the legacy of cain-第3节
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girl； whose troubles are all to come。 Do you call her pretty？ Do
you feel interested in her？〃
The sorrow and pity in his face answered for him。
Quietly sleeping； the poor baby rested on her mother's bosom。 Was
the heart of the murderess softened by the divine influence of
maternal love？ The hands that held the child trembled a little。
For the first time it seemed to cost her an effort to compose
herself； before she could speak to the Minister again。
〃When I die to…morrow；〃 she said； 〃I leave my child helpless and
friendlessdisgraced by her mother's shameful death。 The
workhouse may take heror a charitable asylum may take her。〃 She
paused； a first tinge of color rose on her pale face； she broke
into an outburst of rage。 〃Think of _my_ daughter being brought
up by charity！ She may suffer poverty； she may be treated with
contempt； she may be employed by brutal people in menial work。 I
can't endure it； it maddens me。 If she is not saved from that
wretched fate； I shall die despairing； I shall die cursing〃
The Minister sternly stopped her before she could say the next
word。 To my astonishment she appeared to be humbled； to be even
ashamed： she asked his pardon： 〃Forgive me； I won't forget myself
again。 They tell me you have no children of your own。 Is that a
sorrow to you and your wife？〃
Her altered tone touched him。 He answered sadly and kindly： 〃It
is the one sorrow of our lives。〃
The purpose which she had been keeping in view from the moment
when the Minister entered her cell was no mystery now。 Ought I to
have interfered？ Let me confess a weakness； unworthy perhaps of
my office。 I was so sorry for the childI hesitated。
My silence encouraged the mother。 She advanced to the Minister
with the sleeping infant in her arms。
〃I daresay you have sometimes thought of adopting a child？〃 she
said。 〃Perhaps you can guess now what I had in my mind； when I
asked if you would consent to a sacrifice？ Will you take this
wretched innocent little creature home with you？〃 She lost her
self…possession once more。 〃A motherless creature to…morrow；〃 she
burst out。 〃Think of that。〃
God knows how I still shrunk from it！ But there was no
alternative now； I was bound to remember my duty to the excellent
man； whose critical position at that moment was； in some degree
at least； due to my hesitation in asserting my authority。 Could I
allow the Prisoner to presume on his compassionate nature； and to
hurry him into a decision which； in his calmer moments； he might
find reason to regret？ I spoke to _him。_ Does the man live
whohaving to say what I had to saycould have spoken to the
doomed mother？
〃I am sorry to have allowed this to go on；〃 I said。 〃In justice
to yourself； sir； don't answer！〃
She turned on me with a look of fury。
〃He shall answer；〃 she cried。
I saw； or thought I saw； signs of yielding in his face。 〃Take
time；〃 I persisted〃take time to consider before you decide。〃
She stepped up to me。
〃Take time？〃 she repeated。 〃Are you inhuman enough to talk of
time； in my presence？〃
She laid the sleeping child on her bed； and fell on her knees
before the Minister： 〃I promise to hear your exhortationsI
promise to do all a woman can to believe and repent。 Oh； I know
myself！ My heart； once hardened； is a heart that no human
creature can touch。 The one way to my better natureif I have a
better natureis through that poor babe。 Save her from the
workhouse！ Don't let them make a pauper of her！〃 She sank
prostrate at his feet； and beat her hands in frenzy on the floor。
〃You want to save my guilty soul；〃 she reminded him furiously。
〃There's but one way of doing it。 Save my child！〃
He raised her。 Her fierce tearless eyes questioned his face in a
mute expectation dreadful to see。 Suddenly； a foretaste of
deaththe death that was so near now！struck her with a
shivering fit： her head dropped on the Minister's shoulder。 Other
men might have shrunk from the contact of it。 That true Christian
let it rest。
Under the maddening sting of suspense； her sinking energies
rallied for an instant。 In a whisper； she was just able to put
the supreme question to him。
〃Yes？ or No？〃
He answered： 〃Yes。〃
A faint breath of relief； just audible in the silence； told me
that she had heard him。 It was her last effort。 He laid her；
insensible； on the bed； by the side of her sleeping child。 〃Look
at them；〃 was all he said to me； 〃how could I refuse？〃
CHAPTER V。
MISS CHANCE ASSERTS HERSELF。
THE services of our medical officer were required； in order to
hasten the recovery of the Prisoner's senses。
When the Doctor and I left the cell together； she was composed；
and ready （in the performance of her promise） to listen to the
exhortations of the Minister。 The sleeping child was left
undisturbed； by the mother's desire。 If the Minister felt tempted
to regret what he had done； there was the artless influence which
would check him！ As we stepped into the corridor； I gave the
female warder her instructions to remain on the watch； and to
return to her post when she saw the Minister come out。
In the meantime； my companion had walked on a little way。
Possessed of ability and experience within the limits of his
profession； he was in other respects a man with a crotchety mind；
bold to the verge of recklessness in the expression of his
opinion； and possessed of a command of language that carried
everything before it。 Let me add that he was just and merciful in
his intercourse with others； and I shall have summed him up
fairly enough。 When I joined him he seemed to be absorbed in
reflection。
〃Thinking of the Prisoner？〃 I said。
〃Thinking of what is going on； at this moment； in the condemned
cell；〃 he answered； 〃and wondering if any good will come of it。〃
I was not without hope of a good result； and I said so。
The Doctor disagreed with me。 〃I don't believe in that woman's
penitence；〃 he remarked； 〃and I look upon the parson as a poor
weak creature。 What is to become of the child？〃
There was no reason for concealing from one of my colleagues the
benevolent decision； on the part of the good Minister； of which I
had been a witness。 The Doctor listened to me with the first
appearance of downright astonishment that I had ever observed in
his face。 When I had done； he made an extraordinary reply：
〃Governor； I retract what I said of the parson just now。 He is
one of the boldest men that ever stepped into a pulpit。〃
Was the doctor in e arnest？ Strongly in earnest； there could be
no doubt of it。 Before I could ask him what he meant； he was
called away to a patient on the other side of the prison。 When we
parted at the door of my room； I made it a request that my
medical friend would return to me and explain what he had just
said。
〃Considering that you are the governor of a prison；〃 he replied；
〃you are a singularly rash man。 If I come back； how do you know I
shall not bore you？〃
〃My rashness runs the risk of that；〃 I rejoined。
〃Tell me something； before I allow you to run your risk；〃 he
said。 〃Are you one of those people who think that the tempers of
children are formed by the accidental influences which happen to
be about them？ Or do you agree with me that the tempers of
children are inherited from their parents？〃
The Doctor （as I concluded） was still strongly impressed by the
Minister's resolution to adopt a child whose wicked mother had
committed the most atrocious of all crimes。 Was some serious
foreboding in secret possession of his mind？ My curiosity to hear
him was now increased tenfold。 I replied without hesitation：
〃I agree with you。〃
He looked at me with his sense of humor twinkling in his eyes。
〃Do you know I rather expected that answer？〃 he said； slyly。 〃All
right。 I'll come back。〃
Left by myself； I took up the day's newspaper。
My attention wandered； my thoughts were in the cell with the
Minister and the Prisoner。 How would it end？ Sometimes； I was
inclined to doubt with the Doctor。 Sometimes； I took refuge in my
own more hopeful view。 These idle reflections were agreeably
interrupted by the appearance of my friend； the Chaplain。
〃You are always welcome；〃 I said； 〃and doubly welcome just now。 I
am feeling a little worried and anxious。〃
〃And you are naturally；〃 the Chaplain added； not at all disposed
to receive a stranger？〃
〃Is the stranger a friend of yours？〃 I asked。
〃Oh； no！ Having occasion； just now； to go into the waiting…room；
I found a young woman there； who asked me if she could see you。
She thinks you have forgotten her； and she is tired of waiting。 I
merely undertook； of course； to mention what she had said to me。〃
The nurse having been in this way recalled to my memory； I felt
some little interest in seeing her； after what had passed in the
cell。 In plainer words； I was desirous of judging for myself
whether she deserved the hostile feeling which the Prisoner had
shown toward her。 I thanked the Chaplain before he left me； and
gave the servant the necessary instructions。 When she entered the
room； I looked at the woman attentively for the first time。
Youth and a fine complexion； a well…made figure and a natural
grace of movementthese were her personal attractions；
