the legacy of cain-第34节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


noticed　this　trifling　circumstance。　She　approached　me　with　a
ready　smile。　〃I　believe　I　am　speaking　to　my　father's　friend；〃　she
said；　〃my　name　is　Helena　Gracedieu。〃

Here　was　one　of　the　Minister's　two　〃daughters〃；　and　that　one　of
the　twoas　I　discovered　the　moment　I　shook　hands　with　herwho
was　my　friend's　own　child。　Miss　Helena　recalled　to　me　her
mother's　face；　infinitely　improved　by　youth　and　health；　and　by　a
natural　beauty　which　that　cruel　and　deceitful　woman　could　never
have　possessed。　The　slanting　forehead　and　the　shifting；　flashing
eyes；　that　I　recollected　in　the　parent；　were　reproduced　（slightly
reproduced；　I　ought　to　say）　in　the　child。　As　for　the　other
features；　I　had　never　seen　a　more　beautiful　nose　and　mouth；　or　a
more　delicately…shaped　outline；　than　was　presented　by　the　lower
part　of　the　face。　But　Miss　Helena　somehow　failed　to　charm　me。　I
doubt　if　I　should　have　fallen　in　love　with　her；　even　in　the　days
when　I　was　a　foolish　young　man。

The　first　question　that　I　put；　as　we　drove　from　the　station　to
the　house；　related　naturally　to　her　father。

〃He　is　very　ill；〃　she　began；　〃I　am　afraid　you　must　prepare
yourself　to　see　a　sad　change。　Nerves。　The　mischief　first　showed
itself；　the　doctor　tells　us；　in　derangement　of　his　nervous
system。　He　has　been；　I　regret　to　tell　you；　obstinate　in　refusing
to　give　up　his　preaching　and　pastoral　work。　He　ought　to　have
tried　rest　at　the　seaside。　Things　have　gone　on　from　bad　to　worse。
Last　Sunday；　at　the　beginning　of　his　sermon；　he　broke　down。　Very；
very　sad；　is　it　not？　The　doctor　says　that　precious　time　has　been
lost；　and　he　must　make　up　his　mind　to　resign　his　charge。　He　won't
hear　of　it。　You　are　his　old　friend。　Please　try　to　persuade　him。〃

Fluently　spoken；　the　words　well　chosen；　the　melodious　voice
reminding　me　of　the　late　Mrs。　Gracedieu's　advantages　in　that
respect；　little　sighs　judiciously　thrown　in　here　and　there；　just
at　the　right　places；　everything；　let　me　own；　that　could　present　a
dutiful　daughter　as　a　pattern　of　proprietyand　nothing；　let　me
add；　that　could　produce　an　impression　on　my　insensible
temperament。　If　I　had　not　been　too　discreet　to　rush　at　a　hasty
conclusion；　I　might　have　been　inclined　to　say：　her　mother's
child；　every　inch　of　her！

The　interest　which　I　was　still　able　to　feel　in　my　friend's
domestic　affairs　centered　in　the　daughter　whom　he　had　adopted。

In　her　infancy　I　had　seen　the　child；　and　liked　her；　I　was　the　one
person　living　（since　the　death　of　Mrs。　Gracedieu）　who　knew　how
the　Minister　had　concealed　the　sad　secret　of　her　parentage；　and　I
wanted　to　discover　if　the　hereditary　taint　had　begun　to　show
itself　in　the　innocent　offspring　of　the　murderess。　Just　as　I　was
considering　how　I　might　harmlessly　speak　of　Miss　Helena's
〃sister；〃　Miss　Helena　herself　introduced　the　subject。

〃May　I　ask；〃　she　resumed；　〃if　you　were　disappointed　when　you
found　nobody　but　me　to　meet　you　at　our　station？〃

Here　was　an　opportunity　of　paying　her　a　compliment；　if　I　had　been
a　younger　man；　or　if　she　had　produced　a　favorable　impression　on
me。　As　it　was；　I　hitif　I　may　praise　myselfon　an　ingenious
compromise。

〃What　excuse　could　I　have；〃　I　asked；　〃for　feeling　disappointed？〃

〃Well；　I　hear　you　are　an　official　personageI　ought　to　say；
perhaps；　a　retired　official　personage。　We　might　have　received　you
more　respectfully；　if　_both_　my　father's　daughters　had　been
present　at　the　station。　It's　not　my　fault　that　my　sister　was　not
with　me。〃

The　tone　in　which　she　said　this　strengthened　my　prejudice　against
her。　It　told　me　that　the　two　girls　were　living　together　on　no
very　friendly　terms；　and　it　suggestedjustly　or　unjustly　I　could
not　then　decidethat　Miss　Helena　was　to　blame。

〃My　sister　is　away　from　home。〃

〃Surely；　Miss　Helena；　that　is　a　good　reason　for　her　not　coming　to
meet　me？〃

〃I　beg　your　pardonit　is　a　bad　reason。　She　has　been　sent　away
for　the　recovery　of　her　healthand　the　loss　of　her　health　is
entirely　her　own　fault。〃

What　did　this　matter　to　me？　I　decided　on　dropping　the　subject。　My
memory　reverted；　however；　to　past　occasions　on　which　the　loss　of
_my_　health　had　been　entirely　my　own　fault。　There　was　something
in　these　personal　recollections；　which　encouraged　my　perverse
tendency　to　sympathize　with　a　young　lady　to　whom　I　had　not　yet
been　introduced。　The　young　lady's　sister　appeared　to　be
discouraged　by　my　silence。　She　said：　〃I　hope　you　don't　think　the
worse　of　me　for　what　I　have　just　mentioned？〃

〃Certainly　not。〃

〃Perhaps　you　will　fail　to　see　any　need　of　my　speaking　of　my
sister　at　all？　Will　you　kindly　listen；　if　I　try　to　explain
myself？〃

〃With　pleasure。〃

She　slyly　set　the　best　construction　on　my　perfectly　commonplace
reply。

〃Thank　you；〃　she　said。　〃The　fact　is；　my　father　（I　can't　imagine
why）　wishes　you　to　see　my　sister　as　well　as　me。　He　has　written　to
the　fa　rmhouse　at　which　she　is　now　staying；　to　tell　her　to　come
home　to…morrow。　It　is　possibleif　your　kindness　offers　me　an
opportunitythat　I　may　ask　to　be　guided　by　your　experience；　in　a
little　matter　which　interests　me。　My　sister　is　rash；　and
reckless；　and　has　a　terrible　temper。　I　should　be　very　sorry
indeed　if　you　were　induced　to　form　an　unfavorable　opinion　of　me；
from　anything　you　might　notice　if　you　see　us　together。　You
understand　me；　I　hope？〃

〃I　quite　understand　you。〃

To　set　me　against　her　sister；　in　her　own　private
intereststhere；　as　I　felt　sure；　was　the　motive　under　which　she
was　acting。　As　hard　as　her　mother；　as　selfish　as　her　mother；　and；
judging　from　those　two　bad　qualities；　probably　as　cruel　as　her
mother。　That　was　how　I　understood　Miss　Helena　Gracedieu；　when　our
carriage　drew　up　at　her　father's　house。

A　middle…aged　lady　was　on　the　doorstep；　when　we　arrived；　just
ringing　the　bell。　She　looked　round　at　us　both；　being　evidently　as
complete　a　stranger　to　my　fair　companion　as　she　was　to　me。　When
the　servant　opened　the　door；　she　said：

〃Is　Miss　Jillgall　at　home？〃

At　the　sound　of　that　odd　name；　Miss　Helena　tossed　her　head
disdainfully。　She　took　no　sort　of　notice　of　the　stranger…lady　who
was　at　the　door　of　her　father's　house。　This　young　person's
contempt　for　Miss　Jillgall　appeared　to　extend　to　Miss　Jillgall's
friends。

In　the　meantime；　the　servant's　answer　was：　〃Not　at　home。〃

The　middle　aged　lady　said：　〃Do　you　expect　her　back　soon？〃

〃Yes；　ma'am。〃

〃I　will　call　again；　later　in　the　day。〃

〃What　name；　if　you　please？〃

The　lady　stole　another　look　at　me；　before　she　replied。

〃Never　mind　the　name；〃　she　saidand　walked　away。


CHAPTER　XXXIII。

THE　MINISTER'S　MISFORTUNE。


〃Do　you　know　that　lady？〃　Miss　Helena　asked；　as　we　entered　the
house。

〃She　is　a　perfect　stranger　to　me；〃　I　answered。

〃Are　you　sure　you　have　not　forgotten　her？〃

〃Why　do　you　think　I　have　forgotten　her？〃

〃Because　she　evidently　remembered　you。〃

The　lady　had　no　doubt　looked　at　me　twice。　If　this　meant　that　my
face　was　familiar　to　her；　I　could　only　repeat　what　I　have　already
said。　Never；　to　my　knowledge；　had　I　seen　her　before。

Leading　the　way　upstairs；　Miss　Helena　apologized　for　taking　me
into　her　father's　bedroom。　〃He　is　able　to　sit　up　in　an　armchair；〃
she　said；　〃and　he　might　do　more；　as　I　think；　if　he　would　exert
himself。　He　won't　exert　himself。　Very　sad。　Would　you　like　to　look
at　your　room；　before　you　see　my　father？　It　is　quite　ready　for
you。　We　hope〃she　favored　me　with　a　fascinating　smile；　devoted
to　winning　my　heart　when　her　interests　required　it〃we　hope　you
will　pay　us　a　long　visit；　we　look　on　you　as　one　of　ourselves。〃

I　thanked　her；　and　said　I　would　shake　hands　with　my　old　friend
before　I　went　to　my　room。　We　parted　at　the　bedroom　door。

It　is　out　of　my　power　to　describe　the　shock　that　overpowered　me
when　I　first　saw　the　Minister　again；　after　the　long　interval　of
time　that　had　separated　us。　Nothing　that　his　daughter　said；
nothing　that　I　myself　anticipated；　had　prepared　me　for　that
lamentable　change。　For　the　moment；　I　was　not　sufficiently　master
of　myself　to　be　able　to　speak　to　him。　He　added　to　my
embarrassment　by　the　humility　of　his　manner；　and　the　formal
elaboration　of　his　apologies。

〃I　feel　painfully　that　I　have　taken　a　liberty　with　you；〃　he　said；
〃after　the　long　estrangement　between　usfor　which　my　want　of
Christian　forbearance　is　to　blame。　Forgive　it；　sir；　and　forget
it。　I　hope　to　show　that　necessity　justifies　my　presumption；　in
subjecting　you　to　a　wearisome　journey　for　my　sake。〃

Beginning　to　recover　myself；　I　begged　that　he　would　make　no　more
excuses。　My　interruption　seemed　to　confuse　him。

〃I　wished　to　say；〃　he　went　on；　〃that　you　are　the　one　man　who　can
understand　me。　There　is　my　only　reason　for　asking　to　see　you；　and
looking　forward　as　I　do　to　your　advice。　You　remember　the
nightor　was　it　the　day？before　that　miserable　woman　was
hanged？　You　were　the　only　person　present　when　I　agreed　to　adopt
the　poor　little　creature；　stained　already　（one　may　say）　by　its
mother's　infamy。　I　think　your　wisdom　foresaw　what　a　terrible
responsibility　I　was　undertaking；　you　tried　to　prevent　it。　Well！
well！　you　have　been　in　my　confidenceyou　only。　Mind！　nobody　in
this　house　knows　that　one　of　the　two　girls　is　not　really　my
daughter。　Pray　stop　me；　if　you　find　me　wandering　from　the　point。
My　wish　is　to　sho