenly　with　what　she　had　to　say：　〃I　won't　allow
this　state　of　things　to　go　on　any　longer。　My　horror　of　an
exposure　which　will　disgrace　the　family　has　kept　me　silent；
wrongly　silent；　so　far。　Philip's　life　is　in　danger。　I　am
forgetting　my　duty　to　my　affianced　husband；　if　I　allow　myself　to
be　kept　away　from　him　any　longer。　Open　those　locked　doors；　and
relieve　me　from　the　sight　of　you。　Open　the　doors；　I　say；　or　you
will　both　of　youyou　the　accomplice；　she　the　wretch　who　directs
yourepent　it　to　the　end　of　your　lives。〃

In　my　own　mind；　I　asked　myself　if　she　had　gone　mad。　But　I　only
answered：　〃I　don't　understand　you。〃

She　said　again：　〃You　are　Eunice's　accomplice。〃

〃Accomplice　in　what？〃　I　asked。

She　turned　her　head　slowly　and　faced　me。　I　shrank　from　looking　at
her。

〃All　the　circumstances　prove　it；〃　she　went　on。　〃I　have　supplanted
Eunice　in　Philip's　affection。　She　was　once　engaged　to　marry　him；
I　am　engaged　to　marry　him　now。　She　is　resolved　that　he　shall
never　make　me　his　wife。　He　will　die　if　I　delay　any　longer。　He
will　die　if　I　don't　crush　her；　like　the　reptile　she　is。　She　comes
hereand　what　does　she　do？　Keeps　him　prisoner　under　her　own
superintendence。　Who　gets　his　medicine？　She　gets　it。　Who　cooks
his　food？　She　cooks　it。　The　doors　are　locked。　I　might　be　a
witness　of　what　goes　on；　and　I　am　kept　out。　The　servants　who
ought　to　wait　on　him　are　kept　out。　She　can　do　what　she　likes　with
his　medicine；　she　can　do　what　she　likes　with　his　food：　she　is
infuriated　with　him　for　deserting　her；　and　promising　to　marry　me。
Give　him　back　to　my　care；　or；　dreadful　as　it　is　to　denounce　my
own　sister；　I　shall　claim　protection　from　the　magistrates。〃

I　lost　all　fear　of　her：　I　stepped　close　up　to　the　place　at　which
she　was　standing；　I　cried　out：　〃Of　what；　in　God's　name；　do　you
accuse　your　sister？〃

She　answered：　〃I　accuse　her　of　poisoning　Philip　Dunboyne。〃

I　ran　out　of　the　room；　I　rushed　headlong　down　the　stairs。　The
doctor　heard　me；　and　came　running　into　the　hall。　I　caught　hold　of
him　like　a　madwoman。　〃Euneece！〃　My　breath　was　gone；　I　could　only
say：　〃Euneece！〃

He　dragged　me　into　the　dining…room。　There　was　wine　on　the
side…board；　which　he　had　ordered　medically　for　Philip。　He　forced
me　to　drink　some　of　it。　It　ran　through　me　like　fire；　it　helped　me
to　speak。　〃Now　tell　me；〃　he　said；　〃what　has　she　done　to　Eunice？〃

〃She　brings　a　horrible　accusation　against　her；〃　I　answered。

〃What　is　the　accusation？〃　I　told　him。

He　looked　me　through　and　through。　〃Take　care！〃　he　said。　〃No
hysterics；　no　exaggeration。　You　may　lead　to　dreadful　consequences
if　you　are　not　sure　of　yourself。　If　it's　really　true；　say　it
again。〃　I　said　it　againquietly　this　time。

His　face　startled　me；　it　was　white　with　rage。　He　snatched　his　hat
off　the　hall　table。

〃What　are　you　going　to　do？〃　I　asked。

〃My　duty。〃　He　was　out　of　the　house　before　I　could　speak　to　him
again。



Third　Period　_（concluded）。_

_TROUBLES　AND　TRIUMPHS　OF　THE　FAMILY；　RELATED　BY　THE　GOVERNOR。_


CHAPTER　LXII。

THE　SENTENCE　PRONOUNCED。


MARTYRS　to　gout　know；　by　sad　experience；　that　they　suffer　under
one　of　the　most　capricious　of　maladies。　An　attack　of　this　disease
will　shift；　in　the　most　unaccountable　manner；　from　one　part　of
the　body　to　another；　or；　it　will　release　the　victim　when　there　is
every　reason　to　fear　that　it　is　about　to　strengthen　its　hold　on
him；　or；　having　shown　the　fairest　promise　of　submitting　to
medical　treatment；　it　will　cruelly　lay　the　patient　prostrate
again　in　a　state　of　relapse。　Adverse　fortune；　in　my　case；
subjected　me　to　this　last　and　worst　trial　of　endurance。　Two
months　passedmonths　of　pain　aggravated　by　anxietybefore　I　was
able　to　help　Eunice　and　Miss　Jillgall　personally　with　my　sympathy
and　advice。

During　this　interval；　I　heard　regularly　from　the　friendly　and
faithful　Selina。

Terror　and　suspense；　courageously　endured　day　after　day；　seem　to
have　broken　down　her　resistance；　poor　soul；　when　Eunice's　good
name　and　Eunice's　tranquillity　were　threatened　by　the　most
infamous　of　false　accusations。　From　that　time；　Miss　Jillgall's
method　of　expressing　herself　betrayed　a　gradual　deterioration。　I
shall　avoid　presenting　at　a　disadvantage　a　correspondent　who　has
claims　on　my　gratitude；　if　I　give　the　substance　only　of　what　she
wroteassisted　by　the　newspaper　which　she　sent　to　me；　while　the
legal　proceedings　were　in　progress。


Honest　indignation　does　sometimes　counsel　us　wisely。　When　the
doctor　left　Miss　Jillgall；　in　anger　and　in　haste；　he　had
determined　on　taking　the　course　from　which；　as　a　humane　man　and　a
faithful　friend；　he　had　hitherto　recoiled。　It　was　no　time；　now；
to　shrink　from　the　prospect　of　an　exposure。　The　one　hope　of
successfully　encountering　the　vindictive　wickedness　of　Helena　lay
in　the　resolution　to　be　beforehand　with　her；　in　the　appeal　to　the
magistrates　with　which　she　had　threatened　Eunice　and　Miss
Jillgall。　The　doctor's　sworn　information　stated　the　whole
terrible　case　of　the　poisoning；　ranging　from　his　first　suspicions
and　their　confirmation；　to　Helena's　atrocious　attempt　to　accuse
her　innocent　sister　of　her　own　guilt。　So　firmly　were　the
magistrates　convinced　of　the　serious　nature　of　the　case　thus
stated；　that　they　did　not　hesitate　to　issue　their　warrant。　Among
the　witnesses　whose　attendance　was　immediately　secured；　by　the
legal　adviser　to　whom　the　doctor　applied；　were　the　farmer　and　his
wife。

Helena　was　arrested　while　she　was　dressing　to　go　out。　Her
composure　was　not　for　a　moment　disturbed。　〃I　was　on　my　way；〃　she
said　coolly；　〃to　make　a　statement　before　the　justices。　The　sooner
they　hear　what　I　have　to　say　the　better。〃

The　attempt　of　this　shameless　wretch　to　〃turn　the　tables〃　on　poor
Eunicesuggested；　as　I　afterward　discovered；　by　the　record　of
family　history　which　she　had　quoted　in　her　　journalwas　defeated
with　ease。　The　farmer　and　his　wife　prove　d　the　date　at　which
Eunice　had　left　her　place　of　residence　under　their　roof。　The
doctor's　evidence　followed。　He　proved；　by　the　production　of　his
professional　diary；　that　the　discovery　of　the　attempt　to　poison
his　patient　had　taken　place　before　the　day　of　Eunice's　departure
from　the　farm；　and　that　the　first　improvement　in　Mr。　Philip
Dunboyne's　state　of　health　had　shown　itself　after　that　young
lady's　arrival　to　perform　the　duties　of　a　nurse。　To　the　wise
precautions　which　she　had　takenperverted　by　Helena　to　the
purpose　of　a　false　accusationthe　doctor　attributed　the
preservation　of　the　young　man's　life。

Having　produced　the　worst　possible　impression　on　the　minds　of　the
magistrates；　Helena　was　remanded。　Her　legal　adviser　had　predicted
this　result；　but　the　vindictive　obstinacy　of　his　client　had　set
both　experience　and　remonstrance　at　defiance。

At　the　renewed　examination；　the　line　of　defense　adopted　by　the
prisoner's　lawyer　proved　to　bemistaken　identity。

It　was　asserted　that　she　had　never　entered　the　chemist's　shop；
also；　that　the　assistant　had　wrongly　identified　some　other　lady
as　Miss　Helena　Gracedieu；　also；　that　there　was　not　an　atom　of
evidence　to　connect　her　with　the　stealing　of　the　doctor's
prescription…paper　and　the　forgery　of　his　writing。　Other
assertions　to　the　same　purpose　followed；　on　which　it　is　needless
to　dwell。

The　case　for　the　prosecution　was；　happily；　in　competent　hands。
With　the　exception　of　one　witness；　cross…examination　afforded　no
material　help　to　the　evidence　for　the　defense。

The　chemist　swore　positively　to　the　personal　appearance　of
Helena；　as　being　the　personal　appearance　of　the　lady　who　had
presented　the　prescription。　His　assistant；　pressed　on　the
question　of　identity；　broke　down　under
cross…examinationpurposely；　as　it　was　whispered；　serving　the
interests　of　the　prisoner。　But　the　victory；　so　far　gained　by　the
defense；　was　successfully　contested　by　the　statement　of　the　next
witness；　a　respectable　tradesman　in　the　town。　He　had　seen　the
newspaper　report　of　the　first　examination；　and　had　volunteered　to
present　himself　as　a　witness。　A　member　of　Mr。　Gracedieu's
congregation；　his　pew　in　the　chapel　was　so　situated　as　to　give
him　a　view　of　the　minister's　daughters　occupying　their　pew。　He
had　seen　the　prisoner　on　every　Sunday；　for　years　past；　and　he
swore　that　he　was　passing　the　door　of　the　chemist's　shop；　at　the
moment　when　she　stepped　out　into　the　street；　having　a　bottle
covered　with　the　customary　white　paper　in　her　hand。　The　doctor
and　his　servant　were　the　next　witnesses　called。　They　were
severely　cross…examined。　Some　of　their　statementsquestioned
technically　with　successreceived　unexpected　and　powerful
support；　due　to　the　discovery　and　production　of　the　prisoner's
diary。　The　entries；　guardedly　as　some　of　them　were　written；
revealed　her　motive　for　attempting　to　poison　Philip　Dunboyne；
proved　that　she　had　purposely　called　on　the　doctor　when　she　knew
that　he　would　be　out；　that　she　had　entered　the　consulting…room；
and　examined　the　medical　books；　had　found　（to　use　her　own　written
words）　〃a　volume　that　interested　her；〃　and　had　used　the
prescription…papers　for　the　purpose　of　making　notes。　The　notes
themselves　were　not　to　be　found；　they　had　doubtless　been
destroyed。　Enough；　and　more　than　enough；　remained　to　make　the
case　for　the　prosecution　complete。　The　magistrates　committed
Helena　Gracedieu　for　trial　at　the　next　assizes。

I　arrived　in　the　town；　as　well　as　I　can　remember；　about　a　week
after　the　trial　had　taken　place。

Found　guilty；　the　prisoner　had　been　recommended　to　mercy　by　the
jurypartly　in　consideration　of　her　youth；　partly　as　an
expression　of　sympathy　and　respect　for　her　unhappy　father。　The
judge　（a　father　himself）　passed　a　lenient　sentence。　She　was
condemned　to　imprisonment　for　two　years。　The　careful　matron　of
the　jail　had　provided　herself　with　a　bottle　of　smelling…salts；　in
the　fear　that　there　might　be　need　for　it　when　Helena　heard　her
sentence　pronounced。　Not　the　slightest　sign　of　agitation　appeared
in　her　face　or　her。　manner。　She　lied　to　the　last；　asserting　her
innocence　in　a　firm　voice；　and　returning　from　the　dock　to　the
prison　without　requiring　assistance　from　anybody。

Relating　these　particulars　to　me；　in　a　state　of　ungovernable
excitement；　good　Miss　Jillgall　ended　with　a　little　confession　of
her　own；　which　operated　as　a　relief　to　my　overburdened　mind　after
what　I　had　just　heard。

〃I　wouldn't　own　it；〃　she　said；　〃to　anybody　but　a　dear　friend。　One
thing；　in　the　dreadful　d