the legacy of cain-第53节

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the　sky；　as　if　she　called　the　homiest　sunlight　to　witness　that
this　was　the　most　lovable　woman　on　the　face　of　the　earth。

But　elderly　female　fascination　offers　its　allurements　in　vain　to
the　rough　animal；　man。　Suspicion　of　Mrs。　Tenbruggen's　motives　had
established　itself　firmly　in　my　mind。　Why　had　the　Popular
Masseuse　abandoned　her　brilliant　career　in　London；　and　plunged
into　the　obscurity　of　a　country　town？　An　opportunity　of　clearing
up　the　doubt　thus　suggested　seemed　to　have　presented　itself　now。
〃Is　it　indiscreet　to　ask；〃　I　said；　〃if　you　are　here　in　your
professional　capacity？〃

Her　cunning　seized　its　advantage　and　put　a　sly　question　to　me。
〃Do　you　wish　to　be　one　of　my　patients　yourself？〃

〃That　is；　unfortunately；　impossible；〃　I　replied　〃I　have　arranged
to　return　to　London。〃

〃Immediately？〃

〃To…morrow　at　the　latest。〃

Artful　as　she　was；　Mrs。　Tenbruggen　failed　to　conceal　a　momentary
expression　of　relief　which　betrayed　itself；　partly　in　her　manner；
partly　in　her　face。　She　had　ascertained；　to　her　own　complete
satisfaction；　that　my　speedy　departure　was　an　event　which　might
be　relied　on。

〃But　I　have　not　yet　answered　you；〃　she　resumed。　〃To　tell　the
truth；　I　am　eager　to　try　my　hands　on　you。　Massage；　as　I　practice
it；　would　lighten　your　weight；　and　restore　your　figure；　I　may
even　say　would　lengthen　your　life。　You　will　think　of　me；　one　of
these　days；　won't　you？　In　the　meanwhileyes！　I　am　here　in　my
professional　capacity。　Several　interesting　cases；　and　one　very
remarkable　person；　brought　to　death's　door　by　the　doctors；　a　rich
man　who　is　liberal　in　paying　his　fees。　There　is　my　quarrel　with
London　and　Londoners。　Some　of　their　papers；　medical　newspapers；
of　course；　declare　that　my　fees　are　exorbitant；　and　there　is　a
tendency　among　the　patientsI　mean　the　patients　who　are　rolling
in　richesto　follow　the　lead　of　the　newspapers。　I　am　no　worm　to
be　trodden　on；　in　that　way。　The　London　people　shall　wait　for　me；
until　they　miss　meand；　when　I　do　go　back；　they　will　find　the
fees　increased。　_My_　fingers　and　thumbs；　Mr。　Governor；　are　not　to
be　insulted　with　impunity。〃

Miss　Jillgall　nodded　her　head　at　me。　It　was　an　eloquent　nod。
〃Admire　my　spirited　friend；〃　was　the　interpretation　I　put　on　it。

At　the　same　time；　my　private　sentiments　suggested　that　Mrs。
Tenbruggen's　reply　was　too　perfectly　satisfactory；　viewed　as　an
explanation。　My　suspicions　were　by　no　means　set　at　rest；　and　I
was　resolved　not　to　let　the　subject　drop　yet。　〃Speaking　of　Mr。
Gracedieu；　and　of　the　chances　of　his　partial　recovery；〃　I　said；
〃do　you　think　the　Minister　would　benefit　by　Massage？〃

〃I　haven't　a　doubt　of　it；　if　you　can　get　rid　of　the　doctor。〃

〃You　think　he　would　be　an　obstacle　in　the　way？〃

〃There　are　some　medical　men　who　are　honorable　exceptions　to　the
general　rule；　and　he　may　be　one　of　them；〃　Mrs。　Tenbruggen
admitted。　〃Don't　be　too　hopeful。　As　a　doctor；　he　belongs　to　the
most　tyrannical　trades…union　in　existence。　May　I　make　a　personal
remark？〃

〃Certainly。〃

〃I　find　something　in　your　mannerpray　don't　suppose　that　I　am
angrywhich　looks　like　distrust；　I　mean；　distrust　of　Me。〃

Miss　Jillgall's　ever　ready　kindness　interfered　in　my　defense：
〃Oh；　no；　Elizabeth！　You　are　not　often　mistaken；　but　indeed　you
are　wrong　now。　Look　at　my　distinguished　friend。　I　remember　my
copy　book；　when　I　was　a　small　creature　learning　to　write；　in
England。　There　were　first　lines　that　we　copied；　in　big　letters；
and　one　of　them　said；　'Distrust　Is　Mean。'　I　know　a　young　person；
whose　name　begins　with　H；　who　is　one　mass　of　meanness。
But〃excellent　Selina　paused；　and　pointed　to　me　with　a　gesture
of　triumph〃no　meanness　there！〃

Mrs。　Tenbruggen　waited　to　hear　what　I　had　to　say；　scornfully
insensible　to　Miss　Jillgall's　well…meant　interruption。

〃You　are　not　altogether　mistaken；〃　I　told　her。　〃I　can't　say　that
my　mind　is　in　a　state　of　distrust；　but　I　own　that　you　puzzle　me。〃

〃How；　if　you　please？〃

〃May　I　presume　that　you　remember　the　occasion　when　we　met　at　Mr。
Gracedieu's　house…door？　You　saw　that　I　failed　to　recognize　you；
and　you　refused　to　give　your　name　when　the　servant　asked　for　it。
A　few　days　afterward；　I　heard　you　（quite　accidentally）　forbid
Miss　Jillgall　to　mention　your　name　in　my　hearing。　I　am　at　a　loss
to　understand　it。〃

Before　she　could　answer　me；　the　chaise　drew　up　at　the　gate　of　the
farmhouse。　Mrs。　Tenbruggen　carefully　promised　to　explain　what　had
puzzled　me；　at　the　first　opportunity。　〃If　it　escapes　my　memory；〃
she　said；　〃pray　remind　me　of　it。〃

I　determined　to　remind　her　of　it。　Whether　I　could　depend　on　her
to　tell　me　the　truth；　might　be　quite　another　thing。



CHAPTER　XLVIII

THE　DECISION　OF　EUNICE。


EUNICE　ran　out　to　meet　us；　and　opened　the　gate。　She　was　instantly
folded　in　Miss　Jillgall's　arms。　On　her　release；　she　came　to　me；
eager　for　news　of　her　father's　health。　When　I　had　communicated
all　that　I　thought　it　right　to　tell　her　of　the　doctor's　last
report；　she　noticed　Mrs。　Tenbruggen。　The　　appearance　of　a　stranger
seemed　to　embarrass　h　er。　I　left　Miss　Jillgall　to　introduce　them
to　each　other。

〃Darling　Euneece；　you　remember　Mrs。　Tenbruggen's　name；　I　am　sure？
Elizabeth；　this　is　my　sweet　girl；　I　mentioned　her　in　my　letters
to　you。〃

〃I　hope　she　will　be　_my_　sweet　girl；　when　we　know　each　other　a
little　better。　May　I　kiss　you；　dear？　You　have　lovely　eyes；　but　I
am　sorry　to　see　that　they　don't　look　like　happy　eyes。　You　want
Mamma　Tenbruggen　to　cheer　you。　What　a　charming　old　house！〃

She　put　her　arm　round　Eunice's　waist　and　led　her　to　the　house
door。　Her　enjoyment　of　the　creepers　that　twined　their　way　up　the
pillars　of　the　porch　was　simply　perfection　as　a　piece　of　acting。
When　the　farmer's　wife　presented　herself；　Mrs。　Tenbruggen　was　so
irresistibly　amiable；　and　took　such　flattering　notice　of　the
children；　that　the　harmless　British　matron　actually　blushed　with
pleasure。　〃I'm　sure；　ma'am；　you　must　have　children　of　your　own；〃
she　said。　Mrs。　Tenbruggen　cast　her　eyes　on　the　floor；　and　sighed
with　pathetic　resignation。　A　sweet　little　family；　and　all　cruelly
swept　away　by　death。　If　the　performance　meant　anything；　it　did
most　assuredly　mean　that。

〃What　wonderful　self…possession！〃　somebody　whispered　in　my　ear。
The　children　in　the　room　were　healthy；　well…behaved　little
creaturesbut　the　name　of　the　innocent　one　among　them　was
Selina。

Before　dinner　we　were　shown　over　the　farm。

The　good　woman　of　the　house　led　the　way；　and　Miss　Jillgall　and　I
accompanied　her。　The　children　ran　on　in　front　of　us。　Still
keeping　possession　of　Eunice；　Mrs。　Tenbruggen　followed　at　some
distance　behind。　I　looked　back；　after　no　very　long　interval；　and
saw　that　a　separation　had　taken　place。　Mrs。　Tenbruggen　passed　me；
not　looking　so　pleasantly　as　usual；　joined　the　children；　and
walked　with　two　of　them；　hand　in　hand；　a　pattern　of　maternal
amiability。　I　dropped　back　a　little；　and　gave　Eunice　an
opportunity　of　joining　me；　having　purposely　left　her　to　form　her
own　opinion；　without　any　adverse　influence　exercised　on　my　part。

〃Is　that　lady　a　friend　of　yours？〃　she　asked。　〃No；　only　an
acquaintance。　What　do　you　think　of　her？〃

〃I　thought　I　should　like　her　at　first；　she　was　so　kind；　and
seemed　to　take　such　an　interest　in　me。　But　she　said　such　strange
thingsasked　if　I　was　reckoned　like　my　mother；　and　which　of　us
was　the　eldest；　my　sister　or　myself；　and　whether　we　were　my
father's　only　two　children；　and　if　one　of　us　was　more　his
favorite　than　the　other。　What　I　could　tell　her；　I　did　tell。　But
when　I　said　I　didn't　know　which　of　us　was　the　oldest；　she　gave　me
an　impudent　tap　on　the　cheek；　and　said；　'I　don't　believe　you；
child；'　and　left　me。　How　can　Selina　be　so　fond　of　her？　Don't
mention　it　to　any　one　else；　I　hope　I　shall　never　see　her　again。〃

〃I　will　keep　your　secret；　Eunice；　and　you　must　keep　mine。　I
entirely　agree　with　you。〃

〃You　agree　with　me　in　disliking　her？〃

〃Heartily。〃

We　could　say　no　more　at　that　time。　Our　friends　in　advance　were
waiting　for　us。　We　joined　them　at　once。

If　I　had　felt　any　doubt　of　the　purpose　which　had　really　induced
Mrs。　Tenbruggen　to　leave　London；　all　further　uncertainty　on　my
part　was　at　an　end。　She　had　some　vile　interest　of　her　own　to
serve　by　identifying　Mr。　Gracedieu's　adopted　childbut　what　the
nature　of　that　interest　might　be；　it　was　impossible　to　guess。　The
future；　when　I　thought　of　it　now；　filled　me　with　dismay。　A　more
utterly　helpless　position　than　mine　it　was　not　easy　to　conceive。
To　warn　the　Minister；　in　his　present　critical　state　of　health；
was　simply　impossible。　My　relations　with　Helena　forbade　me　even
to　approach　her。　And；　as　for　Selina；　she　was　little　less　than　a
mere　tool　in　the　hands　of　her　well…beloved　friend。　What；　in　God's
name；　was　I　to　do？

At　dinner…time　we　found　the　master　of　the　house　waiting　to　bid　us
welcome。

Personally　speaking；　he　presented　a　remarkable　contrast　to　the
typical　British　farmer。　He　was　neither　big　nor　burly；　he　spoke
English　as　well　as　I　did；　and　there　was　nothing　in　his　dress
which　would　have　made　him　a　fit　subject　for　a　picture　of　rustic
life。　When　he　spoke；　he　was　able　to　talk　on　subjects　unconnected
with　agricultural　pursuits；　nor　did　I　hear　him　grumble　about　the
weather　and　the　crops。　It　w