the legacy of cain-第42节

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at　a　length　which　I　was　far　indeed　from　contemplating　when　I
accepted　Mr。　Gracedieu's　invitation。

Having　promised　to　comply　with　the　strange　request　which　he　had
addressed　to　me；　I　ventured　to　remind　him　of　past　occasions　on
which　he　had　pointedly　abstained；　when　the　subject　presented
itself；　from　speaking　of　the　girls'　ages。　〃You　have　left　it　to　my
discretion；〃　I　added；　〃to　decide　a　question　in　which　you　are
seriously　interested；　relating　to　your　daughters。　Have　I　no
excuse　for　regretting　that　I　have　not　been　admitted　to　your
confidence　a　little　more　freely？〃

〃You　have　every　excuse；〃　he　answered。　〃But　you　trouble　me　all　the
same。　There　was　something　else　that　I　had　to　say　to　youand　your
curiosity　gets　in　the　way。〃

He　said　this　with　a　sullen　emphasis。　In　my　position；　the　worst　of
evils　was　suspense。　I　told　him　that　my　curiosity　could　wait；　and
I　begged　that　he　would　relieve　his　mind　of　what　was　pressing　on
it　at　the　moment。

〃Let　me　think　a　little；〃　he　said。

I　waited　anxiously　for　the　decision　at　which　he　might　arrive。
Nothing　came　of　it　to　justify　my　misgivings。　〃Leave　what　I　have
in　my　mind　to　ripen　in　my　mind；〃　he　said。　〃The　mystery　about　the
girls'　ages　seems　to　irritate　you。　If　I　put　my　good　friend's
temper　to　any　further　trial；　he　will　be　of　no　use　to　me。　Never
mind　if　my　head　swims；　I'm　used　to　that。　Now　listen！〃

Strange　as　the　preface　was；　the　explanation　that　followed　was
stranger　yet。　I　offer　a　shortened　and　simplified　version；　giving
accurately　the　substance　of　what　I　heard。

The　Minister　entered　without　reserve　on　the　mysterious　subject　of
the　ages。　Eunice；　he　informed　me；　was　nearly　two　years　older　than
Helena。　If　she　outwardly　showed　her　superiority　of　age；　any
person　acquainted　with　the　circumstances　under　which　the　adopted
infant　had　been　received　into　Mr。　Gracedieu's　childless
household；　need　only　compare　the　so…called　sisters　in　after…life；
and　would　thereupon　identify　the　eldest…looking　young　lady　of　the
two　as　the　offspring　of　the　woman　who　had　been　hanged　for　murder。
With　such　a　misfortune　as　this　presenting　itself　as　a　possible
prospect；　the　Minister　was　bound　to　prevent　the　girls　from
ignorantly　betraying　each　other　by　allusions　to　their　ages　and
their　birthdays。　After　much　thought；　he　had　devised　a　desperate
means　of　meeting　the　difficultyalready　made　known；　as　I　am
told；　for　the　information　of　strangers　who　may　read　the　pages
that　have　gone　before　mine。　My　friend's　plan　of　proceeding　had；
by　the　nature　of　it；　exposed　him　to　injurious　comment；　to
embarrassing　questions；　and　to　doubts　and　misconceptions；　all
patiently　endured　in　consideration　of　the　security　that　had　been
attained。　Proud　of　his　explanation；　Mr。　Gracedieu's　vanity　called
upon　me　to　acknowledge　that　my　curiosity　had　been　satisfied；　and
my　doubts　completely　set　at　rest。

No：　my　obstinate　common　sense　was　not　reduced　to　submission；　even
yet。　Looking　back　over　a　lapse　of　seventeen　years；　I　asked　what
had　happened；　in　that　long　interval；　to　justify　the　anxieties
which　still　appeared　to　trouble　my　friend。

This　time；　my　harmless　curiosity　could　be　gratified　by　a　reply
expressed　in　three　wordsnothing　had　happened。

Then　what；　in　Heaven's　name；　was　the　Minister　afraid　of？

His　voice　dropped　to　a　whisper。　He　said：　〃I　am　afraid　of　the
women。〃

Who　were　the　women？

Two　of　them　actually　proved　to　be　the　servants　employed　in　Mr。
Gracedieu's　house；　at　the　bygone　time　when　be　had　brought　the
child　home　with　him　from　the　prison！　To　point　out　the　absurdity
of　the　reasons　that　he　gave　for　fearing　what　female　curiosity
might　yet　attempt；　if　circumstances　happened　to　encourage　it；
would　have　been　a　mere　waste　of　words。　Dismissing　the　subject；　I
next　ascertained　that　the　Minister's　doubts　extended　even　to　the
two　female　warders；　who　had　been　appointed　to　watch　the　murderess
in　turn；　during　her　last　days　in　prison。　I　easily　relieved　his
mind　in　this　case。　One　of　the　warders　was　dead。　The　other　had
married　a　farmer　in　Australia。　Had　we　exhausted　the　list　of
suspected　persons　yet？　No：　there　was　one　more　left；　and　the
Minister　declared　that　he　had　first　met　with　her　in　my　official
residence；　at　the　time　when　I　was　Governor　of　the　prison。

〃She　presented　herself　to　me　by　name；〃　he　said；　〃and　she　spoke
rudely。　A　Miss〃　He　paused　to　consult　his　memory；　and　this　time
（thanks　perhaps　to　his　night's　rest）　his　memory　answered　the
appeal。　〃I　have　got　it！〃　he　cried〃Miss　Chance。〃

My　friend　had　interested　me　in　his　imaginary　perils　at　last。　It
was　just　possible　that　he　might　have　a　formidable　person　to　deal
with　now。

During　my　residence　at　Florence；　the　Chaplain　and　I　had　taken
many　a　retrospective　look　（as　old　men　will）　at　past　events　in　our
lives。　My　former　colleague　spoke　of　the　time　when　he　had
performed　clerical　duty　for　his　friend；　the　rector　of　a　parish
church　in　London。　Neither　he　nor　I　had　heard　again　of　the　〃Miss
Chance〃　of　our　disagreeable　prison　experience；　whom　he　had
married　to　the　dashing　Dutch　gentleman；　Mr。　Tenbruggen。　We　could
only　wonder　what　had　become　of　that　mysterious　married　pair。

Mr。　Gracedieu　being　undoubtedly　ignorant　of　the　woman's　marriage；
it　was　not　easy　to　say　what　the　consequence　might　be；　in　his
excitable　state；　if　I　informed　him　of　it。　He　would；　in　all
probability；　conclude　that　I　knew　more　of　the　woman　than　he　did。
I　decided　on　keeping　my　own　counsel；　for　the　present　at　least。

Passing　at　once；　therefore；　to　the　one　consideration　of　any
importance；　I　endeavored　to　find　out　whether　Mr。　Gracedieu　and
Mrs。　Tenbruggen　had　met；　or　had　communicated　with　each　other　in
any　way；　during　the　long　period　of　separation　that　had　taken
place　between　the　Minister　and　myself。　If　he　had　been　so　unlucky
as　to　offend　her；　she　was　beyond　all　doubt　an　enemy　to　be
dreaded。　Apart；　however；　from　a　misfortune　of　this　kind；　she
would　rank；　in　my　opinion；　with　the　other　harmless　objects　of　Mr。
Gracedieu's　distrust。

In　making　my　inquiries；　I　found　that　I　had　an　obstacle　to　contend
with。

While　he　felt　the　renovating　influence　of　the　repose　that　he
enjoyed；　the　Minister　had　been　able　to　think　and　to　express
himself　with　less　difficulty　than　usual。　But　the　reserves　of
strength；　on　which　the　useful　exercise　of　his　memory　depe　nded；
began　to　fail　him　as　the　interview　proceeded。　He　distinctly
recollected　that　〃something　unpleasant　had　passed　between　that
audacious　woman　and　himself。〃　But　at　what　dateand　whether　by
word　of　mouth　or　by　correspondencewas　more　than　his　memory
could　now　recall。　He　believed　be　was　not　mistaken　in　telling　me
that　he　〃had　been　in　two　minds　about　her。〃　At　one　time；　he　was
satisfied　that　he　had　taken　wise　measures　for　his　own　security；
if　she　attempted　to　annoy　him。　But　there　was　another　and　a　later
time；　when　doubts　and　fears　had　laid　hold　of　him　again。　If　I
wanted　to　know　how　this　had　happened；　he　fancied　it　was　through　a
dream；　and　if　I　asked　what　the　dream　was；　he　could　only　beg　and
pray　that　I　would　spare　his　poor　head。

Unwilling　even　yet　to　submit　unconditionally　to　defeat；　it
occurred　to　me　to　try　a　last　experiment　on　my　friend；　without
calling　for　any　mental　effort　on　his　own　part。　The　〃Miss　Chance〃
of　former　days　might；　by　a　bare　possibility；　have　written　to　him。
I　asked　accordingly　if　he　was　in　the　habit　of　keeping　his
letters；　and　if　he　would　allow　me　（when　he　had　rested　a　little）
to　lay　them　open　before　him；　so　that　he　could　look　at　the
signatures。　〃You　might　find　the　lost　recollection　in　that　way；〃　I
suggested；　〃at　the　bottom　of　one　of　your　letters。〃

He　was　in　that　state　of　weariness；　poor　fellow；　in　which　a　man
will　do　anything　for　the　sake　of　peace。　Pointing　to　a　cabinet　in
his　room；　he　gave　me　a　key　taken　from　a　little　basket　on　his　bed。
〃Look　for　yourself；〃　he　said。　After　some　hesitationfor　I
naturally　recoiled　from　examining　another　man's　correspondenceI
decided　on　opening　the　cabinet；　at　any　rate。

The　lettersa　large　collectionwere；　to　my　relief；　all　neatly
folded；　and　indorsed　with　the　names　of　the　writers。　I　could　run
harmlessly　through　bundle　after　bundle　in　search　of　the　one　name
that　I　wanted；　and　still　respect　the　privacy　of　the　letters。　My
perseverance　deserved　a　rewardand　failed　to　get　it。　The　name　I
wanted　steadily　eluded　my　search。　Arriving　at　the　upper　shelf　of
the　cabinet；　I　found　it　so　high　that　I　could　barely　reach　it　with
my　hand。　Instead　of　getting　more　letters　to　look　over；　I　pulled
down　two　newspapers。

One　of　them　was　an　old　copy　of　the　_Times；_　dating　back　as　far　as
the　13th　December；　1858。　It　was　carefully　folded；　longwise；　with
the　title…page　uppermost。　On　the　first　column；　at　the　left…hand
side　of　the　sheet；　appeared　the　customary　announcements　of
Births。　A　mark　with　a　blue　pencil；　against　one　of　the
advertisements；　attracted　my　attention。　I　read　these　lines：

〃On　the　10th　inst。；　the　wife　of　the　Rev。　Abel　Gracedieu；　of　a
daughter。〃

The　second　newspaper　bore　a　later　date；　and　contained　nothing
that　interested　me。　I　naturally　assumed　that　the　advertisement　in
the　_Times_　had　been　inserted　at　the　desire　of　Mrs。　Gracedieu；
and；　after　all　that　I　had　heard；　there　was　little　difficulty　in
attributing　the　curious　omission　of　the　place　in