the legacy of cain-第64节

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〃What　other　motive　can　there　be？〃　he　replied。　I　put　what　I　had　to
say　to　him　in　plainer　words　still。　〃Tell　me；　Philip；　are　you
beginning　to　wish　that　you　were　a　free　man　again？〃

He　still　prevaricated。　Was　this　because　he　is　afraid　of　me；　or
because　he　is　not　quite　brute　enough　to　insult　me　to　my　face？　I
tried　again　for　the　third　and　last　time。　I　almost　put　the　words
into　his　mouth。

〃I　fancy　you　have　been　out　of　temper　lately；〃　I　said。　〃You　have
not　been　your　own　kinder　and　better　self。　Is　this　the　right
interpretation　of　the　change　that　I　think　I　see　in　you？〃

He　answered：　〃I　have　not　been　very　well　lately。〃

〃And　that　is　all？〃

〃Yesthat　is　all。〃

There　was　no　more　to　be　said；　I　turned　away　to　leave　the　room。　He
followed　me　to　the　door。　After　a　momentary　hesitation；　he　made
the　attempt　to　kiss　me。　I　only　looked　at　himhe　drew　back　from
me　in　silence。　I　left　the　new　Judas；　standing　alone；　while　the
shades　of　evening　began　to　gather　over　the　room。



Third　Period　_（continued）。_

_EVENTS　IN　THE　FAMILY；　RELATED　BY　MISS　JILLGALL。_



CHAPTER　LVIII。

DANGER。


〃IF　anything　of　importance　happens；　I　trust　to　you　to　write　an
account　of　it；　and　to　send　the　writing　to　me。　I　will　come　to　you
at　once；　if　I　see　reason　to　believe　that　my　presence　is
required。〃　Those　lines；　in　your　last　kind　reply　to　me；　rouse　my
courage；　dear　Mr。　Governor；　and　sharpen　the　vigilance　which　has
always　been　one　of　the　strong　points　in　my　character。　Every
suspicious　circumstance　which　occurs　in　this　house　will　be　（so　to
speak）　seized　on　by　my　pen；　and　will　find　itself　（so　to　speak
again）　placed　on　its　trial；　before　your　unerring　judgment！　Let
the　wicked　tremble！　I　mention　no　names。

Taking　up　my　narrative　where　it　came　to　an　end　when　I　last　wrote；
I　have　to　say　a　word　first　on　the　subject　of　my　discoveries；　in
regard　to　Philip's　movements。

The　advertisement　of　a　private　inquiry　office；　which　I　read　in　a
newspaper；　put　the　thing　into　my　head。　I　provided　myself　with
money　to　pay　the　expenses　byI　blush　while　I　write　itpawning
my　watch。　This　humiliation　of　my　poor　self　has　been　rewarded　by
success。　Skilled　investigation　has　proved　that　our　young　man　has
come　to　his　senses　again；　exactly　as　I　supposed。　On　each　occasion
when　he　was　suspiciously　absent　from　the　house；　he　has　been
followed　to　the　farm。　I　have　been　staying　there　myself　for　a　day
or　two；　in　the　hope　of　persuading　Eunice　to　relent。　The　hope　has
not　yet　been　realized。　But　Philip's　devotion；　assisted　by　my
influence；　will　yet　prevail。　Let　me　not　despair。

Whether　Helena　knows　positively　that　she　has　lost　her　wicked　hold
on　Philip　I　cannot　say。　It　seems　hardly　possible　that　she　could
have　made　the　discovery　just　yet。　The　one　thing　of　which　I　am
certain　is；　that　she　looks　like　a　fiend。

Philip　has　wisely　taken　my　advice；　and　employed　pious　fraud。　He
will　get　away　from　the　wretch；　who　has　tempted　him　once　and　may
tempt　him　again；　under　pretense　of　using　the　interest　of　his
friends　in　London　to　find　a　place　under　Government。　He　has　not
been　very　well　for　the　last　day　or　two；　and　the　execution　of　our
project　is　in　consequence　delayed。

I　have　news　of　Mrs。　Tenbruggen　which　will；　I　think；　surprise　you。

She　has　kept　away　from　us　in　a　most　unaccountable　manner。　I
called　on　her　at　the　hotel；　and　heard　she　was　engaged　with　her
lawyer。　On　the　next　day；　she　suddenly　returned　to　her　old　habits；
and　paid　the　customary　visit。　I　observed　a　similar　alteration　in
her　state　of　feeling。　She　is　now　coldly　civil　to　Helena；　and　she
asks　after　Eunice　with　a　maternal　interest　touching　to　seeI
said　to　her：　〃Elizabeth；　you　appear　to　have　changed　your　opinion
of　the　two　girls；　since　I　saw　you。〃　She　answered；　with　a
delightful　candor　which　reminded　me　of　old　times：　〃Completely！〃　I
said：　〃A　woman　of　your　intellectual　caliber；　dear；　doesn't　change
her　mind　without　a
　good　reason　for　it。〃　Elizabeth　cordially　agreed　with　me。　I
ventured　to　be　a　little　more　explicit：　〃You　have　no　doubt　made
some　interesting　discovery。〃　Elizabeth　agreed　again；　and　I
ventured　again：　〃I　suppose　I　may　not　ask　what　the　discovery　is？〃
〃No；　Selina；　you　may　not　ask。〃

This　is　curious；　but　it　is　nothing　to　what　I　have　got　to　tell　you
next。　Just　as　I　was　longing　to　take　her　to　my　bosom　again　as　my
friend　and　confidante；　Elizabeth　has　disappeared。　And；　alas！
alas！　there　is　a　reason　for　it　which　no　sympathetic　person　can
dispute。

I　have　just　received　some　overwhelming　news；　in　the　form　of　a
neat　parcel；　addressed　to　myself。

There　has　been　a　scandal　at　the　hotel。　That　monster　in　human
form；　Elizabeth's　husband；　is　aware　of　his　wife's　professional
fame；　has　heard　of　the　large　sums　of　money　which　she　earns　as　the
greatest　living　professor　of　massage；　has　been　long　on　the
lookout　for　her；　and　has　discovered　her　at　last。　He　has　not　only
forced　his　way　into　her　sitting…room　at　the　hotel；　he　insists　on
her　living　with　him　again；　her　money　being　the　attraction；　it　is
needless　to　say。　If　she　refuses；　he　threatens　her　with　the　law；
the　barbarous　law；　which；　to　use　his　own　coarse　expression；　will
〃restore　his　conjugal　rights。〃

All　this　I　gather　from　the　narrative　of　my　unhappy　friend；　which
forms　one　of　the　two　inclosures　in　her　parcel。　She　has　already
made　her　escape。　Ha！　the　man　doesn't　live　who　can　circumvent
Elizabeth。　The　English　Court　of　Law　isn't　built　which　can　catch
her　when　she　roams　the　free　and　glorious　Continent。

The　vastness　of　this　amazing　woman's　mind　is　what　I　must　pause　to
admire。　In　the　frightful　catastrophe　that　has　befallen　her；　she
can　still　think　of　Philip　and　Euneece。　She　is　eager　to　hear　of
their　marriage；　and　renounces　Helena　with　her　whole　heart。　〃I　too
was　deceived　by　that　cunning　young　Woman；〃　she　writes。　〃Beware　of
her；　Selina。　Unless　I　am　much　mistaken；　she　is　going　to　end
badly。　Take　care　of　Philip；　take　care　of　Euneece。　If　you　want
help；　apply　at　once　to　my　favorite　hero　in　real　life；　The
Governor。〃　I　don't　presume　to　correct　Elizabeth's　language。　I
should　have　called　you　The　idol　of　the　Women。

The　second　inclosure　contains；　as　I　suppose；　a　wedding　present。
It　is　carefully　sealedit　feels　no　bigger　than　an　ordinary
letterand　it　contains　an　inscription　which　your
highly…cultivated　intelligence　may　be　able　to　explain。　I　copy　it
as　follows：

〃To　be　inclosed　in　another　envelope；　addressed　to　Mr。　Dunboyne
the　elder；　at　Percy's　Private　Hotel；　London；　and　delivered　by　a
trustworthy　messenger；　on　the　day　when　Mr。　Philip　Dunboyne　is
married　to　Miss　Eunice　Gracedieu。　Placed　meanwhile　under　the　care
of　Miss　Selina　Jillgall。〃

Why　is　this　mysterious　letter　to　be　sent　to　Philip's　father？　I
wonder　whether　that　circumstance　will　puzzle　you　as　it　has
puzzled　me。

I　have　kept　my　report　back；　so　as　to　send　you　the　last　news
relating　to　Philip's　state　of　health。　To　my　great　regret；　his
illness　seems　to　have　made　a　serious　advance　since　yesterday。
When　I　ask　if　he　is　in　pain；　he　says：　〃It　isn't　exactly　pain；　I
feel　as　if　I　was　sinking。　Sometimes　I　am　giddy；　and　sometimes　I
find　myself　feeling　thirsty　and　sick。〃　I　have　no　opportunity　of
looking　after　him　as　I　could　wish；　for　Helena　insists　on　nursing
him；　assisted　by　the　housemaid。　Maria　is　a　very　good　girl　in　her
way；　but　too　stupid　to　be　of　much　use。　If　he　is　not　better
to…morrow；　I　shall　insist　on　sending　for　the　doctor。


He　is　no　better；　and　he　wishes　to　have　medical　help。　Helena
doesn't　seem　to　understand　his　illness。　It　was　not　until　Philip
had　insisted　on　seeing　him　that　she　consented　to　send　for　the
doctor。

You　had　some　talk　with　this　experienced　physician　when　you　were
here；　and　you　know　what　a　clever　man　he　is。　When　I　tell　you　that
he　hesitates　to　say　what　is　the　matter　with　Philip；　you　will　feel
as　much　alarmed　as　I　do。　I　will　wait　to　send　this　to　the　post
until　I　can　write　in　a　more　definite　way。


Two　days　more　have　passed。　The　doctor　has　put　two　very　strange
questions　to　me。

He　asked；　first；　if　there　was　anybody　staying　with　us　besides　the
regular　members　of　the　household。　I　said　we　had　no　visitor。　He
wanted　to　know；　next；　if　Mr。　Philip　Dunboyne　had　made　any　enemies
since　he　has　been　living　in　our　town。　I　said　none　that　I　knew
ofand　I　took　the　liberty　of　asking　what　he　meant。　He　answered
to　this；　that　he　has　a　few　more　inquiries　to　make；　and　that　he
will　tell　me　what　he　means　to…morrow。


For　God's　sake　come　here　as　soon　as　you　possibly　can。　The　whole
burden　is　thrown　on　meand　I　am　quite　unequal　to　it。

I　received　the　doctor　to…day　in　the　drawing…room。　To　my
amazement；　he　begged　leave　to　speak　with　me　in　the　garden。　When　I
asked　why；　he　answered：　〃I　don't　want　to　have　a　listener　at　the
door。　Come　out　on　the　lawn；　where　we　can　be　sure　that　we　are
alone。〃

When　we　were　in　the　garden；　he　noticed　that　I　was　trembling。

〃Rouse　your　courage；　Miss　Jillgall；〃　he　said。　〃In　the　Minister's
helpless　state　there　is　nobody　whom　I　can　speak　to　but　yourself。〃

I　ventured　to　remind　him　that　he　might　speak　to　Helena　as　well　as
to　myself。

He　looked　as　black　as　thunder　when　I　mentioned　her　name。　All　he
said　was；　〃No！〃　But；　oh；　if　you　had　heard　his　voiceand　he　so
gentle　and　sweet…tempered　at　other　timesyou　would　have　felt；　as