the legacy of cain-第15节

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restrain　them。　〃The　next　time　Miss　Jillgall　honors　you　with　a
visit；〃　I　said；　〃you　must　give　me　an　opportunity　of　being
presented　to　her。〃

He　made　a　strange　reply：　〃You　may　find　your　opportunity；　Helena；
sooner　than　you　anticipate。〃

Did　this　mean　that　she　was　going　to　call　again　in　a　day　or　two？　I
am　afraid　I　spoke　flippantly。　I　said：　〃Oh；　father；　another　lady
fascinated　by　the　popular　preacher？〃

The　garden　chairs　were　near　us。　He　signed　to　me　gravely　to　be
seated　by　his　side；　and　said　to　himself：　〃This　is　my　fault。〃

〃What　is　your　fault？〃　I　asked。

〃I　have　left　you　in　ignorance；　my　dear；　of　my　cousin's　sad　story。
It　is　soon　told；　and；　if　it　checks　your　merriment；　it　will　make
amends　by　deserving　your　sympathy。　I　was　indebted　to　her　father；
when　I　was　a　boy；　for　acts　of　kindness　which　I　can　never　forget。
He　was　twice　married。　The　death　of　his　first　wife　left　him　with
one　childonce　my　playfellow；　now　the　lady　whose　visit　has
excited　your　curiosity。　His　second　wife　was　a　Belgian。　She
persuaded　him　to　sell　his　business　in　London；　and　to　invest　the
money　in　a　partnership　with　a　brother　of　hers；　established　as　a
sugar…refiner　at　Antwerp。　The　little　daughter　accompanied　her
father　to　Belgium。　Are　you　attending　to　me；　Helena？〃

I　was　waiting　for　the　interesting　part　of　the　story；　and　was
wondering　when　he　would　get　to　it。

〃As　time　went　on；〃　he　resumed；　〃the　new　partner　found　that　the
value　of　the　business　at　Antwerp　had　been　greatly　overrated。
After　a　long　struggle　with　adverse　circumstances；　he　decided　on
withdrawing　from　the　partnership　before　the　whole　of　his　capital
was　lost　in　a　failing　commercial　speculation。　The　end　of　it　was
that　he　retired；　with　his　daughter；　to　a　small　town　in　East
Flanders；　the　wreck　of　his　property　having　left　him　with　an
income　of　no　more　than　two　hundred　pounds　a　year。〃

I　showed　my　father　that　I　was　attending　to　him　now；　by　inquiring
what　had　become　of　the　Belgian　wife。　Those　nervous　quiverings；
which　Eunice　has　mentioned　in　her　diary；　began　to　appear　in　his
face。

〃It　is　too　shameful　a　story；〃　he　said；　〃to　be　told　to　a　young
girl。　The　marriage　was　dissolved　by　law；　and　the　wife　was　the
person　to　blame。　I　am　sure；　Helena；　you　don't　wish　to　hear　any
more　of　_this_　part　of　the　story。〃

I　did　wish。　But　I　saw　that　he　expected　me　to　say　Noso　I　said
it。

〃The　father　and　daughter；〃　he　went　on；　〃never　so　much　as　thought
of　returning　to　their　own　country。　They　were　too　poor　to　live
comfortably　in　England。　In　Belgium　their　income　was　sufficient
for　their　wants。　On　the　father's　death；　the　daughter　remained　in
the　town。　She　had　friends　there；　and　friends　nowhere　else；　and
she　might　have　lived　abroad　to　the　end　of　her　days；　but　for　a
calamity　to　which　we　are　all　liable。　A　long　and　serious　illness
completely　prostrated　her。　Skilled　medical　attendance；　costing
large　sums　of　money　for　the　doctors'　traveling　expenses；　was
imperatively　required。　Experienced　nurses；　summoned　from　a
distant　hospital；　were　in　attendance　night　and　day。　Luxuries；　far
beyond　the　reach　of　her　little　income；　were　absolutely　required
to　support　her　wasted　strength　at　the　time　of　her　tedious
recovery。　In　one　word；　her　resources　were　sadly　diminished；　when
the　poor　creature　had　paid　her　debts；　and　had　regained　her　hold
on　life。　At　that　time；　she　unhappily　met　with　the　man　who　has
ruined　her。〃

It　was　getting　interesting　at　last。　〃Ruined　her？〃　I　repeated。　〃Do
you　mean　that　he　robbed　her？〃

〃That；　Helena；　is　exactly　what　I　meanand　many　and　many　a
helpless　woman　has　been　robbed　in　the　same　way。　The　man　of　whom　I
am　now　speaking　was　a　lawyer　in　large　practice。　He　bore　an
excellent　character；　and　was　highly　respected　for　his　exemplary
life。　My　cousin　（not　at　all　a　discreet　person；　I　am　bound　to
admit）　was　induced　to　consult　him　on　her　pecuniary　affairs。　He
expressed　the　most　generous　sympathyoffered　to　employ　her
little　capital　in　his　businessand　pledged　himself　to　pay　her
double　the　interest　for　her　money；　which　she　had　been　in　the
habit　of　receiving　from　the　sound　investment　chosen　by　her
father。〃

〃And　of　course　he　got　the　money；　and　never　paid　the　interest？〃
Eager　to　hear　the　end；　I　interrupted　the　story　in　those
inconsiderate　words。　My　father's　answer　quietly　reproved　me。

〃He　paid　the　interest　regularly　as　long　as　he　lived。〃

〃And　what　happened　when　he　died？〃

〃He　died　a　bankrupt；　the　secret　profligacy　of　his　life　was　at
last　exposed。　Nothing；　actually　nothing；　was　left　for　his
creditors。　The　unfortunate　creature；　whose　ugly　name　has　amused
you；　must　get　help　somewhere；　or　must　go　to　the　workhouse。〃

If　I　had　been　in　a　state　of　mind　to　attend　to　trifles；　this　would
have　explained　the　reason　why　the　cook　had　heard　Miss　Jillgall
crying。　But　the　prospect　before　methe　unendurable　prospect　of
having　a　strange　woman　in　the　househad　showed　itself　too
plainly　to　be　mistaken。　I　could　think　of　nothing　else。　With
infinite　difficulty　I　assumed　a　momentary　appearance　of
composure；　and　suggested　that　Miss　Jillgall's　foreign　friends
might　have　done　something　to　help　her。

My　father　defended　her　foreign　friends。　〃My　dear；　they　were　poor
people；　and　did　all　they　could　afford　to　do。　But　for　their
kindness；　my　cousin　might　not　have　been　able　to　return　to
England。〃

〃And　to　cast　herself　on　your　mercy；〃　I　added；　〃in　the　character
of　a　helpless　woman。〃

〃No；　Helena！　Not　to　cast　herself　on　my　mercybut　to　find　my
house　open　to　her；　as　her　father's　house　was　open　to　me　in　the
bygone　time。　I　am　her　only　surviving　relative；　and；　while　I　live；
she　shall　not　be　a　helpless　woman。〃

I　began　to　wish　that　I　had　not　spoken　out　so　plainly。　My　father's
sweet　temperI　do　so　sincerely　wish　I　had　inherited　it！made
the　kindest　allowances　for　me。

〃I　understand　the　momentary　bitterness　of　feeling　that　has
escaped　you；〃　he　said；　〃I　may　almost　say　that　I　expected　it。　My
only　hesitation　in　this　matter　has　been　caused　by　my　sense　of
what　I　owe　to　my　children。　It　was　putting　your　endurance；　and
your　sister's　endurance；　to　a　trial　to　expect　you　to　receive　a
stranger　（and　that　stranger　not　a　young　girl　like　yourselves）　as
one　of　the　household；　living　with　you　in　the　closest　intimacy　of
family　life。　The　consideration　which　has　decided　me　does　justice；
I　hope；　to　you　and　Eunice；　as　well　as　to　myself。　I　think　that
some　allowance　is　due　from　my　daughters　to　the　father　who　has
always　made　loving　allowance　for　_them。_　Am　I　wrong　in　believing
that　my　good　children　have　not　forgotten　this；　and　have　only
waited　for　the　occasion　to　feel　the　pleasure　of　rewarding　me？〃

It　was　beautifully　put。　There　was　but　one　thing　to　be　doneI
kissed　him。　And　there　was　but　one　thing　to　be　said。　I　asked　at
what　time　we　might　expect　to　receive　Miss　Jillgall。

〃She　is　staying；　Helena；　at　a　small　hotel　in　the　town。　I　have
already　sent　to　say　that　we　are　waiting　to　see　her。　Perhaps　you
will　look　at　the　spare　bedroom？〃

〃It　shall　be　got　ready；　father；　directly。〃

I　ran　into　the　house；　I　rushed　upstairs　into　the　room　that　is
Eunice's　and　mine；　I　locked　the　door；　and　then　I　gave　way　to　my
rage；　before　it　stifled　me。　I　stamped　on　the　floor；　I　clinched　my
fists；　I　cast　myself　on　the　bed；　I　reviled　that　hateful　woman　by
every　hard　word　that　I　could　throw　at　her。　Oh；　the　luxury　of　it！
the　luxury　of　it！

Cold　water　and　my　hairbrush　soon　made　me　fit　to　be　seen　again。

As　for　the　spare　room；　it　looked　a　great　deal　too　comfortable　for
an　incubus　from　foreign　parts。　The　one　improvement　that　I　could
have　made；　if　a　friend　of　mine　had　been　expected；　was　suggested
by　the　window…curtains。　I　was　looking　at　a　torn　place　in　one　of
them；　and　determined　to　leave　it　unrepaired；　when　I　felt　an　arm
slipped　round　my　waist　from　behind。　A　voice；　so　close　that　it
tickled　my　neck；　said：　〃Dear　girl；　what　friends　we　shall　be！〃　I
turned　round；　and　confronted　Miss　Jillgall。


CHAPTER　XV。

HELENA'S　DIARY。


IF　I　am　not　a　good　girl；　where　is　a　good　girl　to　be　found？　This
is　in　Eunice's　style。　It　sometimes　amuses　me　to　mimic　my　simple
sister。

I　have　just　torn　three　pages　out　of　my　diary；　in　deference　to　the
expression　of　my　father's　wishes。　He　took　the　first　opportunity
which　his　cousin　permitted　him　to　enjoy　of　speaking　to　me
privately；　and　his　object　was　to　caution　me　against　hastily
relying　on　first　impressions　of　anybodyespecially　of　Miss
Jillgall。　〃Wait　for　a　day　or　two；〃　he　said；　〃and　then　form　your
estimate　of　the　new　member　of　our　household。〃

The　stormy　state　of　my　temper　had　passed　away；　and　had　left　my
atmosphere　calm　again。　I　could　feel　that　I　had　received　good
advice；　but　unluckily　it　reached　me　too　late。

I　had　formed　my　estimate　of　Miss　Jillgall；　and　had　put　it　in
writing　for　my　own　satisfaction；　at　least　an　hour　before　my
father　found　himself　at　liberty　to　speak　to　me。　I　don't　agree
with　him　in　distrusting　first　impressions；　and　I　had　proposed　to
put　my　opinion　to　the　test；　by　referring　to　what　I　had　written
about　his　cousin　at　a　later　time。　However；　after　what　he　had　said
to　me；　I　felt　bound　in　filial　duty　to　take　the　pages　out　of　my
book；　and　to　let　two　days　pass　before　I　presumed　to　enjoy　the
luxury　of　hating　Miss　Jillgall。

On　one　thing　I　am　determined：