the legacy of cain-第7章

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the　Doctor's　duties　required　his　attendance　in　the　prison。　I
instantly　sent　for　him。　After　a　moment's　look　at　her；　he　took　the
wine　out　of　my　hand；　and　held　the　glass　to　her　lips。

〃Drink　it；〃　he　said。　She　still　refused。　〃Drink　it；〃　he
reiterated；　〃or　you　will　die。〃

That　frightened　her；　she　drank　the　wine。　The　Doctor　waited　for　a
while　with　his　fingers　on　her　pulse。　〃She　will　do　now；〃　he　said。

〃Can　I　go？〃　she　asked。

〃Go　wherever　you　please；　madamso　long　as　you　don't　go　upstairs
in　a　hurry。〃

She　smiled：　〃I　understand　you；　sirand　thank　you　for　your
advice。〃

I　asked　the　Doctor；　when　we　were　alone；　what　made　him　tell　her
not　to　go　upstairs　in　a　hurry。

〃What　I　felt；〃　he　answered；　〃when　I　had　my　fingers　on　her　pulse。
You　heard　her　say　that　she　understood　me。〃

〃Yes；　but　I　don't　know　what　she　meant。〃

〃She　meant；　probably；　that　her　own　doctor　had　warned　her　as　I
did。〃

〃Something　seriously　wrong　with　her　health？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃What　is　it？〃

〃Heart。〃


CHAPTER　X。

MISS　CHANCE　REAPPEARS。


A　WEEK　had　passed；　since　the　Minister's　wife　had　left　me；　when　I
received　a　letter　from　the　Minister　himself。

After　surprising　me；　as　he　innocently　supposed；　by　announcing　the
birth　of　his　child；　he　mentioned　some　circumstances　connected
with　that　event；　which　I　now　heard　for　the　first　time。

〃Within　an　easy　journey　of　the　populous　scene　of　my　present
labors；〃　he　wrote；　〃there　is　a　secluded　country　village　called
Low　Lanes。　The　rector　of　the　place　is　my　wife's　brother。　Before
the　birth　of　our　infant；　he　had　asked　his　sister　to　stay　for　a
while　at　his　house；　and　the　doctor　thought　she　might　safely　be
allowed　to　accept　the　invitation。　Through　some　error　in　the
customary　calculations；　as　I　suppose；　the　child　was　born
unexpectedly　at　the　rectory；　and　the　ceremony　of　baptism　was
performed　at　the　church；　under　circumstances　which　I　am　not　able
to　relate　within　the　limits　of　a　letter：　Let　me　only　say　that　I
allude　to　this　incident　without　any　sectarian　bitterness　of
feelingfor　I　am　no　enemy　to　the　Church　of　England。　You　have　no
idea　what　treasures　of　virtue　and　treasures　of　beauty　maternity
has　revealed　in　my　wife's　sweet　nature。　Other　mothers；　in　her
proud　position；　might　find　their　love　cooling　toward　the　poor
child　whom　we　have　adopted。　But　my　household　is　irradiated　by　the
presence　of　an　angel；　who　gives　an　equal　share　in　her　affections
to　the　two　little　ones　alike。〃

In　this　semi…hysterical　style　of　writing；　the　poor　man
unconsciously　told　me　how　cunningly　and　how　cruelly　his　wife　was
deceiving　him。

I　longed　to　exhibit　that　wicked　woman　in　her　true　characterbut
what　could　I　do？　She　must　have　been　so　favored　by　circumstances
as　to　be　able　to　account　for　her　absence　from　home；　without
exciting　the　slightest　suspicion　of　the　journey　which　she　had
really　taken；　if　I　declared　in　my　reply　to　the　Minister's　letter
that　I　had　received　her　in　my　rooms；　and　if　I　repeated　the
conversation　that　had　taken　place；　what　would　the　result　be？　She
would　find　an　easy　refuge　in　positive　denial　of　the　truthand；
in　that　case；　which　of　us　would　her　infatuated　husband　believe？

The　one　part　of　the　letter　which　I　read　with　some　satisfaction
was　the　end　of　it。

I　was　here　informed　that　the　Minister's　plans　for　concealing　the
parentage　of　his　adopted　daughter　had　proved　to　be　entirely
successful。　The　members　of　the　new　domestic　household　believed
the　two　children　to　be　infant…sisters。　Neither　was　there　any
danger　of　the　adopted　child　being　identified　（as　the　oldest　child
of　the　two）　by　consultation　of　the　registers。

Before　he　left　our　town；　the　Minister　had　seen　for　himself　that
no　baptismal　name　had　been　added；　after　the　birth　of　the　daughter
of　the　murderess　had　been　registered；　and　that　no　entry　of
baptism　existed　in　the　registers　kept　in　places　of　worship。　He
drew　the　inferencein　all　probability　a　true　inference；
considering　the　characters　of　the　parentsthat　the　child　had
never　been　baptized；　and　he　performed　the　ceremony　privately；
abstaining；　for　obvious　reasons；　from　adding　her　Christian　name
to　the　imperfect　register　of　her　birth。　〃I　am　not　aware；〃　he
wrote；　〃whether　I　have；　or　have　not；　committed　an　offense　against
the　Law。　In　any　case；　I　may　hope　to　have　made　atonement　by
obedience　to　the　Gospel。〃

Six　weeks　passed；　and　I　heard　from　my　reverend　friend　once　more。

His　second　letter　presented　a　marked　contrast　to　the　first。　It
was　written　in　sorrow　and　anxiety；　to　inform　me　of　an　alarming
change　for　the　worse　in　his　wife's　health。　I　showed　the　letter　to
my　medical　colleague。　After　reading　it　he　predicted　the　event
that　might　be　expected；　in　two　words：Sudden　death。

On　the　next　occasion　when　I　heard　from　the　Minister；　the　Doctor's
grim　reply　proved　to　be　a　prophecy　fulfilled。

When　we　address　expressions　of　condolence　to　bereaved　friends；
the　principles　of　popular　hypocrisy　sanction　indiscriminate　lying
as　a　duty　which　we　owe　to　the　deadno　matter　what　their　lives
may　have　beenbecause　they　are　dead。　Within　my　own　little
sphere；　I　have　always　been　silent；　when　I　could　not　offer　to
afflicted　persons　expressions　of　sympathy　which　I　honestly　felt。
To　have　condoled　with　the　Minister　on　the　loss　that　he　had
sustained　by　the　death　of　a　woman；　self…betrayed　to　me　as
shamelessly　deceitful；　and　pitilessly　determined　to　reach　her　own
cruel　ends；　would　have　been　to　degrade　myself　by　telling　a
deliberate　lie。　I　expressed　in　my　answer　all　that　an　honest　man
naturally　feels；　when　he　is　writing　to　a　friend　in　distress；
carefully　abstaining　from　any　allusion　to　the　memory　of　his　wife；
or　to　the　place　which　her　death　had　left　vacant　in　his　household。
My　letter；　I　am　sorry　to　say；　disappointed　and　offended　him。　He
wrote　to　me　no　more；　until　years　had　passed；　and　time　had　exerted
its　influence　in　producing　a　more　indulgent　frame　of　mind。　These
letters　of　a　later　date　have　been　preserved；　and　will　probably　be
used；　at　the　right　time；　for　purposes　of　explanation　with　which　I
may　be　connected　in　the　future。

。　。　。　。　。　。　。

The　correspondent　whom　I　had　now　lost　was　succeeded　by　a
gentleman　entirely　unknown　to　me。

Those　reasons　which　induced　me　to　conceal　the　names　of　persons；
while　I　was　relating　events　in　the　prison；　do　not　apply　to
correspondence　with　a　stranger　writing　from　another　place。　I　may；
therefore；　mention　that　Mr。　Dunboyne；　of　Fairmount；　on　the　west
coast　of　Ireland；　was　the　writer　of　the　letter　now　addressed　to
me。　He　proved；　to　my　surprise；　to　be　one　of　the　relations　whom
the　Prisoner　under　sentence　of　death　had　not　cared　to　see；　when　I
offered　her　the　opportunity　of　saying　farewell。　Mr。　Dunboyne　was
a　brother…in…law　of　the　murderess。　He　had　married　her　sister。

His　wife；　he　informed　me；　had　died　in　childbirth；　leaving　him　but
one　consolationa　boy；　who　already　recalled　all　that　was
brightest　and　best　in　his　lost　mother。　The　father　was　naturally
anxious　that　the　son　should　never　become　acquainted　with　the
disgrace　that　had　befallen　the　family。

The　letter　then　proceeded　in　these　terms：

〃I　heard　yesterday；　for　the　first　time；　by　means　of　an　old
newspaper…cutting　sent　to　me　by　a　friend；　that　the　miserable
woman　who　suffered　the　ignominy　of　public　execution　has　left　an
infant　child。　Can　you　tell　me　what　has　become　of　the　orphan？　If
this　little　girl　is；　as　I　fear；　not　well　provided　for；　I　only　do
what　my　wife　would　have　done　if　she　had　lived；　by　offering　to
　make　the　child's　welfare　my　especial　care。　I　am　willing　to　place
her　in　an　establishment　well　known　to　me；　in　which　she　will　be
kindly　treated；　well　educated；　and　fitted　to　earn　her　own　living
honorably　in　later　life。

〃If　you　feel　some　surprise　at　finding　that　my　good　intentions
toward　this　ill…fated　niece　of　mine　do　not　go　to　the　length　of
receiving　her　as　a　member　of　my　own　family；　I　beg　to　submit　some
considerations　which　may　perhaps　weigh　with　you　as　they　have
weighed　with　me。

〃In　the　first　place；　there　is　at　least　a　possibilityhowever
carefully　I　might　try　to　conceal　itthat　the　child's　parentage
would　sooner　or　later　be　discovered。　In　the　second　place　（and
assuming　that　the　parentage　had　been　successfully　concealed）；　if
this　girl　and　my　boy　grew　up　together；　there　is　another
possibility　to　be　reckoned　with：　they　might　become　attached　to
each　other。　Does　the　father　live　who　would　allow　his　son
ignorantly　to　marry　the　daughter　of　a　convicted　murderess？　I
should　have　no　alternative　but　to　part　them　cruelly　by　revealing
the　truth。〃　The　letter　ended　with　some　complimentary　expressions
addressed　to　myself。　And　the　question　was：　how　ought　I　to　answer
it？

My　correspondent　had　strongly　impressed　me　in　his　favor；　I　could
not　doubt　that　he　was　an　honorable　man。　But　the　interest　of　the
Minister　in　keeping　his　own　benevolent　action　secure　from　the
risk　of　discoveryincreased　as　that　interest　was　by　the　filial
relations　of　the　two　children　toward　him；　now　publicly
establishedhad；　as　I　could　not　doubt；　the　paramount　claim　on
me。　The　absolutely　safe　course　to　take　was　to　admit　no　one；
friend　or　stranger；　to　our　confidence。　I　replied；　expressing
sincere　admiration　of　Mr。　Dunboyne's　motives；　and　merely
informing　him　that　the　child　was　already　provided　for。

After　that；　I　heard　no　more　of　the　Irish　gentleman。

It　is　perhaps　hardly　necessary　to　add　that　I　kept　the　Minister　in
ignorance　of　my　correspondence　with　Mr。　Dunboyne。　I　was　too　well
acquainted　with　my　friend's　sensitive　and　self…tormenting　nature
to　let　him　know　that　a　relative　of　the　murderess　was　living；　and
was　aware　that　she　had　left　a　child。

A　last　event　remains　to　be　related；　before　I　close　these　pages。

During　the　year　of　which　I　am　now　writing；　our　Chaplain　added　one
more　to　the　many　examples　that　I　have　seen　of　his　generous
readiness　to　serve　his　friends。　He　had　arranged　to　devote　his
annual　leave　of　absence　to　a　tour　among　the　English　Lakes；　when
he　received　a　letter　from　a　clergyman　resident　in　London；　whom　he
had　known　from　the　time　when　they　had　been　school…fellows。　This
old　friend　wrote　under　circumstances　of　the　severest　domestic
distress；　which　made　it　absolutely　necessary　that　he　should　leave
London　for　a　while。　Having　failed　to　find　a　representative　who
could　relieve　him　of　his　clerical　duties；　he　applied　to　the
Chaplain　to　recommend　a　clergyman　who　might　be　in　a　position　to
help　him。　My　excellent　colleague　gave　up　his　holiday…plans
without　hesitation；　and　went　to　London　himself。

On　his　return；　I　asked　if　he　had　seen　anything　of　some
acquaintances　of　his　and　of　mine；　who　were　then　visitors　to　the
metropolis。　He　smiled　significantly　when　he　answered　me。

〃I　have　a　card　to　deliver　from　an　acquaintance　whom　you　have　not
mentioned；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　rather　think　it　will　astonish　you。〃

It　simply　puzzled　me。　When　he　gave　me　the　card；　this　is　what　I
found　printed　on　it：

〃MRS。　TENERUGGEN　（OF　SOUTH　BEVELAND）。〃

〃Well？〃　said　the　Chaplain。

〃Well；〃　I　answered；　〃I　never　even　heard　of　Mrs。　Tenbruggen；　of
South　Beveland。　Who　is　she？〃

〃I　married　the　lady　to　a　foreign　gentleman；　only　last　week；　at　my
friend's　church；〃　the　Chaplain　replied。　〃Perhaps　you　may　remember
her　maiden　name？〃

He　mentioned　the　name　of　the　dangerous　creature　who　had　first
presented