the legacy of cain-第49节

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for　regretting　my　conduct　in　the　past　time。

I　found　Miss　Jillgall　waiting　in　the　passage　to　see　me　come　out。

Before　I　could　tell　her　what　had　happened；　there　was　a　ring　at
the　house…bell。　The　visitor　proved　to　be　Mr。　Wellwood；　the
doctor。　I　was　anxious　to　speak　to　him　on　the　subject　of　Mr。
Gracedieu's　health。　Miss　Jillgall　introduced　me；　as　an　old　and
dear　friend　of　the　Minister；　and　left　us　together　in　the
dining…room。

〃What　do　I　think　of　Mr。　Gracedieu？〃　he　said；　repeating　the　first
question　that　I　put。　〃Well；　sir；　I　think　badly　of　him。〃

Entering　into　details；　after　that　ominous　reply；　Mr。　Wellwood　did
not　hesitate　to　say　that　his　patient's　nerves　were　completely
shattered。　Disease　of　the　brain　had；　as　he　feared；　been　already
set　up。　〃As　to　the　causes　which　have　produced　this　lamentable
break…down；〃　the　doctor　continued；　〃Mr。　Gracedieu　has　been　in　the
habit　of　preaching　extempore　twice　a　day　on　Sundays；　and
sometimes　in　the　week　as　welland　has　uniformly　refused　to　spare
himself　when　he　was　in　most　urgent　need　of　rest。　If　you　have　ever
attended　his　chapel；　you　have　seen　a　man　in　a　state　of　fiery
enthusiasm；　feeling　intensely　every　word　that　he　utters。　Think　of
such　exhaustion　as　that　implies　going　on　for　years　together；　and
accumulating　its　wasting　influences　on　a　sensitively　organized
constitution。　Add　that　he　is　tormented　by　personal　anxieties；
which　he　confesses　to　no　one；　not　even　to　his　own　children　and
the　sum　of　it　all　is　that　a　worse　case　of　its　kind；　I　am　grieved
to　say；　has　never　occurred　in　my　experience。〃

Before　the　doctor　left　me　to　go　to　his　patient；　I　asked　leave　to
occupy　a　minute　more　of　his　time。　My　object　was；　of　course；　to
speak　about　Eunice。

The　change　of　subject　seemed　to　be　agreeable　to　Mr。　Wellwood。　He
smiled　good…humoredly。

〃You　need　feel　no　alarm　about　the　health　of　that　interesting
girl；〃　he　said。　〃When　she　complained　to　meat　her　age！of　not
being　able　to　sleep；　I　should　have　taken　it　more　seriously　if　I
had　been　told　that　she　too　had　her　troubles；　poor　little　soul。
Love…troubles；　most　likelybut　don't　forget　that　my　professional
limits　keep　me　in　the　dark！　Have　you　heard　that　she　took　some
composing　medicine；　which　I　had　prescribed　for　her　father？　The
effect　（certain；　in　any　case；　to　be　injurious　to　a　young　girl）
was　considerably　aggravated　by　the　state　of　her　mind　at　the　time。
A　dream　that　frightened　her；　and　something　resembling　delirium；
seems　to　have　followed。　And　she　made　matters　worse；　poor　child；
by　writing　in　her　diary　about　the　visions　and　supernatural
appearances　that　had　terrified　her。　I　was　afraid　of　fever；　on　the
day　when　they　first　sent　for　me。　We　escaped　that　complication；
and　I　was　at　liberty　to　try　the　best　of　all　remediesquiet　and
change　of　air。　I　have　no　fears　for　Miss　Eunice。〃

With　that　cheering　reply　he　went　up　to　the　Minister's　room。

All　that　I　had　found　perplexing　in　Eunice　was　now　made　clear。　I
understood　how　her　agony　at　the　loss　of　her　lover；　and　her　keen
sense　of　the　wrong　that　she　had　suffered；　had　been　strengthened
in　their　disastrous　influence　by　her　experiment　on　the　sleeping
draught　intended　for　her　father。　In　mind　and　body；　both；　the　poor
girl　was　in　the　condition　which　offered　its　opportunity　to　the
lurking　hereditary　taint。　It　was　terrible　to　think　of　what　might
have　happened；　if　the　all…powerful　counter…influence　had　not　been
present　to　save　her。

Before　I　had　been　long　alone　the　servant…maid　came　in；　and　said
the　doctor　wanted　to　see　me。

Mr。　Wellwood　was　waiting　in　the　passage；　outside　the　Minister's
bedchamber。　He　asked　if　he　could　speak　to　me　without
interruption；　and　without　the　fear　of　being　overheard。　I　led　him
at　once　to　the　room　which　I　occupied　as　a　guest。

〃At　the　very　time　when　it　is　most　important　to　keep　Mr。　Gracedieu
quiet；〃　he　said；　〃something　has　happened　to　exciteI　might
almost　say　to　infuriate　him。　He　has　left　his　bed；　and　is　walking
up　and　down　the　room；　and；　I　don't　scruple　to　say；　he　is　on　the
verge　of　madness。　He　insists　on　seeing　you。　Being　wholly　unable
to　control　him　in　any　other　way；　I　have　consented　to　this。　But　I
must　not　allow　you　to　place　yourself　in　what　may　be　a
disagreeable　position；　without　a　word　of　warning。　Judging　by　his
tones　and　his　looks；　he　seems　to　have　no　very　friendly　motive　for
wishing　to　see　you。〃

Knowing　perfectly　well　what　had　happened；　and　being　one　of　those
impatient　people　who　can　never　endure　suspenseI　offered　to　go
at　once　to　Mr。　Gracedieu's　room。　The　doctor　asked　leave　to　say
one　word　more。

〃Pray　be　careful　that　you　neither　say　nor　do　anything　to　thwart
him；〃　Mr。　Wellwood　resumed。　〃If　he　expresses　an　opinion；　agree
with　him。　If　he　is　insolent　and　overbearing；　don't　answer　him。　In
the　state　of　his　brain；　the　one　hopeful　course　to　take　is　to　let
him　have　his　own　way。　Pray　remember　that。　I　will　be　within　call；
in　case　of　your　wanting　me。〃



CHAPTER　XLV。

THE　FATAL　PORTRAIT。



I　KNOCKED　at　the　bedroom　door。

〃Who's　there？〃

Only　two　wordsbut　the　voice　that　uttered　them；　hoarse　and
peremptory；　was　altered　almost　beyond　recognition。　If　I　had　not
known　whose　room　it　was；　I　might　have　doubted　whether　the
Minister　had　really　spoken　to　me。

At　the　instant　when　I　answered　him；　I　was　allowed　to　pass　in。
Having　admitted　me；　he　closed　the　door；　and　placed　himself　with
his　back　against　it。　The　customary　pallor　of　his　face　had
darkened　to　a　deep　red；　there　was　an　expression　of　ferocious
mockery　in　his　eyes。　Helena's　vengeance　had　hurt　her　unhappy
father　far　more　severely　than　it　seemed　likely　to　hurt　me。　The
doctor　had　said　he　was　on　the　verge　of　madness。　To　my　thinking；
he　had　already　passed　the　boundary　line。

He　received　me　with　a　boisterous　affectation　of　cordiality。

〃My　excellent　friend！　My　admirable；　honorable；　welcome　guest；　you
don't　know　how　glad　I　am　to　see　you。　Stand　a　little　nearer　to　the
light；　I　want　to　admire　you。〃

Remembering　the　doctor's　advice；　I　obeyed　him　in　silence。

〃Ah；　you　were　a　handsome　fellow　when　I　first　knew　you；〃　he　said；
〃and　you　have　some　remains　of　it　still　left。　Do　you　remember　the
time　when　you　were　a　favorite　with　the　ladies？　Oh；　don't　pretend
to　be　modest；　don't　turn　your　back；　now　you　are　old；　on　what　you
were　in　the　prime　of　your　life。　Do　you　own　that　I　am　right？〃

What　his　object　might　be　in　saying　thisif；　indeed；　he　had　an
objectit　was　impossible　to　guess。　The　doctor's　advice　left　me
no　alternative；　I　hastened　to　own　that　he　was　right。　As　I　made
that　answer；　I　observed　that　he　held　something　in　his　hand　which
was　half　hidden　up　the　sleeve　of　his　dressing…gown。　What　the
nature　of　the　object　was　I　failed　to　discover。

〃And　when　I　happened　to　speak　of　you　somewhere；〃　he　went　on；　〃I
forget　wherea　member　of　my　congregationI　don't　recollect　who
it　wastold　me　you　were　connected　with　the　aristocracy。　How　were
you　connected？〃

He　surprised　me；　but；　however　he　had　got　his　information；　he　had
not　been　deceived。　I　told　him　that　I　was　connected；　through　my
mother；　with　the　family　to　which　he　had　alluded。

〃The　aristocracy！〃　he　repeated。　〃A　race　of　people　who　are　rich
without　earning　their　money；　and　noble　because　their
great…grandfathers　were　noble　before　them。　They　live　in　idleness
and　luxuryprofligates　who　gratify　their　passions　without　shame
and　without　remorse。　Deny；　if　you　dare；　that　this　is　a　true
description　of　them。〃

It　was　really　pitiable。　Heartily　sorry　for　him；　I　pacified　him
again。

〃And　don't　suppose　I　forget　that　you　are　one　of　them。　Do　you　hear
me；　my　noble　friend？〃

There　was　no　help　for　itI　made　another　conciliatory　reply。

〃So　far；〃　he　resumed；　〃I　don't　complain　of　you。　You　have　not
attempted　to　deceive　meyet。　Absolute　silence　is　what　I　require
next。　Though　you　may　not　suspect　it；　my　mind　is　in　a　ferment；　I
must　try　to　think。〃

To　some　extent　at　least；　his　thoughts　betrayed　themselves　in　his
actions。　He　put　the　object　that　I　had　half　seen　in　his　hand　into
the　pocket　of　his　dressing…gown；　and　moved　to　the　toilet…table。
Opening　one　of　the　drawers；　he　took　from　it　a　folded　sheet　of
paper；　and　came　back　to　me。

〃A　minister　of　the　Gospel；〃　he　said；　〃is　a　sacred　man；　and　has　a
horror　of　crime。　You　are　safe；　so　farprovided　you　obey　me。　I
have　a　solemn　and　terrible　duty　to　perform。　This　is　not　the　right
place　for　it。　Follow　me　downstairs。〃

He　led　the　way　out。　The　doctor；　waiting　in　the　passage；　was　not
near　the　stairs；　　and　so　escaped　notice。　〃What　is　it？〃　Mr。　W
ellwood　whispered。　In　the　same　guarded　way；　I　said：　〃He　has　not
told　me　yet；　I　have　been　careful　not　to　irritate　him。〃　When　we
descended　the　stairs；　the　doctor　followed　us　at　a　safe　distance。
He　mended　his　pace　when　the　Minister　opened　the　door　of　the
study；　and　when　he　saw　us　both　pass　in。　Before　he　could　follow；
the　door　was　closed　and　locked　in　his　face。　Mr。　Gracedieu　took
out　the　key　and　threw　it　through　the　open　window；　into　the　garden
below。

Turning　back　into　the　room；　he　laid　the　folded　sheet　of　paper　on
the　table。　That　done；　he　spoke　to　me。

〃I　distrust　my　own　weakness；〃　he　said。　〃A　dreadful　necessity
confronts　meI　might　shrink　from　the　horrid　idea；　and；　if　I
could　open　the　door；　might　try　to　get　away。　Escape　is　impossibl