the legacy of cain-第24部分

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with　her。　My　dislike　of　this　person　led　me　astray　once　more。　I
ought　to　have　suspected　her　of　being　bent　on　some　mischievous
errand；　and　to　have　devised　some　means　of　putting　my　suspicions
to　the　test。　I　did　nothing　of　the　kind。　In　the　moment　when　I
turned　my　head　away　from　the　window；　Miss　Jillgall　was　a　person
forgottenand　I　was　a　person　who　had　made　a　serious　mistake。


CHAPTER　XXVI。

HELENA'S　DIARY。



THE　event　of　to…day　began　with　the　delivery　of　a　message
summoning　me　to　my　father's　study。　He　had　decidedtoo　hastily；
as　I　fearedthat　he　was　sufficiently　recovered　to　resume　his
usual　employments。　I　was　writing　to　his　dictation；　when　we　were
interrupted。　Maria　announced　a　visit　from　Mr。　Dunboyne。

Hitherto　Philip　had　been　content　to　send　one　of　the　servants　of
the　hotel　to　make　inquiry　after　Mr。　Gracedieu's　health。　Why　had
he　now　called　personally？　Noticing　that　father　seemed　to　be
annoyed；　I　tried　to　make　an　opportunity　of　receiving　Philip
myself。　〃Let　me　see　him；〃　I　suggested；　〃I　can　easily　say　you　are
engaged。〃

Very　unwillingly；　as　it　was　easy　to　see；　my　father　declined　to
allow　this。　〃Mr。　Dunboyne's　visit　pays　me　a　compliment；〃　he　said；
〃and　I　must　receive　him。〃　I　made　a　show　of　leaving　the　room；　and
was　called　back　to　my　chair。　〃This　is　not　a　private　interview；
Helena；　stay　where　you　are。〃

Philip　came　inhandsomer　than　ever；　beautifully　dressedand
paid　his　respects　to　my　father　with　his　customary　grace。　He　was
too　well…bred　to　allow　any　visible　signs　of　embarrassment　to
escape　him。　But　when　he　shook　hands　with　me；　I　felt　a　little
trembling　in　his　fingers；　through　the　delicate　gloves　which
fitted　him　like　a　second　skin。　Was　it　the　true　object　of　his
visit　to　try　the　experiment　designed　by　Eunice　and　himself；　and
deferred　by　the　postponement　of　our　dinner…party？　Impossible
surely　that　my　sister　could　have　practiced　on　his　weakness；　and
persuaded　him　to　return　to　his　first　love！　I　waited；　in
breathless　interest；　for　his　next　words。　They　were　not　worth
listening　to。　Oh；　the　poor　commonplace　creature！

〃I　am　glad；　Mr。　Gracedieu；　to　see　that　you　are　well　enough　to　be
in　your　study　again；〃　he　said。　The　writing　materials　on　the　table
attracted　his　attention。　〃Am　I　one　of　the　idle　people；〃　he　asked；
with　his　charming　smile；　〃who　are　always　interrupting　useful
employment？〃

He　spoke　to　my　father；　and　he　was　answered　by　my　father。　Not　once
had　he　addressed　a　word　to　meno；　not　even　when　we　shook　hands。
I　was　angry　enough　to　force　him　into　taking　some　notice　of　me；
and　to　make　an　attempt　to　confuse　him　at　the　same　time。

〃Have　you　seen　my　sister？〃　I　asked。

〃No。〃

It　was　the　shortest　reply　that　he　could　choose。　Having　flung　it
at　me；　he　still　persisted　in　looking　at　my　father　and　speaking　to
my　father：　〃Do　you　think　of　trying　change　of　air；　Mr。　Gracedieu；
when　you　feel　strong　enough　to　travel？〃

〃My　duties　keep　me　here；〃　father　answered；　〃and　I　cannot　honestly
say　that　I　enjoy　traveling。　I　dislike　manners　and　customs　that
are　strange　to　me；　I　don't　find　that　hotels　reward　me　for　giving
up　the　comforts　of　my　own　house。　How　do　you　find　the　hotel　here？〃

〃I　submit　to　the　hotel；　sir。　They　are　sad　savages　in　the　kitchen；
they　put　mushroom　ketchup　into　their　soup；　and　mustard　and
cayenne　pepper　into　their　salads。　I　am　half…starved　at
dinner…time；　but　I　don't　complain。〃

Every　word　he　said　was　an　offense　to　me。　With　or　without　reason；
I　attacked　him　again。

〃I　have　heard　you　acknowledge　that　the　landlord　and　landlady　are
very　obliging　people；〃　I　said。　〃Why　don't　you　ask　them　to　let　you
make　your　own　soup　and　mix　your　own　salad？〃

I　wondered　whether　I　should　succeed　in　attracting　his　notice；
after　this。　Even　in　these　private　pages；　my　self…esteem　finds　it
hard　to　confess　what　happened。　I　succeeded　in　reminding　Philip
that　he　had　his　reasons　for　requesting　me　to　leave　the　room。

〃Will　you　excuse　me；　Miss　Helena；〃　he　said；　〃if　I　ask　leave　to
speak　to　Mr。　Gracedieu　in　private？〃

The　right　thing　for　me　to　do　was；　let　me　hope；　the　thing　that　I
did。　I　rose；　and　waited　to　see　if　my　father　would　interfere。　He
looked　at　Philip　with　suspicion　in　his　face；　as　well　as　surprise。
〃May　I　ask；〃　he　said；　coldly；　〃what　is　the　object　of　the
interview？〃

〃Certainly；〃　Philip　answered；　〃when　we　are　alone。〃　This　cool
reply　placed　my　father　between　two　alternatives；　he　must　either
give　way；　or　be　guilty　of　an　act　of　rudeness　to　a　guest　in　his
own　house。　The　choice　reserved　for　me　was　narrower　stillI　had
to　decide　between　being　told　to　go；　or　going　of　my　own　accord。　Of
course；　I　left　them　together。

The　door　which　communicated　with　the　next　room　was　pulled　to；　but
not　closed。　On　the　other　side　of　it；　I　found　Eunice。

〃Listening！〃　I　said；　in　a　whisper。

〃Yes；〃　she　whispered　back。　〃You　listen；　too！〃

I　was　so　indignant　with　Philip；　and　so　seriously　interested　in
what　was　going　on　in　the　study；　that　I　yielded　to　temptation。　We
both　degraded　ourselves。　We　both　listened。

Eunice's　base　lover　spoke　first。　Judging　by　the　change　in　his
voice；　he　must　have　seen　something　in　my　father's　face　that
daunted　him。　Eunice　heard　it；　too。　〃He's　getting　nervous；〃　she
whispered；　〃he'll　forget　to　say　the　right　thing　at　the　right
time。〃

〃Mr。　Gracedieu；〃　Philip　began；　〃I　wish　to　speak　to　you〃

Father　interrupted　him：　〃We　are　alone　now；　Mr。　Dunboyne。　I　want
to　know　why　you　consult　me　in　private？〃

〃I　am　anxious　to　consult　you；　sir；　on　a　subject〃

〃On　what　subject？　Any　religious　difficulty？〃

〃No。〃

〃Anything　I　can　do　for　you　in　the　town？〃

〃Not　at　all。　If　you　will　only　allow　me〃

〃I　am　still　waiting；　sir；　to　know　what　it　is　about。〃

Philip's　voice　suddenly　became　an　angry　voice。　〃Once　for　all；　Mr。
Gracedieu；〃　he　said；　〃will　you　let　me　speak？　It's　about　your
daughter〃

〃No　more　of　it；　Mr。　Dunboyne！〃　（My　father　was　now　as　loud　as
Philip。）　〃I　don't　desire　to　hold　a　private　conversation　with　you
on　the　subject　of　my　daughter。〃

〃If　you　have　any　personal　objection　to　me；　sir；　be　so　good　as　to
state　it　plainly。〃

〃You　have　no　right　to　ask　me　to　do　that。〃

〃You　refuse　to　do　it？〃

〃Positively。〃

〃You　are　not　very　civil；　Mr。　Gracedieu。〃

〃If　I　speak　without　ceremony；　Mr。　Dunboyne；　you　have　yourself　to
thank　for　it。〃

Philip　replied　to　this　in　a　tone　of　savage　irony。　〃You　are　a
minister　of　religion；　and　you　are　an　old　man。　Two　privilegesand
you　presume　on　them　both。　Good…morning。〃

I　drew　back　into　a　corner；　just　in　time　to　escape　discovery　in
the　character　of　a　listener。　Eunice　never　moved。　When　Philip
dashed　int　o　the　room；　banging　the　door　after　him；　she　threw
herself　impulsively　on　his　breast：　〃Oh；　Philip！　Philip！　what　have
you　done？　Why　didn't　you　keep　your　temper？〃

〃Did　you　hear　what　your　father　said　to　me？〃　he　asked。

〃Yes；　dear；　but　you　ought　to　have　controlled　yourselfyou　ought；
indeed；　for　my　sake。〃

Her　arms　were　still　round　him。　It　struck　me　that　he　felt　her
influence。　〃If　you　wish　me　to　recover　myself；〃　he　said；　gently；
〃you　had　better　let　me　go。〃

〃Oh；　how　cruel；　Philip；　to　leave　me　when　I　am　so　wretched！　Why　do
you　want　to　go？〃

〃You　told　me　just　now　what　I　ought　to　do；〃　he　answered；　still
restraining　himself。　〃If　I　am　to　get　the　better　of　my　temper；　I
must　be　left　alone。〃

〃I　never　said　anything　about　your　temper；　darling。〃

〃Didn't　you　tell　me　to　control　myself？〃

〃Oh；　yes！　Go　back　to　papa。　and　beg　him　to　forgive　you。〃

〃I'll　see　him　damned　first！〃

If　ever　a　stupid　girl　deserved　such　an　answer　as　this；　the　girl
was　my　sister。　I　had　hitherto　（with　some　difficulty）　refrained
from　interfering。　But　when　Eunice　tried　to　follow　Philip　out　of
the　house；　I　could　hesitate　no　longer；　I　held　her　back。　〃You
fool；〃　I　said；　〃haven't　you　made　mischief　enough　already？〃

〃What　am　I　to　do？〃　she　burst　out；　helplessly。

〃Do　what　I　told　you　to　do　yesterdaywait。〃

Before　she　could　reply；　or　I　could　say　anything　more；　the　door
that　led　to　the　landing　was　opened　softly　and　slyly；　and　Miss
Jillgall　peeped　in。　Eunice　instantly　left　me；　and　ran　to　the
meddling　old　maid。　They　whispered　to　each　other。　Miss　Jillgall's
skinny　arm　encircled　my　sister's　waist；　they　disappeared
together。

I　was　only　too　glad　to　get　rid　of　them　both；　and　to　take　the
opportunity　of　writing　to　Philip。　I　insisted　on　an　explanation　of
his　conduct　while　I　was　in　the　studyto　be　given　within　an
hour's　time；　at　a　place　which　I　appointed。　〃You　are　not　to
attempt　to　justify　yourself　in　writing；〃　I　added　in　conclusion。
〃Let　your　reply　merely　inform　me　if　you　can　keep　the　appointment。
The　rest；　when　we　meet。〃

Maria　took　the　letter　to　the　hotel；　with　instructions　to　wait。

Philip's　reply　reached　me　without　delay。　It　pledged　him　to
justify　himself　as　I　had　desired；　and　to　keep　the　appointment。　My
own　belief　is　that　the　event　of　to…day　will　decide　his　future　and
mine。


CHAPTER　XXVII。

EUNICE'S　DIARY。


INDEED；　I　am　a　most　unfortunate　creature；　everything　turns　out
badly　with　me。　My　good；　true　friend；　my　dear　Selina；　has　become
the　object　of　a　hateful　doubt　in　my　secret　mind。　I　am　afraid　she
is　keeping　something　from　me。

Talking　with　her　about　my　troubles；　I　heard　for　the　first　time
that　she　had　written　again　to　Mrs。　Tenbruggen。　The　object　of　her
letter　was　to　tell　her　friend　of　my　engagement　to　young　Mr。
Dunboyne。　I　asked　her　why　she　had　done　this。　The　answer　informed
me　that　there　was　no　knowing；　in　the　present　state　of　my　affairs；
how　soon　I　might　not　want　the　help　of　a　clever　woman。　I　ought；　I
suppose；　to　have　been　satisfied　with　this。　But　there　seemed　to　be
something　not　fully　explained　yet。

Then　again；　after　telling　Selina　what　I　heard　in　the　study；　and
how　roughly　Philip　had　spoken　to　me　afterward；　I　asked　her　what
she　thought　of　it。　She　made　an　incomprehensible　reply：　〃My　sweet
child；　I　mustn't　think　of　itI　am　too　fond　of　you。〃

It　was　impossible　to　make　her　explain　what　this　meant。　She　began
to　talk　of　Philip；　assuring　me　（which　was　quite　needless）　that
she　had　done　her　best　to　fortify　and　encourage　him；　before　he
called　on　papa。　When　I　asked　her　to　help　me　in　another　waythat
is　to　say；　when　I　wanted　to　find　out　where　Philip　was　at　that
momentshe　had　no　advice　to　give　me。　I　told　her　that　I　shoul