the legacy of cain-第42部分

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letters　for　my　own　use；　with　the　intention　of　referring　to　them
while　I　am　still　in　doubt　which　way　my　decision　ought　to　incline。
I　shall　present　them　here；　to　speak　for　themselves。　Is　there　any
objection　to　this？　None　that　I　can　see。

In　the　first　place；　those　extracts　have　a　value　of　their　own。
They　add　necessary　information　to　the　present　history　of　events。

In　the　second　place；　I　am　under　no　obligation　to　Mr。　Gracedieu's
daughter　which　forbids　me　to　make　use　of　her　portfolio。　I　told
her　that　I　only　consented　to　receive　it；　under　reserve　of　my　own
right　of　actionand　her　assent　to　that　stipulation　was　expressed
in　the　clearest　terms。


EXTRACTS　FROM　MR。　PHILIP　DUNBOYNE'S　LETTERS。

First　Extract。

You　blame　me；　dear　Helena；　for　not　having　paid　proper　attention
to　the　questions　put　to　me　in　your　last　letter。　I　have　only　been
waiting　to　make　up　my　mind；　before　I　replied。

First　question：　Do　I　think　it　advisable　that　you　should　write　to
my　father？　No；　my　dear；　I　beg　you　will　defer　writing；　until　you
hear　from　me　again。

Second　question：　Considering　that　he　is　still　a　stranger　to　you；
is　there　any　harm　in　your　asking　me　what　sort　of　man　my　father
is？　No　harm；　my　sweet　one；　but；　as　you　will　presently　see；　I　am
afraid　you　have　addressed　yourself　to　the　wrong　person。

My　father　is　kind；　in　his　own　odd　wayand　learned；　and　richa
more　high…minded　and　honorable　man　（as　I　have　every　reason　to
believe）　doesn't　live。　But　if　you　ask　me　which　he　prefers；　his
books　or　his　son；　I　hope　I　do　him　no　injustice　when　I　answer；　his
books。　His　reading　and　his　writing　are　obstacles　between　us　which
I　have　never　been　able　to　overcome。　This　is　the　more　to　be
regretted　because　he　is　charming；　on　the　few　occasions　when　I
find　him　disengaged。　If　you　wish　I　knew　more　about　my　father；　we
are　in　complete　agreement　as　usualI　wish；　too。

But　there　is　a　dear　friend　of　yours　and　mine；　who　is　just　the
person　we　want　to　help　us。　Need　I　say　that　I　allude　to　Mrs。
Staveley？

I　called　on　her　yesterday；　not　long　after　she　had　paid　a　visit　to
my　father。　Luck　had　favored　her。　She　arrived　just　at　the　time
when　hunger　had　obliged　him　to　shut　up　his　books；　and　ring　for
something　to　eat。　Mrs。　Staveley　secured　a　favorable　reception
with　her　customary　tact　and　delicacy。　He　had　a　fowl　for　his
dinner。　She　knows　his　weakness　of　old；　she　volunteered　to　carve
it　for　him。

If　I　can　only　repeat　what　this　clever　woman　told　me　of　their
talk；　you　will　have　a　portrait　of　Mr。　Dunboyne　the　eldernot
perhaps　a　highly…finished　picture；　but；　as　I　hope　and　believe；　a
good　likeness。

Mrs。　Staveley　began　by　complaining　to　him　of　the　conduct　of　his
son。　I　had　promised　to　write　to　her；　and　I　had　never　kept　my
word。　She　had　reasons　for　being　especially　interested　in　my　plans
and　prospects；　just　then；　knowing　me　to　be　attached　（please　take
notice　that　I　am　quoting　her　own　language）　to　a　charming　friend
of　hers；　whom　I　had　first　met　at　her　house。　To　aggravate　the
disappointment　that　I　had　inflicted；　the　young　lady　had　neglected
her；　too。　No　letters；　no　information。　Perhaps　my　father　would
kindly　enlighten　her？　Was　the　affair　going　on？　or　was　it　broken
off？

My　father　held　out　his　plate　and　asked　for　the　other　wing　of　the
fowl。　〃It　isn't　a　bad　one　for　London；〃　he　said；　〃won't　you　have
some　yourself？〃

〃I　don't　seem　to　have　interested　you；〃　Mrs。　Staveley　remarked。

〃What　did　you　expect　me　to　be　interested　in？〃　my　father　inquired。
〃I　was　absorbed　in　the　fowl。　Favor　me　by　returning　to　the
subject。〃

Mrs。　Staveley　admits　that　she　answered　this　rather　sharply：　〃The
subject；　sir；　was　your　son's　admiration　for　a　charming　girl：　one
of　the　daughters　of　Mr。　Gracedieu；　the　famous　preacher。〃

My　father　is　too　well…bred　to　speak　to　a　lady　while　his　attention
is　absorbed　by　a　fowl。　He　finished　the　second　wing；　and　then　he
asked　if　〃Philip　was　engaged　to　be　married。〃

〃I　am　not　quite　sure；〃　Mrs。　Staveley　confessed。

〃Then；　my　dear　friend；　we　will　wait　till　we　_are_　sure。〃

〃But；　Mr。　Dunboyne；　there　is　really　no　need　to　wait。　I　suppose
your　son　comes　here；　now　and　then；　to　see　you？〃

〃My　son　is　most　attentive。　In　course　of　time　he　will　contrive　to
hit　on　the　right　hour　for　his　visit。　At　present；　poor　fellow；　he
interrupts　me　every　day。〃

〃Suppose　he　hits　upon　the　right　time　to…morrow？〃

〃Yes？〃

〃You　might　ask　him　if　he　is　engaged？〃

〃Pardon　me。　I　think　I　might　wait　till　Philip　mentions　it　without
asking。〃

〃What　an　extraordinary　man　you　are！〃

〃Oh；　no；　noonly　a　philosopher。〃

This　tried　Mrs。　Staveley's　temper。　You　know　what　a　perfectly
candid　person　our　friend　is。　She　owned　to　me　that　she　felt
inclined　to　make　herself　disagreeable。　〃That's　thrown　away　upon
me；〃　she　said：　〃I　don't　know　what　a　philosopher　is。〃

Let　me　pause　for　a　moment；　dear　Helena。　I　have　inexcusably
forgotten　to　speak　of　my　father's　personal　appearance。　It　won't
take　long。　I　need　only　notice　one　interesting　feature　which；　so
to　speak；　lifts　his　face　out　of　the　common。　He　has　an　eloquent
nose。　Persons　possessing　this　rare　advantage　are　blest　with
powers　of　expression　not　granted　to　their　ordinary
fellow…creatures。　My　father's　nose　is　a　mine　of　information　to
friends　familiarly　acquainted　with　it。　It　changes　color　like　a
modest　young　lady's　cheek。　It　works　flexibly　from　side　to　side
like　the　rudder　of　a　ship。　On　the　present　occasion；　Mrs。　Staveley
saw　it　shift　toward　the　left…hand　side　of　his　face。　A　sigh
escaped　the　poor　lady。　Experience　told　her　that　my　father　was
going　to　hold　forth。

〃You　don't　know　what　a　philosopher　is！〃　he　repeated。　〃Be　so　kind
as　to　look　at　Me。　I　am　a　philosopher。〃

Mrs。　Staveley　bowed。

〃And　a　philosopher；　my　charming　friend；　is　a　man　who　has
discovered　a　system　of　life。　Some　systems　assert　themselves　in
volumesmy　system　asserts　itself　in　two　words：　Never　think　of
anything　until　you　have　first　asked　yourself　if　there　is　an
absolute　necessity　for　doing　it；　at　that　particular　moment。
Thinking　of　things；　when　things　needn't　be　thought　of；　is
offering　an　opportunity　to　Worry；　and　Worry　is　the　favorite　agent
of　Death　when　the　destroyer　handles　his　work　in　a　lingering　way；
and　achieves　premature　results。　Never　look　back；　and　never　look
forward；　as　long　as　you　can　possibly　help　it。　Looking　back　leads
the　way　to　sorrow。　And　looking　forward　ends　in　the　cruelest　of
all　delusions：　it　encourages　hope。　The　present　time　is　the
precious　time。　Live　for　the　passing　day：　the　passing　day　is　all
that　we　can　be　sure　of。　You　suggested；　just　now；　that　I　should
ask　my　son　if　he　was　engaged　to　be　married。　How　do　we　know　what
wear　and　tear　of　your　nervous　texture　I　succeeded　in　saving　when
I　said。　'Wait　till　Philip　mentions　it　without　asking？'　There　is
the　personal　application　of　my　system。　I　have　explained　it　in　my
time　to　every　woman　on　the　list　of　my　acquaintance；　including　the
female　servants。　Not　one　of　them　has　rewarded　me　by　adopting　my
system。　How　do　you　feel　about　it？〃

Mrs。　Staveley　declined　to　tell　me　whether　she　had　offered　a
bright　example　of　gratitude　to　the　rest　of　the　sex。　When　I　asked
why；　she　declared　that　it　was　my　turn　now　to　tell　her　what　I　had
been　doing。

You　will　anticipate　what　followed。　She　objected　to　the　mystery　in
which　my　prospects　seemed　to　be　involved。　In　plain　English；　was
I；　or　was　I　not；　engaged　to　marry　her　dear　Eunice？　I　said；　No。
What　else　could　I　say？　If　I　had　told　Mrs。　Staveley　the　truth；
when　she　insisted　on　my　explaining　myself；　she　would　have　gone
back　to　my　father；　and　would　have　appealed　to　his　sense　of
justice　to　forbid　our　marriage。　Finding　me　obstinately　silent；
she　has　decided　on　writing　to　Eunice。　So　we　parted。　But　don't　be
disheartened。　On　my　way　out　of　the　house；　I　met　Mr。　Staveley
coming　in；　and　had　a　little　talk　with　him。　He　and　his　wife　and
his　family　are　going　to　the　seaside；　next　week。　Mrs。　Staveley
once　out　of　our　way；　I　can　tell　my　father　of　our　engagement
without　any　fear　of　consequences。　If　she　writes　to　him；　the
moment　he　sees　my　name　mentioned；　and　finds　violent　language
associated　with　it；　he　will　hand　the　letter　to　me。　〃Your
business；　Philip：　don't　interrupt　me。〃　He　will　say　that；　and　go
back　to　his　books。　There　is　my　father；　painted　to　the　life！
Farewell；　for　the　present。

。　。　。　。　。　。　。

Remarks　by　H。　G。Philip's　grace　and　gayety　of　style　might　be
envied　by　any　professional　Author。　He　amuses　me；　but　he　rouses　my
suspicion　at　the　same　time。　This　slippery　lover　of　mine　tells　me
to　defer　writing　to　his　father；　and　gives　no　reason　for　offering
that　strange　advice　to　the　young　lady　who　is　soon　to　be　a　member
of　the　family。　Is　this　merely　one　more　instance　of　the　weakness
of　his　character？　Or；　now　that　he　is　away　from　my　influence；　is
he　beginning　to　regret　Eunice　already？

Added　by　the　Governor。I　too　have　my　doubts。　Is　the　flippant
nonsense　which　Philip　has　written　inspired　by　the　effervescent
good　spirits　of　a　happy　young　man？　Or　is　it　assumed　for　a
purpose？　In　this　latter　case；　I　should　gladly　conclude　that　he
was　regarding　his　conduct　to　Eunice　with　becoming　emotions　of
sorrow　and　shame。


CHAPTER　XLIII。

THE　MASTERFUL　MASSEUSE。


My　next　quotations　will　suffer　a　process　of　abridgment。　I　intend
them　to　present　the　substance　of　three　letters；　reduced　as
follows：


Second　Extract。

Weak　as　he　may　be；　Mr。　Philip　Dunboyne　shows　（in　his　second
letter）　that　he　can　feel　resentment；　and　that　he　can　express　his
feelings；　in　replying　to　Miss　Helena。　He　protests　against
suspicions　which　he　has　not　deserved。　That　he　does　sometimes
think　of　Eunice　he　sees　no　reason　to　deny。　He　is　conscious　of
errors　and　misdeeds；　whichtraceable　as　they　are　to　Helena's
irresistible　fascinationsmay　perhaps　be　considered　rather　his
misfortune　than　his　fault。　Be　that　as　it　may；　he　does　indeed　feel
anxious　to　hear　good　accounts　of　Eunice's　health。　If　this　honest
avowal　excites　her　sister's　jealousy；　he　will　be　disappointed　in
Helena　for　the　first　time。

His　third　letter　shows　that　this　exhibition　of　spirit　has　had　its
effect。

The　imperious　young　lady　regrets　that　she　has　hurt　his　feelings；
and　is　rewarded　for　the　apology　by　receiving　news　of　the　most
gratifying　kind。　Faithful　Philip　has　told　his　father　that　he　is
e