the legacy of cain-第43节

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attributing　the　curious　omission　of　the　place　in　which　the　child
had　been　born　to　the　caution　of　her　husband。　If　Mrs。　Tenbruggen
（then　Miss　Chance）　had　happened　to　see　the　advertisement　in　the
great　London　newspaper；　Mr。　Gracedieu　might　yet　have　good　reason
to　congratulate　himself　on　his　prudent　method　of　providing
against　mischievous　curiosity。

I　turned　toward　the　bed　and　looked　at　him。　His　eyes　were　closed。
Was　he　sleeping？　Or　was　he　trying　to　remember　what　he　had　desired
to　say　to　me；　when　the　demands　which　I　made　on　his　memory　had
obliged　him　to　wait　for　a　later　opportunity？

Either　way；　there　was　something　that　quickened　my　sympathies；　in
the　spectacle　of　his　helpless　repose。　It　suggested　to　me　personal
reasons　for　his　anxieties；　which　he　had　not　mentioned；　and　which
I　had　not　thought　of；　up　to　this　time。　If　the　discovery　that　he
dreaded　took　place；　his　household　would　be　broken　up；　and　his
position　as　pastor　would　suffer　in　the　estimation　of　the　flock。
His　own　daughter　would　refuse　to　live　under　the　same　roof　with
the　daughter　of　an　infamous　woman。　Popular　opinion；　among　his
congregation；　judging　a　man　who　had　passed　off　the　child　of　other
parents　as　his　own；　would　find　that　man　guilty　of　an　act　of
deliberate　deceit。

Still　oppressed　by　reflections　which　pointed　to　the　future　in
this　discouraging　way；　I　was　startled　by　a　voice　outside　the
doora　sweet；　sad　voicesaying；　〃May　I　come　in？〃

The　Minister's　eyes　opened　instantly：　he　raised　himself　in　his
bed。

〃Eunice；　at　last！〃　he　cried。　〃Let　her　in。〃


CHAPTER　XXXIX。

THE　ADOPTED　CHILD


I　OPENED　the　door。

Eunice　passed　me　with　the　suddenness　almost　of　a　flash　of　light。
When　I　turned　toward　the　bed；　her　arms　were　round　her　father's
neck。　〃Oh；　poor　papa；　how　ill　you　look！〃　Commonplace　expressions
of　fondness；　and　no　more；　but　the　tone　gave　them　a　charm　that
subdued　me。　Never　had　I　felt　so　indulgent　toward　Mr。　Gracedieu's
unreasonable　fears　as　when　I　saw　him　in　the　embrace　of　his
adopted　daughter。　She　had　already　reminded　me　of　the　bygone　day
when　a　bright　little　child　had　sat　on　my　knee　and　listened　to　the
ticking　of　my　watch。

The　Minister　gently　lifted　her　head　from　his　breast。　〃My
darling；〃　he　said；　〃you　don't　see　my　old　friend。　Love　him；　and
look　up　to　him；　Eunice。　He　will　be　your　friend；　too；　when　I　am
gone。〃

She　came　to　me　and　offered　her　cheek　to　be　kissed。　It　was　sadly
pale；　poor　souland　I　could　guess　why。　But　her　heart　was　now
full　of　her　father。　〃Do　you　think　he　is　seriously　ill？〃　she
whispered。　What　I　ought　to　have　said　I　don't　know。　Her　eyes；　the
sweetest；　truest；　loveliest　eyes　I　ever　saw　in　a　human　face；　were
pleading　with　me。　Let　my　enemies　make　the　worst　of　it；　if　they
likeI　did　certainly　lie。　And　if　I　deserved　my　punishment；　I　got
it；　the　poor　child　believed　me！　〃Now　I　am　happier；〃　she　said；
gratefully。　〃Only　to　hear　your　voice　seems　to　encourage　me。　On
our　way　here；　Selina　did　nothing　but　talk　of　you。　She　told　me　I
shouldn't　have　time　to　feel　afraid　of　the　great　man；　he　would
make　me　fond　of　him　directly。　I　said；　'Are　you　fond　of　him？'　She
said；　'Madly　in　love　with　him；　my　dear。'　My　little　friend　really
thinks　you　like　her；　and　is　very　proud　of　it　There　are　some
people　who　call　her　ugly。　I　hope　you　don't　agree　with　them？〃

I　believe　I　should　have　lied　again；　if　Mr。　Gracedieu　had　not
called　me　to　the　bedside

〃How　does　she　strike　you？〃　he　whispered；　eagerly。　〃Is　it　too　soon
to　ask　if　she　shows　her　age　in　her　face？〃

〃Neither　in　her　face　nor　her　figure；〃　I　answered：　〃it　astonishes
me　that　you　can　ever　have　doubted　it。　No　stranger；　judging　by
personal　appearance；　could　fail　to　make　the　mistake　of　thinking
Helena　the　oldest　of　the　two。〃

He　looked　fondly　at　Eunice。　〃Her　figure　seems　to　bear　out　what
you　say；〃　he　went　on。　〃Almost　childish；　isn't　it？〃

I　could　not　agree　to　that。　Slim；　supple；　simply　graceful　in　every
movement；　Eunice's　figure；　in　the　charm　of　first　youth；　only
waited　its　perfect　development。　Most　men；　looking　at　her　as　she
stood　at　the　other　end　of　the　room　with　her　back　toward　us；　would
have　guessed　her　age　to　be　sixteen。

Finding　that　I　failed　to　agree　with　him；　Mr。　Gracedieu's
misgivings　returned。　〃You　speak　very　confidently；〃　he　said；
〃considering　that　you　have　not　seen　the　girls　together。　Think
what　a　dreadful　blow　it　would　be　to　me　if　you　made　a　mistake。〃

I　declared；　with　perfect　sincerity；　that　there　was　no　fear　of　a
mistake。　The　bare　idea　of　making　the　proposed　comparison　was
hateful　to　me。　If　Helena　and　I　had　happened　to　meet　at　that
moment；　I　should　have　turned　away　from　her　by　instinctshe　would
have　disturbed　my　impressions　of　Eunice。

The　Minister　signed　to　me　to　move　a　little　nearer　to　him。　〃I　must
say　it；〃　he　whispered；　〃and　I　am　afraid　of　her　hearing　me。　Is
there　anything　in　her　face　that　reminds　you　of　her　miserable
mother？〃

I　had　hardly　patience　to　answer　the　question：　it　was　simply
preposterous。　Her　hair　was　by　many　shades　darker　than　her
mother's　hair；　her　eyes　were　of　a　different　color。　There　was　an
exquisite　tenderness　and　sincerity　in　their　expressionmade
additionally　beautiful；　to　my　mind；　by　a　gentle；　uncomplaining
sadness。　It　was　impossible　even　to　think　of　the　eyes　of　the
murderess　when　I　looked　at　her　child。　Eunice's　lower　features；
again；　had　none　of　her　mother's　regularity　of　p　roportion。　Her
smile；　simple　and　sweet；　and　soon　passing　away；　was　certainly　not
an　inherited　smile　on　the　maternal　side。　Whether　she　resembled
her　father；　I　was　unable　to　conjecturehaving　never　seen　him。
The　one　thing　certain　was；　that　not　the　faintest　trace；　in
feature　or　expression；　of　Eunice's　mother　was　to　be　seen　in
Eunice　herself。　Of　the　two　girls；　Helenajudging　by　something　in
the　color　of　her　hair；　and　by　something　in　the　shade　of　her
complexionmight　possibly　have　suggested；　in　those　particulars
only；　a　purely　accidental　resemblance　to　my　terrible　prisoner　of
past　times。

The　revival　of　Mr。　Gracedieu's　spirits　indicated　a　temporary
change　only；　and　was　already　beginning　to　pass　away。　The　eyes
which　had　looked　lovingly　at　Eunice　began　to　look　languidly　now：
his　head　sank　on　the　pillow　with　a　sigh　of　weak　content。　〃My
pleasure　has　been　almost　too　much　for　me；〃　he　said。　〃Leave　me　for
a　while　to　rest；　and　get　used　to　it。〃

Eunice　kissed　his　foreheadand　we　left　the　room。


CHAPTER　XL。

THE　BRUISED　HEART。


WHEN　we　stepped　out　on　the　landing；　I　observed　that　my　companion
paused。　She　looked　at　the　two　flights　of　stairs　below　us　before
she　descended　them。　It　occurred　to　me　that　there　must　be　somebody
in　the　house　whom　she　was　anxious　to　avoid。

Arrived　at　the　lower　hall；　she　paused　again；　and　proposed　in　a
whisper　that　we　should　go　into　the　garden。　As　we　advanced　along
the　backward　division　of　the　hall；　I　saw　her　eyes　turn
distrustfully　toward　the　door　of　the　room　in　which　Helena　had
received　me。　At　last；　my　slow　perceptions　felt　with　her　and
understood　her。　Eunice's　sensitive　nature　recoiled　from　a　chance
meeting　with　the　wretch　who　had　laid　waste　all　that　had　once　been
happy　and　hopeful　in　that　harmless　young　life。

〃Will　you　come　with　me　to　the　part　of　the　garden　that　I　am
fondest　of？〃　she　asked。

I　offered　her　my　arm。　She　led　me　in　silence　to　a　rustic　seat；
placed　under　the　shade　of　a　mulberry　tree。　I　saw　a　change　in　her
face　as　we　sat　downa　tender　and　beautiful　change。　At　that
moment　the　girl's　heart　was　far　away　from　me。　There　was　some
association　with　this　corner　of　the　garden；　on　which　I　felt　that
I　must　not　intrude。

〃I　was　once　very　happy　here；〃　she　said。　〃When　the　time　of　the
heartache　came　soon　after；　I　was　afraid　to　look　at　the　old　tree
and　the　bench　under　it。　But　that　is　all　over　now。　I　like　to
remember　the　hours　that　were　once　dear　to　me；　and　to　see　the
place　that　recalls　them。　Do　you　know　who　I　am　thinking　of？　Don't
be　afraid　of　distressing　me。　I　never　cry　now。〃

〃My　dear　child；　I　have　heard　your　sad　storybut　I　can't　trust
myself　to　speak　of　it。〃

〃Because　you　are　so　sorry　for　me？〃

〃No　words　can　say　how　sorry　I　am！〃

〃But　you　are　not　angry　with　Philip？〃

〃Not　angry！　My　poor　dear；　I　am　afraid　to　tell　you　how　angry　I　am
with　him。〃

〃Oh；　no！　You　mustn't　say　that。　If　you　wish　to　be　kind　to　meand
I　am　sure　you　do　wish　itdon't　think　bitterly　of　Philip。〃

When　I　remember　that　the　first　feeling　she　roused　in　me　was
nothing　worthier　of　a　professing　Christian　than　astonishment；　I
drop　in　my　own　estimation　to　the　level　of　a　savage。　〃Do　you
really　mean；〃　I　was　base　enough　to　ask；　〃that　you　have　forgiven
him？〃

She　said；　gently：　〃How　could　I　help　forgiving　him？〃

The　man　who　could　have　been　blessed　with　such　love　as　this；　and
who　could　have　cast　it　away　from　him；　can　have　been　nothing　but
an　idiot。　On　that　groundthough　I　dared　not　confess　it　to
EuniceI　forgave　him；　too。

〃Do　I　surprise　you？〃　she　asked　simply。　〃Perhaps　love　will　bear
any　humiliation。　Or　perhaps　I　am　only　a　poor　weak　creature。　You
don't　know　what　a　comfort　it　was　to　me　to　keep　the　few　letters
that　I　received　from　Philip。　When　I　heard　that　he　had　gone　away；
I　gave　his　letters　the　kiss　that　bade　him　good…by。　That　was　the
time；　I　think；　when　my　poor　bruised　heart　got　used　to　the　pain；