the legacy of cain-第51部分

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Birth；　advertised　in　the　customary　columns　of　the　_Times_
newspaper。　Even　here；　there　was　a　fatal　obstacle。　The　name　of　the
place　in　which　Mr。　Gracedieu's　daughter　had　been　born　was　not
added；　as　usual。

〃I　still　tried　to　be　useful。　Had　my　friend　known　the　Minister's
wife？　My　friend　had　never　even　seen　the　Minister's　wife。　And；　as
if　by　a　fatality；　her　portrait　was　no　longer　in　existence。　I
could　only　mention　that　Helena　was　like　her　mother。　But　Elizabeth
seemed　to　attach　very　little　importance　to　my　evidence；　if　I　may
call　it　by　so　grand　a　name。　'People　have　such　strange　ideas　about
likenesses；'　she　said；　'and　arrive　at　such　contradictory
conclusions。　One　can　only　trust　one's　own　eyes　in　a　matter　of
that　kind。'

〃My　friend　next　asked　me　about　our　domestic　establishment。　We　had
only　a　cook　and　a　housemaid。　If　they　were　old　servants　who　had
known　the　girls　as　children；　they　might　be　made　of　some　use。　Our
luck　was　as　steadily　against　us　as　ever。　They　had　both　been
engaged　when　Mr。　Gracedieu　assumed　his　new　pastoral　duties；　after
having　resided　with　his　wife　at　her　native　place。

〃I　asked　Elizabeth　what　she　proposed　to　do　next。

〃She　deferred　her　answer；　until　I　had　first　told　her　whether　the
visit　of　the　doctor　might　be　expected　on　that　day。　I　could　reply
to　this　in　the　negative。　Elizabeth；　thereupon；　made　a　startling
request；　she　begged　me　to　introduce　her　to　Mr。　Gracedieu。

〃I　said：　'Surely；　you　have　forgotten　the　sad　state　of　his　mind？'
No；　she　knew　perfectly　well　that　he　was　imbecile。　'I　want　to
try；'　she　explained；　'if　I　can　rouse　him　for　a　few　minutes。'

〃　'By　Massage？'　I　inquired。

〃She　burst　out　laughing。　'Massage；　my　dear；　doesn't　act　in　that
way。　It　is　an　elaborate　process；　pursued　patiently　for　weeks
together。　But　my　hands　have　more　than　one　accomplishment　at　their
finger…ends。　Oh；　make　your　mind　easy！　I　shall　do　no　harm；　if　I　do
no　good。　Take　me。　Selina；　to　the　Minister。'

〃We　went　to　his　room。　Don't　blame　me　for　giving　way；　I　am　too
fond　of　Elizabeth　to　be　able　to　disappoint　her。

〃It　was　a　sad　sight　when　we　went　in。　He　was　quite　happy；　playing
like　a　child；　at　cup…and…ball。　The　attendant　retired　at　my
request。　I　introduced　Mrs。　Tenbruggen。　He　smiled　and　shook　hands
with　her。　He　said：　'Are　you　a　Christian　or　a　Pagan？　You　are　very
pretty。　How　many　times　can　you　catch　the　ball　in　the　cup？'　The
effort　to　talk　to　her　ended　there。　He　went　on　with　his　game；　and
seemed　to　forget　that　there　was　anybody　in　the　room。　It　made　my
heart　ache　to　remember　what　he　wasand　to　see　him　now。

〃Elizabeth　whispered：　'Leave　me　alone　with　him。'

〃I　don't　know　why　I　did　such　a　rude　thingI　hesitated。

〃Elizabeth　asked　me　if　I　had　no　confidence　in　her。　I　was　ashamed
of　myself；　I　left　them　together。

〃A　long　half…hour　passed。　Feeling　a　little　uneasy；　I　went
upstairs　again　and　looked　into　the　room。　He　was　leaning　back　in
his　chair；　his　plaything　was　on　the　floor；　and　he　was　looking
vacantly　at　the　light　that　came　in　through　the　window。　I　found
Mrs。　Tenbruggen　at　the　other　end　of　the　room；　in　the　act　of
ringing　the　bell。　Nothing　in　the　least　out　of　the　ordinary　way
seemed　to　have　happened。　When　the　attendant　had　answered　the
bell；　we　left　the　room　together。　Mr。　Gracedieu　took　no　notice　of
us。

〃　'Well；'　I　said；　'how　has　it　ended？'

〃Quite　calmly　my　noble　Elizabeth　answered：　'In　total　failure。'

〃　'What　did　you　say　to　him　after　you　sent　me　away？'

〃　'I　tried；　in　every　possible　way；　to　get　him　to　tell　me　which　of
his　two　daughters　was　the　oldest。'

〃　'Did　he　refuse　to　answer？'

〃　'He　was　only　too　ready　to　answer。　First；　he　said　Helena　was　the
oldestthen　he　corrected　himself；　and　declared　that　Eunice　was
the　oldestthen　he　said　they　were　twinsthen　he　went　back　to
Helena　and　Eunice。　Now　one　was　the　oldest；　and　now　the　other。　He
rang　the　changes　on　those　two　names；　I　can't　tell　you　how　often；
and　seemed　to　think　it　a　better　game　than　cup…and…ball。'

〃　'What　is　to　be　done？'

〃　'Nothing　is　to　be　done；　Selina。'

〃　'What！'　I　cried；　'you　give　it　up？'

〃My　heroic　friend　answered：　'I　know　when　I　am　beaten；　my　dearI
give　it　up。'　She　looked　at　her　watch；　it　was　time　to　operate　on
the　muscles　of　one　of　her　patients。　Away　she　went；　on　her
glorious　mission　of　Massage；　without　a　murmur　of　regret。　What
strength　of　mind！　But；　oh；　dear；　what　a　disappointment　for　poor
little　me！　On　one　thing　I　am　determined。　If　I　find　myself　getting
puzzled　or　frightened；　I　shall　instantly　write　to　you。〃

With　that　expression　of　confidence　in　me；　Selina's　narrative　came
to　an　end。　I　wish　I　could　have　believed；　as　she　did；　that　the
object　of　her　admiration　had　been　telling　her　the　truth。

A　few　days　later；　Mrs。　Tenbruggen　honored　me　with　a　visit　at　my
house　in　the　neighborhood　of　London。　Thanks　to　this　circumstance；
I　am　able　to　add　a　postscript　which　will　complete　the　revelations
in　Miss　Jillgall's　letter。

The　illustrious　Masseuse；　having　much　to　conceal　from　her
faithful　Selina；　was　well　aware　that　she　had　only　one　thing　to
keep　hidden　from　me；　namely；　the　advantage　which　she　would　have
gained　if　her　inquiries　had　met　with　success。

〃I　thought　I　might　have　got　at　what　I　wanted；〃　she　told　me；　〃by
mesmerizing　our　reverend　friend。　He　is　as　weak　as　a　woman；　I
threw　him　into　hysterics；　and　had　to　give　it　up；　and　quiet　him；
or　he　would　have　alarmed　the　house。　You　look　as　if　you　don't
believe　in　mesmerism。〃

〃My　looks；　Mrs。　Tenbruggen；　exactly　express　my　opinion。　Mesmerism
is　a　humbug！〃

〃You　amusing　old　Tory！　Shall　I　throw　you　into　a　state　of　trance？
No！　I'll　give　you　a　shock　of　another　kinda　shock　of　surprise。　I
know　as　much　as　you　do　about　Mr。　Gracedieu's　daughters。　What　do
you　think　of　that？〃

〃　I　think　I　should　like　to　hear　you　tell　me；　which　is　the　adopted
child。〃

〃Helena；　to　be　sure！〃

Her　manner　was　defiant；　her　tone　was　positive；　I　doubted　both。
Under　the　surface　of　her　assumed　confidence；　I　saw　something
which　told　me　that　she　was　trying　to　read　my　thoughts　in　my　face。
Many　other　women　had　tried　to　do　that。　They　succeeded　when　I　was
young。　When　I　had　reached　the　wrong　side　of　fifty；　my　face　had
learned　discretion；　and　they　failed。

〃How　did　you　arrive　at　your　discovery？〃　I　asked。　〃I　know　of
nobody　who　could　have　helped　you。〃

〃I　helped　myself；　sir！　I　reasoned　it　out。　A　wonderful　thing　for　a
woman　to　do；　isn't　it？　I　wonder　whether　you　could　follow　the
process？〃

My　reply　to　this　was　made　by　a　bow。　I　was　sure　of　my　command　over
my　face；　but　perfect　control　of　the　voice　is　a　rare　power。　Here
and　there；　a　great　actor　or　a　great　criminal　possesses　it。

Mrs。　Tenbruggen's　vanity　took　me　into　her　confidence。　〃In　the
first　place；〃　she　said；　〃Helena　is　plainly　the　wicked　one　of　the
two。　I　was　not　prejudiced　by　what　Selina　had　told　me　of　her：　I
saw　it；　and　felt　it；　before　I　had　been　five　minutes　in　her
company。　If　lying　tongues　ever　provoke　her　as　lying　tongues
provoked　her　mother；　she　will　follow　her　mother's　example。　Very
well。　Nowin　the　second　placethough　it　is　very　slight；　there
is　a　certain　something　in　her　hair　and　her　complexion　which
reminds　me　of　the　murderess：　there　is　no　other　resemblance；　I
admit。　In　the　third　place；　the　girls'　names　point　to　the　same
conclusion。　Mr。　Gracedieu　is　a　Protestant　and　a　Dissenter。　Would
he　call　a　child　of　his　own　by　the　name　of　a　Roman　Catholic　saint？
No！　he　would　prefer　a　name　in　the　Bible；　Eunice　is　_his_　child。
And　Helena　was　once　the　baby　whom　I　carried　into　the　prison。　Do
you　deny　that？〃

〃I　don't　deny　it。〃

Only　four　words！　But　they　were　deceitfully　spoken；　and　the
deceitpracticed　in　Eunice's　interest；　it　is　needless　to
saysucceeded。　Mrs。　Tenbruggen's　object　in　visiting　me　was
attained；　I　had　confirmed　her　belief　in　the　delusion　that　Helena
was　the　adopted　child。

She　got　up　to　take　her　leave。　I　asked　if　she　proposed　remaining
in　London。　No；　she　was　returning　to　her　country　patients　that
night。

As　I　attended　her　to　the　house…door；　she　turned　to　me　with　her
mischievous　smile。　〃I　have　taken　some　trouble　in　finding　the　clew
to　the　Minister's　mystery；〃　she　said。　〃Don't　you　wonder　why？〃

〃If　I　did　wonder；〃　I　answered；　〃would　you　tell　me　why？〃

She　laughed　at　the　bare　idea　of　it。　〃Another　lesson；〃　she　said；
〃to　assist　a　helpless　man　in　studying　the　weaker　sex。　I　have
already　shown　you　that　a　woman　can　reason。　Learn　next　that　a
woman　can　keep　a　secret。　Good…by。　God　bless　you！〃

Of　the　events　which　followed　Mrs。　Tenbruggen's　visit　it　is　not
possible　for　me；　I　am　thankful　to　say；　to　speak　from　personal
experience。　Ought　I　to　conclude　with　an　expression　of　repentance
for　the　act　of　deception　to　which　I　have　already　pleaded　guilty？
I　don't　know。　Yes！　the　force　of　circumstances　does　really　compel
me　to　say　it；　and　say　it　seriouslyI　declare；　on　my　word　of
honor；　I　don't　know。


Third　period：　1876。

_HELENA'S　DIARY　RESUMED。_


CHAPTER　LII。

HELENA'S　DIARY　RESUMED。



WHILE　my　father　remains　in　his　present　helpless　condition；
somebody　must　assume　a　position　of　command　in　this　house。　There
cannot　be　a　moment's　doubt　that　I　am　the　person　to　do　it。

In　my　agitated　state　of　mind；　sometimes　doubtful　of　Philip；
sometimes　hopeful　of　him；　I　find　Mrs。　Tenbruggen　simply
unendurable。　A　female　doctor　is；　under　any　circumstances；　a
creature　whom　I　detest。　She　is；　at　her　very　best；　a　bad　imitation
of　a　man。　The　Medical　Rubber　is　worse　than　this；　she　is　a　bad
imitation　of　a　mountebank。　Her　grinning　good…humor；　adopted　no
doubt　to　please　the　fools　who　are　her　patients；　and　her　impudent
enjoyment　of　hearing　herself　talk；　make　me　regret　for　the　first
time　in　my　life　that　I　am　a　young　lady。　If　I　belonged　to　the
lowest　order　of　the　population；　I　might　take　the　first　stick　I
could　find；　and　enjoy　the　luxury　of　giving　Mrs。　Tenbruggen　a　good
beating。

She　literally　haunts　the　house；　encouraged；　of　course；　by　her
wretched　little　dupe；　Miss　Jillgall。　Only　this　morning；　I　tried
what　a　broad　hint　would　do　toward　suggesting　that　her　visits　had
better　come　to　an　end。

〃Really；　Mrs。　Tenbruggen；〃　I　said；　〃I　must　request　Miss　Jillgall
to　moderate　her　selfish　enjoyment　of　your　company；　for　your　own
sake。　Your　time　is　too　valuable；　in　a　professional　sense；　to　be
wasted　on　an