the legacy of cain-第5节

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woman。

〃There　are　exceptions　to　all　rules；〃　I　insisted。　〃And　why　are　the
virtues　of　the　parents　not　just　as　likely　to　descend　to　the
children　as　the　vices？　There　was　a　fund　of　good；　I　can　tell　you；
in　that　poor　baby's　fatherthough　I　don't　deny　that　he　was　a
profligate　man。　And　even　the　horrible　motheras　you　heard　just
nowhas　virtue　enough　left　in　her　to　feel　grateful　to　the　man
who　has　taken　care　of　her　child。　These　are　facts；　you　can't
dispute　them。〃

The　Doctor　took　out　his　pipe。　〃Do　you　mind　my　smoking？〃　he　asked。
〃Tobacco　helps　me　to　arrange　my　ideas。〃

I　gave　him　the　means　of　arranging　his　ideas；　that　is　to　say；　I
gave　him　the　match…box。　He　blew　some　preliminary　clouds　of　smoke
and　then　he　answered　me：

〃For　twenty　years　past；　my　friend；　I　have　been　studying　the
question　of　hereditary　transmission　of　qualities；　and　I　have
found　vices　and　diseases　descending　more　frequently　to　children
than　virtue　and　health。　I　don't　stop　to　ask　why：　there　is　no　end
to　that　sort　of　curiosity。　What　I　have　observed　is　what　I　tell
you；　no　more　and　no　less。　You　will　say　this　is　a　horribly
discouraging　result　of　experience；　for　it　tends　to　show　that
children　come　into　the　world　at　a　disadvantage　on　the　day　of
their　birth。　Of　course　they　do。　Children　are　born　deformed；
children　are　born　deaf；　dumb；　or　blind；　children　are　born　with
the　seeds　in　them　of　deadly　diseases。　Who　can　account　for　the
cruelties　of　creation？　Why　are　we　endowed　with　lifeonly　to　end
in　death？　And　does　it　ever　strike　you；　when　you　are　cutting　your
mutton　at　dinner；　and　your　cat　is　catching　its　mouse；　and　your
spider　is　suffocating　its　fly；　that　we　are　all；　big　and　little
together；　born　to　one　certain　inheritancethe　privilege　of
eating　each　other？〃

〃Very　sad；〃　I　admitted。　〃But　it　will　all　be　set　right　in　another
world。〃

〃Are　you　quite　sure　of　that？〃　the　Doctor　asked。

〃Quite　sure；　thank　God！　And　it　would　be　better　for　you　if　you
felt　about　it　as　I　do。〃

〃We　won't　dispute；　my　dear　Governor。　I　don't　scoff　at　comforting
hopes；　I　don't　deny　the　existence　of　occasional　compensations。
But　I　do　see；　nevertheless；　that　Evil　has　got　the　upper　hand
among　us；　on　this　curious　little　planet。　Judging　by　my
observation　and　experience；　that　ill…fated　baby's　chance　of
inheriting　the　virtues　of　her　parents　is　not　to　be　compared　with
her　chances　of　inheriting　their　vices；　especially　if　she　happens
to　take　after　her　mother。　_There_　the　virtue　is　not　conspicuous；
and　the　vice　is　one　enormous　fact。　When　I　think　of　the　growth　of
that　poisonous　hereditary　taint；　which　may　come　with　timewhen　I
think　of　passions　let　loose　and　temptations　lying　in　ambushI
see　the　smooth　surface　of　the　Minister's　domestic　life　with
dangers　lurking　under　it　which　make　me　shake　in　my　shoes。　God！
what　a　life　I　should　lead；　if　I　happened　to　be　in　his　place；　some
years　hence。　Suppose　I　said　or　did　something　（in　the　just
exercise　of　my　parental　authority）　which　offended　my　adopted
daughter。　What　figure　would　rise　from　the　dead　in　my　memory；　when
the　girl　bounced　out　of　the　room　in　a　rage？　The　image　of　her
mother　would　be　the　image　I　should　see。　I　should　remember　what
her　mother　did　when　_she_　was　provoked；　I　should　lock　my　bedroom
door；　in　my　own　house；　at　night。　I　should　come　down　to　breakfast
with　suspicions　in　my　cup　of　tea；　if　I　discovered　that　my　adopted
daughter　had　poured　it　out。　Oh；　yes；　it's　quite　true　that　I　might
be　doing　the　girl　a　cruel　injustice　all　the　time；　but　how　am　I　to
be　sure　of　that？　I　am　only　sure　that　her　mother　was　hanged　for
one　of　the　most　merciless　murders　committed　in　our　time。　Pass　the
match…box。　My　pipe's　out；　and　my　confession　of　faith　has　come　to
an　end。〃

It　was　useless　to　dispute　with　a　man　who　possessed　his　command　of
language。　At　the　same　time；　there　was　a　bright　side　to　the　poor
Minister's　prospects　which　the　Doctor　had　failed　to　see。　It　was
barely　possible　that　I　might　succeed　in　putting　my　positive
friend　in　the　wrong。　I　tried　the　experiment；　at　any　rate。

〃You　seem　to　have　forgotten；〃　I　reminded　him；　〃that　the　child
will　have　every　advantage　that　education　can　offer　to　her；　and
will　be　accustomed　from　her　earliest　years　to　restraining　and
purifying　influences；　in　a　clergyman's　household。〃

Now　that　he　was　enjoying　the　fumes　of　tobacco；　the　Doctor　was　as
placid　and　sweet…tempered　as　a　man　could　be。

〃Quite　true；〃　he　said。

〃Do　you　doubt　the　influence　of　religion？〃　I　asked　sternly。

He　answered；　sweetly：　〃Not　at　all〃

〃Or　the　influence　of　kindness？〃

〃Oh；　dear；　no！〃

〃Or　the　force　of　example？〃

〃I　wouldn't　deny　it　for　the　world。〃

I　had　not　expected　this　extraordinary　docility。　The　Doctor　had
got　the　upper　hand　of　me　againa　state　of　thing　s　that　I　might
have　found　it　hard　to　endure；　but　for　a　call　of　duty　which　put　an
end　to　our　sitting。　One　of　the　female　warders　appeared　with　a
message　from　the　condemned　cell。　The　Prisoner　wished　to　see　the
Governor　and　the　Medical　Officer。

〃Is　she　ill？〃　the　Doctor　inquired。

〃No；　sir。〃

〃Hysterical？　or　agitated；　perhaps？〃

〃As　easy　and　composed；　sir；　as　a　person　can　be。〃

We　set　forth　together　for　the　condemned　cell。


CHAPTER　VII。

THE　MURDERESS　CONSULTS　THE　AUTHORITIES。


THERE　was　a　considerate　side　to　my　friend's　character；　which
showed　itself　when　the　warder　had　left　us。

He　was　especially　anxious　to　be　careful　of　what　he　said　to　a
woman　in　the　Prisoner's　terrible　situation；　especially　in　the
event　of　her　having　been　really　subjected　to　the　influence　of
religious　belief。　On　the　Minister's　own　authority；　I　declared
that　there　was　every　reason　to　adopt　this　conclusion；　and　in
support　of　what　I　had　said　I　showed　him　the　confession。　It　only
contained　a　few　lines；　acknowledging　that　she　had　committed　the
murder　and　that　she　deserved　her　sentence。　〃From　the　planning　of
the　crime　to　the　commission　of　the　crime；　I　was　in　my　right
senses　throughout。　I　knew　what　I　was　doing。〃　With　that　remarkable
disavowal　of　the　defense　set　up　by　her　advocate；　the　confession
ended。

My　colleague　read　the　paper；　and　handed　it　back　to　me　without
making　any　remark。　I　asked　if　he　suspected　the　Prisoner　of
feigning　conversion　to　please　the　Minister。

〃She　shall　not　discover　it；〃　he　answered；　gravely；　〃if　I　do。〃

It　would　not　be　true　to　say　that　the　Doctor's　obstinacy　had
shaken　my　belief　in　the　good　result　of　the　Minister's
interference。　I　may；　however；　acknowledge　that　I　felt　some
misgivings；　which　were　not　dispelled　when　I　found　myself　in　the
presence　of　the　Prisoner。

I　had　expected　to　see　her　employed　in　reading　the　Bible。　The　good
book　was　closed　and　was　not　even　placed　within　her　reach。　The
occupation　to　which　she　was　devoting　herself　astonished　and
repelled　me。

Some　carelessness　on　the　part　of　the　attendant　had　left　on　the
table　the　writing　materials　that　had　been　needed　for　her
confession。　She　was　using　them　nowwhen　death　on　the　scaffold
was　literally　within　a　few　hours　of　herto　sketch　a　portrait　of
the　female　warder；　who　was　on　the　watch！　The　Doctor　and　I　looked
at　each　other；　and　now　the　sincerity　of　her　repentance　was
something　that　I　began　to　question；　too。

She　laid　down　the　pen；　and　proceeded　quietly　to　explain　herself。

〃Even　the　little　time　that　is　left　to　me　proves　to　be　a　weary
time　to　get　through；〃　she　said。　〃I　am　making　a　last　use　of　the
talent　for　drawing　and　catching　a　likeness；　which　has　been　one　of
my　gifts　since　I　was　a　girl。　You　look　as　if　you　didn't　approve　of
such　employment　as　this　for　a　woman　who　is　going　to　be　hanged。
Well；　sir；　I　have　no　doubt　you　are　right。〃　She　paused；　and　tore
up　the　portrait。　〃If　I　have　misbehaved　myself；〃　she　resumed；　〃I
make　amends。　To　find　you　in　an　indulgent　frame　of　mind　is　of
importance　to　me　just　now。　I　have　a　favor　to　ask　of　you。　May　the
warder　leave　the　cell　for　a　few　minutes？〃

Giving　the　woman　permission　to　withdraw　for　a　while；　I　waited
with　some　anxiety　to　hear　what　the　Prisoner　wanted　of　me。

〃I　have　something　to　say　to　you；〃　she　proceeded；　〃on　the　subject
of　executions。　The　face　of　a　person　who　is　going　to　be　hanged　is
hidden；　as　I　have　been　told；　by　a　white　cap　drawn　over　it。　Is
that　true？〃

How　another　man　might　have　felt；　in　my　place；　I　cannot；　of
course；　say。　To　my　mind；　such　a　questionon　_her_　lipswas　too
shocking　to　be　answered　in　words。　I　bowed。

〃And　the　body　is　buried；〃　she　went　on；　〃in　the　prison？〃

I　could　remain　silent　no　longer。　〃Is　there　no　human　feeling　left
in　you？〃　I　burst　out。　〃What　do　these　horrid　questions　mean？〃

〃Don't　be　angry　with　me；　sir；　you　shall　hear　directly。　I　want　to
know　first　if　I　am　to　be　buried　in　the　prison？〃

I　replied　as　before；　by　a　bow。

〃Now；〃　she　said；　〃I　may　tell　you　what　I　mean。　In　the　autumn　of
last　year　I　was　taken　to　see　some　waxworks。　Portraits　of
criminals　were　among　them。　There　was　one　portrait〃　She
hesitated；　her　infernal　self…possession　failed　her　at　last。　The
color　left　her　face；　she　was　no　longer　able　to　look　at　me　firmly。
〃There　was　one　portrait；〃　she　resumed；　〃that　had　been　taken　after
the　execution。　The　face　was　so　hideous；　it　was　swollen　to　such　a
size　in　its　frightful　deformityoh；　sir；　don't　let　me　be　seen　in
that　state；　even　by　the　strangers　who　bury　me！　U