the legacy of cain-第69节

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Dunboyne's　state　of　health　had　shown　itself　after　that　young
lady's　arrival　to　perform　the　duties　of　a　nurse。　To　the　wise
precautions　which　she　had　takenperverted　by　Helena　to　the
purpose　of　a　false　accusationthe　doctor　attributed　the
preservation　of　the　young　man's　life。

Having　produced　the　worst　possible　impression　on　the　minds　of　the
magistrates；　Helena　was　remanded。　Her　legal　adviser　had　predicted
this　result；　but　the　vindictive　obstinacy　of　his　client　had　set
both　experience　and　remonstrance　at　defiance。

At　the　renewed　examination；　the　line　of　defense　adopted　by　the
prisoner's　lawyer　proved　to　bemistaken　identity。

It　was　asserted　that　she　had　never　entered　the　chemist's　shop；
also；　that　the　assistant　had　wrongly　identified　some　other　lady
as　Miss　Helena　Gracedieu；　also；　that　there　was　not　an　atom　of
evidence　to　connect　her　with　the　stealing　of　the　doctor's
prescription…paper　and　the　forgery　of　his　writing。　Other
assertions　to　the　same　purpose　followed；　on　which　it　is　needless
to　dwell。

The　case　for　the　prosecution　was；　happily；　in　competent　hands。
With　the　exception　of　one　witness；　cross…examination　afforded　no
material　help　to　the　evidence　for　the　defense。

The　chemist　swore　positively　to　the　personal　appearance　of
Helena；　as　being　the　personal　appearance　of　the　lady　who　had
presented　the　prescription。　His　assistant；　pressed　on　the
question　of　identity；　broke　down　under
cross…examinationpurposely；　as　it　was　whispered；　serving　the
interests　of　the　prisoner。　But　the　victory；　so　far　gained　by　the
defense；　was　successfully　contested　by　the　statement　of　the　next
witness；　a　respectable　tradesman　in　the　town。　He　had　seen　the
newspaper　report　of　the　first　examination；　and　had　volunteered　to
present　himself　as　a　witness。　A　member　of　Mr。　Gracedieu's
congregation；　his　pew　in　the　chapel　was　so　situated　as　to　give
him　a　view　of　the　minister's　daughters　occupying　their　pew。　He
had　seen　the　prisoner　on　every　Sunday；　for　years　past；　and　he
swore　that　he　was　passing　the　door　of　the　chemist's　shop；　at　the
moment　when　she　stepped　out　into　the　street；　having　a　bottle
covered　with　the　customary　white　paper　in　her　hand。　The　doctor
and　his　servant　were　the　next　witnesses　called。　They　were
severely　cross…examined。　Some　of　their　statementsquestioned
technically　with　successreceived　unexpected　and　powerful
support；　due　to　the　discovery　and　production　of　the　prisoner's
diary。　The　entries；　guardedly　as　some　of　them　were　written；
revealed　her　motive　for　attempting　to　poison　Philip　Dunboyne；
proved　that　she　had　purposely　called　on　the　doctor　when　she　knew
that　he　would　be　out；　that　she　had　entered　the　consulting…room；
and　examined　the　medical　books；　had　found　（to　use　her　own　written
words）　〃a　volume　that　interested　her；〃　and　had　used　the
prescription…papers　for　the　purpose　of　making　notes。　The　notes
themselves　were　not　to　be　found；　they　had　doubtless　been
destroyed。　Enough；　and　more　than　enough；　remained　to　make　the
case　for　the　prosecution　complete。　The　magistrates　committed
Helena　Gracedieu　for　trial　at　the　next　assizes。

I　arrived　in　the　town；　as　well　as　I　can　remember；　about　a　week
after　the　trial　had　taken　place。

Found　guilty；　the　prisoner　had　been　recommended　to　mercy　by　the
jurypartly　in　consideration　of　her　youth；　partly　as　an
expression　of　sympathy　and　respect　for　her　unhappy　father。　The
judge　（a　father　himself）　passed　a　lenient　sentence。　She　was
condemned　to　imprisonment　for　two　years。　The　careful　matron　of
the　jail　had　provided　herself　with　a　bottle　of　smelling…salts；　in
the　fear　that　there　might　be　need　for　it　when　Helena　heard　her
sentence　pronounced。　Not　the　slightest　sign　of　agitation　appeared
in　her　face　or　her。　manner。　She　lied　to　the　last；　asserting　her
innocence　in　a　firm　voice；　and　returning　from　the　dock　to　the
prison　without　requiring　assistance　from　anybody。

Relating　these　particulars　to　me；　in　a　state　of　ungovernable
excitement；　good　Miss　Jillgall　ended　with　a　little　confession　of
her　own；　which　operated　as　a　relief　to　my　overburdened　mind　after
what　I　had　just　heard。

〃I　wouldn't　own　it；〃　she　said；　〃to　anybody　but　a　dear　friend。　One
thing；　in　the　dreadful　disgrace　that　has　fallen　on　us；　I　am　quite
at　a　loss　to　account　for。　Think　of　Mr。　Gracedieu's　daughter　being
one　of　those　criminal　creatures　on　whom　it　was　once　your　terrible
duty　to　turn　the　key！　Why　didn't　she　commit　suicide？〃

〃My　dear　lady；　no　thoroughly　wicked　creature　ever　yet　committed
suicide。　Self…destruction；　when　it　is　not　an　act　of　madness；
implies　some　acuteness　of　feelingsensibility　to　remorse　or　to
shame；　or　perhaps　a　distorted　idea　of　making　atonement。　There　is
no　such　thing　as　remorse　or　shame；　or　hope　of　making　atonement；
in　Helena's　nature。〃

〃But　when　she　comes　out　of　prison；　what　will　she　do？〃

〃Don't　alarm　yourself；　my　good　friend。　She　will　do　very　well。〃

〃Oh；　hush！　hush！　Poetical　justice；　Mr。　Governor！〃

〃Poetical　fiddlesticks；　Miss　Jillgall。〃


CHAPTER　LXIII。

THE　OBSTACLE　REMOVED。


WHEN　the　subject　of　the　trial　was　happily　dismissed；　my　first
inquiry　related　to　Eunice。　The　reply　was　made　with　an　ominous
accompaniment　of　sighs　and　sad　looks。　Eunice　had　gone　back　to　her
duties　as　governess　at　the　farm。　Hearing　this；　I　asked　naturally
what　had　become　of　Philip。

Melancholy　news；　again；　was　the　news　that　I　now　heard。

Mr。　Dunboyne　the　elder　had　died　suddenly；　at　his　house　in
Ireland；　while　Philip　was　on　his　way　home。　When　the　funeral
ceremony　had　come　to　an　end；　the　will　was　read。　It　had　been　made
only　a　few　days　before　the　testator's　death；　and　the　clause　which
left　all　his　property　to　his　son　was　preceded　by　expressions　of
paternal　affection；　at　a　time　when　Philip　was　in　sore　need　of
consolation。　After　alluding　to　a　letter；　received　from　his　son；
the　old　man　added：　〃I　always　loved　him；　without　caring　to　confess
it；　I　detest　scenes　of　sentiment；　kissings；　embracings；　tears；
and　that　sort　of　thing。　But　Philip　has　yielded　to　my　wishes；　and
has　broken　off　a　marriage　which　would　have　made　him；　as　well　as
me；　wretched　for　life。　After　this；　I　may　speak　my　mind　from　my
grave；　and　may　tell　my　boy　that　I　loved　him。　If　the　wish　is
likely　to　be　of　any　use；　I　will　add　（on　the　chance）God　bless
him。〃

〃Does　Philip　submit　to　separation　from　Eunice？〃　I　asked。　〃Does　he
stay　in　Ireland？〃

〃Not　he；　poor　fellow！　He　will　be　here　to…morrow　or　next　day。　When
I　last　wrote；〃　Miss　Jillgall　continued；　〃I　told　him　I　hoped　to
see　you　again　soon。　If　you　can't　help　us　（I　mean　with　Eunice）
that　unlucky　young　man　will　do　some　desperate　thing。　He　will　join
those　madmen　at　large　who　disturb　poor　savages　in　Africa；　or　go
nowhere　to　find　nothing　in　the　Arctic　regions。

〃Whatever　I　can　do；　Miss　Jillgall；　shall　be　gladly　done。　Is　it
really　possible　that　Eunice　refuses　to　marry　him；　after　having
saved　his　life？〃

〃A　little　patience；　please；　Mr。　Governor；　let　Philip　tell　his　own
story。　If　I　try　to　do　it；　I　shall　only　cryand　we　have　had　tears
enough　lately；　in　this　house。〃

Further　consultation　being　thus　deferred；　I　went　upstairs　to　the
Minister's　room。

He　was　sitting　by　the　window；　in　his　favorite　armchair；　absorbed
in　knitting！　The　person　who　attended　on　him；　a　good…natured；
patient　fellow；　had　been　a　sailor　in　his　younger　days；　and　had
taught　Mr。　Gracedieu　how　to　use　the　needles。　〃You　see　it　amuses
him；〃　the　man　said；　kindly。　〃Don't　notice　his　mistakes；　he　thinks
there　isn't　such　another　in　the　world　for　knitting　as　himself。
You　can　see；　sir；　how　he　sticks　to　it。〃　He　was　so　absorbed　over
his　employment　that　I　had　to　speak　to　him　twice；　before　I　could
induce　him　to　look　at　me。　The　utter　ruin　of　his　intellect　did　not
appear　to　have　exercised　any　disastrous　influence　over　his　bodily
health。　On　the　contrary；　he　had　grown　fatter　since　I　had　last
seen　him；　his　complexion　had　lost　the　pallor　that　I
rememberedthere　was　color　in　his　cheeks。

〃Don't　yo　u　remember　your　old　friend？〃　I　said。　He　smiled；　and
nodded；　and　repeated　the　words：

〃Yes；　yes；　my　old　friend。〃　It　was　only　too　plain　that　he　had　not
the　least　recollection　of　me。　〃His　memory　is　gone；〃　the　man　said。
〃When　he　puts　away　his　knitting；　at　night；　I　have　to　find　it　for
him　in　the　morning。　But；　there！　he's　happyenjoys　his　victuals；
likes　sitting　out　in　the　garden　and　watching　the　birds。　There's
been　a　deal　of　trouble　in　the　family；　sir；　and　it　has　all　passed
over　him　like　a　wet　sponge　over　a　slate。〃　The　old　sailor　was
right。　If　that　wreck　of　a　man　had　been　capable　of　feeling　and
thinking；　his　daughter's　disgrace　would　have　broken　his　heart。　In
a　world　of　sin　and　sorrow；　is　peaceable　imbecility　always　to　be
pitied？　I　have　known　men　who　would　have　answered；　without
hesitation：　〃It　is　to　be　envied。〃　And　where　（some　persons　might
say）　was　the　poor　Minister's　reward　for　the　act　of　mercy　which
had　saved　Eunice　in　her　infancy？　Where　it　ought　to　be！　A　man　who
worthily　performs　a　good　action　finds　his　reward　in　the　action
itself。


At　breakfast；　on　the　next　day；　the　talk　touched　on　those　passages
in　Helena's　diary；　which　had　been　produced　in　court　as　evidence
against　her。

I　expressed　a　wish　to　see　what　revelation　of　a　depraved　nature
the　entries　in　the　diary　might　pr