the legacy of cain-第58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！


been　very　well　for　the　last　day　or　two；　and　the　execution　of　our
project　is　in　consequence　delayed。

I　have　news　of　Mrs。　Tenbruggen　which　will；　I　think；　surprise　you。

She　has　kept　away　from　us　in　a　most　unaccountable　manner。　I
called　on　her　at　the　hotel；　and　heard　she　was　engaged　with　her
lawyer。　On　the　next　day；　she　suddenly　returned　to　her　old　habits；
and　paid　the　customary　visit。　I　observed　a　similar　alteration　in
her　state　of　feeling。　She　is　now　coldly　civil　to　Helena；　and　she
asks　after　Eunice　with　a　maternal　interest　touching　to　seeI
said　to　her：　〃Elizabeth；　you　appear　to　have　changed　your　opinion
of　the　two　girls；　since　I　saw　you。〃　She　answered；　with　a
delightful　candor　which　reminded　me　of　old　times：　〃Completely！〃　I
said：　〃A　woman　of　your　intellectual　caliber；　dear；　doesn't　change
her　mind　without　a
　good　reason　for　it。〃　Elizabeth　cordially　agreed　with　me。　I
ventured　to　be　a　little　more　explicit：　〃You　have　no　doubt　made
some　interesting　discovery。〃　Elizabeth　agreed　again；　and　I
ventured　again：　〃I　suppose　I　may　not　ask　what　the　discovery　is？〃
〃No；　Selina；　you　may　not　ask。〃

This　is　curious；　but　it　is　nothing　to　what　I　have　got　to　tell　you
next。　Just　as　I　was　longing　to　take　her　to　my　bosom　again　as　my
friend　and　confidante；　Elizabeth　has　disappeared。　And；　alas！
alas！　there　is　a　reason　for　it　which　no　sympathetic　person　can
dispute。

I　have　just　received　some　overwhelming　news；　in　the　form　of　a
neat　parcel；　addressed　to　myself。

There　has　been　a　scandal　at　the　hotel。　That　monster　in　human
form；　Elizabeth's　husband；　is　aware　of　his　wife's　professional
fame；　has　heard　of　the　large　sums　of　money　which　she　earns　as　the
greatest　living　professor　of　massage；　has　been　long　on　the
lookout　for　her；　and　has　discovered　her　at　last。　He　has　not　only
forced　his　way　into　her　sitting…room　at　the　hotel；　he　insists　on
her　living　with　him　again；　her　money　being　the　attraction；　it　is
needless　to　say。　If　she　refuses；　he　threatens　her　with　the　law；
the　barbarous　law；　which；　to　use　his　own　coarse　expression；　will
〃restore　his　conjugal　rights。〃

All　this　I　gather　from　the　narrative　of　my　unhappy　friend；　which
forms　one　of　the　two　inclosures　in　her　parcel。　She　has　already
made　her　escape。　Ha！　the　man　doesn't　live　who　can　circumvent
Elizabeth。　The　English　Court　of　Law　isn't　built　which　can　catch
her　when　she　roams　the　free　and　glorious　Continent。

The　vastness　of　this　amazing　woman's　mind　is　what　I　must　pause　to
admire。　In　the　frightful　catastrophe　that　has　befallen　her；　she
can　still　think　of　Philip　and　Euneece。　She　is　eager　to　hear　of
their　marriage；　and　renounces　Helena　with　her　whole　heart。　〃I　too
was　deceived　by　that　cunning　young　Woman；〃　she　writes。　〃Beware　of
her；　Selina。　Unless　I　am　much　mistaken；　she　is　going　to　end
badly。　Take　care　of　Philip；　take　care　of　Euneece。　If　you　want
help；　apply　at　once　to　my　favorite　hero　in　real　life；　The
Governor。〃　I　don't　presume　to　correct　Elizabeth's　language。　I
should　have　called　you　The　idol　of　the　Women。

The　second　inclosure　contains；　as　I　suppose；　a　wedding　present。
It　is　carefully　sealedit　feels　no　bigger　than　an　ordinary
letterand　it　contains　an　inscription　which　your
highly…cultivated　intelligence　may　be　able　to　explain。　I　copy　it
as　follows：

〃To　be　inclosed　in　another　envelope；　addressed　to　Mr。　Dunboyne
the　elder；　at　Percy's　Private　Hotel；　London；　and　delivered　by　a
trustworthy　messenger；　on　the　day　when　Mr。　Philip　Dunboyne　is
married　to　Miss　Eunice　Gracedieu。　Placed　meanwhile　under　the　care
of　Miss　Selina　Jillgall。〃

Why　is　this　mysterious　letter　to　be　sent　to　Philip's　father？　I
wonder　whether　that　circumstance　will　puzzle　you　as　it　has
puzzled　me。

I　have　kept　my　report　back；　so　as　to　send　you　the　last　news
relating　to　Philip's　state　of　health。　To　my　great　regret；　his
illness　seems　to　have　made　a　serious　advance　since　yesterday。
When　I　ask　if　he　is　in　pain；　he　says：　〃It　isn't　exactly　pain；　I
feel　as　if　I　was　sinking。　Sometimes　I　am　giddy；　and　sometimes　I
find　myself　feeling　thirsty　and　sick。〃　I　have　no　opportunity　of
looking　after　him　as　I　could　wish；　for　Helena　insists　on　nursing
him；　assisted　by　the　housemaid。　Maria　is　a　very　good　girl　in　her
way；　but　too　stupid　to　be　of　much　use。　If　he　is　not　better
to…morrow；　I　shall　insist　on　sending　for　the　doctor。


He　is　no　better；　and　he　wishes　to　have　medical　help。　Helena
doesn't　seem　to　understand　his　illness。　It　was　not　until　Philip
had　insisted　on　seeing　him　that　she　consented　to　send　for　the
doctor。

You　had　some　talk　with　this　experienced　physician　when　you　were
here；　and　you　know　what　a　clever　man　he　is。　When　I　tell　you　that
he　hesitates　to　say　what　is　the　matter　with　Philip；　you　will　feel
as　much　alarmed　as　I　do。　I　will　wait　to　send　this　to　the　post
until　I　can　write　in　a　more　definite　way。


Two　days　more　have　passed。　The　doctor　has　put　two　very　strange
questions　to　me。

He　asked；　first；　if　there　was　anybody　staying　with　us　besides　the
regular　members　of　the　household。　I　said　we　had　no　visitor。　He
wanted　to　know；　next；　if　Mr。　Philip　Dunboyne　had　made　any　enemies
since　he　has　been　living　in　our　town。　I　said　none　that　I　knew
ofand　I　took　the　liberty　of　asking　what　he　meant。　He　answered
to　this；　that　he　has　a　few　more　inquiries　to　make；　and　that　he
will　tell　me　what　he　means　to…morrow。


For　God's　sake　come　here　as　soon　as　you　possibly　can。　The　whole
burden　is　thrown　on　meand　I　am　quite　unequal　to　it。

I　received　the　doctor　to…day　in　the　drawing…room。　To　my
amazement；　he　begged　leave　to　speak　with　me　in　the　garden。　When　I
asked　why；　he　answered：　〃I　don't　want　to　have　a　listener　at　the
door。　Come　out　on　the　lawn；　where　we　can　be　sure　that　we　are
alone。〃

When　we　were　in　the　garden；　he　noticed　that　I　was　trembling。

〃Rouse　your　courage；　Miss　Jillgall；〃　he　said。　〃In　the　Minister's
helpless　state　there　is　nobody　whom　I　can　speak　to　but　yourself。〃

I　ventured　to　remind　him　that　he　might　speak　to　Helena　as　well　as
to　myself。

He　looked　as　black　as　thunder　when　I　mentioned　her　name。　All　he
said　was；　〃No！〃　But；　oh；　if　you　had　heard　his　voiceand　he　so
gentle　and　sweet…tempered　at　other　timesyou　would　have　felt；　as
I　did；　that　he　had　Helena　in　his　mind！

〃Now；　listen　to　this；〃　he　went　on。　〃Everything　that　my　art　can　do
for　Mr。　Philip　Dunboyne；　while　I　am　at　his　bedside；　is　undone
while　I　am　away　by　some　other　person。　He　is　worse　to…day　than　I
have　seen　him　yet。〃

〃Oh；　sir；　do　you　think　he　will　die？〃

〃He　will　certainly　die　unless　the　right　means　are　taken　to　save
him；　and　taken　at　once。　It　is　my　duty　not　to　flinch　from　telling
you　the　truth。　I　have　made　a　discovery　since　yesterday　which
satisfies　me　that　I　am　right。　Somebody　is　trying　to　poison　Mr。
Dunboyne；　and　somebody　will　succeed　unless　he　is　removed　from
this　house。〃

I　am　a　poor　feeble　creature。　The　doctor　caught　me；　or　I　should
have　dropped　on　the　grass。　It　was　not　a　fainting…fit。　I　only
shook　and　shivered　so　that　I　was　too　weak　to　stand　up。　Encouraged
by　the　doctor；　I　recovered　sufficiently　to　be　able　to　ask　him
where　Philip　was　to　be　taken　to。　He　said：　〃To　the　hospital。　No
poisoner　can　follow　my　patient　there。　Persuade　him　to　let　me　take
him　away；　when　I　call　again　in　an　hour's　time。〃

As　soon　as　I　could　hold　a　pen；　I　sent　a　telegram　to　you。　Pray；
pray　come　by　the　earliest　train。　I　also　telegraphed　to　old　Mr。
Dunboyne；　at　the　hotel　in　London。

It　was　impossible　for　me　to　face　Helena；　I　own　I　was　afraid。　The
cook　kindly　went　upstairs　to　see　who　was　in　Philip's　room。　It　was
the　housemaid's　turn　to　look　after　him　for　a　while。　I　went
instantly　to　his　bedside。

There　was　no　persuading　him　to　allow　himself　to　be　taken　to　the
hospital。　〃I　am　dying；〃　he　said。　〃If　you　have　any　pity　for　me；
send　for　Euneece。　Let　me　see　her　once　more；　let　me　hear　her　say
that　she　forgives　me；　before　I　die。〃

I　hesitated。　It　was　too　terrible　to　think　of　Euneece　in　the　same
house　with　her　sister。　Her　life　might　be　in　danger！　Philip　gave
me　a　look；　a　dreadful　ghastly　look。　〃If　you　refuse；〃　he　said
wildly；　〃the　grave　won't　hold　me。　I'll　haunt　you　for　the　rest　of
your　life。〃

〃She　shall　hear　that　you　are　ill；〃　I　answeredand　ran　out　of　the
room　before　he　could　speak　again。

What　I　had　promised　to　write；　I　did　write。　But；　placed　between
Euneece's　danger　and　Philip's　danger；　my　heart　was　all　for
Euneece。　Would　Helena　spare　her；　if　she　came　to　Philip's　bedside？
In　such　terror　as　I　never　felt　before　in　my　life；　I　added　a　word
more；　entreating　her　not　to　leave　the　farm。　I　promised　to　keep
her　regularly　informed　on　the　subject　of　Philip's　illness；　and　I
mentioned　that　I　expected　the　Governor　to　return　to　us
immediately。　〃Do　nothing；〃　I　wrote；　〃without　his　advice。〃　My
letter　having　been　completed；　I　sent　the　cook　away　with　it；　in　a
chaise。　She　belonged　to　the　neighborhood；　and　she　knew　the
farmhouse　well。

Nearly　two　hours　afterward；　I　heard　the　chaise　stop　at　the　door；
and　ran　out；　impatient　to　hear　how　my　sweet　girl　had　received　my
letter。　God　help　us　all！　When　I　opened　the　door；　the　first　person
whom　I　saw　was　Euneece　herself。


CHA　PTER　LIX。

DEFENSE。

ONE　surprise　followed　another；　after　I　had　encountered　Euneece　at
the　door。

When　my　fondness　had　excused　her　for　setting　the　well…meant
advice　in　my　letter　at　defiance；　I　was　conscious　of　expecting　to
see　her　in　tears；　eager；　distressingly　eager；　to　hear　what　hope
there　might　be　of　Philip's　recovery。　I　saw　no　tears；　I　heard　no
inquiries。　She　was　pale；　and　quiet；　and　silent。　Not　a　word　fell
from　her　when　we　met；　not　a　word　when　she　kissed　me；　not　a　word
when　she　led　the　way　into　the　nearest　roomthe　dining…room。　It
was　only　when　we　were　shut　in　together　that　she　spoke。

〃Which　is　Philip's　room？〃　she　asked。

Instead　of　wanting　to　know　how　he　was；　she　desired　to　know　where
he　was！　I　pointed　toward　the　back　dining…room；　which　had　been
made　into　a　bedroom　for　Philip。　He　had　chosen　it　himself；　when　he
first　came　to　stay　with　us；　because　the　window　opened　into　the
garden。　and　he　could　slip　out　and　smoke　at　any　hour　of　the　day　or
night；　when　he　pleased。

〃Who　is　with　him　now？〃　was　the　next　strange　thing　this
sadly…changed　girl　said　to　me。

〃Maria　is　taking　her　turn；〃　I　answered；　〃she　ass