the legacy of cain-第4节

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Youth　and　a　fine　complexion；　a　well…made　figure　and　a　natural
grace　of　movementthese　were　her　personal　attractions；　so　far　as
I　could　see。　Her　defects　were；　to　my　mind；　equally　noticeable。
Under　a　heavy　forehead；　her　piercing　eyes　looked　out　at　persons
and　things　with　an　expression　which　was　not　to　my　taste。　Her
large　mouthanother　defect；　in　my　opinionwould　have　been
recommended　to　mercy；　in　the　estimation　of　many　men；　by　her
magnificent　teeth；　white；　well…shaped；　cruelly　regular。　Believers
in　physiognomy　might　perhaps　have　seen　the　betrayal　of　an
obstinate　nature　in　the　lengthy　firmness　of　her　chin。　While　I　am
trying　to　describe　her；　let　me　not　forget　her　dress。　A　woman's
dress　is　the　mirror　in　which　we　may　see　the　reflection　of　a
woman's　nature。　Bearing　in　mind　the　melancholy　and　impressive
circumstances　under　which　she　had　brought　the　child　to　the
prison；　the　gayety　of　color　in　her　gown　and　her　bonnet　implied
either　a　total　want　of　feeling；　or　a　total　want　of　tact。　As　to
her　position　in　life；　let　me　confess　that　I　felt；　after　a　closer
examination；　at　a　loss　to　determine　it。　She　was　certainly　not　a
lady。　The　Prisoner　had　spoken　of　her　as　if　she　was　a　domestic
servant　who　had　forfeited　her　right　to　consideration　and　respect。
And　she　had　entered　the　prison；　as　a　nurse　might　have　entered　it；
in　charge　of　a　child。　I　did　what　we　all　do　when　we　are　not　clever
enough　to　find　the　answer　to　a　riddleI　gave　it　up。

〃What　can　I　do　for　you？〃　I　asked。

〃Perhaps　you　can　tell　me；〃　she　answered；　〃how　much　longer　I　am　to
be　kept　waiting　in　this　prison。〃

〃The　decision；〃　I　reminded　her；　〃doesn't　depend　on　me。〃

〃Then　who　does　it　depend　on？〃

The　Minister　had　undoubtedly　acquired　the　sole　right　of　deciding。
It　was　for　him　to　say　whether　this　woman　should；　or　should　not；
remain　in　attendance　on　the　child　whom　he　had　adopted。　In　the
meanwhile；　the　feeling　of　distrust　which　was　gaining　on　my　mind
warned　me　to　remember　the　value　of　reserve　in　holding　intercourse
with　a　stranger。

She　seemed　to　be　irritated　by　my　silence。　〃If　the　decision
doesn't　rest　with　you；〃　she　asked；　〃why　did　you　tell　me　to　stay
in　the　waiting…room？〃

〃You　brought　the　little　girl　into　the　prison；〃　I　said；　〃was　it
not　natural　to　suppose　that　your　mistress　might　want　you〃

〃Stop；　sir！〃

I　had　evidently　given　offense；　I　stopped　directly。

〃No　person　on　the　face　of　the　earth；〃　she　declared；　loftily；　〃has
ever　had　the　right　to　call　herself　my　mistress。　Of　my　own　free
will；　sir；　I　took　charge　of　the　child。〃

〃Because　you　are　fond　of　her？〃　I　suggested。

〃I　hate　her。〃

It　was　unwise　on　my　partI　protested。　〃Hate　a　baby　little　more
than　a　year　old！〃　I　said。

〃_Her_　baby！〃

She　said　it　with　the　air　of　a　woman　who　had　produced　an
unanswerable　reason。　〃I　am　accountable　to　nobody；〃　she　went　on。
〃If　I　consented　to　trouble　myself　with　the　child；　it　was　in
remembrance　of　my　friendshipnotice；　if　you　please；　that　I　say
friendshipwith　the　unhappy　father。〃

Putting　together　what　I　had　just　heard；　and　what　I　had　seen　in
the　cell；　I　drew　the　right　conclusion　at　last。　The　woman；　whose
position　in　life　had　been　thus　far　an　impenetrable　mystery　to　me；
now　stood　revealed　as　one；　among　other　objects　of　the　Prisoner's
jealousy；　during　her　disastrous　married　life。　A　serious　doubt
occurred　to　me　as　to　the　authority　under　which　the　husband's
mistress　might　be　acting；　after　the　husband's　death。　I　instantly
put　it　to　the　test。

〃Do　I　understand　you　to　assert　any　claim　to　the　child？〃　I　asked。

〃Claim？〃　she　repeated。　〃I　know　no　more　of　the　child　than　you　do。
I　heard　for　the　first　time　that　such　a　creature　was　in　existence；
when　her　murdered　father　sent　for　me　in　his　dying　moments。　At　his
entreaty　I　promised　to　take　care　of　her；　while　her　vile　mother
was　out　of　the　house　and　in　the　hands　of　the　law。　My　promise　has
been　performed。　If　I　am　expected　（having　brought　her　to　the
prison）　to　take　her　away　again；　understand　this：　I　am　under　no
obligation　（even　if　I　could　afford　it）　to　burden　myself　with　that
child；　I　shall　hand　her　over　to　the　workhouse　authorities。〃

I　forgot　myself　once　moreI　lost　my　temper。

〃Leave　the　room；〃　I　said。　〃Your　unworthy　hands　will　not　touch　the
poor　baby　again。　She　is　provided　for。〃

〃I　don't　believe　you！〃　the　wretch　burst　out。　〃Who　has　taken　the
child？〃

A　quiet　voice　answered：　〃_I_　have　taken　her。〃

We　both　looked　round　and　saw　the　Minister　standing　in　the　open
doorway；　with　the　child　in　his　arms。　The　ordeal　that　he　had　gone
through　in　the　condemned　cell　was　visible　in　his　face；　he　looked
miserably　haggard　and　broken。　I　was　eager　to　know　if　his　merciful
interest　in　the　Prisoner　had　purified　her　guilty　soulbut　at　the
same　time　I　was　afraid；　after　what　he　had　but　too　plainly
suffered；　to　ask　him　to　enter　into　details。

〃Only　one　word；〃　I　said。　〃Are　your　anxieties　at　rest？〃

〃God's　mercy　has　helped　me；〃　he　answered。　〃I　have　not　spoken　in
vain。　She　believes；　she　repents；　she　has　confessed　the　crime。〃

After　handing　the　written　and　signed　confession　to　me；　he
approached　the　venomous　creature；　still　lingering　in　the　room　to
hear　what　passed　between　us。　Before　I　could　stop　him；　he　spoke　to
her；　under　a　natural　impression　that　he　was　addressing　the
Prisoner's　servant。

〃I　am　afraid　you　will　be　disappointed；〃　he　said；　〃when　I　tell　you
that　your　services　will　no　longer　be　required。　I　have　reasons　for
placing　the　child　under　the　care　of　a　nurse　of　my　own　choosing。〃

She　listened　with　an　evil　smile。

〃I　know　who　furnished　you　with　your　reasons；〃　she　answered。
〃Apologies　are　quite　needless；　so　far　as　I　am　concerned。　If　you
had　proposed　to　me　t　o　look　after　the　new　member　of　your　family
there；　I　should　have　felt　it　my　duty　to　myself　to　have　refused。　I
am　not　a　nurseI　am　an　independent　single　lady。　I　see　by　your
dress　that　you　are　a　clergyman。　Allow　me　to　present　myself　as　a
mark　of　respect　to　your　cloth。　I　am　Miss　Elizabeth　Chance。　May　I
ask　the　favor　of　your　name？〃

Too　weary　and　too　preoccupied　to　notice　the　insolence　of　her
manner；　the　Minister　mentioned　his　name。　〃I　am　anxious；〃　he　said；
〃to　know　if　the　child　has　been　baptized。　Perhaps　you　can
enlighten　me？〃

Still　insolent；　Miss　Elizabeth　Chance　shook　her　head　carelessly。
〃I　never　heardand；　to　tell　you　the　truth；　I　never　cared　to
hearwhether　she　was　christened　or　not。　Call　her　by　what　name
you　like；　I　can　tell　you　thisyou　will　find　your　adopted
daughter　a　heavy　handful。〃

The　Minister　turned　to　me。　〃What　does　she　mean？〃

〃I　will　try　to　tell　you；〃　Miss　Chance　interposed。　〃Being　a
clergyman；　you　know　who　Deborah　was？　Very　well。　I　am　Deborah　now；
and　_I_　prophesy。〃　She　pointed　to　the　child。　〃Remember　what　I
say；　reverend　sir！　You　will　find　the　tigress…cub　take　after　its
mother。〃

With　those　parting　words；　she　favored　us　with　a　low　curtsey；　and
left　the　room。


CHAPTER　VI。

THE　DOCTOR　DOUBTS。


THE　Minister　looked　at　me　in　an　absent　manner；　his　attention
seemed　to　have　been　wandering。　〃What　was　it　Miss　Chance　said？〃　he
asked。

Before　I　could　speak；　a　friend's　voice　at　the　door　interrupted
us。　The　Doctor；　returning　to　me　as　he　had　promised；　answered　the
Minister's　question　in　these　words：

〃I　must　have　passed　the　person　you　mean；　sir；　as　I　was　coming　in
here；　and　I　heard　her　say：　'You　will　find　the　tigress…cub　take
after　its　mother。'　If　she　had　known　how　to　put　her　meaning　into
good　English；　Miss　Chancethat　is　the　name　you　mentioned；　I
thinkmight　have　told　you　that　the　vices　of　the　parents　are
inherited　by　the　children。　And　the　one　particular　parent　she　had
in　her　mind；〃　the　Doctor　continued；　gently　patting　the　child's
cheek；　〃was　no　doubt　the　mother　of　this　unfortunate　little
creaturewho　may；　or　may　not；　live　to　show　you　that　she　comes　of
a　bad　stock　and　inherits　a　wicked　nature。〃

I　was　on　the　point　of　protesting　against　my　friend's
interpretation；　when　the　Minister　stopped　me。

〃Let　me　thank　you；　sir；　for　your　explanation；〃　he　said　to　the
Doctor。　〃As　soon　as　my　mind　is　free；　I　will　reflect　on　what　you
have　said。　Forgive　me；　Mr。　Governor；〃　he　went　on；　〃if　I　leave
you；　now　that　I　have　placed　the　Prisoner's　confession　in　your
hands。　It　has　been　an　effort　to　me　to　say　the　little　I　have　said；
since　I　first　entered　this　room。　I　can　think　of　nothing　but　that
unhappy　criminal；　and　the　death　that　she　must　die　to…morrow。〃

〃Does　she　wish　you　to　be　present？〃　I　asked。

〃She　positively　forbids　it。　'After　what　you　have　done　for　me；'
she　said；　'the　least　I　can　do　in　return　is　to　prevent　your　being
needlessly　distressed。'　She　took　leave　of　me；　she　kissed　the
little　girl　for　the　last　timeoh；　don't　ask　me　to　tell　you　about
it！　I　shall　break　down　if　I　try。　Come；　my　darling！〃　He　kissed　the
child　tenderly；　and　took　her　away　with　him。

〃That　man　is　a　strange　compound　of　strength　and　weakness；〃　the
Doctor　remarked。　〃Did　you　notice　his　face；　just　now？　Nine　men　out
of　ten；　suffering　as　he　suffered；　would　have　failed　to　control
themselves。　Such　resolution　as　his　_may_　conquer　the　difficulties
that　are　in　store　for　him　yet。〃

It　was　a　trial　of　my　temper　to　hear　my　clever　colleague
justifying；　in　this　way；　the　ignorant　prediction　of　an　insolent
woman。

〃There　are　exceptions　to　all