the legacy of cain-第19节

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to　my　father。　I　returned　with　the　foreign　stamp；　and　I　stuck　it
on　the　envelope　with　my　own　hand。

There　was　nothing　to　interest　_me_　in　the　address；　as　I　ought　to
have　foreseen；　if　I　had　not　been　too　much　excited　for　the
exercise　of　a　little　common　sense。　Miss　Jillgall's　wonderful
friend　was　only　remarkable　by　her　ugly　foreign　nameMRS。
TENBRUGGEN。


CHAPTER　XVIII。

EUNICE'S　DIARY。


HERE　I　am；　writing　my　history　of　myself；　once　more；　by　my　own
bedside。　Some　unexpected　events　have　happened　while　I　have　been
away。　One　of　them　is　the　absence　of　my　sister。

Helena　has　left　home　on　a　visit　to　a　northern　town　by　the
seaside。　She　is　staying　in　the　house　of　a　minister　（one　of　papa's
friends）；　and　is　occupying　a　position　of　dignity　in　which　I
should　certainly　lose　my　head。　The　minister　and　his　wife　and
daughters　propose　to　set　up　a　Girls'　Scripture　Class；　on　the　plan
devised　by　papa；　and　they　are　at　a　loss；　poor　helpless　people；　to
know　how　to　begin。　Helena　has　volunteered　to　set　the　thing　going。
And　there　she　is　now；　advising　everybody；　governing　everybody；
encouraging　everybodyissuing　directions；　f　inding　fault；
rewarding　meritoh；　dear；　let　me　put　it　all　in　one　word；　and
say：　thoroughly　enjoying　herself。

Another　event　has　happened；　relating　to　papa。　It　so　distressed　me
that　I　even　forgot　to　think　of　Philipfor　a　little　while。

Traveling　by　railway　（I　suppose　because　I　am　not　used　to　it）
gives　me　the　headache。　When　I　got　to　our　station　here；　I　thought
it　would　do　me　more　good　to　walk　home　than　to　ride　in　the　noisy
omnibus。　Half…way　between　the　railway　and　the　town；　I　met　one　of
the　doctors。　He　is　a　member　of　our　congregation；　and　he　it　was
who　recommended　papa；　some　time　since；　to　give　up　his　work　as　a
minister　and　take　a　long　holiday　in　foreign　parts。

〃I　am　glad　to　have　met　with　you；〃　the　doctor　said。　〃Your　sister；
I　find；　is　away　on　a　visit；　and　I　want　to　speak　to　one　of　you
about　your　father。〃

It　seemed　that　he　had　been　observing　papa；　in　chapel；　from　what
he　called　his　own　medical　point　of　view。　He　did　not　conceal　from
me　that　he　had　drawn　conclusions　which　made　him　feel　uneasy。　〃It
may　be　anxiety；〃　he　said；　〃or　it　may　be　overwork。　In　either　case；
your　father　is　in　a　state　of　nervous　derangement；　which　is　likely
to　lead　to　serious　resultsunless　he　takes　the　advice　that　I
gave　him　when　he　last　consulted　me。　There　must　be　no　more
hesitation　about　it。　Be　careful　not　to　irritate　himbut　remember
that　he　must　rest。　You　and　your　sister　have　some　influence　over
him；　he　won't　listen　to　me。〃

Poor　dear　papa！　I　did　see　a　change　in　him　for　the　worsethough　I
had　only　been　away　for　so　short　a　time。

When　I　put　my　arms　round　his　neck；　and　kissed　him；　he　turned
pale；　and　then　flushed　up　suddenly：　the　tears　came　into　his　eyes。
Oh；　it　was　hard　to　follow　the　doctor's　advice；　and　not　to　cry；
too；　but　I　succeeded　in　controlling　myself。　I　sat　on　his　knee；
and　made　him　tell　me　all　that　I　have　written　here　about　Helena。
This　led　to　our　talking　next　of　the　new　lady；　who　is　to　live　with
us　as　a　member　of　the　family。　I　began　to　feel　less　uneasy　at　the
prospect　of　being　introduced　to　this　stranger；　when　I　heard　that
she　was　papa's　cousin。　And　when　he　mentioned　her　name；　and　saw
how　it　amused　me；　his　poor　worn　face　brightened　into　a　smile。　〃Go
and　find　her；〃　he　said；　〃and　introduce　yourself。　I　want　to　hear；
Eunice；　if　you　and　my　cousin　are　likely　to　get　on　well　together。〃

The　servants　told　me　that　Miss　Jillgall　was　in　the　garden。

I　searched　here；　there；　and　everywhere；　and　failed　to　find　her。
The　place　was　so　quiet；　it　looked　so　deliciously　pure　and　bright；
after　smoky　dreary　London；　that　I　sat　down　at　the　further　end　of
the　garden　and　let　my　mind　take　me　back　to　Philip。　What　was　he
doing　at　that　moment；　while　I　was　thinking　of　him？　Perhaps　he　was
in　the　company　of　other　young　ladies；　who　drew　all　his　thoughts
away　to　themselves？　Or　perhaps　he　was　writing　to　his　father　in
Ireland；　and　saying　something　kindly　and　prettily　about　me？　Or
perhaps　he　was　looking　forward；　as　anxiously　as　I　do；　to　our
meeting　next　week。

I　have　had　my　plans；　and　I　have　changed　my　plans。

On　the　railway　journey；　I　thought　I　would　tell　papa　at　once　of
the　new　happiness　which　seems　to　have　put　a　new　life　into　me。　It
would　have　been　delightful　to　make　my　confession　to　that　first
and　best　and　dearest　of　friends；　but　my　meeting　with　the　doctor
spoiled　it　all。　After　what　he　had　said　to　me；　I　discovered　a
risk。　If　I　ventured　to　tell　papa　that　my　heart　was　set　on　a　young
gentleman　who　was　a　stranger　to　him；　could　I　be　sure　that　he
would　receive　my　confession　favorably？　There　was　a　chance　that　it
might　irritate　himand　the　fault　would　then　be　mine　of　doing
what　I　had　been　warned　to　avoid。　It　might　be　safer　in　every　way
to　wait　till　Philip　paid　his　visit；　and　he　and　papa　had　been
introduced　to　each　other　and　charmed　with　each　other。　Could
Helena　herself　have　arrived　at　a　wiser　conclusion？　I　declare　I
felt　proud　of　my　own　discretion。

In　this　enjoyable　frame　of　mind　I　was　disturbed　by　a　woman's
voice。　The　tone　was　a　tone　of　distress；　and　the　words　reached　my
ears　from　the　end　of　the　garden：　〃Please；　miss；　let　me　in。〃

A　shrubbery　marks　the　limit　of　our　little　bit　of　pleasure…ground。
On　the　other　side　of　it　there　is　a　cottage　standing　on　the　edge
of　the　common。　The　most　good…natured　woman　in　the　world　lives
here。　She　is　our　laundressmarried　to　a　stupid　young　fellow
named　Molly；　and　blessed　with　a　plump　baby　as　sweet…tempered　at
herself。　Thinking　it　likely　that　the　piteous　voice　which　had
disturbed　me　might　be　the　voice　of　Mrs。　Molly；　I　was　astonished
to　hear　her　appealing　to　anybody　（perhaps　to　me？）　to　〃let　her
in。〃　So　I　passed　through　the　shrubbery；　wondering　whether　the
gate　had　been　locked　during　my　absence　in　London。　No；　it　was　as
easy　to　open　as　ever。

The　cottage　door　was　not　closed。

I　saw　our　amiable　laundress　in　the　passage；　on　her　knees；　trying
to　open　an　inner　door　which　seemed　to　be　locked。　She　had　her　eye
at　the　keyhole；　and；　once　again；　she　called　out：　〃Please；　miss；
let　me　in。〃　I　waited　to　see　if　the　door　would　be　openednothing
happened。　I　waited　again；　to　hear　if　some　person　inside　would
answernobody　spoke。　But　somebody；　or　something；　made　a　sound　of
splashing　water　on　the　other　side　of　the　door。

I　showed　myself；　and　asked　what　was　the　matter。

Mrs。　Molly　looked　at　me　helplessly。　She　said：　〃Miss　Eunice；　it's
the　baby。〃

〃What　has　the　baby　done？〃　I　inquired。

Mrs。　Molly　got　on　her　feet；　and　whispered　in　my　ear：　〃You　know
he's　a　fine　child？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Well；　miss；　he's　bewitched　a　lady。〃

〃What　lady？〃

〃Miss　Jillgall。〃

The　very　person　I　had　been　trying　to　find！　I　asked　where　she　was。

The　laundress　pointed　dolefully　to　the　locked　door：　〃In　there。〃

〃And　where　is　your　baby？〃

The　poor　woman　still　pointed　to　the　door：　〃I'm　beginning　to
doubt；　miss；　whether　it　is　my　baby。〃

〃Nonsense；　Mrs。　Molly。　If　it　isn't　yours；　whose　baby　can　it　be？〃

〃Miss　Jillgall's。〃

Her　puzzled　face　made　this　singular　reply　more　funny　still。　The
splashing　of　water　on　the　other　side　of　the　door　began　again。
〃What　is　Miss　Jillgall　doing　now？〃　I　said。

〃Washing　the　baby；　miss。　A　week　ago；　she　came　in　here；　one
morning；　very　pleasant　and　kind；　I　must　own。　She　found　me　putting
on　the　baby's　things。　She　says：　'What　a　cherub！'　which　I　took　as
a　compliment。　She　says：　'I　shall　call　again　to…morrow。'　She
called　again　so　early　that　she　found　the　baby　in　his　crib。　'You
be　a　good　soul；'　she　says；　'and　go　about　your　work；　and　leave　the
child　to　me。'　I　says：　'Yes；　miss；　but　please　to　wait　till　I've
made　him　fit　to　be　seen。'　She　says：　'That's　just　what　I　mean　to
do　myself。'　I　stared；　and　I　think　any　other　person　would　have
done　the　same　in　my　place。　'If　there's　one　thing　more　than
another　I　enjoy；'　she　says；　'it's　making　myself　useful。　Mrs。
Molly；　I've　taken　a　fancy　to　your　boy…baby；'　she　says；　'and　I
mean　to　make　myself　useful　to　_him。_'　If　you　will　believe　me；
Miss　Jillgall　has　only　let　me　have　one　opportunity　of　putting　my
own　child　tidy。　She　was　late　this　morning；　and　I　got　my　chance；
and　had　the　boy　on　my　lap；　drying　himwhen　in　she　burst　like　a
blast　of　wind；　and　snatched　the　baby　away　from　me。　'This　is　your
nasty　temper；'　she　says；　'I　declare　I'm　ashamed　of　you！'　And
there　she　is；　with　the　door　locked　against　me；　washing　the　child
all　over　again　herself。　Twice　I've　knocked；　and　asked　her　to　let
me　in；　and　can't　even　get　an　answer。　They　do　say　there's　luck　in
odd　numbers；　suppose　I　try　again？〃　Mrs。　Molly　knocked；　and　the
proverb　proved　to　be　true；　she　got　an　answer　from　Miss　Jillgall
at　last：　〃If　you　don't　be　quiet　and　go　away；　you　shan't　have　the
baby　back　at　all。〃　Who　could　help　it？I　burst　out　laughing。　Miss
Jillgall　（as　I　supposed　from　the　tone　of　her　voice）　took　severe
notice　of　this　act　of　impropriety。　〃Who's　that　laughing？〃　she
called　out；　〃give　yourself　a　name。〃　I　gave　my　name。　The　door　was
instantly　thrown　open　with　a　bang。　Papa's　cousin　appeared；　in　a
disheveled　state；　with　splashes　of　soap　and　water　all　over　her。
She　held　the　child　in　one　arm；　and　she　threw　the　other　arm　round
my　neck。　〃Dearest　Euneece；　I　have　been　longing　to