the legacy of cain-第21节

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deserved。

Up　to　that　moment　I　had　been　leaning　against　the　back　of　a　garden
chair。　Something　else　now　got　between　me　and　my　chair。　It　stole
round　my　waistit　held　me　gentlyit　strengthened　its　holdit
improved　my　temperit　made　me　fit　to　understand　him。　All　done　by
what？　Only　an　arm！

Philip　went　on：

〃I　want　to　ask　your　father　to　do　me　the　greatest　of　all
favorsand　there　is　no　time　to　lose。　Every　day；　I　expect　to　get
a　letter　which　may　recall　me　to　Ireland。〃

My　heart　sank　at　this　horrid　prospect；　and　in　some　mysterious　way
my　head　must　have　felt　it　too。　I　mean　that　I　found　my　head
resting　on　his　shoulder。　He　went　on：

〃How　am　I　to　get　my　opportunity　of　speaking　to　Mr。　Gracedieu？　I
mustn't　call　on　him　again　as　soon　as　to…morrow　or　next　day。　But　I
might　meet　him；　out　walking　alone；　if　you　will　tell　me　how　to　do
it。　A　note　to　my　hotel　is　all　I　want。　Don't　tremble；　my　sweet。　If
you　are　not　present　at　the　time；　do　you　see　any　objection　to　my
owning　to　your　father　that　I　love　you？〃

I　felt　his　delicate　consideration　for　meI　did　indeed　feel　it
gratefully。　If　he　only　spoke　first；　how　well　I　should　get　on　with
papa　afterward！　The　prospect　before　me　was　exquisitely
encouraging。　I　agreed　with　Philip　in　everything；　and　I　waited
（how　eagerly　was　only　known　to　myself）　to　hear　what　he　would　say
to　me　next。　He　prophesied　next：

〃When　I　have　told　your　father　that　I　love　you；　he　will　expect　me
to　tell　him　something　else。　Can　you　guess　what　it　is？〃

If　I　had　not　been　confused；　perhaps　I　might　have　found　the　answer
to　this。　As　it　was；　I　left　him　to　reply　to　himself。　He　did　it；　in
words　which　I　shall　remember　as　long　as　I　live。

〃Dearest　Eunice；　when　your　father　has　heard　my　confession；　he
will　suspect　that　there　is　another　confession　to　follow　ithe
will　want　to　know　if　you　love　me。　My　angel；　will　my　hopes　be　your
hopes　too；　when　I　answer　him？〃

What　there　was　in　this　to　make　my　heart　beat　so　violently　that　I
felt　as　if　I　was　being　stifled；　is　more　than　I　can　tell。　He
leaned　so　close　to　me；　so　tenderly；　so　delightfully　close；　that
our　faces　nearly　touched。　He　whispered：　〃Say　you　love　me；　in　a
kiss！〃

His　lips　touched　my　lips；　pressed　them；　dwelt　on　themoh；　how
can　I　tell　of　it！　Some　new　enchantment　of　feeling　ran　deliciously
through　and　through　me。　I　forgot　my　own　self；　I　only　knew　of　one
person　in　the　world。　He　was　master　of　my　lips；　he　was　master　of
my　heart。　When　he　whispered；　〃kiss　me；〃　I　kissed。　What　a　moment
it　was！　A　faintness　stole　over　me；　I　felt　as　if　I　was　going　to
die　some　exquisite　death；　I　laid　myself　back　away　from　himI　was
not　able　to　speak。　There　was　no　need　for　it；　my　thoughts　and　his
thoughts　were　onehe　knew　that　I　was　quite　overcome；　he　saw　that
he　must　leave　me　to　recover　myself　alone。　I　pointed　to　the
shrubbery　gate。　We　took　one　long　last　look　at　each　other　for　that
day；　the　trees　hid　him；　I　was　left　by　myself。


CHAPTER　XX。

EUNICE'S　DIARY。


How　long　a　time　passed　before　my　composure　came　back　to　me；　I
cannot　remember　now。　It　seemed　as　if　I　was　waiting　through　some
interval　of　my　life　that　was　a　mystery　to　myself。　I　was　content
to　wait；　and　feel　the　light　evening　air　in　the　garden　wafting
happiness　over　me。　And　all　this　had　come　from　a　kiss！　I　can　call
the　time　to　mind　when　I　used　to　wonder　why　people　made　such　a
fuss　about　kissing。

I　had　been　indebted　to　Maria　for　my　first　taste　of　Paradise。　I
was　recalled　by　Maria　to　the　world　that　I　had　been　accustomed　to
live　in；　the　world　that　was　beginning　to　fade　away　in　my　memory
already。　She　had　been　sent　to　the　garden　in　search　of　me；　and　she
had　a　word　of　advice　to　offer；　after　noticing　my　face　when　I
stepped　out　of　the　shadow　of　the　tree：　〃Try　to　look　more　like
yourself；　miss；　before　you　let　them　see　you　at　the　tea…table。〃


Papa　and　Miss　Jillgall　were　sitting　together　talking；　when　I
opened　the　door。　They　left　off　when　they　saw　me；　and　I　supposed；
quite　correctly　as　it　turned　out；　that　I　had　been　one　of　the
subjects　in　their　course　of　conversation。　My　poor　father　seemed
to　be　sadly　anxious　and　out　of　sorts。　Miss　Jillgall；　if　I　had
been　in　the　humor　to　enjoy　it；　would　have　been　more　amusing　than
ever。　One　of　her　funny　little　eyes　persisted　in　winking　at　me；
and　her　heavy　foot　had　something　to　say　to　my　foot；　under　the
table；　which　meant　a　great　deal　perhaps；　but　which　only　succeeded
in　hurting　me。

My　father　left　us；　and　Miss　Jillgall　explained　herself。

〃I　know；　dearest　Euneece；　that　we　have　only　been　acquainted　for　a
day　or　two　and　that　I　ought　not　perhaps　to　have　expected　you　to
confide　in　me　so　soon。　Can　I　trust　you　not　to　betray　me　if　I　set
an　example　of　confidence？　Ah；　I　see　I　can　trust　you！　And；　my
dear；　I　do　so　enjoy　telling　secrets　to　a　friend。　Hush！　Your
father；　your　excellent　father；　has　been　talking　to　me　about　young
Mr。　Dunboyne。〃

She　provokingly　stopped　there。　I　entreated　her　to　go　on。　She
invited　me　to　sit　on　her　knee。　〃I　want　to　whisper；〃　she　said。　It
was　too　ridiculousbut　I　did　it。　Miss　Jillgall's　whisper　told　me
serious　news。

〃The　minister　has　some　reason；　Euneece；　for　disapproving　of　Mr。
Dunboyne；　but；　mind　this；　I　don't　think　he　has　a　bad　opinion　of
the　young　man　himself。　He　is　going　to　return　Mr。　Dunboyne's　call。
Oh；　I　do　so　hate　formality；　I　really　can't　go　on　talking　of　_Mr。_
Dunboyne。　Tell　me　his　Christian　name。　Ah；　what　a　noble　name！　How
I　long　to　be　useful　to　him！　Tomorrow；　my　dear；　after　the　one
o'clock　dinner；　your　papa　will　call　on　Philip；　at　his　hotel。　I
hope　he　won't　be　out；　just　at　the　wrong　time。〃

I　resolved　to　prevent　that　unlucky　accident　by　writing　to　Philip。
If　Miss　Jillgall　would　have　allowed　it；　I　should　have　begun　my
letter　at　once。　But　she　had　more　to　say；　and　she　was　stronger
than　I　was；　and　still　kept　me　on　her　knee。

〃It　all　looks　bright　enough　so　far；　doesn't　it；　dear　sister？　Will
you　let　me　be　your　second　sister？　I　do　so　love　you；　Euneece。
Thank　you！　thank　you！　But　the　gloomy　side　of　the　picture　is　to
come　next！　The　ministerno！　now　I　am　your　sister　I　must　call　him
papa；　it　makes　me　feel　so　young　again！　Well；　then；　papa　has　asked
me　to　be　your　companion　whenever　you　go　out。　'Euneece　is　too
young　and　too　attractive　to　be　walking　about　this　great　town　（in
Helena's　absence）　by　herself。'　That　was　how　he　put　it。　Slyly
enough；　if　one　may　say　so　of　so　good　a　man。　And　he　used　your
sister　（didn't　he？）　as　a　kind　of　excuse。　I　wish　your　sister　was
as　nice　as　you　are。　However；　the　point　is；　why　am　I　to　be　your
companion？　Because；　dear　child；　you　and　your　young　gentleman　are
not　to　make　appointments　and　to　meet　each　other　alone。　Oh；
yesthat's　it！　Your　father　is　quite　willing　to　return　Philip's
call；　he　proposes　（as　a　matter　of　civility　to　Mrs。　Staveley）　to
ask　Philip　to　dinner；　but；　mark　my　words；　he　doesn't　mean　to　let
Philip　have　you　for　his　wife。〃

I　jumped　off　her　lap；　it　was　horrible　to　hear　her。　〃Oh；〃　I　said；
〃_can_　you　be　right　about　it？〃　Miss　Jillgall　jumped　up　too。　She
has　foreign　ways　of　shrugging　her　shoulders　and　making　signs　with
her　hands。　On　this　occasion　she　laid　both　hands　on　the　upper　part
of　her　dress；　just　below　her　throat；　and　mysteriously　shook　her
head。

〃When　my　views　are　directed　by　my　affections；〃　she　assured　me；　〃I
never　see　wrong。　My　bosom　is　my　strong　point。〃

She　has　no　bosom；　poor　soulbut　I　understood　what　she　meant。　It
failed　to　have　any　soothing　effect　on　my　feelings。　I　felt　grieved
and　angry　and　puzzled；　all　in　one。　Miss　Jillgall　stood　looking　at
me；　with　her　hands　still　on　the　place　where　her　bosom　was
supposed　to　be。　She　made　my　temper　hotter　than　ever。

〃I　mean　to　marry　Philip；〃　I　said。

〃Certainly；　my　dear　Euneece。　But　please　don't　be　so　fierce　about
it。〃

〃If　my　father　does　really　object　to　my　marriage；〃　I　went　on；　〃it
must　be　because　he　dislikes　Philip。　There　can　be　no　other
reason。〃

〃Oh；　yes；　dearthere　can。〃

〃What　is　the　reason；　then？〃

〃That；　my　sweet　girl；　is　one　of　the　things　that　we　have　got　to
find　out。〃

。　。　。　。　。　。　。

The　post　of　this　morning　brought　a　letter　from　my　sister。　We　were
to　expect　her　return　by　the　next　day's　train。　This　was　good　news。
Philip　and　I　might　stand　in　need　of　clever　Helena's　help；　and　we
might　be　sure　of　getting　it　now。

In　writing　to　Philip；　I　had　asked　him　to　let　me　hear　how　papa　and
he　had　got　on　at　the　hotel。

I　won't　say　how　often　I　consulted　my　watch；　or　how　often　I　looked
out　of　the　window　for　a　man　with　a　letter　in　his　hand。　It　will　be
better　to　get　on　at　once　to　the　discouraging　end　of　it；　when　the
report　of　the　interview　reached　me　at　last。　Twice　Philip　had
attempted　to　ask　for　my　hand　in　marriageand　twice　my　father　had
〃deliberately；　obstinately〃　（Philip's　own　words）　changed　the
subject。　Even　this　was　not　all。　As　if　he　was　determined　to　show
that　Miss　Jillgall　was　perfectly　right；　and　I　perfectly　wrong；
papa　（civil　to　Philip　as　long　as　he　did　not　talk　of　Me）　had　asked
him　to　dine　with　us；　and　Philip　had　accepted　the　invitation！

What　were　we　to　think　of　it？　What　were　we　to　do？

I　wrote　back　to　my　dear　love　（so　cruelly　used）　to　tell　him　that
Helena　was　expected　to　return　on　the　next　day；　and　that　her
opinion　would　be　of　the　greatest　value　to　both　of　us。　In　a
postscript　I　menti