the legacy of cain-第68节
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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。 This was a
strong hint； but the doctor failed to see it。 He had evidently
forgotten his own youth。 I made another attempt。
〃And vile as Helena is；〃 I continued； 〃we cannot deny that this
disgrace to her sex is a handsome young lady。〃
He saw it at last。 〃Woman's wit！〃 he cried。 〃You have hit it；
Miss Jillgall。 The young fool is smitten with her； and has given
her a chance of making her escape。〃
〃Do you think she will take the chance？〃
〃For all our sakes； I pray God she may！ But I don't feel sure
about it。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Recollect what you and Eunice have done。 You have shown your
suspicion of her without an attempt to conceal it。 If you had put
her in prison you could not have more completely defeated her
infernal design。 Do you think she is a likely person to submit to
that； without an effort to be even with you？〃
Just as he said those terrifying words； Maria came back to us。 He
asked at once what had kept her so long upstairs。
The girl had evidently something to say； which had inflated her
（if I may use such an expression） with a sense of her own
importance。
〃Please to let me tell it； sir；〃 she answered； 〃in my own way。
Miss Helena turned as pale as ashes when she opened the letter；
and then she took a turn in the room； and then she looked at me
with a smilewell； miss； I can only say that I felt that smile
in the small of my back。 I tried to get to the door。 She stopped
me。 She says： 'Where's Miss Eunice？' I says： 'Gone out。' She
says： 'Is there anybody in the drawing…room？' I says： 'No； miss。'
She says： 'Tell Miss Jillgall I want to speak to her； and say I
am waiting in the drawing…room。' It's every word of it true！ And；
if a poor servant may give an opinion； I don't like the look of
it。〃
The doctor dismissed Maria。 〃Whatever it is；〃 he said to me； 〃you
must go and hear it。〃
I am not a courageous woman； I expressed myself as being willing
to go to her； if the doctor went with me。 He said that was
impossible； she would probably refuse to speak before any
witness； and certainly before him。 But he promised to look after
Philip in my absence； and to wait below if it really so happened
that I wanted him。 I need only ring the bell； and he would come
to me the moment he heard it。 Such kindness as this roused my
courage； I suppose。 At any rate； I went upstairs。
She was standing by the fire…place； with her elbow on the
chimney…piece； and her head； resting on her hand。 I stopped just
inside the door； waiting to hear what she had to say。 In this
position her side…face only was presented to me。 It was a ghastly
face。 The eye that I could see turned wickedly on me when I came
inthen turned away again。 Otherwise； she never moved。 I confess
I trembled； but I did my best to disguise it。
She broke out suddenly with what she had to say： 〃I won't allow
this state of things to go on any longer。 My horror of an
exposure which will disgrace the family has kept me silent；
wrongly silent； so far。 Philip's life is in danger。 I am
forgetting my duty to my affianced husband； if I allow myself to
be kept away from him any longer。 Open those locked doors； and
relieve me from the sight of you。 Open the doors； I say； or you
will both of youyou the accomplice； she the wretch who directs
yourepent it to the end of your lives。〃
In my own mind； I asked myself if she had gone mad。 But I only
answered： 〃I don't understand you。〃
She said again： 〃You are Eunice's accomplice。〃
〃Accomplice in what？〃 I asked。
She turned her head slowly and faced me。 I shrank from looking at
her。
〃All the circumstances prove it；〃 she went on。 〃I have supplanted
Eunice in Philip's affection。 She was once engaged to marry him；
I am engaged to marry him now。 She is resolved that he shall
never make me his wife。 He will die if I delay any longer。 He
will die if I don't crush her； like the reptile she is。 She comes
hereand what does she do？ Keeps him prisoner under her own
superintendence。 Who gets his medicine？ She gets it。 Who cooks
his food？ She cooks it。 The doors are locked。 I might be a
witness of what goes on； and I am kept out。 The servants who
ought to wait on him are kept out。 She can do what she likes with
his medicine； she can do what she likes with his food： she is
infuriated with him for deserting her； and promising to marry me。
Give him back to my care； or； dreadful as it is to denounce my
own sister； I shall claim protection from the magistrates。〃
I lost all fear of her： I stepped close up to the place at which
she was standing； I cried out： 〃Of what； in God's name； do you
accuse your sister？〃
She answered： 〃I accuse her of poisoning Philip Dunboyne。〃
I ran out of the room； I rushed headlong down the stairs。 The
doctor heard me； and came running into the hall。 I caught hold of
him like a madwoman。 〃Euneece！〃 My breath was gone； I could only
say： 〃Euneece！〃
He dragged me into the dining…room。 There was wine on the
side…board； which he had ordered medically for Philip。 He forced
me to drink some of it。 It ran through me like fire； it helped me
to speak。 〃Now tell me；〃 he said； 〃what has she done to Eunice？〃
〃She brings a horrible accusation against her；〃 I answered。
〃What is the accusation？〃 I told him。
He looked me through and through。 〃Take care！〃 he said。 〃No
hysterics； no exaggeration。 You may lead to dreadful consequences
if you are not sure of yourself。 If it's really true； say it
again。〃 I said it againquietly this time。
His face startled me； it was white with rage。 He snatched his hat
off the hall table。
〃What are you going to do？〃 I asked。
〃My duty。〃 He was out of the house before I could speak to him
again。
Third Period _（concluded）。_
_TROUBLES AND TRIUMPHS OF THE FAMILY； RELATED BY THE GOVERNOR。_
CHAPTER LXII。
THE SENTENCE PRONOUNCED。
MARTYRS to gout know； by sad experience； that they suffer under
one of the most capricious of maladies。 An attack of this disease
will shift； in the most unaccountable manner； from one part of
the body to another； or； it will release the victim when there is
every reason to fear that it is about to strengthen its hold on
him； or； having shown the fairest promise of submitting to
medical treatment； it will cruelly lay the patient prostrate
again in a state of relapse。 Adverse fortune； in my case；
subjected me to this last and worst trial of endurance。 Two
months passedmonths of pain aggravated by anxietybefore I was
able to help Eunice and Miss Jillgall personally with my sympathy
and advice。
During this interval； I heard regularly from the friendly and
faithful Selina。
Terror and suspense； courageously endured day after day； seem to
have broken down her resistance； poor soul； when Eunice's good
name and Eunice's tranquillity were threatened by the most
infamous of false accusations。 From that time； Miss Jillgall's
method of expressing herself betrayed a gradual deterioration。 I
shall avoid presenting at a disadvantage a correspondent who has
claims on my gratitude； if I give the substance only of what she
wroteassisted by the newspaper which she sent to me； while the
legal proceedings were in progress。
Honest indignation does sometimes counsel us wisely。 When the
doctor left Miss Jillgall； in anger and in haste； he had
determined on taking the course from which； as a humane man and a
faithful friend； he had hitherto recoiled。 It was no time； now；
to shrink from the prospect of an exposure。 The one hope of
successfully encountering the vindictive wickedness of Helena lay
in the resolution to be beforehand with her； in the appeal to the
magistrates with which she had threatened Eunice and Miss
Jillgall。 The doctor's sworn information stated the whole
terrible case of the poisoning； ranging from his first suspicions
and their confirmation； to Helena's atrocious attempt to accuse
her innocent sister of her own guilt。 So firmly were the
magistrates convinced of the serious nature of the case thus
stated； that they did not hesitate to issue their warrant。 Among
the witnesses whose attendance was immediately secured； by the
legal adviser to whom the doctor applied； were the farmer and his
wife。
Helena was arrested while she was dressing to go out。 Her
composure was not for a moment disturbed。 〃I was on my way；〃 she
said coolly； 〃to make a statement before the justices。 The sooner
they hear what I have to say the better。〃
The attempt of this shameless wretch to 〃turn the tables〃 on poor
Eunicesuggested； as I afterward discovered； by the record of
family history which she had quoted in her journalwas defeated
with ease。 The farmer and his wife prove d the date at which
Eunice had left her place of residence under their roof。 The
doctor's evidence followed。 He proved； by the production of his
professional diary； that the discovery of the attempt to poison
his patient had taken place before the day of Eunice's departure
from the farm； and that the first improvement in Mr。 Philip
Dunboyne's state of health had shown itself after that young
lady's arrival to perform the
