the legacy of cain-第67节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


knocking　together；　and　opened　the　door　of　Helena's　room　just　wide
enough　to　let　my　hand　pass　throughwhy　I　threw　the　paper　in；　and
banged　the　door　to　again；　and　ran　downstairs　as　I　have　never　run
since　I　was　a　little　girlI　can　only　say；　in　the　way　of
explanation；　what　I　have　said　already：　I　was　frightened　into
doing　it。

What　I　have　written；　thus　far；　I　shall　send　to　you　by　to…night's
post。

The　doctor　came　back　to　me；　after　he　had　seen　Philip；　and　spoken
with　Euneece。　He　was　very　angry；　and；　I　must　own；　not　without
reason。　Philip　had　flatly　refused　to　let　himself　be　removed　to
the　hospital；　and　Euneece〃a　mere　girl〃had　declared　that　she
would　be　answerable　for　consequences！　The　doctor　warned　me　that
he　meant　to　withdraw　from　the　case；　and　to　make　his　declaration
before　the　magistrates。　At　my　entreaties　he　consented　to　return
in　the　evening；　and　to　judge　by　results　before　taking　the
terrible　step　that　he　had　threatened。

While　I　remained　at　home　on　the　watch；　keeping　the　doors　of　both
rooms　locked；　Eunice　went　out　to　get　Philip's　medicine。　She　came
back；　followed　by　a　boy　carrying　a　portable　apparatus　for
cooking。　〃All　that　Philip　wants；　and　all　that　we　want；〃　she
explained；　〃we　can　provide　for　ourselves。　Give　me　a　morsel　of
paper　to　write　on。〃

Unhooking　the　little　pencil　attac　hed　to　her　watch…chain；　she
paused　and　looked　toward　the　door。　〃Somebody　listening；〃　she
whispered。　〃Let　them　listen。〃　She　wrote　a　list　of　necessaries；　in
the　way　of　things　to　eat　and　things　to　drink；　and　asked　me　to　go
out　and　get　them　myself。　〃I　don't　doubt　the　servants；〃　she　said；
speaking　distinctly　enough　to　be　heard　outside；　〃but　I　am　afraid
of　what　a　Poisoner's　cunning　and　a　Poisoner's　desperation　may　do；
in　a　kitchen　which　is　open　to　her。〃　I　went　away　on　my
erranddiscovering　no　listener　outside；　I　need　hardly　say。　On　my
return；　I　found　the　door　of　communication　with　Philip's　room
closed；　but　no　longer　locked。　〃We　can　now　attend　on　him　in　turn；〃
she　said；　〃without　opening　either　of　the　doors　which　lead　into
the　hall。　At　night　we　can　relieve　each　other；　and　each　of　us　can
get　sleep　as　we　want　it　in　the　large　armchair　in　the　dining…room。
Philip　must　be　safe　under　our　charge；　or　the　doctor　will　insist
on　taking　him　to　the　hospital。　When　we　want　Maria's　help；　from
time　to　time；　we　can　employ　her　under　our　own　superintendence。
Have　you　anything　else；　Selina；　to　suggest？〃

There　was　nothing　left　to　suggest。　Young　and　inexperienced　as　she
was；　how　（I　asked）　had　she　contrived　to　think　of　all　this？　She
answered；　simply　〃I'm　sure　I　don't　know；　my　thoughts　came　to　me
while　I　was　looking　at　Philip。〃

Soon　afterward　I　found　an　opportunity　of　inquiring　if　Helena　had
left　the　house。　She　had　just　rung　her　bell；　and　Maria　had　found
her；　quietly　reading；　in　her　room。　Hours　afterward；　when　I　was　on
the　watch　at　night；　I　heard　Philip's　door　softly　tried　from　the
outside。　Her　dreadful　purpose　had　not　been　given　up；　even　yet。

The　doctor　came　in　the　evening；　as　he　had　promised；　and　found　an
improvement　in　Philip's　health。　I　mentioned　what　precautions　we
had　taken；　and　that　they　had　been　devised　by　Euneece。　〃Are　you
going　to　withdraw　from　the　case？〃　I　asked。　〃I　am　coming　back　to
the　case；〃　he　answered；　〃to…morrow　morning。〃

It　had　been　a　disappointment　to　me　to　receive　no　answer　to　the
telegram　which　I　had　sent　to　Mr。　Dunboyne　the　elder。　The　next
day's　post　brought　the　explanation　in　a　letter　to　Philip　from　his
father；　directed　to　him　at　the　hotel　here。　This　showed　that　my
telegram；　giving　my　address　at　this　house；　had　not　been　received。
Mr。　Dunboyne　announced　that　he　had　returned　to　Ireland；　finding
the　air　of　London　unendurable；　after　the　sea…breezes　at　home。　If
Philip　had　already　married；　his　father　would　leave　him　to　a　life
of　genteel　poverty　with　Helena　Gracedieu。　If　he　had　thought
better　of　it；　his　welcome　was　waiting　for　him。

Little　did　Mr。　Dunboyne　know　what　changes　had　taken　place　since
he　and　his　son　had　last　met；　and　what　hope　might　yet　present
itself　of　brighter　days　for　poor　Euneece！　I　thought　of　writing　to
him。　But　how　would　that　crabbed　old　man　receive　a　confidential
letter　from　a　lady　who　was　a　stranger？

My　doubts　were　set　at　rest　by　Philip　himself。　He　asked　me　to
write　a　few　lines　of　reply　to　his　father；　declaring　that　his
marriage　with　Helena　was　broken　offthat　he　had　not　given　up　all
hope　of　being　permitted　to　offer　the　sincere　expression　of　his
penitence　to　Euneeceand　that　he　would　gladly　claim　his　welcome；
as　soon　as　he　was　well　enough　to　undertake　the　journey　to
Ireland。　When　he　had　signed　the　letter；　I　was　so　pleased　that　I
made　a　smart　remark。　I　said：　〃This　is　a　treaty　of　peace　between
father　and　son。〃

When　the　doctor　arrived　in　the　morning；　and　found　the　change　for
the　better　in　his　patient　confirmed；　he　did　justice　to　us　at
last。　He　spoke　kindly；　and　even　gratefully；　to　Euneece。　No　more
allusions　to　the　hospital　as　a　place　of　safety　escaped　him。　He
asked　me　cautiously　for　news　of　Helena。　I　could　only　tell　him
that　she　had　gone　out　at　her　customary　time；　and　had　returned　at
her　customary　time。　He　did　not　attempt　to　conceal　that　my　reply
had　made　him　uneasy。

〃Are　you　still　afraid　that　she　may　succeed　in　poisoning　Philip？〃
I　asked。

〃I　am　afraid　of　her　cunning；〃　he　said。　〃If　she　is　charged　with
attempting　to　poison　young　Dunboyne；　she　has　some　system　of
defense；　you　may　rely　on　it；　for　which　we　are　not　prepared。
There；　in　my　opinion；　is　the　true　reason　for　her　extraordinary
insensibility　to　her　own　danger。〃

Two　more　days　passed；　and　we　were　still　safe　under　the　protection
of　lock　and　key。

On　the　evening　of　the　second　day　（which　was　a　Monday）　Maria　came
to　me　in　great　tribulation。　On　inquiring　what　was　the　matter；　I
received　a　disquieting　reply：　〃Miss　Helena　is　tempting　me。　She　is
so　miserable　at　being　prevented　from　seeing　Mr。　Philip；　and
helping　to　nurse　him；　that　it　is　quite　distressing　to　see　her。　At
the　same　time；　miss；　it's　hard　on　a　poor　servant。　She　asks　me　to
take　the　key　secretly　out　of　the　door；　and　lend　it　to　her　at
night　for　a　few　minutes　only。　I'm　really　afraid　I　shall　be　led
into　doing　it；　if　she　goes　on　persuading　me　much　longer。〃

I　commended　Maria　for　feeling　scruples　which　proved　her　to　be　the
best　of　good　girls；　and　promised　to　relieve　her　from　all　fear　of
future　temptation。　This　was　easily　done。　Euneece　kept　the　key　of
Philip's　door　in　her　pocket；　and　I　kept　the　key　of　the
dining…room　door　in　mine。


CHAPTER　LXI。

ATROCITY。

ON　the　next　day；　a　Tuesday　in　the　week；　an　event　took　place　which
Euneece　and　I　viewed　with　distrust。　Early　in　the　afternoon；　a
young　man　called　with　a　note　for　Helena。　It　was　to　be　given　to
her　immediately；　and　no　answer　was　required。

Maria　had　just　closed　the　house　door；　and　was　on　her　way　upstairs
with　the　letter；　when　she　was　called　back　by　another　ring　at　the
bell。　Our　visitor　was　the　doctor。　He　spoke　to　Maria　in　the　hall：

〃I　think　I　see　a　note　in　your　hand。　Was　it　given　to　you　by　the
young　man　who　has　just　left　the　house？〃

〃Yes；　sir。

〃If　he's　your　sweetheart；　my　dear；　I　have　nothing　more　to　say。〃

〃Good　gracious；　doctor；　how　you　do　talk！　I　never　saw　the　young
man　before　in　my　life。〃

〃In　that　case；　Maria；　I　will　ask　you　to　let　me　look　at　the
address。　Aha！　Mischief！〃

The　moment　I　heard　that　I　threw　open　the　dining…room　door。
Curiosity　is　not　easily　satisfied。　When　it　hears；　it　wants　to
see；　when　it　sees；　it　wants　to　know。　Every　lady　will　agree　with
me　in　this　observation。

〃Pray　come　in；〃　I　said。

〃One　minute；　Miss　Jillgall。　My　girl；　when　you　give　Miss　Helena
that　note；　try　to　get　a　sly　look　at　her　when　she　opens　it；　and
come　and　tell　me　what　you　have　seen。〃　He　joined　me　in　the
dining…room；　and　closed　the　door。　〃The　other　day；〃　he　went　on；
〃when　I　told　you　what　I　had　discovered　in　the　chemist's　shop；　I
think　I　mentioned　a　young　man　who　was　called　to　speak　to　a
question　of　identityan　assistant　who　knew　Miss　Helena　Gracedieu
by　sight。〃

〃Yes；　yes！〃

〃That　young　man　left　the　note　which　Maria　has　just　taken
upstairs。〃

〃Who　wrote　it；　doctor；　and　what　does　it　say？〃

〃Questions　naturally　asked；　Miss　Jillgalland　not　easily
answered。　Where　is　Eunice？　Her　quick　wit　might　help　us。〃

She　had　gone　out　to　buy　some　fruit　and　flowers　for　Philip。

The　doctor　accepted　his　disappointment　resignedly。　〃Let　us　try
what　we　can　do　without　her；〃　he　said。　〃That　young　man's　master
has　been　in　consultation　（you　may　remember　why）　with　his　lawyer；
and　Helena　may　be　threatened　by　an　investigation　before　the
magistrates。　If　this　wild　guess　of　mine　turns　out　to　have　hit　the
mark；　the　poisoner　upstairs　has　got　a　warning。〃

I　asked　if　the　chemist　had　written　the　note。　Foolish　enough　of　me
when　I　came　to　think　of　it。　The　chemist　would　scarcely　act　a
friendly　part　toward　Helena；　when　she　was　answerable　for　the
awkward　position　in　which　he　had　placed　himself。　Perhaps　the
young　man　who　had　left　the　warning　was　also　the　writer　of　the
warning。　The　doctor　reminded　me　that　he　was　all　but　a　stranger　to
Helena。　〃We　are　not　usually　interested；〃　he　remarked；　〃in　a
person　whom　we　only　know　by　sight。〃

〃Remember　that　he　is　a　young　man；〃　I　ventured　to　say。