the legacy of cain-第14节

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poor　man。〃

〃And　Philip's　papa　is　a　rich　man；〃　says　Mrs。　Staveley；　putting　my
own　thought　into　words　for　me。　〃Where　do　you　get　these　ideas；
Eunice？　Surely；　you　are　not　allowed　to　read　novels？〃

〃Oh　no！〃

〃And　you　have　certainly　never　seen　a　play？〃

〃Never。〃

〃Clear　your　head；　child；　of　the　nonsense　that　has　got　into　itI
can't　think　how。　Rich　Mr。　Dunboyne　has　taught　his　heir　to　despise
the　base　act　of　marrying　for　money。　He　knows　that　Philip　will
meet　young　ladies　at　my　house；　and　he　has　written　to　me　on　the
subject　of　his　son's　choice　of　a　wife。　'Let　Philip　find　good
principles；　good　temper；　and　good　looks；　and　I　promise　beforehand
to　find　the　money。'　There　is　what　he　says。　Are　you　satisfied　with
Philip's　father；　now？〃

I　jumped　up　in　a　state　of　ecstasy。　Just　as　I　had　thrown　my　arms
round　Mrs。　Staveley's　neck；　the　servant　came　in　with　a　letter；
and　handed　it　to　me。

Helena　had　written　again；　on　this　last　day　of　my　visit。　Her
letter　was　full　of　instructions　for　buying　things　that　she　wants；
before　I　leave　London。　I　read　on　quietly　enough　until　I　came　to
the　postscript。　The　effect　of　it　on　me　may　be　told　in　two　words：
I　screamed。　Mrs。　Staveley　was　naturally　alarmed。　〃Bad　news？〃　she
asked。　Being　quite　unable　to　offer　an　opinion；　I　read　the
postscript　out　loud；　and　left　her　to　judge　for　herself。

This　was　Helena's　news　from　home：

〃I　must　prepare　you　for　a　surprise；　before　your　return。　You　will
find　a　strange　lady　established　at　home。　Don't　suppose　there　is
any　prospect　of　her　bidding　us　good…by；　if　we　only　wait　long
enough。　She　is　already　（with　father's　full　approval）　as　much　a
member　of　the　family　as　we　are。　You　shall　form　your　own　unbiased
opinion　of　her；　Eunice。　For　the　present；　I　say　no　more。〃

I　asked　Mrs。　Staveley　what　she　thought　of　my　news　from　home。　She
said：　〃Your　father　approves　of　the　lady；　my　dear。　I　suppose　it's
good　news。〃

But　Mrs。　Staveley　did　not　look　as　if　she　believed　in　the　good
news；　for　all　that。


CHAPTER　XIV。

HELENA'S　DIARY。


TO…DAY　I　went　as　usual　to　the　Scripture…class　for　girls。　It　was
harder　work　than　ever；　teaching　without　Eunice　to　help　me。
Indeed；　I　felt　lonely　all　day　without　my　sister。　When　I　got　home；
I　rather　hoped　that　some　friend　might　have　come　to　see　us；　and
have　been　asked　to　stay　to　tea。　The　housemaid　opened　the　door　to
me。　I　asked　Maria　if　anybody　had　called。

〃Yes；　miss；　a　lady；　to　see　the　master。〃

〃A　stranger？〃

〃Never　saw　her　before；　miss；　in　all　my　life。〃　I　put　no　more
questions。　Many　ladies　visit　my　father。　They　call　it　consulting
the　Minister。　He　advises　them　in　their　troubles；　and　guides　them
in　their　religious　difficulties；　and　so　on。　They　come　and　go　in　a
sort　of　secrecy。　So　far　as　I　know；　they　are　mostly　old　maids；　and
they　waste　the　Minister's　time。

When　my　father　came　in　to　tea；　I　began　to　feel　some　curiosity
about　the　lady　who　had　called　on　him。　Visitors　of　that　sort；　in
general；　never　appear　to　dwell　on　his　mind　after　they　have　gone
away；　he　sees　too　many　of　them；　and　is　too　well　accustomed　to
what　they　have　to　say。　On　this　particular　evening；　however；　I
perceived　appearances　that　set　me　thinking；　he　looked　worried　and
anxious。

〃Has　anything　happened；　father；　to　vex　you？〃　I　said。

〃Yes。〃

〃Is　the　lady　concerned　in　it？〃

〃What　lady；　my　dear？〃

〃The　lady　who　called　on　you　while　I　was　out。〃

〃Who　told　you　she　had　called　on　me？〃

〃I　asked　Maria〃

〃That　will　do；　Helena；　for　the　present。〃

He　drank　his　tea　and　went　back　to　his　study；　instead　of　staying　a
while；　and　talking　pleasantly　as　usual。　My　respect　submitted　to
his　want　of　confidence　in　me；　but　my　curiosity　was　in　a　state　of
revolt。　I　sent　for　Maria；　and　proceeded　to　make　my　own
discoveries；　with　this　result：

No　other　person　had　called　at　the　house。　Nothing　had　happened；
except　the　visit　of　the　mysterious　lady。　〃She　looked　between
young　and　old。　And；　oh　dear　me；　she　was　certainly　not　pretty。　Not
dressed　nicely；　to　my　mind；　but　they　do　say　dress　is　a　matter　of
taste。〃

Try　as　I　might；　I　could　get　no　more　than　that　out　of　our　stupid
young　housemaid。

Later　in　the　evening；　the　cook　had　occasion　to　consult　me　about
supper。　This　was　a　person　possessing　the　advantages　of　age　and
experience。　I　asked　if　she　had　seen　the　lady。　The　cook's　reply
promised　something　new：　〃I　can't　say　I　saw　the　lady；　but　I　heard
her。〃

〃Do　you　mean　that　you　heard　her　speaking？〃

〃No；　misscrying。〃

〃Where　was　she　crying？〃

〃In　the　master's　study。〃

〃How　did　you　come　to　hear　her？〃

〃Am　I　to　understand；　miss；　that　you　suspect　me　of　listening？〃

Is　a　lie　told　by　a　look　as　bad　as　a　lie　told　by　words？　I　looked
shocked　at　the　bare　idea　of　suspecting　a　respectable　person　of
listening。　The　cook's　sense　of　honor　was　satisfied；　she　readily
explained　herself：　〃I　was　passing　the　door；　miss；　on　my　way
upstairs。〃

Here　my　discoveries　came　to　an　end。　It　was　certainly　possible
that　an　afflicted　member　of　my　father's　congregation　might　have
called　on　him　to　be　comforted。　But　he　sees　plenty　of　afflicted
ladies；　without　looking　worried　and　anxious　after　they　leave　him。
Still　suspecting　something　out　of　the　ordinary　course　of　events；
I　waited　hopefully　for　our　next　meeting　at　supper…time。　Nothing
came　of　it。　My　father　left　me　by　myself　again；　when　the　meal　was
over。　He　is　always　courteous　to　his　daughters；　and　he　made　an
apology　：　〃Excuse　me；　Helena；　I　want　to　think。〃

。　。　。　。　。　。　。

I　went　to　bed　in　a　vile　humor；　and　slept　badly；　wondering；　in　the
long　wakeful　hours；　what　new　rebuff　I　should　meet　with　on　the
next　day。

At　breakfast　this　morning　I　was　agreeably　surprised。　No　signs　of
anxiety　showed　themselves　in　my　father's　face。　Instead　of
retiring　to　his　study　when　we　rose　from　the　table；　he　proposed
taking　a　turn　in　the　garden：　〃You　are　looking　pale；　Helena；　and
you　will　be　the　better　for　a　little　fresh　air。　Besides；　I　have
something　to　say　to　you。〃

Excitement；　I　am　sure；　is　good　for　young　women。　I　saw　in　his
face；　I　heard　in　his　last　words；　that　the　mystery　of　the　lady　was
at　last　to　be　revealed。　The　sensation　of　languor　and　fatigue
which　follows　a　disturbed　night　left　me　directly。

My　father　gave　me　his　arm；　and　we　walked　slowly　up　and　down　the
lawn。

〃When　that　lady　called　on　me　yesterday；〃　he　began；　〃you　wanted　to
know　who　she　was；　and　you　were　surprised　and　disappointed　when　I
refused　to　gratify　your　curiosity。　My　silence　was　not　a　selfish
silence；　Helena。　I　was　thinking　of　you　and　your　sister；　and　I　was
at　a　loss　how　to　act　for　the　best。　You　shall　hear　why　my　children
were　in　my　mind；　presently。　I　must　tell　you　first　that　I　have
arrived　at　a　decision；　I　hope　and　believe　on　reasonable　grounds。
Ask　me　any　questions　you　please；　my　silence　will　be　no　longer　an
obstacle　in　your　way。〃

This　was　so　very　encouraging　that　I　said　at　once：　〃I　should　like
to　know　who　the　lady　is。〃

〃The　lady　is　related　to　me；〃　he　answered。　〃We　are　cousins。〃

Here　was　a　disclosure　that　I　had　not　anticipated。　In　the　little
that　I　have　seen　of　the　world；　I　have　observed　that　cousinswhen
they　happen　to　be　brought　together　under　interesting
circumstancescan　remember　their　relationship；　and　forget　their
relationship；　just　as　it　suits　them。　〃Is　your　cousin　a　married
lady？〃　I　ventured　to　inquire。

〃No。〃

Short　as　it　was；　that　reply　might　perhaps　mean　more　than　appeared
on　the　surface。　The　cook　had　heard　the　lady　crying。　What　sort　of
tender　agitation　was　answerable　for　those　tears？　Was　it　possible；
barely　possible；　that　Eunice　and　I　might　go　to　bed；　one　night；　a
widower's　daughters；　and　wake　up　the　next　day　to　discover　a
stepmother？

〃Have　I　or　my　sister　ever　seen　the　lady？〃　I　asked。

〃Never。　She　has　been　living　abroad；　and　I　have　not　seen　her
myself　since　we　were　both　young　people。〃

My　excellent　innocent　father！　Not　the　faintest　idea　of　what　I　had
been　thinking　of　was　in　his　mind。　Little　did　he　suspect　how
welcome　was　the　relief　that　he　had　afforded　to　his　daughter's
wicked　doubts　of　him。　But　he　had　not　said　a　word　yet　about　his
cousin's　personal　appearance。　There　might　be　remains　of　good
looks　which　the　housemaid　was　too　stupid　to　discover。

〃After　the　long　interval　that　has　passed　since　you　met；〃　I　said；
〃I　suppose　she　has　become　an　old　woman？〃

〃No；　my　dear。　Let　us　say；　a　middle…aged　woman。〃

〃Perhaps　she　is　still　an　attractive　person？〃

He　smiled。　〃I　am　afraid；　Helena；　that　would　never　have　been　a
very　accurate　description　of　her。〃

I　now　knew　all　that　I　wanted　to　know　about　this　alarming　person；
excepting　one　last　morsel　of　information　which　my　father　had
strangely　forgotten。

〃We　have　been　talking　about　the　lady　for　some　time；〃　I　said；　〃and
you　have　not　yet　told　me　her　name。〃

Father　looked　a　little　embarrassed　〃It's　not　a　very　pretty　name；〃
he　answered。　〃My　cousin；　my　unfortunate　cousin；　isMiss
Jillgall。〃

I　burst　out　with　such　a　loud　〃Oh！〃　that　he　laughed。　I　caught　the
infection；　and　laughed　louder　still。　Bless　Miss　Jillgall！　The
interview　promised　to　become　an　easy　one　for　both　of　us；　thanks
to　her　name。　I　was　in　good　spirits；　and　I　made　no　attempt　to
restrain　them。　〃The　next　time　Miss　Jillgall　honors　you　with　a
visit；〃　I　said；　〃you　must　give　me　an　opportunity　of　be