the legacy of cain-第3部分

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！


self…possession　once　more。　〃A　motherless　creature　to…morrow；〃　she
burst　out。　〃Think　of　that。〃

God　knows　how　I　still　shrunk　from　it！　But　there　was　no
alternative　now；　I　was　bound　to　remember　my　duty　to　the　excellent
man；　whose　critical　position　at　that　moment　was；　in　some　degree
at　least；　due　to　my　hesitation　in　asserting　my　authority。　Could　I
allow　the　Prisoner　to　presume　on　his　compassionate　nature；　and　to
hurry　him　into　a　decision　which；　in　his　calmer　moments；　he　might
find　reason　to　regret？　I　spoke　to　_him。_　Does　the　man　live
whohaving　to　say　what　I　had　to　saycould　have　spoken　to　the
doomed　mother？

〃I　am　sorry　to　have　allowed　this　to　go　on；〃　I　said。　〃In　justice
to　yourself；　sir；　don't　answer！〃

She　turned　on　me　with　a　look　of　fury。

〃He　shall　answer；〃　she　cried。

I　saw；　or　thought　I　saw；　signs　of　yielding　in　his　face。　〃Take
time；〃　I　persisted〃take　time　to　consider　before　you　decide。〃

She　stepped　up　to　me。

〃Take　time？〃　she　repeated。　〃Are　you　inhuman　enough　to　talk　of
time；　in　my　presence？〃

She　laid　the　sleeping　child　on　her　bed；　and　fell　on　her　knees
before　the　Minister：　〃I　promise　to　hear　your　exhortationsI
promise　to　do　all　a　woman　can　to　believe　and　repent。　Oh；　I　know
myself！　My　heart；　once　hardened；　is　a　heart　that　no　human
creature　can　touch。　The　one　way　to　my　better　natureif　I　have　a
better　natureis　through　that　poor　babe。　Save　her　from　the
workhouse！　Don't　let　them　make　a　pauper　of　her！〃　She　sank
prostrate　at　his　feet；　and　beat　her　hands　in　frenzy　on　the　floor。
〃You　want　to　save　my　guilty　soul；〃　she　reminded　him　furiously。
〃There's　but　one　way　of　doing　it。　Save　my　child！〃

He　raised　her。　Her　fierce　tearless　eyes　questioned　his　face　in　a
mute　expectation　dreadful　to　see。　Suddenly；　a　foretaste　of
deaththe　death　that　was　so　near　now！struck　her　with　a
shivering　fit：　her　head　dropped　on　the　Minister's　shoulder。　Other
men　might　have　shrunk　from　the　contact　of　it。　That　true　Christian
let　it　rest。

Under　the　maddening　sting　of　suspense；　her　sinking　energies
rallied　for　an　instant。　In　a　whisper；　she　was　just　able　to　put
the　supreme　question　to　him。

〃Yes？　or　No？〃

He　answered：　〃Yes。〃

A　faint　breath　of　relief；　just　audible　in　the　silence；　told　me
that　she　had　heard　him。　It　was　her　last　effort。　He　laid　her；
insensible；　on　the　bed；　by　the　side　of　her　sleeping　child。　〃Look
at　them；〃　was　all　he　said　to　me；　〃how　could　I　refuse？〃

CHAPTER　V。

MISS　CHANCE　ASSERTS　HERSELF。


THE　services　of　our　medical　officer　were　required；　in　order　to
hasten　the　recovery　of　the　Prisoner's　senses。

When　the　Doctor　and　I　left　the　cell　together；　she　was　composed；
and　ready　（in　the　performance　of　her　promise）　to　listen　to　the
exhortations　of　the　Minister。　The　sleeping　child　was　left
undisturbed；　by　the　mother's　desire。　If　the　Minister　felt　tempted
to　regret　what　he　had　done；　there　was　the　artless　influence　which
would　check　him！　As　we　stepped　into　the　corridor；　I　gave　the
female　warder　her　instructions　to　remain　on　the　watch；　and　to
return　to　her　post　when　she　saw　the　Minister　come　out。

In　the　meantime；　my　companion　had　walked　on　a　little　way。

Possessed　of　ability　and　experience　within　the　limits　of　his
profession；　he　was　in　other　respects　a　man　with　a　crotchety　mind；
bold　to　the　verge　of　recklessness　in　the　expression　of　his
opinion；　and　possessed　of　a　command　of　language　that　carried
everything　before　it。　Let　me　add　that　he　was　just　and　merciful　in
his　intercourse　with　others；　and　I　shall　have　summed　him　up
fairly　enough。　When　I　joined　him　he　seemed　to　be　absorbed　in
reflection。

〃Thinking　of　the　Prisoner？〃　I　said。

〃Thinking　of　what　is　going　on；　at　this　moment；　in　the　condemned
cell；〃　he　answered；　〃and　wondering　if　any　good　will　come　of　it。〃

I　was　not　without　hope　of　a　good　result；　and　I　said　so。

The　Doctor　disagreed　with　me。　〃I　don't　believe　in　that　woman's
penitence；〃　he　remarked；　〃and　I　look　upon　the　parson　as　a　poor
weak　creature。　What　is　to　become　of　the　child？〃

There　was　no　reason　for　concealing　from　one　of　my　colleagues　the
benevolent　decision；　on　the　part　of　the　good　Minister；　of　which　I
had　been　a　witness。　The　Doctor　listened　to　me　with　the　first
appearance　of　downright　astonishment　that　I　had　ever　observed　in
his　face。　When　I　had　done；　he　made　an　extraordinary　reply：

〃Governor；　I　retract　what　I　said　of　the　parson　just　now。　He　is
one　of　the　boldest　men　that　ever　stepped　into　a　pulpit。〃

Was　the　doctor　in　e　arnest？　Strongly　in　earnest；　there　could　be
no　doubt　of　it。　Before　I　could　ask　him　what　he　meant；　he　was
called　away　to　a　patient　on　the　other　side　of　the　prison。　When　we
parted　at　the　door　of　my　room；　I　made　it　a　request　that　my
medical　friend　would　return　to　me　and　explain　what　he　had　just
said。

〃Considering　that　you　are　the　governor　of　a　prison；〃　he　replied；
〃you　are　a　singularly　rash　man。　If　I　come　back；　how　do　you　know　I
shall　not　bore　you？〃

〃My　rashness　runs　the　risk　of　that；〃　I　rejoined。

〃Tell　me　something；　before　I　allow　you　to　run　your　risk；〃　he
said。　〃Are　you　one　of　those　people　who　think　that　the　tempers　of
children　are　formed　by　the　accidental　influences　which　happen　to
be　about　them？　Or　do　you　agree　with　me　that　the　tempers　of
children　are　inherited　from　their　parents？〃

The　Doctor　（as　I　concluded）　was　still　strongly　impressed　by　the
Minister's　resolution　to　adopt　a　child　whose　wicked　mother　had
committed　the　most　atrocious　of　all　crimes。　Was　some　serious
foreboding　in　secret　possession　of　his　mind？　My　curiosity　to　hear
him　was　now　increased　tenfold。　I　replied　without　hesitation：

〃I　agree　with　you。〃

He　looked　at　me　with　his　sense　of　humor　twinkling　in　his　eyes。
〃Do　you　know　I　rather　expected　that　answer？〃　he　said；　slyly。　〃All
right。　I'll　come　back。〃

Left　by　myself；　I　took　up　the　day's　newspaper。

My　attention　wandered；　my　thoughts　were　in　the　cell　with　the
Minister　and　the　Prisoner。　How　would　it　end？　Sometimes；　I　was
inclined　to　doubt　with　the　Doctor。　Sometimes；　I　took　refuge　in　my
own　more　hopeful　view。　These　idle　reflections　were　agreeably
interrupted　by　the　appearance　of　my　friend；　the　Chaplain。

〃You　are　always　welcome；〃　I　said；　〃and　doubly　welcome　just　now。　I
am　feeling　a　little　worried　and　anxious。〃

〃And　you　are　naturally；〃　the　Chaplain　added；　not　at　all　disposed
to　receive　a　stranger？〃

〃Is　the　stranger　a　friend　of　yours？〃　I　asked。

〃Oh；　no！　Having　occasion；　just　now；　to　go　into　the　waiting…room；
I　found　a　young　woman　there；　who　asked　me　if　she　could　see　you。
She　thinks　you　have　forgotten　her；　and　she　is　tired　of　waiting。　I
merely　undertook；　of　course；　to　mention　what　she　had　said　to　me。〃

The　nurse　having　been　in　this　way　recalled　to　my　memory；　I　felt
some　little　interest　in　seeing　her；　after　what　had　passed　in　the
cell。　In　plainer　words；　I　was　desirous　of　judging　for　myself
whether　she　deserved　the　hostile　feeling　which　the　Prisoner　had
shown　toward　her。　I　thanked　the　Chaplain　before　he　left　me；　and
gave　the　servant　the　necessary　instructions。　When　she　entered　the
room；　I　looked　at　the　woman　attentively　for　the　first　time。

Youth　and　a　fine　complexion；　a　well…made　figure　and　a　natural
grace　of　movementthese　were　her　personal　attractions；　so　far　as
I　could　see。　Her　defects　were；　to　my　mind；　equally　noticeable。
Under　a　heavy　forehead；　her　piercing　eyes　looked　out　at　persons
and　things　with　an　expression　which　was　not　to　my　taste。　Her
large　mouthanother　defect；　in　my　opinionwould　have　been
recommended　to　mercy；　in　the　estimation　of　many　men；　by　her
magnificent　teeth；　white；　well…shaped；　cruelly　regular。　Believers
in　physiognomy　might　perhaps　have　seen　the　betrayal　of　an
obstinate　nature　in　the　lengthy　firmness　of　her　chin。　While　I　am
trying　to　describe　her；　let　me　not　forget　her　dress。　A　woman's
dress　is　the　mirror　in　which　we　may　see　the　reflection　of　a
woman's　nature。　Bearing　in　mind　the　melancholy　and　impressive
circumstances　under　which　she　had　brought　the　child　to　the
prison；　the　gayety　of　color　in　her　gown　and　her　bonnet　implied
either　a　total　want　of　feeling；　or　a　total　want　of　tact。　As　to
her　position　in　life；　let　me　confess　that　I　felt；　after　a　closer
examination；　at　a　loss　to　determine　it。　She　was　certainly　not　a
lady。　The　Prisoner　had　spoken　of　her　as　if　she　was　a　domestic
servant　who　had　forfeited　her　right　to　consideration　and　respect。
And　she　had　entered　the　prison；　as　a　nurse　might　have　entered　it；
in　charge　of　a　child。　I　did　what　we　all　do　when　we　are　not　clever
enough　to　find　the　answer　to　a　riddleI　gave　it　up。

〃What　can　I　do　for　you？〃　I　asked。

〃Perhaps　you　can　tell　me；〃　she　answered；　〃how　much　longer　I　am　to
be　kept　waiting　in　this　prison。〃

〃The　decision；〃　I　reminded　her；　〃doesn't　depend　on　me。〃

〃Then　who　does　it　depend　on？〃

The　Minister　had　undoubtedly　acquired　the　sole　right　of　deciding。
It　was　for　him　to　say　whether　this　woman　should；　or　should　not；
remain　in　attendance　on　the　child　whom　he　had　adopted。　In　the
meanwhile；　the　feeling　of　distrust　which　was　gaining　on　my　mind
warned　me　to　remember　the　value　of　reserve　in　holding　intercourse
with　a　stranger。

She　seemed　to　be　irritated　by　my　silence。　〃If　the　decision
doesn't　rest　with　you；〃　she　asked；　〃why　did　you　tell　me　to　stay
in　the　waiting…room？〃

〃You　brought　the　little　girl　into　the　prison；〃　I　said；　〃was　it
not　natural　to　suppose　that　your　mistress　might　want　you〃

〃Stop；　sir！〃

I　had　evidently　given　offense；　I　stopped　directly。

〃No　person　on　the　face　of　the　earth；〃　she　declared；　loftily；　〃has
ever　had　the　right　to　call　herself　my　mistress。　Of　my　own　free
will；　sir；　I　took　charge　of　the　child。〃

〃Because　you　are　fond　of　her？〃　I　suggested。

〃I　hate　her。〃

It　was　unwise　on　my　partI　protested。　〃Hate　a　baby　little　more
than　a　year　old！〃　I　said。

〃_Her_　baby！〃

She　said　it　with　the　air　of　a　woman　who　had　produced　an
unanswerable　reason。　〃I　am　accountable　to　nobody；〃　she　went　on。
〃If　I　consented　to　trouble　myself　with　the　child；　it　was　in
remembrance　of　my　friendshipnotice；　if　you　please；　that　I　say
friendshipwith　the　unhappy　father。〃

Putting　together　what　I　had　just　heard；　and　what　I　had　seen　in
the　cell；　I　drew　the　right　conclusion　at　last。　The　woman；　whose
position　in　life　had　been　thus　far　an　impenetrable