the legacy of cain-第8部分

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to　the　imperfect　register　of　her　birth。　〃I　am　not　aware；〃　he
wrote；　〃whether　I　have；　or　have　not；　committed　an　offense　against
the　Law。　In　any　case；　I　may　hope　to　have　made　atonement　by
obedience　to　the　Gospel。〃

Six　weeks　passed；　and　I　heard　from　my　reverend　friend　once　more。

His　second　letter　presented　a　marked　contrast　to　the　first。　It
was　written　in　sorrow　and　anxiety；　to　inform　me　of　an　alarming
change　for　the　worse　in　his　wife's　health。　I　showed　the　letter　to
my　medical　colleague。　After　reading　it　he　predicted　the　event
that　might　be　expected；　in　two　words：Sudden　death。

On　the　next　occasion　when　I　heard　from　the　Minister；　the　Doctor's
grim　reply　proved　to　be　a　prophecy　fulfilled。

When　we　address　expressions　of　condolence　to　bereaved　friends；
the　principles　of　popular　hypocrisy　sanction　indiscriminate　lying
as　a　duty　which　we　owe　to　the　deadno　matter　what　their　lives
may　have　beenbecause　they　are　dead。　Within　my　own　little
sphere；　I　have　always　been　silent；　when　I　could　not　offer　to
afflicted　persons　expressions　of　sympathy　which　I　honestly　felt。
To　have　condoled　with　the　Minister　on　the　loss　that　he　had
sustained　by　the　death　of　a　woman；　self…betrayed　to　me　as
shamelessly　deceitful；　and　pitilessly　determined　to　reach　her　own
cruel　ends；　would　have　been　to　degrade　myself　by　telling　a
deliberate　lie。　I　expressed　in　my　answer　all　that　an　honest　man
naturally　feels；　when　he　is　writing　to　a　friend　in　distress；
carefully　abstaining　from　any　allusion　to　the　memory　of　his　wife；
or　to　the　place　which　her　death　had　left　vacant　in　his　household。
My　letter；　I　am　sorry　to　say；　disappointed　and　offended　him。　He
wrote　to　me　no　more；　until　years　had　passed；　and　time　had　exerted
its　influence　in　producing　a　more　indulgent　frame　of　mind。　These
letters　of　a　later　date　have　been　preserved；　and　will　probably　be
used；　at　the　right　time；　for　purposes　of　explanation　with　which　I
may　be　connected　in　the　future。

。　。　。　。　。　。　。

The　correspondent　whom　I　had　now　lost　was　succeeded　by　a
gentleman　entirely　unknown　to　me。

Those　reasons　which　induced　me　to　conceal　the　names　of　persons；
while　I　was　relating　events　in　the　prison；　do　not　apply　to
correspondence　with　a　stranger　writing　from　another　place。　I　may；
therefore；　mention　that　Mr。　Dunboyne；　of　Fairmount；　on　the　west
coast　of　Ireland；　was　the　writer　of　the　letter　now　addressed　to
me。　He　proved；　to　my　surprise；　to　be　one　of　the　relations　whom
the　Prisoner　under　sentence　of　death　had　not　cared　to　see；　when　I
offered　her　the　opportunity　of　saying　farewell。　Mr。　Dunboyne　was
a　brother…in…law　of　the　murderess。　He　had　married　her　sister。

His　wife；　he　informed　me；　had　died　in　childbirth；　leaving　him　but
one　consolationa　boy；　who　already　recalled　all　that　was
brightest　and　best　in　his　lost　mother。　The　father　was　naturally
anxious　that　the　son　should　never　become　acquainted　with　the
disgrace　that　had　befallen　the　family。

The　letter　then　proceeded　in　these　terms：

〃I　heard　yesterday；　for　the　first　time；　by　means　of　an　old
newspaper…cutting　sent　to　me　by　a　friend；　that　the　miserable
woman　who　suffered　the　ignominy　of　public　execution　has　left　an
infant　child。　Can　you　tell　me　what　has　become　of　the　orphan？　If
this　little　girl　is；　as　I　fear；　not　well　provided　for；　I　only　do
what　my　wife　would　have　done　if　she　had　lived；　by　offering　to
　make　the　child's　welfare　my　especial　care。　I　am　willing　to　place
her　in　an　establishment　well　known　to　me；　in　which　she　will　be
kindly　treated；　well　educated；　and　fitted　to　earn　her　own　living
honorably　in　later　life。

〃If　you　feel　some　surprise　at　finding　that　my　good　intentions
toward　this　ill…fated　niece　of　mine　do　not　go　to　the　length　of
receiving　her　as　a　member　of　my　own　family；　I　beg　to　submit　some
considerations　which　may　perhaps　weigh　with　you　as　they　have
weighed　with　me。

〃In　the　first　place；　there　is　at　least　a　possibilityhowever
carefully　I　might　try　to　conceal　itthat　the　child's　parentage
would　sooner　or　later　be　discovered。　In　the　second　place　（and
assuming　that　the　parentage　had　been　successfully　concealed）；　if
this　girl　and　my　boy　grew　up　together；　there　is　another
possibility　to　be　reckoned　with：　they　might　become　attached　to
each　other。　Does　the　father　live　who　would　allow　his　son
ignorantly　to　marry　the　daughter　of　a　convicted　murderess？　I
should　have　no　alternative　but　to　part　them　cruelly　by　revealing
the　truth。〃　The　letter　ended　with　some　complimentary　expressions
addressed　to　myself。　And　the　question　was：　how　ought　I　to　answer
it？

My　correspondent　had　strongly　impressed　me　in　his　favor；　I　could
not　doubt　that　he　was　an　honorable　man。　But　the　interest　of　the
Minister　in　keeping　his　own　benevolent　action　secure　from　the
risk　of　discoveryincreased　as　that　interest　was　by　the　filial
relations　of　the　two　children　toward　him；　now　publicly
establishedhad；　as　I　could　not　doubt；　the　paramount　claim　on
me。　The　absolutely　safe　course　to　take　was　to　admit　no　one；
friend　or　stranger；　to　our　confidence。　I　replied；　expressing
sincere　admiration　of　Mr。　Dunboyne's　motives；　and　merely
informing　him　that　the　child　was　already　provided　for。

After　that；　I　heard　no　more　of　the　Irish　gentleman。

It　is　perhaps　hardly　necessary　to　add　that　I　kept　the　Minister　in
ignorance　of　my　correspondence　with　Mr。　Dunboyne。　I　was　too　well
acquainted　with　my　friend's　sensitive　and　self…tormenting　nature
to　let　him　know　that　a　relative　of　the　murderess　was　living；　and
was　aware　that　she　had　left　a　child。

A　last　event　remains　to　be　related；　before　I　close　these　pages。

During　the　year　of　which　I　am　now　writing；　our　Chaplain　added　one
more　to　the　many　examples　that　I　have　seen　of　his　generous
readiness　to　serve　his　friends。　He　had　arranged　to　devote　his
annual　leave　of　absence　to　a　tour　among　the　English　Lakes；　when
he　received　a　letter　from　a　clergyman　resident　in　London；　whom　he
had　known　from　the　time　when　they　had　been　school…fellows。　This
old　friend　wrote　under　circumstances　of　the　severest　domestic
distress；　which　made　it　absolutely　necessary　that　he　should　leave
London　for　a　while。　Having　failed　to　find　a　representative　who
could　relieve　him　of　his　clerical　duties；　he　applied　to　the
Chaplain　to　recommend　a　clergyman　who　might　be　in　a　position　to
help　him。　My　excellent　colleague　gave　up　his　holiday…plans
without　hesitation；　and　went　to　London　himself。

On　his　return；　I　asked　if　he　had　seen　anything　of　some
acquaintances　of　his　and　of　mine；　who　were　then　visitors　to　the
metropolis。　He　smiled　significantly　when　he　answered　me。

〃I　have　a　card　to　deliver　from　an　acquaintance　whom　you　have　not
mentioned；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　rather　think　it　will　astonish　you。〃

It　simply　puzzled　me。　When　he　gave　me　the　card；　this　is　what　I
found　printed　on　it：

〃MRS。　TENERUGGEN　（OF　SOUTH　BEVELAND）。〃

〃Well？〃　said　the　Chaplain。

〃Well；〃　I　answered；　〃I　never　even　heard　of　Mrs。　Tenbruggen；　of
South　Beveland。　Who　is　she？〃

〃I　married　the　lady　to　a　foreign　gentleman；　only　last　week；　at　my
friend's　church；〃　the　Chaplain　replied。　〃Perhaps　you　may　remember
her　maiden　name？〃

He　mentioned　the　name　of　the　dangerous　creature　who　had　first
presented　herself　to　me；　in　charge　of　the　Prisoner's
childotherwise　Miss　Elizabeth　Chance。　The　reappearance　of　this
woman　on　the　scenealthough　she　was　only　represented　by　her
cardcaused　me　a　feeling　of　vague　uneasiness；　so　contemptibly
superstitious　in　its　nature　that　I　now　remember　it　with　shame。　I
asked　a　stupid　question：

〃How　did　it　happen？〃

〃In　the　ordinary　course　of　such　things；〃　my　friend　said。　〃They
were　married　by　license；　in　their　parish　church。　The　bridegroom
was　a　fine　tall　man；　with　a　bold　eye　and　a　dashing　manner。　The
bride　and　I　recognized　each　other　directly。　When　Miss　Chance　had
become　Mrs。　Tenbruggen；　she　took　me　aside；　and　gave　me　her　card。
'Ask　the　Governor　to　accept　it；'　she　said；　'in　remembrance　of　the
time　when　he　took　me　for　a　nursemaid。　Tell　him　I　am　married　to　a
Dutch　gentleman　of　high　family。　If　he　ever　comes　to　Holland；　we
shall　be　glad　to　see　him　in　our　residence　at　South　Beveland。'
There　is　her　message　to　you；　repeated　word　for　word。〃

〃I　am　glad　she　is　going　to　live　out　of　England。〃

〃Why？　Surely　you　have　no　reason　to　fear　her？〃

〃None　whatever。〃

〃You　are　thinking；　perhaps；　of　somebody　else？〃

I　was　thinking　of　the　Minister；　but　it　seemed　to　be　safest　not　to
say　so。

…

My　pen　is　laid　aside；　and　my　many　pages　of　writing　have　been　sent
to　their　destination。　What　I　undertook　to　do；　is　now　done。　To
take　a　metaphor　from　the　stagethe　curtain　falls　here　on　the
Governor　and　the　Prison。


Second　Period：　1875。

THE　GIRLS　AND　THE　JOURNALS。


CHAPTER　XI。

HELENA'S　DIARY。


WE　both　said　good…night；　and　went　up　to　our　room　with　a　new
object　in　view。　By　our　father's　advice　we　had　resolved　on　keeping
diaries；　for　the　first　time　in　our　lives；　and　had　pledged
ourselves　to　begin　before　we　went　to　bed。

Slowly　and　silently　and　lazily；　my　sister　sauntered　to　her　end　of
the　room　and　seated　herself　at　her　writing…table。　On　the　desk　lay
a　nicely　bound　book；　full　of　blank　pages。　The　word　〃Journal〃　was
printed　on　it　in　gold　letters；　and　there　was　fitted　to　the　covers
a　bright　brass　lock　and　key。　A　second　journal；　exactly　similar　in
every　respect　to　the　first；　was　placed　on　the　writing…table　at　my
end　of　the　room。　I　opened　my　book。　The　sight　of　the　blank　leaves
irritated　me；　they　were　so　smooth；　so　spotless；　so　entirely　ready
to　do　_their_　duty。　I　took　too　deep　a　dip　of　ink；　and　began　the
first　entry　in　my　diary　by　making　a　blot。　This　was　discouraging。
I　got　up；　and　looked　out　of　window。

〃Helena！〃

My　sister's　voice　could　hardly　have　addressed　me　in　a　more　weary
tone；　if　her　pen　had　been　at　work　all　night；　relating　domestic
events。　〃Well！〃　I　said。　〃What　is　it？〃

〃Have　you　done　already？〃　she　asked。

I　showed　her　the　blot。　My　sister　Eunice　（the　strangest　as　well　as
the　dearest　of　girls）　always　blurts　out　what　she　has　in　her　mind
at　the　time。　She　fixed　her　eyes　gravely　on　my　spoiled　page；　and
said：　〃That　comforts　me。〃　I　crossed　the　room；　and　looked　at　her
book。　She　had　not　even　summoned　energy　enough　to　make　a　blot。
〃What　will　papa　think　of　us；〃　she　said；　〃if　we　don't　begin