the legacy of cain-第51节

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him。

He　paused；　looking　backward　and　forward　between　the　picture　and
me。

〃Which　of　them　shall　I　kill　first？〃　he　said　to　himself。　〃The　man
who　was　my　trusted　friend？　Or　the　woman　whom　I　believed　to　be　an
angel　on　earth？〃　He　stopped　once　more；　in　a　state　of　fierce
self…concentration；　debating　what　he　should　do。　〃The　woman；〃　he
decided。　〃Wretch！　Fiend！　Harlot！　How　I　loved　her！！！〃

With　a　yell　of　fury；　he　pounced　on　the　pictureripped　the　canvas
out　of　the　frameand　cut　it　malignantly　into　fragments。　As　they
dropped　from　the　razor　on　the　floor；　he　stamped　on　them；　and
ground　them　under　his　foot。　〃Go；　wife　of　my　bosom；〃　he　cried；
with　a　dreadful　mockery　of　voice　and　look〃go；　and　burn
everlastingly　in　the　place　of　torment！〃　His　eyes　glared　at　me。
〃Your　turn　now；〃　he　saidand　rushed　at　me　with　his　weapon　ready
in　his　hand。　I　hurled　the　chair　at　his　right　arm。　The　razor
dropped　on　the　floor。　I　caught　him　by　the　wrist。　Like　a　wild
animal　he　tried　to　bite　me。　With　my　free　handif　I　had　known　how
to　defend　myself　in　any　other　way；　I　would　have　taken　that
waywith　my　free　hand　I　seized　him　by　the　throat；　forced　him
back；　and　held　him　against　the　wall。　My　grasp　on　his　throat　kept
him　quiet。　But　the　dread　of　seriously　injuring　him　so　completely
overcame　me；　that　I　forgot　I　was　a　prisoner　in　the　room；　and　was
on　the　point　of　alarming　the　household　by　a　cry　for　help。

I　was　still　struggling　to　preserve　my　self…control；　when　the
sound　of　footsteps　broke　the　silence　outside。　I　heard　the　key
turn　in　the　lock；　and　saw　the　doctor　at　the　open　door。


CHAPTER　XLVI。

THE　CUMBERSOME　LADIES。


I　CANNOT　prevail　upon　myself　to　dwell　at　any　length　on　the　events
that　followed。

We　secured　my　unhappy　friend；　and　carried　him　to　his　bed。　It　was
necessary　to　have　men　in　attendance　who　could　perform　the　duty　of
watching　him。　The　doctor　sent　for　them；　while　I　went　downstairs
to　make　the　best　I　could　of　the　miserable　news　which　it　was
impossible　entirely　to　conceal。

All　that　I　could　do　to　spare　Miss　Jillgall；　I　did。　I　was　obliged
to　acknowledge　that　there　had　been　an　outbreak　of　violence；　and
that　the　portrait　of　the　Minister's　wife　had　been　destroyed　by
the　Minister　himself。　Of　Helena's　revenge　on　me　I　said　nothing。
It　had　led　to　consequences　which　even　her　merciless　malice　could
not　have　contemplated。　There　were　no　obstacles　in　the　way　of
keeping　secret　the　attempt　on　my　life。　But　I　was　compelled　to　own
that　Mr。　Gracedieu　had　taken　a　dislike　to　me；　which　rendered　it
necessary　that　my　visit　should　be　brought　to　an　end。　I　hastened
to　add　that　I　should　go　to　the　hotel；　and　should　wait　there　until
the　next　day；　in　the　hope　of　hearing　better　news。

Of　the　multitude　of　questions　with　which　poor　Miss　Jillgall
overwhelmed　meof　the　wild　words　of　sorrow　and　alarm　that
escaped　herof　the　desperate　manner　in　which　she　held　by　my　arm；
and　implored　me　not　to　go　away；　when　I　must　see　for　myself　that
〃she　was　a　person　entirely　destitute　of　presence　of　mind〃I
shall　say　nothing。　The　undeserved　suffering　that　is　inflicted　on
innocent　persons　by　the　sins　of　others　demands　silent　sympathy；
and；　to　that　extent　at　least；　I　can　say　that　I　honestly　felt　for
my　quaint　and　pleasant　little　friend。

In　the　evening　the　doctor　called　on　me　at　the　hotel。　The　medical
treatment　of　his　patient　had　succeeded　in　calming　the　maddened
brain　under　the　influence　of　sleep。　If　the　night　passed　quietly；
better　news　might　be　hoped　for　in　the　morning。

On　the　next　day　I　had　arranged　to　drive　to　the　farm；　being
resolved　not　to　disappoint　Eunice。　But　I　shrank　from　the　prospect
of　having　to　distress　her　as　I　had　already　distressed　Miss
Jillgall。　The　only　alternative　left　was　to　repeat　the　sad　story
in　writing；　subject　to　the　concealments　which　I　had　already
observed。　This　I　did；　and　sent　the　letter　by　messenger；
overnight；　so　that　Eunice　might　know　when　to　expect　me。

The　medical　report；　in　the　morning；　justified　some　hope。　Mr。
Gracedieu　had　slept　well；　and　there　had　been　no　reappearance　of
insane　violence　on　his　waking。　But　the　doctor's　opinion　was　far
from　encouraging　when　we　spoke　of　the　future。　He　did　not
anticipate　the　cruel　necessity　of　placing　the　Minister　under
restraintunless　some　new　provocation　led　to　a　new　outbreak。　The
misfortune　to　be　feared　was　imbecility。

I　was　just　leaving　the　hotel　to　keep　my　appointment　with　Eunice；
when　the　waiter　announced　the　arrival　of　a　young　lady　who　wished
to　speak　with　me。　Before　I　could　ask　if　she　had　mentioned　her
name；　the　young　lady　herself　walked　inHelena　Gracedieu。

She　explained　her　object　in　calling　on　me；　with　the　exasperating
composure　which　was　peculiarly　her　own。　No　parallel　to　it　occurs
to　me　in　my　official　experience　of　shameless　women。

〃I　don't　wish　to　speak　of　what　happened　yesterday；　so　far　as　I
know　anything　about　it；〃　she　began。　〃It　is　quite　enough　for　me
that　you　have　been　obliged　to　leave　the　house　and　to　take　refuge
in　this　hotel。　I　have　come　to　say　a　word　about　the　future。　Are
you　honoring　me　with　your　attention？〃

I　signed　to　her　to　go　on。　If　I　had　answered　in　words；　I　should
have　told　her　to　leave　the　room。

〃At　first；〃　she　resumed；　〃I　thought　of　writing；　but　it　occurred
to　me　that　you　might　keep　my　letter；　and　show　it　to　Philip；　by
way　of　lowering　me　in　his　good　opinion；　as　you　have　lowered　me　in
the　good　opinion　of　his　father。　My　object　in　coming　here　is　to
give　you　a　word　of　warning。　If　you　attempt　to　make　mischief　next
between　Philip　and　myself；　I　shall　hear　of　itand　you　know　what
to　expect；　when　you　have　Me　for　an　enemy。　It　is　not　worth　while
to　say　any　more。　We　understand　each　other；　I　hope？〃

She　was　determined　to　have　a　replyand　she　got　it。

〃Not　quite　yet；〃　I　said。　〃I　have　been　hitherto；　as　becomes　a
gentleman；　always　mindful　of　a　woman's　claims　to　forbearance。　You
will　do　well　not　to　tempt　me　into　forgetting　that　_you_　are　a
woman；　by　prolonging　your　visit。　Now；　Miss　Helena　Gracedieu；　we
understand　each　other。〃　She　made　me　a　low　curtsey；　and　answered
in　her　finest　tone　of　irony：　〃I　only　desire　to　wish　you　a
pleasant　journey　home。〃

I　rang　for　the　waiter。　〃Show　this　lady　out；〃　I　said。

Even　this　failed　to　have　the　slightest　effect　on　her。　She
sauntered　to　the　door；　as　perfectly　at　her　ease　as　if　the　room
had　been　hersnot　mine。

I　had　thought　of　driving　to　the　farm。　Shall　I　confess　it？　My
temper　was　so　completely　upset　that　active　movement　of　some　kind
offered　the　one　means　of　relief　in　which　I　could　find　refuge。　The
farm　was　not　more　than　five　miles　distant；　and　I　had　been　a　good
walker　all　my　life。　After　making　the　needful　inquiries；　I　set
forth　to　visit　Eunice　on　foot。

My　way　through　the　town　led　me　past　the；　Minister's　house。　I　had
left　the　door　some　fifty　yards　behin　d　me；　when　I　saw　two　ladies
approaching。　They　were　walking；　in　the　friendliest　manner；　arm　in
arm。　As　they　came　nearer；　I　discovered　Miss　Jillgall。　Her
companion　was　the　middle…aged　lady　who　had　declined　to　give　her
name；　when　we　met　accidentally　at　Mr。　Gracedieu's　door。

Hysterically　impulsive；　Miss　Jillgall　seized　both　my　hands；　and
overwhelmed　me　with　entreaties　that　I　would　go　back　with　her　to
the　house。　I　listened　rather　absently。　The　middle…aged　lady
happened　to　be　nearer　to　me　now　than　on　either　of　the　former
occasions　on　which　I　had　seen　her。　There　was　something　in　the
expression　of　her　eyes　which　seemed　to　be　familiar　to　me。　But　the
effort　of　my　memory　was　not　helped　by　what　I　observed　in　the
other　parts　of　her　face。　The　iron…gray　hair；　the　baggy　lower
eyelids；　the　fat　cheeks；　the　coarse　complexion；　and　the　double
chin；　were　features；　and　very　disagreeable　features；　too；　which　I
had　never　seen　at　any　former　time。

〃Do　pray　come　back　with　us；〃　Miss　Jillgall　pleaded。　〃We　were　just
talking　of　you。　I　and　my　friend〃　There　she　stopped；　evidently
on　the　point　of　blurting　out　the　name　which　she　had　been
forbidden　to　utter　in　my　hearing。

The　lady　smiled；　her　provokingly　familiar　eyes　rested　on　me　with
a　humorous　enjoyment　of　the　scene。

〃My　dear；〃　she　said　to　Miss　Jillgall；　〃caution　ceases　to　be　a
virtue　when　it　ceases　to　be　of　any　use。　The　Governor　is　beginning
to　remember　me；　and　the　inevitable　recognitionwith　_his_
quickness　of　perceptionis　likely　to　be　a　matter　of　minutes
now。〃　She　turned　to　me。　〃In　more　ways　than　one；　sir；　women　are
hardly　used　by　Nature。　As　they　advance　in　years　they　lose　more　in
personal　appearance　than　the　men　do。　You　are　white…haired；　and
（pray　excuse　me）　you　are　too　fat；　and　（allow　me　to　take　another
liberty）　you　stoop　at　the　shouldersbut　you　have　not　entirely
lost　your　good　looks。　_I_　am　no　longer　recognizable。　Allow　me　to
prompt　you；　as　they　say　on　the　stage。　I　am　Mrs。　Tenbruggen。〃

As　a　man　of　the　world；　I　ought　to　have　been　capable　of　concealing
my　astonishment　and　dismay。　She　struck　me　dumb。

Mrs。　Tenbruggen　in　the　town！　The　one　woman　whose　appearance　Mr。
Gracedieu　had　dreaded；　and　justly　dreaded；　stood　before　mefree；
as　a　friend　of　his　kinswoman；　to　enter　his　house；　at　the　very
time　when　he　was　a　helpless　man；　guarded　by　watchers　at　his
bedside。　My　first　clear　idea　was　to　get　away　from　both　the　women；
and　consider　what　was　to　be　done　next。　I　bowedand　begged　to