the legacy of cain-第50部分

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CHAPTER　L。

THE　NEWS　FROM　THE　FARM。


WHEN　I　next　heard　from　Miss　Jillgall；　the　introductory　part　of
her　letter　merely　reminded　me　that　Philip　Dunboyne　was
established　in　the　town；　and　that　Helena　was　in　daily
communication　with　him。　I　shall　do　Selina　no　injustice　if　my
extract　begins　with　her　second　page。

〃You　will　sympathize；　I　am　sure〃　（she　writes）；　〃with　the
indignation　which　urged　me　to　call　on　Philip；　and　tell　him　the
way　to　the　farmhouse。　Think　of　Helena　being　determined　to　marry
him；　whether　he　wants　to　or　not！　I　am　afraid　this　is　bad　grammar。
But　there　are　occasions　when　even　a　cultivated　lady　fails　in　her
grammar；　and　almost　envies　the　men　their　privilege　of　swearing
when　they　are　in　a　rage。　My　state　of　mind　is　truly　indescribable。
Grief　mingles　with　anger；　when　I　tell　you　that　my　sweet　Euneece
has　disappointed　me；　for　the　first　time　since　I　had　the　happiness
of　knowing　and　admiring　her。　What　can　have　been　the　motive　of　her
refusal　to　receive　her　penitent　lover？　Is　it　pride？　We　are　told
that　Satan　fell　through　pride。　Euneece　satanic？　Impossible！　I
feel　inclined　to　go　and　ask　her　what　has　hardened　her　heart
against　a　poor　young　man　who　bitterly　regrets　his　own　folly。　Do
you　think　it　was　bad　advice　from　the　farmer　or　his　wife？　In　that
case；　I　shall　exert　my　influence；　and　take　her　away。　You　would　do
the　same；　wouldn't　you？

〃I　am　ashamed　to　mention　the　poor　dear　Minister　in　a　postscript。
The　truth　is；　I　don't　very　well　know　what　I　am　about。　Mr。
Gracedieu　is　quiet；　sleeps　better　than　he　did；　eats　with　a　keener
appetite；　gives　no　trouble。　But；　alas；　that　glorious　intellect　is
in　a　state　of　eclipse！　Do　not　suppose；　because　I　write
figuratively；　that　I　am　not　sorry　for　him。　He　understands
nothing；　he　remembers　nothing；　he　has　my　prayers。

〃You　might　come　to　us　again；　if　you　would　only　be　so　kind。　It
would　make　no　difference　now；　the　poor　man　is　so　sadly　altered。　I
must　add；　most　reluctantly；　that　the　doctor　recommends　your
staying　at　home。　Between　ourselves；　he　is　little　better　than　a
coward。　Fancy　his　saying；　'No；　we　must　not　run　that　risk　yet。'　I
am　barely　civil　to　him；　and　no　more。

〃In　any　other　affair　（excuse　me　for　troubling　you　with　a　second
postscript）；　my　sympathy　with　Euneece　would　have　penetrated　her
motives；　I　should　have　felt　with　her　feelings。　But　I　have　never
been　in　love；　no　gentleman　gave　me　the　opportunity　when　I　was
young。　Now　I　am　middle…aged；　neglect　has　done　its　dreary　workmy
heart　is　an　extinct　crater。　Figurative　again！　I　had　better　put　my
pen　away；　and　say　farewell　for　the　present。〃

Miss　Jillgall　may　now　give　place　to　Eunice。　The　same　day's　post
brought　me　both　letters。

I　should　be　unworthy　indeed　of　the　trust　which　this　affectionate
girl　has　placed　in　me；　if　I　failed　to　receive　her　explanation　of
her　conduct　toward　Philip　Dunboyne；　as　a　sacred　secret　confided
to　my　fatherly　regard。　In　those　later　portions　of　her　letter；
which　are　not　addressed　to　me　confidentially；　Eunice　writes　as
follows：


〃I　get　newsand　what　heartbreaking　news！of　my　father；　by
sending　a　messenger　to　Selina。　It　is　more　than　ever　impossible
that　I　can　put　myself　in　the　way　of　seeing　Helena　again。　She　has
written　to　me　about　Philip；　in　a　tone　so　shockingly　insolent　and
cruel；　that　I　have　destroyed　her　letter。　Philip's　visit　to　the
farm；　discovered　I　don't　know　how；　seems　to　have　infuriated　her。
She　accuses　me　of　doing　all　that　she　might　herself　have　done　in
my　place；　and　threatens　meNo！　I　am　afraid　of　the　wicked
whisperings　of　that　second　self　of　mine　if　I　think　of　it。　They
were　near　to　tempting　me　when　I　read　Helena's　letter。　But　I
thought　of　what　you　said；　after　I　had　shown　you　my　Journal；　and
your　words　took　my　memory　back　to　the　days　when　I　was　happy　with
Philip。　The　trial　and　the　terror　passed　away。

〃Consolation　has　come　to　me　from　the　best　of　good　women。　Mrs。
Staveley　writes　as　lovingly　as　my　mother　might　have　written；　if
death　had　spared　her。　I　have　replied　with　all　the　gratitude　that
I　really　feel；　but　without　taking　advantage　of　the　services　which
she　offers。　Mrs。　Staveley　has　it　in　her　mind；　as　you　had　it　in
your　mind；　to　bring　Philip　back　to　me。　Does　she　forget；　do　you
forget；　that　Helena　claims　him？　But　you　both　mean　kindly；　and　I
love　you　both　for　the　interest　that　you　feel　in　me。

〃The　farmer's　wifedear　good　soul！hardly　understands　me　so
well　as　her　husband　does。　She　confesses　to　pitying　Philip。　'He　is
so　wretched；'　she　says。　'And；　dear　heart；　how　handsome；　and　what
nice；　winning　manners！　I　don't　think　I　should　have　had　your
courage；　in　your　place。　To　tell　the　truth；　I　should　have　jumped
for　joy　when　I　saw　him　at　the　door；　and　I　should　have　run　down　to
let　him　inand　perhaps　been　sorry　for　it　afterward。　If　you
really　wish　to　forget　him；　my　dear；　I　will　do　all　I　can　to　help
you。'

〃These　are　trifling　things　to　mention；　but　I　am　afraid　you　may
think　I　am　unhappyand　I　want　to　prevent　that。

〃I　have　so　much　to　be　thankful　for；　and　the　children　are　so　fond
of　me。　Whether　I　teach　them　as　well　as　I　might　have　done；　if　I
had　been　a　more　learned　girl；　may　perhaps　be　doubtful。　They　do
more　for　their　governess；　I　am　afraid；　than　their　governess　does
for　them。　When　they　come　into　my　room　in　the　morning；　and　rouse
me　with　their　kisses；　the　hour　of　waking；　which　used　to　be　so
hard　to　endure　after　Philip　left　me；　is　now　the　happiest　hour　of
my　day。〃


With　that　reassuring　view　of　her　life　as　a　governess；　the　poor
child's　letter　comes　to　an　end。


CHAPTER　LI。

THE　TRIUMPH　OF　MRS。　TENBRUGGEN。


MISS　JILLGALL　appears　again；　after　an　interval；　on　the　field　of
my　extracts。　My　pleasant　friend　deserves　this　time　a　serious
reception。　She　informs　me　that　Mrs。　Tenbruggen　has　begun　the
inquiries　which　I　have　the　best　reason　to　dreadfor　I　alone　know
the　end　which　they　are　designed　to　reach。

The　arrival　of　this　news　affected　me　in　two　different　ways。

It　was　discouraging　to　find　that　circumstances　had　not　justified
my　reliance　on　Helena's　enmity　as　a　counter…influence　to　Mrs。
Tenbruggen。　On　the　other　hand；　it　was　a　relief　to　be　assured　that
my　return　to　London　would　serve；　rather　than　compromise；　the
interests　which　it　was　my　chief　anxiety　to　defend。　I　had　foreseen
that　Mrs。　Tenbruggen　would　wait　to　set　her　enterprise　on　foot；
until　I　was　out　of　her　way；　and　I　had　calculated　on　my　absence　as
an　event　which　would　at　least　put　an　end　to　suspense　by
encouraging　her　to　begin。

The　first　sentences　in　Miss　Jillgall's　letter　explain　the　nature
of　her　interest　in　the　proceedings　of　her　friend；　and　are；　on
that　account；　worth　reading。

〃Things　are　sadly　changed　for　the　worse〃　（Selina　writes）；　〃but　I
don't　forget　that　Philip　was　once　engaged　to　Euneece；　and　that
Mr。　Gracedieu's　extraordinary　conduct　toward　him　puzzled　us　all。
The　mode　of　discovery　which　dear　Elizabeth　suggested　by　letter；
at　that　time；　appears　to　be　the　mode　which　she　is　following　now。
When　I　asked　why；　she　said：　'Philip　may　return　to　Euneece；　the
Minister　may　recoverand　will　be　all　the　more　likely　to　do　so　if
he　tries　Massage。　In　that　case；　he　will　probably　repeat　the
conduct　which　surprised　you；　and　your　natural　curiosity　will　ask
me　again　to　find　out　what　it　means。　Am　I　your　friend；　Selina；　or
am　I　not？'　This　was　so　delightfully　kind；　and　so　irresistibly
conclusive；　that　I　kissed　her　in　a　transport　of　gratitude。　With
what　breathless　interest　I　have　watched　her　progress　toward
penetrating　the　mystery　of　the　girls'　ages；　it　is　quite　needless
to　tell　　you。〃

。　。　。　。　。　。　。

Mrs。　Tenbruggen's　method　o　f　keeping　Miss　Jillgall　in　ignorance
of　what　she　was　really　about；　and　Miss　Jillgall's　admirable
confidence　in　the　integrity　of　Mrs。　Tenbruggen；　being　now　set
forth　on　the　best　authority；　an　exact　presentation　of　the　state
of　affairs　will　be　completed　if　I　add　a　word　more；　relating　to
the　positions　actually　occupied　toward　Mrs。　Tenbruggen's
enterprise；　by　my　correspondent　and　myself。

On　her　side；　Miss　Jillgall　was　entirely　ignorant　that　one　of　the
two　girls　was　not　Mr。　Gracedieu's　daughter；　but　his　adopted
child。　On　my　side；　I　was　entirely　ignorant　of　Mrs。　Tenbruggen's
purpose　in　endeavoring　to　identify　the　daughter　of　the　murderess。
Speaking　of　myself；　individually；　let　me　add　that　I　only　waited
the　event　to　protect　the　helpless　onesmy　poor　demented　friend；
and　the　orphan　whom　his　mercy　received　into　his　heart　and　his
home。

Miss　Jillgall　goes　on　with　her　curious　story；　as　follows：

。　。　。　。　。　。　。

〃Always　desirous　of　making　myself　useful；　I　thought　I　would　give
my　dear　Elizabeth　a　hint　which　might　save　time　and　trouble。　'Why
not　begin；'　I　suggested；　'by　asking　the　Governor　to　help　you？'
That　wonderful　woman　never　forgets　anything。　She　had　already
applied　to　you；　without　success。

〃In　my　next　attempt　to　be　useful；　I　did　violence　to　my　most
cherished　convictions；　by　presenting　the　wretch　Helena　to　the
admirable　Elizabeth。　That　the　former　would　be　cold　as　ice；　in　her
reception　of　any　friend　of　mine；　was　nothing　wonderful。　Mrs。
Tenbruggen　passed　it　over　with　the　graceful　composure　of　a　woman
of　the　world。　In　the　course　of　conversation　with　Helena；　she
slipped　in　a　question：　'Might　I　ask　if　you　are　older　than　your
sister？'　The　answer　was；　of　course：　'I　don't　know。'　And　here；　for
once；　the　most　deceitful　girl　in　existence　spoke　the　truth。

〃When　we　were　alone　again；　Elizabeth　made　a　remark：　'If　personal
appearance　could　decide　the　question；'　she　said；　'the
disagreeable　young　woman　is　the　oldest　of　the　two。　The　next　thing
to　be　done　is　to　discover　if　looks　are　to　be　trusted　in　this
case。'

〃My　friend's　lawyer　received　confidential　instructions　（not　shown
to　me；　which　seems　rather　hard）　to　trace　the　two　Miss　Gracedieus'
registers　of　birth。　Elizabeth　described　this　proceeding　（not　very
intelligibly　to　my　mind）　as　a　means　of　finding　out　which　of　the
girls　could　be　identified　by　name　as　the　elder　of　the　two。

〃The　report　arrived　this　morning。　I　was　only　informed　that　the
result；　in　one　case；　had　entirely　defeated　the　inquiries。　In　the
other　case；　Elizabeth　had　helped　her　agent　by　referring　him　to　a
Birth；　advertised　in　the　customary　columns　of　the　_Times_
newspaper。　Even　here；　there　was　a　fatal　obstacl