the legacy of cain-第60部分

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and　produced。　It　was　on　the　paper　used　by　the　doctorpaper　which
had　his　address　printed　at　the　top；　and　a　notice　added；　telling
patients　who　came　to　consult　him　for　the　second　time　to　bring
their　prescriptions　with　them。　Then；　there　followed　in　writing：
〃Tincture　of　Digitalis；　one　ounce〃with　his　signature　at　the
end；　not　badly　imitated；　but　a　forgery　nevertheless。　The　chemist
noticed　the　effect　which　this　discovery　had　produced　on　the
doctor；　and　asked　if　that　was　his　signature。　He　could　hardly；　as
an　honest　man；　have　asserted　that　a　forgery　was　a　signature　of
his　own　writing。　So　he　made　the　true　reply；　and　asked　who　had
presented　the　prescription。　The　chemist　called　to　his　assistant
to　come　forward。　〃Did　you　tell　me　that　you　knew；　by　sight；　the
young　lady　who　brought　this　prescription？〃　The　assistant　admitted
it。　〃Did　you　tell　me　she　was　Miss　Helena　Gracedieu？〃　〃I　did。〃
〃Are　you　sure　of　not　having　made　any　mistake？〃　〃Quite　sure。〃　The
chemist　then　said：　〃I　myself　supplied　the　Tincture　of　Digitalis；
and　the　young　lady　paid　for　it；　and　took　it　away　with　her。　You
have　had　all　the　information　that　I　can　give　you；　sir；　and　I　may
now　ask；　if　you　can　throw　any　light　on　the　matter。〃　Our　good
friend　thought　of　the　poor　Minister；　so　sorely　afflicted；　and　of
the　famous　name　so　sincerely　respected　in　the　town　and　in　the
country　round；　and　said　he　could　not　undertake　to　give　an
immediate　answer。　The　chemist　was　excessively　angry。　〃You　know　as
well　as　I　do；〃　he　said；　〃that　Digitalis；　given　in　certain　doses；
is　a　poison；　and　you　cannot　deny　that　I　honestly　believed　myself
to　be　dispensing　your　prescription。　While　you　are　hesitating　to
give　me　an　answer；　my　character　may　suffer；　I　may　be　suspected
myself。〃　He　ended　in　declaring　he　should　consult　his　lawyer。　The
doctor　went　home；　and　questioned　his　servant。　The　man　remembered
the　day　of　Miss　Helena's　visit　in　the　afternoon；　and　the
intention　that　she　expressed　of　waiting　for　his　master's　return。
He　had　shown　her　into　the　parlor　which　opened　into　the
consulting…room。　No　other　visitor　was　in　the　house　at　that　time；
or　had　arrived　during　the　rest　of　the　day。　The　doctor's　own
experience；　when　he　got　home；　led　him　to　conclude　that　Helena　had
gone　into　the　consulting…room。　He　had　entered　that　room；　for　the
purpose　of　writing　some　prescriptions；　and　had　found　the　leaves
of　paper　that　he　used　diminished　in　number。　After　what　he　had
heard；　and　what　he　had　discovered　（to　say　nothing　of　what　he
suspected）；　it　occurred　to　him　to　look　along　the　shelves　of　his
medical　library。　He　found　a　volume　（treating　of　Poisons）　with　a
slip　of　paper　left　between　the　leaves；　the　poison　described　at
the　place　so　marked　being　Digitalis；　and　the　paper　used　being　one
of　his　own　prescription…papers。　〃If；　as　I　fear；　a　legal
investigation　into　Helena's　conduct　is　a　possible　event；〃　the
doctor　concluded；　〃there　is　the　evidence　that　I　shall　be　obliged
to　give；　when　I　am　called　as　a　witness。〃

It　is　my　belief　that　I　could　have　felt　no　greater　dismay；　if　the
long　arm　of　the　Law　had　laid　its　hold　on　me　while　he　was
speaking。　I　asked　what　was　to　be　done。

〃If　she　leaves　the　house　at　once；〃　the　doctor　replied；　〃she　may
escape　the　infamy　of　being　charged　with　an　attempt　at　murder　by
poison；　and；　in　her　absence；　I　can　answer　for　Philip's　life。　I
don't　urge　you　to　warn　her；　because　that　might　be　a　dangerous
thing　to　do。　It　is　for　you　to　decide；　as　a　member　of　the　family；
whether　you　will　run　the　risk。〃

I　tried　to　speak　to　him　of　Euneece；　and　to　tell　him　what　I　had
already　related　to　yourself。　He　was　in　no　humor　to　listen　to　me。
〃Keep　it　for　a　fitter　time；〃　he　answered；　〃and　think　of　what　I
have　just　said　to　you。〃　With　that；　he　left　me；　on　his　way　to
Philip's　room。

Mental　exertion　was　completely　beyond　me。　Can　you　understand　a
poor　middle…aged　spinster　being　frightened　into　doing　a　dangerous
thing？　That　may　seem　to　be　nonsense。　But　if　you　ask　why　I　took　a
morsel　of　paper；　and　wrote　the　warning　which　I　was　afraid　to
communicate　by　word　of　mouthwhy　I　went　upstairs　with　my　knees
knocking　together；　and　opened　the　door　of　Helena's　room　just　wide
enough　to　let　my　hand　pass　throughwhy　I　threw　the　paper　in；　and
banged　the　door　to　again；　and　ran　downstairs　as　I　have　never　run
since　I　was　a　little　girlI　can　only　say；　in　the　way　of
explanation；　what　I　have　said　already：　I　was　frightened　into
doing　it。

What　I　have　written；　thus　far；　I　shall　send　to　you　by　to…night's
post。

The　doctor　came　back　to　me；　after　he　had　seen　Philip；　and　spoken
with　Euneece。　He　was　very　angry；　and；　I　must　own；　not　without
reason。　Philip　had　flatly　refused　to　let　himself　be　removed　to
the　hospital；　and　Euneece〃a　mere　girl〃had　declared　that　she
would　be　answerable　for　consequences！　The　doctor　warned　me　that
he　meant　to　withdraw　from　the　case；　and　to　make　his　declaration
before　the　magistrates。　At　my　entreaties　he　consented　to　return
in　the　evening；　and　to　judge　by　results　before　taking　the
terrible　step　that　he　had　threatened。

While　I　remained　at　home　on　the　watch；　keeping　the　doors　of　both
rooms　locked；　Eunice　went　out　to　get　Philip's　medicine。　She　came
back；　followed　by　a　boy　carrying　a　portable　apparatus　for
cooking。　〃All　that　Philip　wants；　and　all　that　we　want；〃　she
explained；　〃we　can　provide　for　ourselves。　Give　me　a　morsel　of
paper　to　write　on。〃

Unhooking　the　little　pencil　attac　hed　to　her　watch…chain；　she
paused　and　looked　toward　the　door。　〃Somebody　listening；〃　she
whispered。　〃Let　them　listen。〃　She　wrote　a　list　of　necessaries；　in
the　way　of　things　to　eat　and　things　to　drink；　and　asked　me　to　go
out　and　get　them　myself。　〃I　don't　doubt　the　servants；〃　she　said；
speaking　distinctly　enough　to　be　heard　outside；　〃but　I　am　afraid
of　what　a　Poisoner's　cunning　and　a　Poisoner's　desperation　may　do；
in　a　kitchen　which　is　open　to　her。〃　I　went　away　on　my
erranddiscovering　no　listener　outside；　I　need　hardly　say。　On　my
return；　I　found　the　door　of　communication　with　Philip's　room
closed；　but　no　longer　locked。　〃We　can　now　attend　on　him　in　turn；〃
she　said；　〃without　opening　either　of　the　doors　which　lead　into
the　hall。　At　night　we　can　relieve　each　other；　and　each　of　us　can
get　sleep　as　we　want　it　in　the　large　armchair　in　the　dining…room。
Philip　must　be　safe　under　our　charge；　or　the　doctor　will　insist
on　taking　him　to　the　hospital。　When　we　want　Maria's　help；　from
time　to　time；　we　can　employ　her　under　our　own　superintendence。
Have　you　anything　else；　Selina；　to　suggest？〃

There　was　nothing　left　to　suggest。　Young　and　inexperienced　as　she
was；　how　（I　asked）　had　she　contrived　to　think　of　all　this？　She
answered；　simply　〃I'm　sure　I　don't　know；　my　thoughts　came　to　me
while　I　was　looking　at　Philip。〃

Soon　afterward　I　found　an　opportunity　of　inquiring　if　Helena　had
left　the　house。　She　had　just　rung　her　bell；　and　Maria　had　found
her；　quietly　reading；　in　her　room。　Hours　afterward；　when　I　was　on
the　watch　at　night；　I　heard　Philip's　door　softly　tried　from　the
outside。　Her　dreadful　purpose　had　not　been　given　up；　even　yet。

The　doctor　came　in　the　evening；　as　he　had　promised；　and　found　an
improvement　in　Philip's　health。　I　mentioned　what　precautions　we
had　taken；　and　that　they　had　been　devised　by　Euneece。　〃Are　you
going　to　withdraw　from　the　case？〃　I　asked。　〃I　am　coming　back　to
the　case；〃　he　answered；　〃to…morrow　morning。〃

It　had　been　a　disappointment　to　me　to　receive　no　answer　to　the
telegram　which　I　had　sent　to　Mr。　Dunboyne　the　elder。　The　next
day's　post　brought　the　explanation　in　a　letter　to　Philip　from　his
father；　directed　to　him　at　the　hotel　here。　This　showed　that　my
telegram；　giving　my　address　at　this　house；　had　not　been　received。
Mr。　Dunboyne　announced　that　he　had　returned　to　Ireland；　finding
the　air　of　London　unendurable；　after　the　sea…breezes　at　home。　If
Philip　had　already　married；　his　father　would　leave　him　to　a　life
of　genteel　poverty　with　Helena　Gracedieu。　If　he　had　thought
better　of　it；　his　welcome　was　waiting　for　him。

Little　did　Mr。　Dunboyne　know　what　changes　had　taken　place　since
he　and　his　son　had　last　met；　and　what　hope　might　yet　present
itself　of　brighter　days　for　poor　Euneece！　I　thought　of　writing　to
him。　But　how　would　that　crabbed　old　man　receive　a　confidential
letter　from　a　lady　who　was　a　stranger？

My　doubts　were　set　at　rest　by　Philip　himself。　He　asked　me　to
write　a　few　lines　of　reply　to　his　father；　declaring　that　his
marriage　with　Helena　was　broken　offthat　he　had　not　given　up　all
hope　of　being　permitted　to　offer　the　sincere　expression　of　his
penitence　to　Euneeceand　that　he　would　gladly　claim　his　welcome；
as　soon　as　he　was　well　enough　to　undertake　the　journey　to
Ireland。　When　he　had　signed　the　letter；　I　was　so　pleased　that　I
made　a　smart　remark。　I　said：　〃This　is　a　treaty　of　peace　between
father　and　son。〃

When　the　doctor　arrived　in　the　morning；　and　found　the　change　for
the　better　in　his　patient　confirmed；　he　did　justice　to　us　at
last。　He　spoke　kindly；　and　even　gratefully；　to　Euneece。　No　more
allusions　to　the　hospital　as　a　place　of　safety　escaped　him。　He
asked　me　cautiously　for　news　of　Helena。　I　could　only　tell　him
that　she　had　gone　out　at　her　customary　time；　and　had　returned　at
her　customary　time。　He　did　not　attempt　to　conceal　that　my　reply
had　made　him　uneasy。

〃Are　you　still　afraid　that　she　may　succeed　in　poisoning　Philip？〃
I　asked。

〃I　am　afraid　of　her　cunning；〃　he　said。　〃If　she　is　charged　with
attempting　to　poison　young　Dunboyne；　she　has　some　system　of
defense；　you　may　rely　on　it；　for　which　we　are　not　prepared。
There；　in　my　opinion；　is　the　true　reason　for　her　extraordinary
insensibility　to　her　own　danger。〃

Two　more　days　passed；　and　we　were　still　safe　under　the　protection
of　lock　and　key。

On　the　evening　of　the　second　day　（which　was　a　Monday）　Maria　came
to　me　in　great　tribulation。　On　inquiring　what　was　the　matter；　I
received　a　disquieting　reply：　〃Miss　Helena　is　tempting　me。　She　is
so　miserable　at　being　prevented　from　seeing　Mr。　Philip；　and
helping　to　nurse　him；　that　it　is　quite　distressing　to　see　her。　At
the　same　time；　miss；　it's　hard　on　a　poor　servant。　She　asks　me　to
take　the　key　secretly　out　of　the　door；　and　lend　it　to　her　at
night　for　a　few　minutes　only。　I'm　really　afraid　I　shall　be　led
into　doing　it；　if　she