the legacy of cain-第48节

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poor　old　gentleman's　muscles　again。　She　had　the　audacity　to　say
to　me：　〃Well；　Mr。　Philip；　when　are　you　going　to　marry　Miss　Eunice
Gracedieu？〃　My　father　looked　up。　〃Eunice？〃　he　repeated。　〃When　my
son　told　me　he　was　engaged　to　Miss　Gracedieu；　he　said　'Helena'！
Philip；　what　does　this　mean？〃　Mrs。　Tenbruggen　was　so　obliging　as
to　answer　for　me。　〃Some　mistake；　sir；　it's　Eunice　he　is　engaged
to。〃　I　confess　I　forgot　myself。　〃How　the　devil　do　you　know　that？〃
I　burst　out。　Mrs。　Tenbruggen　ignored　me　and　my　language。　〃I　am
sorry　to　see；　sir；　that　your　son's　education　has　been　neglected；
he　seems　to　be　grossly　ignorant　of　the　laws　of　politeness。〃
〃Never　mind　the　laws　of　politeness；〃　says　my　father。　〃You　appear
to　be　better　acquainted　with　my　son's　matrimonial　prospects　than
he　is　himself。　How　is　that？〃　Mrs。　Tenbruggen　favored　him　with
another　ready　reply：　〃My　authority　is　a　letter；　addressed　to　me
by　a　relative　of　Mr。　Gracedieumy　dear　and　intimate　friend；　Miss
Jillgall。〃　My　father's　keen　eyes　traveled　backward　and　forward
between　his　female　surgeon　and　his　son。　〃Which　am　I　to　believ　e？〃
he　inquired。　〃I　am　surprised　at　your　asking　the　question；〃　I
said。　Mrs。　Tenbruggen　pointed　to　me。　〃Look　at　Mr。　Philip；
sirand　you　will　allow　him　one　merit。　He　is　capable　of　showing
it；　when　he　knows　he　has　disgraced　himself。〃　Without　intending
it；　I　am　sure；　my　father　infuriated　me；　he　looked　as　if　he
believed　her。　Out　came　one　of　the　smallest　and　strongest　words　in
the　English　language　before　I　could　stop　it：　〃Mrs。　Tenbruggen；
you　lie！〃　The　illustrious　Rubber　dropped　my　father's　handshe
had　been　operating　on　him　all　the　timeand　showed　us　that　she
could　assert　her　dignity　when　circumstances　called　for　the
exertion：　〃Either　your　son　or　I；　sir；　must　leave　the　room。　Which
is　it　to　be？〃　She　met　her　match　in　my　father。　Walking　quietly　to
the　door；　he　opened　it　for　Mrs。　Tenbruggen　with　a　low　bow。　She
stopped　on　her　way　out；　and　delivered　her　parting　words：
〃Messieurs　Dunboyne；　father　and　son；　I　keep　my　temper；　and　merely
regard　you　as　a　couple　of　blackguards。〃　With　that　pretty
assertion　of　her　opinion；　she　left　us。

When　we　were　alone；　there　was　but　one　course　to　take；　I　made　my
confession。　It　is　impossible　to　tell　you　how　my　father　received
itfor　he　sat　down　at　his　library　table　with　his　back　to　me。　The
first　thing　he　did　was　to　ask　me　to　help　his　memory。

〃Did　you　say　that　the　father　of　these　girls　was　a　parson？〃

〃Yesa　Congregational　Minister。〃

〃What　does　the　Minister　think　of　you？〃

〃I　don't　know；　sir。〃

〃Find　out。〃

That　was　all；　not　another　word　could　I　extract　from　him。　I　don't
pretend　to　have　discovered　what　he　really　has　in　his　mind。　I　only
venture　on　a　suggestion。　If　there　is　any　old　friend　in　your　town；
who　has　some　influence　over　your　father；　leave　no　means　untried
of　getting　that　friend　to　say　a　kind　word　for　us。　And　then　ask
your　father　to　write　to　mine。　This　is；　as　I　see　it；　our　only
chance。

。　。　。　。　。　。　。

There　the　letter　ends。　Helena's　notes　on　it　show　that　her　pride
is　fiercely　interested　in　securing　Philip　as　a　husband。　Her
victory　over　poor　Eunice　will；　as　she　plainly　intimates；　be　only
complete　when　she　is　married　to　young　Dunboyne。　For　the　rest；　her
desperate　resolution　to　win　her　way　to　my　good　graces　is
sufficiently　intelligible；　now。

My　own　impressions　vary。　Philip　rather　gains　upon　me；　he　appears
to　have　some　capacity　for　feeling　ashamed　of　himself。　On　the
other　hand；　I　regard　the　discovery　of　an　intimate　friendship
existing　between　Mrs。　Tenbruggen　and　Miss　Jillgall　with　the
gloomiest　views。　Is　this　formidable　Masseuse　likely　to　ply　her
trade　in　the　country　towns？　And　is　it　possible　that　she　may　come
to　this　town？　God　forbid！


Of　the　other　letters　in　the　collection；　I　need　take　no　special
notice。　I　returned　the　whole　correspondence　to　Helena；　and　waited
to　hear　from　her。

The　one　recent　event　in　Mr。　Gracedieu's　family；　worthy　of　record；
is　of　a　melancholy　nature。　After　paying　his　visit　to…day；　the
doctor　has　left　word　that　nobody　but　the　nurse　is　to　go　near　the
Minister。　This　seems　to　indicate；　but　too　surely；　a　change　for
the　worse。

Helena　has　been　away　all　the　evening　at　the　Girls'　School。　She
left　a　little　note；　informing　me　of　her　wishes：　〃I　shall　expect
to　be　favored　with　your　decision　to…morrow　morning；　in　my
housekeeping　room。〃

At　breakfast　time；　the　report　of　the　poor　Minister　was　still
discouraging。　I　noticed　that　Helena　was　absent　from　the　table。
Miss　Jillgall　suspected　that　the　cause　was　bad　news　from　Mr。
Philip　Dunboyne；　arriving　by　that　morning's　post。　〃If　you　will
excuse　the　use　of　strong　language　by　a　lady；〃　she　said；　〃Helena
looked　perfectly　devilish　when　she　opened　the　letter。　She　rushed
away；　and　locked　herself　up　in　her　own　shabby　room。　A　serious
obstacle；　as　I　suspect；　in　the　way　of　her　marriage。　Cheering；
isn't　it？〃　As　usual；　good　Selina　expressed　her　sentiments　without
reserve。

I　had　to　keep　my　appointment；　and　the　sooner　Helena　Gracedieu　and
I　understood　each　other　the　better。

I　knocked　at　the　door。　It　was　loudly　unlocked；　and　violently
thrown　open。　Helena's　temper　had　risen　to　boiling　heat；　she
stammered　with　rage　when　she　spoke　to　me。

〃I　mean　to　come　to　the　point　at　once；〃　she　said。

〃I　am　glad　to　hear　it；　Miss　Helena。〃

〃May　I　count　on　your　influence　to　help　me？　I　want　a　positive
answer。〃

I　gave　her　what　she　wanted。　I　said：　〃Certainly　not。〃

She　took　a　crumpled　letter　from　her　pocket；　opened　it；　and
smoothed　it　out　on　the　table　with　a　blow　of　her　open　hand。

〃Look　at　that；〃　she　said。

I　looked。　It　was　the　letter　addressed　to　Mr。　Dunboyne　the　elder；
which　I　had　written　for　Mr。　Gracedieuwith　the　one　object　of
preventing　Helena's　marriage。

〃Of　course；　I　can　depend　on　you　to　tell　me　the　truth？〃　she
continued。

〃Without　fear　or　favor；〃　I　answered；　〃you　may　depend　on　_that。_〃

〃The　signature　to　the　letter；　Mr。　Governor；　is　written　by　my
father。　But　the　letter　itself　is　in　a　different　hand。　Do　you；　by
any　chance；　recognize　the　writing？〃

〃I　do。〃

〃Whose　writing　is　it？〃

〃Mine。〃


CHAPTER　XLIV。

THE　RESURRECTION　OF　THE　PAST。


AFTER　having　identified　my　handwriting；　I　waited　with　some
curiosity　to　see　whether　Helena　would　let　her　anger　honestly　show
itself；　or　whether　she　would　keep　it　down。　She　kept　it　down。

〃Allow　me　to　return　good　for　evil。〃　（The　evil　was　uppermost；
nevertheless；　when　Miss　Gracedieu　expressed　herself　in　these
self…denying　terms。）　〃You　are　no　doubt　anxious　to　know　if
Philip's　father　has　been　won　over　to　serve　your　purpose。　Here　is
Philip's　own　account　of　it：　the　last　of　his　letters　that　I　shall
trouble　you　to　read。〃

I　looked　it　over。　The　memorandum　follows　which　I　made　for　my　own
use：

An　eccentric　philosopher　is　as　capable　as　the　most　commonplace
human　being　in　existence　of　behaving　like　an　honorable　man。　Mr。
Dunboyne　read　the　letter　which　bore　the　Minister's　signature；　and
handed　it　to　his　son。　〃Can　you　answer　that？〃　was　all　he　said。
Philip's　silence　confessed　that　he　was　unable　to　answer　itand
Philip　himself；　I　may　add；　rose　accordingly　in　my　estimation。　His
father　pointed　to　the　writing…desk。　〃I　must　spare　my　cramped
hand；〃　the　philosopher　resumed；　〃and　I　must　answer　Mr。
Gracedieu's　letter。　Write；　and　leave　a　place　for　my　signature。〃
He　began　to　dictate　his　reply。　〃SirMy　son　Philip　has　seen　your
letter；　and　has　no　defense　to　make。　In　this　respect　he　has　set　an
example　of　candor　which　I　propose　to　follow。　There　is　no　excuse
for　him。　What　I　can　do　to　show　that　I　feel　for　you；　and　agree
with　you；　shall　be　done。　At　the　age　which　this　young　man　has
reached；　the　laws　of　England　abolish　the　authority　of　his　father。
If　he　is　sufficiently　infatuated　to　place　his　honor　and　his
happiness　at　the　mercy　of　a　lady；　who　has　behaved　to　her　sister
as　your　daughter　has　behaved　to　Miss　Eunice；　I　warn　the　married
couple　not　to　expect　a　farthing　of　my　money；　either　during　my
lifetime　or　after　my　death。　Your　faithful　servant；　DUNBOYNE；
SENIOR。〃　Having　performed　his　duty　as　secretary；　Philip　received
his　dismissal：　〃You　may　send　my　reply　to　the　post；〃　his　father
said；　〃and　you　may　keep　Mr。　Gracedieu's　letter。　Morally　speaking；
I　regard　that　last　document　as　a　species　of　mirror；　in　which　a
young　gentleman　like　yourself　may　see　how　ugly　he　looks。〃　This；
Philip　declared；　was　his　father's　form　of　farewell。

I　handed　back　the　letter　to　Helena。　Not　a　word　passed　between　us。
In　sinister　silence　she　opened　the　door　and　left　me　alone　in　the
room。

That　Mrs。　Gracedieu　and　I　had　met　in　the　bygone　time；　andthis
was　the　only　serious　part　of　ithad　met　in　secret；　would　now　be
made　known　to　the　Minister。　Was　I　to　blame　for　having　shrunk　from
distressing　my　good　friend；　by　telling　him　that　his　wife　had
privately　consulted　me　on　the　means　of　removing　his　adopted　child
from　his　house？　And；　even　if　I　had　been　cruel　enough　to　do　this；
would　he　have　believed　my　statement　against　the　positive　denial
with　which　the　woman　whom　he　loved　and　trusted　would　have
certainly　met　it？　No！　let　the　consequences　of　the　coming
disclosure　be　what　they　might；　I　failed　to　see　any　valid　reason
for　regretting　my　conduct　in　the　past　time。

I　found　Miss　Jillgall