the legacy of cain-第45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！


which　marks　the　ripening　of　the　girl　into　the　woman's　maturity　of
thought　and　passion；　a　new　power　for　Good；　strong　enough　to
resist　the　latent　power　for　Evil；　sprang　into　being；　and
sheltered　Eunice　under　the　supremacy　of　Love。　Love　ill…fated　and
ill…bestowedbut　love　that　no　profanation　could　stain；　that　no
hereditary　evil　could　conquerthe　True　Love　that　had　been；　and
was；　and　would　be；　the　guardian　angel　of　Eunice's　life。

If　I　am　asked　whether　I　have　ventured　to　found　this　opinion　on
what　I　have　observed　in　one　instance　only；　I　reply　that　I　have
had　other　opportunities　of　investigation；　and　that　my　conclusions
are　derived　from　experience　which　refers　to　more　instances　than
one。

No　man　in　his　senses　can　doubt　that　physical　qualities　are
transmitted　from　parents　to　children。　But　inheritance　of　moral
qualities　is　less　easy　to　trace。　Here；　the　exploring　mind　finds
its　progress　beset　by　obstacles。　That　those　obstacles　have　been
sometimes　overcome　I　do　not　deny。　Moral　resemblances　have　been
traced　between　parents　and　children。　While；　however；　I　admit
this；　I　doubt　the　conclusion　which　sees；　in　inheritance　of　moral
qualities；　a　positive　influence　exercised　on　moral　destiny。　There
are　inherent　emotional　forces　in　humanity　to　which　the　inherited
influences　must　submit；　they　are　essentially　influences　under
controlinfluences　which　can　be　encountered　and　forced　back。
That　we；　who　inhabit　this　little　planet；　may　be　the　doomed
creatures　of　fatality；　from　the　cradle　to　the　grave；　I　am　not
prepared　to　dispute。　But　I　absolutely　refuse　to　believe　that　it
is　a　fatality　with　no　higher　origin　than　can　be　found　in　our
accidental　obligation　to　our　fathers　and　mothers。



Still　absorbed　in　these　speculations；　I　was　disturbed　by　a　touch
on　my　arm。

I　looked　up。　Eunice's　eyes　were　fixed　on　a　shrubbery；　at　some
little　distance　from　us；　which　closed　the　view　of　the　garden　on
that　side。　I　noticed　that　she　was　trembling。　Nothing　to　alarm　her
was　visible　that　I　could　discover。　I　asked　what　she　had　seen　to
startle　her。　She　pointed　to　the　shrubbery。

〃Look　again；〃　she　said。

This　time　I　saw　a　woman's　dress　among　the　shruhs。　The　woman
herself　appeared　in　a　moment　more。　It　was　Helena。　She　carried　a
small　portfolio；　and　she　approached　us　with　a　smile。


CHAPTER　XLI。

THE　WHISPERING　VOICE。


I　LOOKED　at　Eunice。　She　had　risen；　startled　by　her　first
suspicion　of　the　person　who　was　approaching　us　through　the
shrubbery；　but　she　kept　her　place　near　me；　only　changing　her
position　so　as　to　avoid　confronting　Helena。　Her　quickened
breathing　was　all　that　told　me　of　the　effort　she　was　making　to
preserve　her　self…control。

Entirely　free　from　unbecoming　signs　of　hurry　and　agitation；
Helena　opened　her　business　with　me　by　means　of　an　apology。

〃Pray　excuse　me　for　disturbing　you。　I　am　obliged　to　leave　the
house　on　one　of　my　tiresome　domestic　errands。　If　you　will　kindly
permit　it；　I　wish　to　express；　before　I　go；　my　very　sincere　regret
for　what　I　was　rude　enough　to　say；　when　I　last　had　the　honor　of
seeing　you。　May　I　hope　to　be　forgiven？　How…do…you…do；　Eunice？
Have　you　enjoyed　your　holiday　in　the　country？〃

Eunice　neither　moved　nor　answered。　Having　some　doubt　of　what
might　happen　if　the　two　girls　remained　together；　I　proposed　to
Helena　to　leave　the　garden　and　to　let　me　hear　what　she　had　to
say；　in　the　house。

〃Quite　needless；〃　she　replied；　〃I　shall　not　detain　you　for　more
than　a　minute。　Please　look　at　this。〃

She　offered　to　me　the　portfolio　that　she　had　been　carrying；　and
pointed　to　a　morsel　of　paper　attached　to　it；　which　contained　this
inscription：


〃Philip's　Letters　To　Me。　Private。　Helena　Gracedieu。〃


〃I　have　a　favor　to　ask；〃　she　said；　〃and　a　proof　of　confidence　in
you　to　offer。　Will　you　be　so　good　as　to　look　over　what　you　find
in　my　portfolio？　I　am　unwilling　to　give　up　the　hopes　that　I　had
founded　on　our　interview；　when　I　asked　for　it。　The　letters　will；
I　venture　to　think；　plead　my　cause　more　convincingly　than　I　was
able　to　plead　it　for　myself。　I　wish　to　forget　what　passed　between
us；　to　the　last　word。　To　the　last　word；〃　she　repeated
emphaticallywith　a　look　which　sufficiently　informed　me　that　I
had　not　been　betrayed　to　her　father　yet。　〃Will　you　indulge　me？〃
she　asked；　and　offered　her　portfolio　for　the　second　time。

A　more　impudent　bargain　could　not　well　have　been　proposed　to　me。

I　was　to　read；　and　to　be　favorably　impressed　by；　Mr。　Philip
Dunboyne's　letters；　and　Miss　Helena　was　to　say　nothing　of　that
unlucky　slip　of　the　tongue；　relating　to　her　mother；　which　she　had
discovered　to　be　a　serious　act　of　self…betrayalthanks　to　my
confusion　at　the　time。　If　I　had　not　thought　of　Eunice；　and　of　the
desolate　and　loveless　life　to　which　the　poor　girl　was　so
patiently　resigned；　I　should　have　refused　to　read　Miss
Gracedieu's　love…letters。

But；　as　things　were；　I　was　influenced　by　the　hope　（innocently
encouraged　by　Eunice　herself）　that　Philip　Dunboyne　might　not　be
so　wholly　unworthy　of　the　sweet　girl　whom　he　had　injured　as　I　had
hitherto　been　too　hastily　disposed　to　believe。　To　act　on　this
view　with　the　purpose　of　promoting　a　reconciliation　was
impossible；　unless　I　had　the　means　of　forming　a　correct　estimate
of　the　man's　character。　It　seemed　to　me　that　I　had　found　the
means。　A　fair　chance　of　putting　his　sincerity　to　a　trustworthy
test；　was　surely　offered　by　the　letters　（the　confidential
letters）　which　I　had　been　requested　to　read。　To　feel　this　as
strongly　as　I　felt　it；　brought　me　at　once　to　a　decision。　I
consented　to　take　the　portfolioon　my　own　conditions。

〃Understand；　Miss　Helena；〃　I　said；　〃that　I　make　no　promises。　I
reserve　my　own　opinion；　and　my　own　right　of　action。〃

〃I　am　not　afraid　of　your　opinions　or　your　actions；〃　she　answered
confidently；　〃if　you　will　only　read　the　letters。　In　the　meantime；
let　me　relieve　my　sister；　there；　of　my　presence。　I　hope　you　will
soon　recover；　Eunice；　in　the　country　air。〃

If　the　object　of　the　wretch　was　to　exasperate　her　victim；　she　had
completely　failed。　Eunice　remained　as　still　as　a　statue。　To　all
appearance；　she　had　not　even　heard　what　had　been　said　to　her。
Helena　looked　at　me；　and　touched　her　forehead　with　a　significant
smile。　〃Sad；　isn't　it？〃　she　saidand　bowed；　and　went　briskly
away　on　her　household　errand。

We　were　alone　again。

Still；　Eunice　never　moved。　I　spoke　to　her；　and　produced　no
impression。　Beginning　to　feel　alarmed；　I　tried　the　effect　of
touching　her。　With　a　wild　cry；　she　started　into　a　state　of
animation。　Almost　at　the　same　moment；　she　weakly　swayed　to　and
fro　as　if　the　pleasant　breeze　in　the　garden　moved　her　at　its
will；　like　the　flowers。　I　held　her　up；　and　led　her　to　the　seat。

〃There　is　nothing　to　be　afraid　of；〃　I　said。　〃She　has　gone。〃

Eunice's　eyes　rested　on　me　in　vacant　surprise。　〃How　do　you　know？〃
she　asked。　〃I　hear　her；　but　I　never　see　her。　Do　you　see　her？〃

〃My　dear　child！　of　what　person　are　you　speaking？〃

She　answered：　〃Of　no　person。　I　am　speaking　of　a　Voice　that
whispers　and　tempts　me；　when　Helena　is　near。〃

〃What　voice；　Eunice？〃

〃The　whispering　Voice。　It　said　to　me；　'I　am　your　mother；'　it
called　me　Daughter　when　I　first　heard　it。　My　father　speaks　of　my
mother；　the　angel。　That　good　spirit　has　never　come　to　me　from　the
better　world。　It　is　a　mock…mother　who　comes　to　mesome　spirit　of
evil。　Listen　to　this。　I　was　awake　in　my　bed。　In　the　dark　I　heard
the　mock…mother　whispering；　close　at　my　ear。　Shall　I　tell　you　how
she　answered　me；　when　I　longed　for　light　to　see　her　by；　when　I
prayed　to　her　to　show　herself　to　me？　She　said：　'My　face　was
hidden　when　I　passed　from　life　to　death；　my　face　no　mortal
creature　may　see。'　I　have　never　seen　herhow　can　_you_　have　seen
her？　But　I　heard　her　again；　just　now。　She　whispered　to　me　when
Helena　was　standing　therewhere　you　are　standing。　She　freezes
the　life　in　me。　Did　she　freeze　the　life　in　_you？_　Did　you　hear
her　tempting　me？　Don't　speak　of　it；　if　you　did。　Oh；　not　a　word！
not　a　word！〃

A　man　who　has　governed　a　prison　may　say　with　Macbeth；　〃I　have
supped　full　with　horrors。〃　Hardened　as　I　wasor　ought　to　have
beenthe　effect　of　what　I　had　just　heard　turned　me　cold。　If　I
had　not　known　it　to　be　absolutely　impossible；　I　might　have
believed　that　the　crime　and　the　death　of　the　murderess　were　known
to　Eunice；　as　being　the　crime　and　the　death　of　her　mother；　and
that　the　horrid　discovery　had　turned　her　brain。　This　was　simply
impossible。　What　did　it　mean？　Good　God！　what　did　it　mean？

My　sense　of　my　own　helplessness　was　the　first　sense　in　me　that
recovered。　I　thought　of　Eunice's　devoted　little　friend。　A　woman's
sympathy　seemed　to　be　needed　now。　I　rose　to　lead　the　way　out　of
the　garden。

〃Selina　will　think　we　are　lost；〃　I　said。　〃Let　us　go　and　find
Selina。〃

〃Not　for　the　world；〃　she　cried。

〃Why　not？〃

〃Because　I　don't　feel　sure　of　myself。　I　might　tell　Selina
something　which　she　must　never　know；　I　should　be　so　sorry　to
frighten　her。　Let　me　stop　here　with　you。〃

I　resumed　my　place　at　her　side。

〃Let　me　take　your　hand。〃

I　gave　her　my　hand。　What　composing　influence　this　simple　act　may；
or　may　not；　have　exercised；　it　is　impossible　to　say。　She　was
quiet；　she　was　silent。　After　an　interval；　I　heard　her　breathe　a
long…drawn　sigh　of