the legacy of cain-第52节

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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　be
excusedand　said　I　was　in　a　hurry；　all　in　a　breath。

Hearing　this；　the　best　of　genial　old　maids　was　unable　to　restrain
her　curiosity。　〃Where　are　you　going？〃　she　asked。

Too　confused　to　think　of　an　excuse；　I　said　I　was　going　to　the
farm。

〃To　see　my　dear　Euneece？〃　Miss　Jillgall　burst　out。　〃Oh；　we　will
go　with　you！〃　Mrs。　Tenbruggen's　politeness　added　immediately；
〃With　the　greatest　pleasure。〃


CHAPTER　XLVII。

THE　JOURNEY　TO　THE　FARM。


MY　first　ungrateful　impulse　was　to　get　rid　of　the　two　cumbersome
ladies　who　had　offered　to　be　my　companions。　It　was　needless　to
call　upon　my　invention　for　an　excuse；　the　truth；　as　I　gladly
perceived；　would　serve　my　purpose。　I　had　only　to　tell　them　that　I
had　arranged　to　walk　to　the　farm。

Lean；　wiry；　and　impetuous；　Miss　Jillgall　received　my　excuse　with
the　sincerest　approval　of　it；　as　a　new　idea。　〃Nothing　could　be
more　agreeable　to　me；〃　she　declared；　〃I　have　been　a　wonderful
walker　all　my　life。〃　She　turned　to　her　friend。　〃We　will　go　with
him；　my　dear；　won't　we？〃

Mrs。　Tenbruggen's　reception　of　this　proposal　inspired　me　with
hope；　she　asked　how　far　it　was　to　the　farm。　〃Five　miles！〃　she
repeated。　〃And　five　miles　back　again；　unless　the　farmer　lends　us
a　cart。　My　dear　Selina；　you　might　as　well　ask　me　to　walk　to　the
North　Pole。　You　have　got　rid　of　one　of　us；　Mr。　Governor；〃　she
added；　pleasantly；　〃and　the　other；　if　you　only　walk　fast　enough；
you　will　leave　behind　you　on　the　road。　If　I　believed　in
luckwhich　I　don'tI　should　call　you　a　fortunate　man。〃

But　companionable　Selina　would　not　hear　of　a　separation。　She
asked；　in　her　most　irresistible　manner；　if　I　objected　to　driving
instead　of　walking。　Her　heart's　dearest　wish；　she　said；　was　to
make　her　bosom　friend　and　myself　better　acquainted　with　each
other。　To　conclude；　she　reminded　me　that　there　was　a　cab…stand　in
the　next　street。

Perhaps　I　might　have　been　influenced　by　my　distrust　of　Mrs。
Tenbruggen；　or　perhaps　by　my　anxiety　to　protect　Eunice。　It　struck
me　that　I　might　warn　the　defenseless　girl　to　be　on　her　guard　with
Mrs。　Tenbruggen　to　better　purpose；　if　Eunice　was　in　a　position　to
recognize　her　in　any　future　emergency　that　might　occur。　To　my
mind；　this　dangerous　woman　was　doubly　formidableand　for　a　good
reason；　she　was　the　bosom　friend　of　that　innocent　and　unwary
person；　Miss　Jillgall。

So　I　amiably　consented　to　forego　my　walk；　yielding　to　the
superior　attraction　of　Mrs。　Tenbruggen's　company。　On　that　day　the
sunshine　was　tempered　by　a　delightful　breeze。　If　we　had　been　in
the　biggest　and　worst…governed　city　on　the　civilised　earth；　we
should　have　found　no　public　vehicle；　open　to　the　air；　which　could
offer　accommodation　to　three　people。　Being　only　in　a　country
town；　we　had　a　light　four…wheeled　chaise　at　our　disposal；　as　a
matter　of　course。

No　wise　man　expects　to　be　mercifully　treated；　when　he　is　shut
into　a　carriage　with　a　mature　single　lady；　inflamed　by　curiosity。
I　was　not　unprepared　for　Miss　Jillgall　when　she　alluded；　for　the
second　time；　to　the　sad　events　which　had　happened　in　the　house　on
the　previous　dayand　especially　to　the　destruction　by　Mr。
Gracedieu　of　the　portrait　of　his　wife。

〃Why　didn't　he　destroy　something　else？〃　she　pleaded；　piteously。
〃It　is　such　a　disappointment　to　Me。　I　never　liked　that　picture
myself。　Of　course　I　ought　to　have　admired　the　portrait　of　the
wife　of　my　benefactor。　But　nothat　disagreeable　painted　face　was
too　much　for　me。　I　should　have　felt　inexpressibly　relieved；　if　I
could　have　shown　it　to　Elizabeth；　and　heard　her　say　that　she
agreed　with　me。〃

〃Perhaps　I　saw　it　when　I　called　on　you；〃　Mrs。　Tenbruggen
suggested。　〃Where　did　the　picture　hang？〃

〃My　dear！　I　received　you　in　the　dining…room；　and　the　portrait
hung　in　Mr。　Gracedieu's　study。〃

What　they　said　to　each　other　next　escaped　my　attention。　Quite
unconsciously；　Miss　Jillgall　had　revealed　to　me　a　danger　which
neither　the　Minister　nor　I　had　discovered；　though　it　had
conspicuously　threatened　us　both　on　the　wall　of　the　study。　The
act　of　mad　destruction　which；　if　I　had　possessed　the　means　of
safely　interfering；　I　should　certainly　have　endeavored　to
prevent；　now　assumed　a　new　and　startling　aspect。　If　Mrs。
Tenbruggen　really　had　some　motive　of　her　own　for　endeavoring　to
identify　the　adopted　child；　the　preservation　of　the　picture　must
have　led　her　straight　to　the　end　in　view。　The　most　casual
opportunity　of　comparing　Helena　with　the　portrait　of　Mrs。
Gracedieu　would　have　revealed　the　likeness　between　mother　and
daughterand；　that　result　attained；　the　identification　of　Eunice
with　the　infant　whom　the　〃Miss　Chance〃　of　those　days　had　brought
to　the　prison　must　inevitably　have　followed。　It　was　perhaps
natural　that　Mr。　Gracedieu's　infatuated　devotion　to　the　memory　of
his　wife　should　have　blinded　him　to　the　betrayal　of　Helena's
parentage；　which　met　his　eyes　every　time　he　entered　his　study。
But　that　I　should　have　been　too　stupid　to　discover　what　he　had
failed　to　see；　was　a　wound　dealt　to　my　self…esteem　which　I　was
vain　enough　to　feel　acutely。

Mrs。　Tenbruggen's　voice；　cheery　and　humorous；　broke　in　on　my
reflections；　with　an　odd　question：

〃Mr。　Governor；　do　you　ever　condescend　to　read　novels？〃

〃It's　not　easy　to　say；　Mrs。　Tenbruggen；　how　grateful　I　am　to　the
writers　of　novels。〃

〃Ah！　I　read　novels；　too。　But　I　blush　to　confessdo　I
blush？that　I　never　thought　of　feeling　grateful　till　you
mentioned　it。　Selina　and　I　don't　complain　of　your　preferring　your
own　reflections　to　our　company。　On　the　contrary；　you　have
reminded　us　agreeably　of　the　heroes　of　fiction；　when　the　author
describes　them　as　being　'absorbed　in　thought。'　For　some　minutes；
Mr。　Governor；　you　have　been　a　hero；　absorbed；　as　I　venture　to
guess；　in　unpleasant　remembrances　of　the　time　when　I　was　a　single
lady。　You　have　not　forg　otten　how　badly　I　behaved；　and　what
shocking　things　I　said；　in　those　bygone　days。　Am　I　right？〃

〃You　are　entirely　wrong。〃

It　is　possible　that　I　may　have　spoken　a　little　too　sharply。
Anyway；　faithful　Selina　interceded　for　her　friend。　〃Oh；　dear　sir；
don't　be　hard　on　Elizabeth！　She　always　means　well。〃　Mrs。
Tenbruggen；　as　facetious　as　ever；　made　a　grateful　return　for　a
small　compliment。　She　chucked　Miss　Jillgall　under　the　chin；　with
the　air　of　an　amorous　old　gentleman　expressing　his　approval　of　a
pretty　servant…girl。　It　was　impossible　to　look　at　the　two；　in
their　relative　situations；　without　laughing。　But　Mrs。　Tenbruggen
failed　to　cheat　me　into　altering　my　opinion　of　her。　Innocent　Miss
Jillgall　clapped　her　ugly　hands；　and　said：　〃Isn't　she　good
company？〃

Mrs。　Tenbruggen's　social　resources　were　not　exhausted　yet。　She
suddenly　shifted　to　the　serious　side　of　her　character。

〃Perhaps　I　have　improved　a　little；〃　she　said；　〃as　I　have　advanced
in　years。　The　sorrows　of　an　unhappy　married　life　may　have　had　a
purifying　influence　on　my　nature。　My　husband　and　I　began　badly。
Mr。　Tenbruggen　thought　I　had　money；　and　I　thought　Mr。　Tenbruggen
had　money。　He　was　taken　in　by　me；　and　I　was　taken　in　by　him。　When
he　repeated　the　words　of　the　marriage　service　（most　impressively
read　by　your　friend　the　Chaplain）：　'With　all　my　worldly　goods　I
thee　endow'his　eloquent　voice　suggested　one　of　the　largest
incomes　in　Europe。　When　I　promised　and　vowed；　in　my　turn；　the
delightful　prospect　of　squandering　my　rich　husband's　money　made
quite　a　new　woman　of　me。　I　declare　solemnly；　when　I　said　I　would
love；　honor；　and　obey　Mr。　T。；　I　looked　as　if　I　really　meant　it。
Wherever　he　is　now；　poor　dear；　he　is　cheating　somebody。　Such　a
handsome；　gentleman…like　man；　Selina！　And；　oh；　Mr。　Governor；　such
a　blackguard！〃

Having　described　her　husband　in　those　terms；　she　got　tired　of　the
subject。　We　were　now　favored　with　another　view　of　this　many…sided
woman。　She　appeared　in　her　professional　character。

〃Ah；　what　a　delicious　breeze　is　blowing；　out　here　in　the
country！〃　she　said。　〃Will　you　excuse　me　if　I　take　off　my　gloves？
I　want　to　air　my　hands。〃　She　held　up　her　hands　to　the　breeze；
firm；　muscular；　deadly　white　hands。　〃In　my　professional
occupation；〃　she　explained；　〃I　am　always　rubbing；　tickling；
squeezing；　tapping；　kneading；　rolling；　striking　the　muscles　of
patients。　Selina；　do　you　know　the　movements　of　your　own　joints？
Flexion；　extension；　abduction；　adduction；　rotation；
circumduction；　pronation；　supination；　and　the　lateral　movements。
Be　proud　of　those　accomplishments；　my　dear；　but　beware　of
attempting　to　become　a　Masseuse。　There　are　drawbacks　in　that
vocationand　I　am　conscious　of　one　of　them　at　this　moment。〃　She
lifted　her　hands　to　her　nose。　〃Pah！　my　hands　smell　of　other
people's　flesh。　The　delicious　country　air　will　blow　it　awaythe
luxury　of　purification！〃　Her　fingers　twisted　and　quivered；　and
got　crooked　at　one　moment　and　straight　again　at　another；　and
showed　themselves　in　succession　singly；　and　flew　into　each　other
fiercely　interlaced；　and　then　spread　out　again　like　the　sticks　of
a　fan；　until　it　really　made　me　giddy　to　look　at　them。　As　for　Miss
Jillgall；　she　lifted　her　poor　little　sunken　eyes　rapturously　to
the　sky；　as　if　she　called　the　homiest　sunlight　to　witness　that
thi