the legacy of cain-第59节
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urging him to reconcile us to each other？ How could we two poor
young people be of the smallest use to the fashionable Masseuse？
My silence began to irritate Philip。 〃I never knew before how
obstinate you could be；〃 he said； 〃you seem to be doing your
bestI can't imagine whyto lower yourself in my estimation。〃
I held my tongue； I assumed my smile。 It is all very well for men
to talk about the deceitfulness of women。 What chance （I should
like to ask somebody who knows about it） do the men give us of
making our lives with them endurable； except by deceit！ I gave
way； of course； and wrote down the address of the shop。
He was so pleased that he kissed me。 Yes！ the most fondly
affectionate kiss that he had given me； for weeks past； was my
reward for submitting to Mrs。 Tenbruggen。 She is old enough to be
his mother； and almost as ugly as Miss Jillgalland she has made
her interests his interests already！
On the next day； I fully expected to receive a visit from Mrs。
Tenbruggen。 She knew better than that。 I only got a polite little
note； thanking me for the address； and adding an artless
concession： 〃I earn more money than I know what to do with； and I
adore Irish lace。〃
The next day came； and still she was careful not to show herself
too eager for a personal reconciliation。 A splendid nosegay was
sent to me； with another little note： 〃A tribute； dear Helena；
offered by one of my grateful patients。 Too beautiful a present
for an old woman like me。 I agree with the poet： 'Sweets to the
sweet。' A charming thought of Shakespeare's； is it not？ I should
like to verify the quotation。 Would you mind leaving the volume
for me in the hall； if I call to…morrow？〃
Well done； Mrs。 Tenbruggen！ She doesn't venture to intrude on
Miss Gracedieu in the drawing…room； she only wants to verify a
quotation in the hall。 Oh； goddess of Humility （if there is such
a person）； how becomingly you are dressed when your milliner is
an artful old woman！
While this reflection was passing through my mind； Miss Jillgall
came insaw the nosegay on the tableand instantly pounced on
it。 〃Oh； for me！ for me！〃 she cried。 〃I noticed it this morning
on Elizabeth's table。 How very kind of her！〃 She plunged her
inquisitive nose into the poor flowers； and looked up
sentimentally at the ceiling。 〃The perfume of goodness；〃 she
remarked； 〃mingled with the perfume of flowers！〃 〃When you have
quite done with it；〃 I said； 〃perhaps you will be so good as to
return my nosegay？〃 〃_Your_ nosegay！〃 she exclaimed。 〃There is
Mrs。 Tenbruggen's letter；〃 I replied； 〃if you would like to look
at it。〃 She did look at it。 All the bile in her body flew up into
her eyes； and turned them green； she looked as if she longed to
scratch my face。 I gave the flowers afterward to Maria； Miss
Jillgall's nose had completely spoiled them。
It would have been too ridiculous to have allowed Mrs。 Tenbruggen
to consult Shakespeare in the hall。 I had the honor of receiving
her in my own room。 We accomplished a touching reconciliation；
and we quite forgot Shakespeare。
She troubles me； she does indeed trouble me。
Having set herself entirely right with Philip； she is determined
on performing the same miracle with me。 Her reform of herself is
already complete。 Her vulgar humor was kept under strict
restraint； she was quiet and well…bred； and readier to listen
than to talk。 This change was not presented abruptly。 She
contrived to express her friendly interests in Philip and in me
by hints dropped here and there； assisted in their effort by
answers on my part； into which I was tempted so skillfully that I
only discovered the snare set for me； on reflection。 What is it；
I ask again； that she has in view in taking all this trouble？
Where is her motive for encouraging a love…affair； which Miss
Jillgall must have denounced to her as an abominable wrong
inflicted on Eunice？ Money （even if there was a prospect of such
a thing； in our case） cannot be her object； it is quite true that
her success sets her above pecuniary anxiety。 Spiteful feeling
against Eunice is out of the question。 They have only met once；
and her opinion was expressed to me with evident sincerity： 〃Your
sister is a nice girl； but she is like other nice girlsshe
doesn't interest me。〃 There is Eunice's character； drawn from the
life in few words。 In what an irritating position do I find
myself placed！ Never before have I felt so interested in trying
to look into a person's secret mind； and never before have I been
so completely baffled。
I had written as far as this； and was on the point of closing my
Journal； when a third note arrived from Mrs。 Tenbruggen。
She had been thinking about me at intervals （she wrote） all
through the rest of the day； and； kindly as I had received her；
she was conscious of being the object of doubts on my part which
her visit had failed to remove。 Might she ask leave to call on
me； in the hope of improving her position in my estimation？ An
appointment followed for the next day。
What can she have to say to me which she has not already said？ Is
it anything about Philip； I wonder？
CHAPTER LIV。
HELENA'S DIARY RESUMED。
AT our interview of the next day； Mrs。 Tenbruggen's capacity for
self…reform appeared under a new aspect。 She dropped all
familiarity with me； and she stated the object of her visit
without a superfluous word of explanation or apology。
I thought this a remarkable effort for a woman； and I recognized
the merit of it by leaving the lion's share of the talk to my
visitor。 In these terms she opened her business with me：
〃Has Mr。 Philip Dunboyne told you why he went to London？〃
〃He made a commonplace excuse；〃 I answered。 〃Business； he said；
took him to London。 I know no more。〃
〃You have a fair prospect of happiness； Miss Helena； when you are
marriedyour future husband is evidently afraid of you。 I am not
afraid of you； and I shall confide to your private ear something
which you have an interest in knowing。 The business which took
young Mr。 Dunboyne to London was to consult a competent person；
on a matter concerning himself。 The competent person is the
sagacious （not to say sly） old gentlemanwhom we used to call
the Governor。 You know him； I believe？〃
〃Yes。 But I am at a loss to imagine why Philip should have
consulted him。〃
〃Have you ever heard or read； Miss Helena； of such a thing as 'an
old man's fancy'？〃
〃I think I have。〃
〃Well； the Governor has taken an old man's fancy to your sister。
They appeared to understand each other perfectly when I was at
the farmhouse。〃
〃Excuse me； Mrs。 Tenbruggen； that is what I know already。 Why did
Philip go to the Governor？〃
She smiled。 〃If anybody is acquainted with the true state of your
sister's feelings； the Governor is the man。 I sent Mr。 Dunboyne
to consult himand there is the reason for it。〃
This open avowal of her motives perplexed and offended me。 After
declaring herself to be interested in my marriage…engagement had
she changed her mind； and resolved on favoring Philip's return to
Eunice？ What right had he to consult anybody about the state of
that girl's feelings？ _My_ feelings form the only subject of
inquiry that was properly open to him。 I should have said
something which I might have afterward regretted； if Mrs。
Tenbruggen had allowed me the opportunity。 Fortunately for both
of us； she went on with her narrative of her own proceedings。
〃Philip Dunboyne is an excellent fellow；〃 she continued； 〃I
really like himbut he has his faults。 He sadly wants strength
of purpose； and； like weak men in general； he only knows his own
mind when a resolute friend takes him in hand and guides him。 I
am his resolute friend。 I saw him veering about between you and
Eunice； and I decided for his sakemay I say for your sake
also？on putting an end to that mischievous state of indecision。
You have the claim on him； you are the right wife for him； and
the Governor was （as I thought likely from what I had myself
observed） the man to make him see it。 I am not in anybody's
secrets； it was pure guesswork on my part； and it has succeeded。
Th ere is no more doubt now about Miss Eunice's sentiments。 The
question is settled。〃
〃In my favor？〃
〃Certainly in your favoror I should not have said a word about
it。〃
〃Was Philip's visit kindly received？ Or did the old wretch laugh
at him？〃
〃My dear Miss Gracedieu； the old wretch is a man of the world；
and never makes mistakes of that sort。 Before he could open his
lips； he had to satisfy himself that your lover deserved to be
taken into his confidence； on the delicate subject of Eunice's
sentiments。 He arrived at a favorable conclusion。 I can repeat
Philip's questions and the Governor's answers after putting the
young man through a stiff examination just as they passed： 'May I
inquire； sir； if she has spoken to you about me？' 'She has often
spoken about you。' 'Did she seem to be angry with me？' 'She is
too good and too sweet to be angry with you。' 'Do you think she
will forgive me？' 'She has forgiven you。' 'Did she say so
herself？' 'Yes； of her own free will。' 'Why did she refuse to see
me when I called at the farm？' 'She had her own reasonsgood
reasons。' 'Has s
