the legacy of cain-第58章

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The　one　consideration　which　I　was　bound　to　face；　was　the　sacred
consideration　of　her　happiness　in　her　life　to　come。

Leaving　Philip；　with　a　few　words　of　sympathy　which　might　help　him
to　bear　his　suspense；　I　went　to　my　room　to　think。

The　time　passedand　I　could　arrive　at　no　positive　conclusion。
Either　waywith　or　without　Philipthe　contemplation　of　Eunice's
future　harassed　me　with　doubt。　Even　if　I　had　conquered　my　own
indecision；　and　had　made　up　my　mind　to　sanction　the　union　of　the
two　young　people；　the　difficulties　that　now　beset　me　would　not
have　been　dispersed。　Knowing　what　I　alone　knew；　I　could　certainly
remove　Eunice's　one　objection　to　the　marriage。　In　other　words；　I
had　only　to　relate　what　had　happened　on　the　day　when　the　Chaplain
brought　the　Minister　to　the　prison；　and　the　obstacle　of　their
union　would　be　removed。　But；　without　considering　Philip；　it　was
simply　out　of　the　question　to　do　this；　in　mercy　to　Eunice
herself。　What　was　Helena's　disgrace；　compared　with　the　infamy
which　stained　the　name　of　the　poor　girl's　mother！　The　other
alternative　of　telling　her　part　of　the　truth　only　was　before　me；
if　I　could　persuade　myself　to　adopt　it。　I　failed　to　persuade
myself；　my　morbid　anxiety　for　her　welfare　made　me　hesitate　again。
Human　patience　could　endure　no　more。　Rashness　prevailed　and
prudence　yieldedI　left　my　decision　to　be　influenced　by　the
coming　interview　with　Eunice。

The　next　day　I　drove　to　the　farm。　Philip's　entreaties　persuaded
me　to　let　him　be　my　companion；　on　one　conditionthat　he　waited
in　the　carriage　while　I　went　into　the　house。

I　had　carefully　arranged　my　ideas；　and　had　decided　on　proceeding
with　the　greatest　caution；　before　I　ventured　on　saying　the
all…important　words　which；　once　spoken；　were　not　to　be　recalled。
The　worst　of　those　anxieties；　under　which　the　delicate　health　of
Mr。　Gracedieu　had　broken　down；　was　my　anxiety　now。　Could　I
reconcile　it　to　my　conscience　to　permit　a　man；　innocent　of　all
knowledge　of　the　truth；　to　marry　the　daughter　of　a　condemned
murderess；　without　honestly　telling　him　what　he　was　about　to　do？
Did　I　deserve　to　be　pitied？　did　I　deserve　to　be　blamed？my　mind
was　still　undecided　when　I　entered　the　house。

She　ran　to　meet　me　as　if　she　had　been　my　daughter；　she　kissed　me
as　if　she　had　been　my　daughter；　she　fondly　looked　up　at　me　as　if
she　had　been　my　daughter。　At　the　sight　of　that　sweet　young　face；
so　sorrowful；　and　so　patiently　enduring　sorrow；　all　my　doubts　and
hesitations；　everything　artificial　about　me　with　which　I　had
entered　the　room；　vanished　in　an　instant。

After　she　had　thanked　me　for　coming　to　see　her；　I　saw　her　tremble
a　little。　The　uppermost　interest　in　her　heart　was　forcing　its　way
outward　to　expression；　try　as　she　might　to　keep　it　back。　〃Have
you　seen　Philip？〃　she　asked。　The　tone　in　which　she　put　that
question　decided　meI　was　resolved　to　let　her　marry　him。
Impulse！　Yes；　impulse；　asserting　itself　inexcusably　in　a　man　at
the　end　of　his　life。　I　ought　to　have　known　better　than　to　have
given　way。　Very　likely。　But　am　I　the　only　mortal　who　ought　to
have　known　betterand　did　not？

When　Eunice　asked　if　I　had　seen　Philip；　I　owned　that　he　was
outside　in　the　carriage。　Before　she　could　reproach　me；　I　went　on
with　what　I　had　to　say：　〃My　child；　I　know　what　a　sacrifice　you
have　made；　and　I　should　honor　your　scruples；　if　you　had　any
reason　for　feeling　them。〃

〃Any　reason　for　feeling　them？〃　She　turned　pale　as　she　repeated
the　words。

An　idea　came　to　me。　I　rang　for　the　servant；　and　sent　her　to　the
carriage　to　tell　Philip　to　come　in。　〃My　dear；　I　am　not　putting
you　to　any　unfair　trial；〃　I　assured　her；　〃I　am　going　to　prove
that　I　love　you　as　truly　as　if　you　were　my　own　child。〃

When　they　were　both　present；　I　resolved　that　they　should　not
suffer　a　moment　of　needless　suspense。　Standing　between　them；　I
took　Eunice's　hand；　and　laid　my　other　hand　on　Philip's　shoulder；
and　spoke　out　plainly。

〃I　am　here　to　make　you　both　happy；〃　I　said。　〃I　can　remove　the
only　obstacle　to　your　marriage；　and　I　mean　to　do　it。　But　I　must
insist　on　one　condition。　Give　me　your　promise；　Philip；　that　you
will　ask　for　no　explanations；　and　that　you　will　be　satisfied　with
the　one　true　statement　which　is　all　that　I　can　offer　to　you。〃

He　gave　me　his　promise；　without　an　instant's　hesitation。

〃Philip　grants　what　I　ask；〃　I　said　to　Eunice。　〃Do　you　grant　it；
too？〃

Her　hand　turned　cold　in　mine；　but　she　spoke　firmly　when　she　said：
〃Yes。〃

I　gave　her　into　Philip's　care。　It　was　his　privilege　to　console
and　support　her。　It　was　my　duty　to　say　the　decisive　words：

〃Rouse　your　courage；　dear　Eunice；　you　are　no　more　affected　by
Helena's　disgrace　than　I　am。　You　are　not　her　sister。　Her　father
is　not　your　father；　her　mother　was　not　your　mother。　I　was
present；　in　the　time　of　your　infancy；　when　Mr。　Gracedieu's
fatherly　kindness　received　you　as　his　adopted　child。　This；　I
declare　to　you　both；　on　my　word　of　honor；　is　the　truth。〃

How　she　bore　it　I　am　not　able　to　say。　My　foolish　old　eyes　were
filling　with　tears。　I　could　just　see　plainly　enough　to　find　my
way　to　the　door；　and　leave　them　together。

In　my　reckless　state　of　mind；　I　never　asked　myself　if　Time　would
be　my　accomplice；　and　keep　the　part　of　the　secret　which　I　had　not
revealedor　be　my　enemy；　and　betray　me。　The　chances；　either　way；
were　perhaps　equal。　The　deed　was　done。


CHAPTER　LXIV。

THE　TRUTH　TRIUMPHANT。


THE　marriage　was　deferred；　at　Eunice's　request；　as　an　expression
of　respect　to　the　memory　of　Philip's　father。

When　the　time　of　delay　had　passed；　it　was　arranged　that　the
wedding　ceremony　should　be　heldafter　due　publication　of
Bannsat　the　parish　church　of　the　London　suburb　in　which　my
house　was　situated。　Miss　Jillgall　was　bridesmaid；　and　I　gave　away
the　bride。　Before　we　set　out　for　the　church；　Eunice　asked　leave
to　speak　with　me　for　a　moment　in　private。

〃Don't　think；〃　she　said；　〃that　I　am　forgetting　my　promise　to　be
content　with　what　you　have　told　me　about　myself。　I　am　not　so
ungrateful　as　that。　But　I　do　want；　before　I　consent　to　be
Philip's　wife；　to　feel　sure　that　I　am　not　quite　unworthy　of　him。
Is　it　because　I　am　of　mean　birth　that　you　told　me　I　was　Mr。
Gracedieu's　adopted　childand　told　me　no　more？〃

I　could　honestly　satisfy　her；　so　far。　〃Certainly　not！〃　I　said。

She　put　her　arms　round　my　neck。　〃Do　you　say　that；〃　she　asked；　〃to
make　my　mind　easy？　or　do　you　say　it　on　your　word　of　honor？〃

〃On　my　word　of　honor。〃

We　arrived　at　the　church。　Let　Miss　Jillgall　describe　the
marriage；　in　her　own　inimitable　way。

〃No　wedding　breakfast；　when　you　don't　want　to　eat　it。　No　wedding
speeches；　when　nobody　wants　to　make　them；　and　nobody　wants　to
hear　them。　And　no　false　sentiment；　shedding　tears　and　reddening
noses；　on　the　happiest　day　in　the　whole　year。　A　model　marriage！　I
could　desire　nothing　better；　if　I　had　any　prospect　of　being　a
bride　myself。〃

They　went　away　for　their　honeymoon　to　a　quiet　place　by　the
seaside；　not　very　far　from　the　town　in　which　Eunice　had　passed
some　of　the　happiest　and　the　wretchedest　days　in　her　life。　She
persisted　in　thinking　it　possible　that　Mr。　Gracedieu　might
recover　the　use　of　his　faculties；　at　the　last；　and　might　wish　to
see　her　on　his　death…bed。　〃His　adopted　daughter；〃　she　gently
reminded　me；　〃is　his　only　daughter　now。〃　The　doctor　shook　his
head　when　I　told　him　what　Eunice　had　said　to　meand；　the　sad
truth　must　be　told；　the　doctor　was　right。

Miss　Jillgall　returned；　on　the　wedding…day；　to　take　care　of　the
good　man　who　had　befriended　her　in　her　hour　of　need。

Before　the　end　of　the　week；　I　heard　from　her；　and　was
disagreeably　reminded　of　an　incident　which　we　had　both　forgotten；
absorbed　as　we　were　in　other　and　greater　interests；　at　the　time。

Mrs。　Tenbruggen　had　again　appeared　on　the　scene！　She　had　written
to　Miss　Jillgall；　from　Paris；　to　say　that　she　had　heard　of　old
Mr。。　Dunboyne's　death；　and　that　she　wished　to　have　the　letter
returned；　which　she　had　left　for　delivery　to　Philip's　father　on
the　day　when　Philip　and　Eunice　were　married。　I　had　my　own
suspicions　of　what　that　letter　might　contain；　and　I　regretted
that　Miss　Jillgall　had　sent　it　back　without　first　waiting　to
consult　me。　My　misgivings；　thus　excited；　were　increased　by　more
news　of　no　very　welcome　kind。　Mrs。　Tenbruggen　had　decided　on
returning　to　her　professional　pursuits　in　England。　Massage；　now
the　fashion　everywhere；　had　put　money　into　her　pocket　among　the
foreigners；　and　her　husband；　finding　that　she　persisted　in
keeping　out　of　his　reach；　had　consented　to　a　compromise。　He　was
ready　to　submit　to　a　judicial　separation；　in　consideration　of　a
little　income　which　his　wife　had　consented　to　settle　on　him；
under　the　advice　of　her　lawyer。

Some　days　later；　I　received　a　delightful　letter　from　Philip　and
Eunice；　reminding　me　that　I　had　engaged　to　pay　them　a　visit　at
the　seaside。　My　room　was　ready　for　me；　and　I　was　left　to　choose
my　own　day。　I　had　just　begun　to　write　my　reply；　gladly　accepting
the　invitation；　when　an　ominous　circumstance　occurred。　My　servant
announced　〃a　lady〃；　and　I　found　myself　face　to　face　withMrs。
Tenbruggen！

She　was　as　cheerful　as　ever；　and　as　eminently　agreeable　as　ever。

〃I　have　heard　it　all　from　Selina；〃　she　said。　〃Philip's　marriage
to　Eunice　（I　shall　go　and　congratulate　them；　of　course）；　and　the
catastrophe　（how　dramatic！）　of　Helena　Gracedieu。　I　warned。　Selina
that　Miss　Helena　would　end　badly。　To　tell　the　truth；　she
frightened　me。　I　don't　deny　that　I　am　a　mischievous　woman　when　I
find　myself　affronted；　quite　capable　of　taking　my　revenge　in　my
own　small　spiteful　way。　But　poison　and　murderah；　the　frightful
subject！　let　us　drop　it；　and　talk　of　something　that　doesn't　make
my　hair　（it's　really　my　own　hair）　stand　on　end。　Has　Selina　told
you　that　I　have　got　rid　of　my　charming　husband；　on　easy　pecuniary
terms？　Oh；　you　know　that？　Very　well。　I　will　tell　you　something
that　you　don't　know。　Mr。　Governor；　I　have　found　you　out。〃

〃May　I　venture　to　ask　how？〃

〃When　I　guessed　which　was　which　of　those　two　girls；〃　she
answered；　〃and　guessed　wrong；　you　deliberately　encouraged　the
mistake。　Very　clever；　but　you　overdid　it。　From　that　moment；
though　I　kept　it　to　myself；　I　began　to　fear　I　might　be　wrong。　Do
you　remember　Low　Lanes；　my　dear　sir？　A　charming　old　church。　I
have　had　another　consultation　with　my　lawyer。　His　questions　led
me　into　mentioning　how　it　happened　that　I　heard　of　Low　Lanes。
After　looking　again　at　his　memorandum　of　the　birth　advertised　in
the　newspaper　without　naming　the　placehe　proposed　trying　the
church　register　at　Low　Lanes。　Need　I　tell　you　the　result？　I　know；
as　well　as　you　do；　that　Philip　has　married　the　adopted　child。　He
has　had　a　mother…in…law　who　was　hanged；　and；　what　is　more；　he　has
the　honor；　through　his　late　father；　of　being　otherwise　connected
with　the　murderess　by　marriageas　his　aunt！〃

Bewilderment　and　dismay　deprived　me　of　my　presence　of　mind。　〃How
did　you　discover　that？〃　I　was　foolish　enough　to　ask。

〃Do　you　remember　when　I　brought　the　baby　to　the　prison？〃　she
said。　〃The　fatheras　I　mentioned　at　the　timehad　been　a　dear
and　valued　friend　of　mine。　No　person　could　be　better　qualified　to
tell　me　who　had　married　his　wife's　sister。　If　that　lady　had　been
living；　I　should　never　have　been　troubled　with