the legacy of cain-第46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！


quiet；　she　was　silent。　After　an　interval；　I　heard　her　breathe　a
long…drawn　sigh　of　relief。

〃I　am　afraid　I　have　surprised　you；〃　she　said。　〃Helena　brings　the
dreadful　time　back　to　me〃　She　stopped　and　shuddered。

〃Don't　speak　of　Helena；　my　dear。〃

〃But　I　am　afraid　you　will　thinkbecause　I　have　said　strange
thingsthat　I　have　been　talking　at　random；〃　she　insisted。　〃The
doctor　will　say　that；　if　you　meet　with　him。　He　believes　I　am
deluded　by　a　dream。　I　tried　to　think　so　myself。　It　was　of　no　use；
I　am　quite　sure　he　is　wrong。〃

I　privately　determined　to　watch　for　the　doctor's　arrival；　and　to
consult　with　him。　Eunice　went　on：

〃I　have　the　story　of　a　terrible　night　to　tell　you；　but　I　haven't
the　courage　to　tell　it　now。　Why　shouldn't　you　come　back　with　me
to　the　place　that　I　am　staying　at？　A　pleasant　farm…house；　and
such　kind　people。　You　might　read　the　account　of　that　night　in　my
journal。　I　shall　not　regret　the　misery　of　having　written　it；　if
it　helps　you　to　find　out　how　this　hateful　second　self　of　mine　has
come　to　me。　Hush！　I　want　to　ask　you　something。　Do　you　think
Helena　is　in　the　house？〃

〃Noshe　has　gone　out。〃

〃Did　she　say　that　herself？　Are　you　sure？〃

〃Quite　sure。〃

She　decided　on　going　back　to　the　farm；　while　Helena　was　out　of
the　way。　We　left　the　garden　together。　For　the　first　time；　my
companion　noticed　the　portfolio。　I　happened　to　be　carrying　it　in
the　hand　that　was　nearest　to　her；　as　she　walked　by　my　side。

〃Where　did　you　get　that？〃　she　asked。

It　was　needless　to　reply　in　words。　My　hesitation　spoke　for　me。

〃Carry　it　in　your　other　hand；〃　she　said〃the　hand　that's
furthest　away　from　me。　I　don't　want　to　see　it！　Do　you　mind
waiting　a　moment　while　I　find　Selina？　You　will　go　to　the　farm
with　us；　won't　you？〃

I　had　to　look　over　the　letters；　in　Eunice's　own　interests；　and　I
begged　her　to　let　me　defer　my　visit　to　the　farm　until　the　next
day。　She　consented；　after　making　me　promise　to　keep　my
appointment。　It　was　of　some　importance　to　her；　she　told　me；　that
I　should　make　acquaintance　with　the　farmer　and　his　wife　and
children；　and　tell　her　how　I　liked　them。　Her　plans　for　the　future
depended　on　what　those　good　people　might　be　willing　to　do。　When
she　had　recovered　her　health；　it　was　impossible　for　her　to　go
home　again　while　Helena　remained　in　the　house。　She　had　resolved
to　earn　her　own　living；　if　she　could　get　employment　as　a
governess。　The　farmer's　children　liked　her；　she　had　already
helped　their　mother　in　teaching　them；　and　there　was　reason　to
hope　that　their　father　would　see　his　way　to　employing　her
permanently。　His　house　offered　the　great　advantage　of　being　near
enough　to　the　town　to　enable　her　to　hear　news　of　the　Minister's
progress　toward　recovery；　and　to　see　him　herself　when　safe
opportunities　offered；　from　time　to　ti　me。　As　for　her　salary；
what　did　she　care　about　money？　Anything　would　be　acceptable；　if
the　good　man　would　only　realize　her　hopes　for　the　future。

It　was　disheartening　to　hear　that　hope；　at　her　age；　began　and
ended　within　such　narrow　limits　as　these。　No　prudent　man　would
have　tried　to　persuade　her；　as　I　now　did；　that　the　idea　of
reconciliation　offered　the　better　hope　of　the　two。

〃Suppose　I　see　Mr。　Philip　Dunboyne　when　I　go　back　to　London；〃　I
began；　〃what　shall　I　say　to　him？〃

〃Say　I　have　forgiven　him。〃

〃And　suppose；〃　I　went　on；　〃that　the　blame　really　rests；　where　you
all　believe　it　to　rest；　with　Helena。　If　that　young　man　returns　to
you；　truly　ashamed　of　himself；　truly　penitent；　will　you？〃

She　resolutely　interrupted　me：　〃No！〃

〃Oh；　Eunice；　you　surely　mean　Yes？〃

〃I　mean　No！〃

〃Why？〃

〃Don't　ask　me！　Good…by　till　to…morrow。〃


CHAPTER　XLII。

THE　QUAINT　PHILOSOPHER。


No　person　came　to　my　room；　and　nothing　happened　to　interrupt　me
while　I　was　reading　Mr。　Philip　Dunboyne's　letters。

One　of　them；　let　me　say　at　once；　produced　a　very　disagreeable
impression　on　me。　I　have　unexpectedly　discovered　Mrs。
Tenbruggenin　a　postscript。　She　is　making　a　living　as　a　Medical
Rubber　（or　Masseuse）；　and　is　in　professional　attendance　on　Mr。
Dunboyne　the　elder。　More　of　this；　a　little　further　on。

Having　gone　through　the　whole　collection　of　young　Dunboyne's
letters；　I　set　myself　to　review　the　differing　conclusions　which
the　correspondence　had　produced　on　my　mind。

I　call　the　papers　submitted　to　me　a　correspondence；　because　the
greater　part　of　Philip's　letters　exhibit　notes　in　pencil；
evidently　added　by　Helena。　These　express；　for　the　most　part；　the
interpretation　which　she　had　placed　on　passages　that　perplexed　or
displeased　her；　and　they　have；　as　Philip's　rejoinders　show；　been
employed　as　materials　when　she　wrote　her　replies。

On　reflection；　I　find　myself　troubled　by　complexities　and
contradictions　in　the　view　presented　of　this　young　man's
character。　To　decide　positively　whether　I　can　justify　to　myself
and　to　my　regard　for　Eunice；　an　attempt　to　reunite　the　lovers；
requires　more　time　for　consideration　than　I　can　reasonably　expect
that　Helena's　patience　will　allow。　Having　a　quiet　hour　or　two
still　before　me；　I　have　determined　to　make　extracts　from　the
letters　for　my　own　use；　with　the　intention　of　referring　to　them
while　I　am　still　in　doubt　which　way　my　decision　ought　to　incline。
I　shall　present　them　here；　to　speak　for　themselves。　Is　there　any
objection　to　this？　None　that　I　can　see。

In　the　first　place；　those　extracts　have　a　value　of　their　own。
They　add　necessary　information　to　the　present　history　of　events。

In　the　second　place；　I　am　under　no　obligation　to　Mr。　Gracedieu's
daughter　which　forbids　me　to　make　use　of　her　portfolio。　I　told
her　that　I　only　consented　to　receive　it；　under　reserve　of　my　own
right　of　actionand　her　assent　to　that　stipulation　was　expressed
in　the　clearest　terms。


EXTRACTS　FROM　MR。　PHILIP　DUNBOYNE'S　LETTERS。

First　Extract。

You　blame　me；　dear　Helena；　for　not　having　paid　proper　attention
to　the　questions　put　to　me　in　your　last　letter。　I　have　only　been
waiting　to　make　up　my　mind；　before　I　replied。

First　question：　Do　I　think　it　advisable　that　you　should　write　to
my　father？　No；　my　dear；　I　beg　you　will　defer　writing；　until　you
hear　from　me　again。

Second　question：　Considering　that　he　is　still　a　stranger　to　you；
is　there　any　harm　in　your　asking　me　what　sort　of　man　my　father
is？　No　harm；　my　sweet　one；　but；　as　you　will　presently　see；　I　am
afraid　you　have　addressed　yourself　to　the　wrong　person。

My　father　is　kind；　in　his　own　odd　wayand　learned；　and　richa
more　high…minded　and　honorable　man　（as　I　have　every　reason　to
believe）　doesn't　live。　But　if　you　ask　me　which　he　prefers；　his
books　or　his　son；　I　hope　I　do　him　no　injustice　when　I　answer；　his
books。　His　reading　and　his　writing　are　obstacles　between　us　which
I　have　never　been　able　to　overcome。　This　is　the　more　to　be
regretted　because　he　is　charming；　on　the　few　occasions　when　I
find　him　disengaged。　If　you　wish　I　knew　more　about　my　father；　we
are　in　complete　agreement　as　usualI　wish；　too。

But　there　is　a　dear　friend　of　yours　and　mine；　who　is　just　the
person　we　want　to　help　us。　Need　I　say　that　I　allude　to　Mrs。
Staveley？

I　called　on　her　yesterday；　not　long　after　she　had　paid　a　visit　to
my　father。　Luck　had　favored　her。　She　arrived　just　at　the　time
when　hunger　had　obliged　him　to　shut　up　his　books；　and　ring　for
something　to　eat。　Mrs。　Staveley　secured　a　favorable　reception
with　her　customary　tact　and　delicacy。　He　had　a　fowl　for　his
dinner。　She　knows　his　weakness　of　old；　she　volunteered　to　carve
it　for　him。

If　I　can　only　repeat　what　this　clever　woman　told　me　of　their
talk；　you　will　have　a　portrait　of　Mr。　Dunboyne　the　eldernot
perhaps　a　highly…finished　picture；　but；　as　I　hope　and　believe；　a
good　likeness。

Mrs。　Staveley　began　by　complaining　to　him　of　the　conduct　of　his
son。　I　had　promised　to　write　to　her；　and　I　had　never　kept　my
word。　She　had　reasons　for　being　especially　interested　in　my　plans
and　prospects；　just　then；　knowing　me　to　be　attached　（please　take
notice　that　I　am　quoting　her　own　language）　to　a　charming　friend
of　hers；　whom　I　had　first　met　at　her　house。　To　aggravate　the
disappointment　that　I　had　inflicted；　the　young　lady　had　neglected
her；　too。　No　letters；　no　information。　Perhaps　my　father　would
kindly　enlighten　her？　Was　the　affair　going　on？　or　was　it　broken
off？

My　father　held　out　his　plate　and　asked　for　the　other　wing　of　the
fowl。　〃It　isn't　a　bad　one　for　London；〃　he　said；　〃won't　you　have
some　yourself？〃

〃I　don't　seem　to　have　interested　you；〃　Mrs。　Staveley　remarked。

〃What　did　you　expect　me　to　be　interested　in？〃　my　father　inquired。
〃I　was　absorbed　in　the　fowl。　Favor　me　by　returning　to　the
subject。〃

Mrs。　Staveley　admits　that　she　answered　this　rather　sharply：　〃The
subject；　sir；　was　your　son's　admiration　for　a　charming　girl：　one
of　the　daughters　of　Mr。　Gracedieu；　the　famous　preacher。〃

My　father　is　too　well…bred　to　speak　to　a　lady　while　his　attention
is　absorbed　by　a　fowl。　He　finished　the　second　wing；　and　then　he
asked　if　〃Philip　was　engaged　to　be　married。〃

〃I　am　not　quite　sure；〃　Mrs。　Staveley　confessed。

〃Then；　my　dear　friend；　we　will　wait　till　we　_are_　sure。〃

〃But；　Mr。　Dunboyne；　there　is　really　no　need　to　wait。　I　suppose
your　son　comes　here；　now　and　then；　to　see　you？〃

〃My　son　is　m