the legacy of cain-第71节
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have known betterand did not？
When Eunice asked if I had seen Philip； I owned that he was
outside in the carriage。 Before she could reproach me； I went on
with what I had to say： 〃My child； I know what a sacrifice you
have made； and I should honor your scruples； if you had any
reason for feeling them。〃
〃Any reason for feeling them？〃 She turned pale as she repeated
the words。
An idea came to me。 I rang for the servant； and sent her to the
carriage to tell Philip to come in。 〃My dear； I am not putting
you to any unfair trial；〃 I assured her； 〃I am going to prove
that I love you as truly as if you were my own child。〃
When they were both present； I resolved that they should not
suffer a moment of needless suspense。 Standing between them； I
took Eunice's hand； and laid my other hand on Philip's shoulder；
and spoke out plainly。
〃I am here to make you both happy；〃 I said。 〃I can remove the
only obstacle to your marriage； and I mean to do it。 But I must
insist on one condition。 Give me your promise； Philip； that you
will ask for no explanations； and that you will be satisfied with
the one true statement which is all that I can offer to you。〃
He gave me his promise； without an instant's hesitation。
〃Philip grants what I ask；〃 I said to Eunice。 〃Do you grant it；
too？〃
Her hand turned cold in mine； but she spoke firmly when she said：
〃Yes。〃
I gave her into Philip's care。 It was his privilege to console
and support her。 It was my duty to say the decisive words：
〃Rouse your courage； dear Eunice； you are no more affected by
Helena's disgrace than I am。 You are not her sister。 Her father
is not your father； her mother was not your mother。 I was
present； in the time of your infancy； when Mr。 Gracedieu's
fatherly kindness received you as his adopted child。 This； I
declare to you both； on my word of honor； is the truth。〃
How she bore it I am not able to say。 My foolish old eyes were
filling with tears。 I could just see plainly enough to find my
way to the door； and leave them together。
In my reckless state of mind； I never asked myself if Time would
be my accomplice； and keep the part of the secret which I had not
revealedor be my enemy； and betray me。 The chances； either way；
were perhaps equal。 The deed was done。
CHAPTER LXIV。
THE TRUTH TRIUMPHANT。
THE marriage was deferred； at Eunice's request； as an expression
of respect to the memory of Philip's father。
When the time of delay had passed； it was arranged that the
wedding ceremony should be heldafter due publication of
Bannsat the parish church of the London suburb in which my
house was situated。 Miss Jillgall was bridesmaid； and I gave away
the bride。 Before we set out for the church； Eunice asked leave
to speak with me for a moment in private。
〃Don't think；〃 she said； 〃that I am forgetting my promise to be
content with what you have told me about myself。 I am not so
ungrateful as that。 But I do want； before I consent to be
Philip's wife； to feel sure that I am not quite unworthy of him。
Is it because I am of mean birth that you told me I was Mr。
Gracedieu's adopted childand told me no more？〃
I could honestly satisfy her； so far。 〃Certainly not！〃 I said。
She put her arms round my neck。 〃Do you say that；〃 she asked； 〃to
make my mind easy？ or do you say it on your word of honor？〃
〃On my word of honor。〃
We arrived at the church。 Let Miss Jillgall describe the
marriage； in her own inimitable way。
〃No wedding breakfast； when you don't want to eat it。 No wedding
speeches； when nobody wants to make them； and nobody wants to
hear them。 And no false sentiment； shedding tears and reddening
noses； on the happiest day in the whole year。 A model marriage！ I
could desire nothing better； if I had any prospect of being a
bride myself。〃
They went away for their honeymoon to a quiet place by the
seaside； not very far from the town in which Eunice had passed
some of the happiest and the wretchedest days in her life。 She
persisted in thinking it possible that Mr。 Gracedieu might
recover the use of his faculties； at the last； and might wish to
see her on his death…bed。 〃His adopted daughter；〃 she gently
reminded me； 〃is his only daughter now。〃 The doctor shook his
head when I told him what Eunice had said to meand； the sad
truth must be told； the doctor was right。
Miss Jillgall returned； on the wedding…day； to take care of the
good man who had befriended her in her hour of need。
Before the end of the week； I heard from her； and was
disagreeably reminded of an incident which we had both forgotten；
absorbed as we were in other and greater interests； at the time。
Mrs。 Tenbruggen had again appeared on the scene！ She had written
to Miss Jillgall； from Paris； to say that she had heard of old
Mr。。 Dunboyne's death； and that she wished to have the letter
returned； which she had left for delivery to Philip's father on
the day when Philip and Eunice were married。 I had my own
suspicions of what that letter might contain； and I regretted
that Miss Jillgall had sent it back without first waiting to
consult me。 My misgivings； thus excited； were increased by more
news of no very welcome kind。 Mrs。 Tenbruggen had decided on
returning to her professional pursuits in England。 Massage； now
the fashion everywhere； had put money into her pocket among the
foreigners； and her husband； finding that she persisted in
keeping out of his reach； had consented to a compromise。 He was
ready to submit to a judicial separation； in consideration of a
little income which his wife had consented to settle on him；
under the advice of her lawyer。
Some days later； I received a delightful letter from Philip and
Eunice； reminding me that I had engaged to pay them a visit at
the seaside。 My room was ready for me； and I was left to choose
my own day。 I had just begun to write my reply； gladly accepting
the invitation； when an ominous circumstance occurred。 My servant
announced 〃a lady〃； and I found myself face to face withMrs。
Tenbruggen！
She was as cheerful as ever； and as eminently agreeable as ever。
〃I have heard it all from Selina；〃 she said。 〃Philip's marriage
to Eunice （I shall go and congratulate them； of course）； and the
catastrophe （how dramatic！） of Helena Gracedieu。 I warned。 Selina
that Miss Helena would end badly。 To tell the truth； she
frightened me。 I don't deny that I am a mischievous woman when I
find myself affronted； quite capable of taking my revenge in my
own small spiteful way。 But poison and murderah； the frightful
subject！ let us drop it； and talk of something that doesn't make
my hair （it's really my own hair） stand on end。 Has Selina told
you that I have got rid of my charming husband； on easy pecuniary
terms？ Oh； you know that？ Very well。 I will tell you something
that you don't know。 Mr。 Governor； I have found you out。〃
〃May I venture to ask how？〃
〃When I guessed which was which of those two girls；〃 she
answered； 〃and guessed wrong； you deliberately encouraged the
mistake。 Very clever； but you overdid it。 From that moment；
though I kept it to myself； I began to fear I might be wrong。 Do
you remember Low Lanes； my dear sir？ A charming old church。 I
have had another consultation with my lawyer。 His questions led
me into mentioning how it happened that I heard of Low Lanes。
After looking again at his memorandum of the birth advertised in
the newspaper without naming the placehe proposed trying the
church register at Low Lanes。 Need I tell you the result？ I know；
as well as you do； that Philip has married the adopted child。 He
has had a mother…in…law who was hanged； and； what is more； he has
the honor； through his late father； of being otherwise connected
with the murderess by marriageas his aunt！〃
Bewilderment and dismay deprived me of my presence of mind。 〃How
did you discover that？〃 I was foolish enough to ask。
〃Do you remember when I brought the baby to the prison？〃 she
said。 〃The fatheras I mentioned at the timehad been a dear
and valued friend of mine。 No person could be better qualified to
tell me who had married his wife's sister。 If that lady had been
living； I should never have been troubled with the charge of the
child。 Any more questions？〃
〃Only one。 Is Philip to hear of this？〃
〃Oh； for shame！ I don't deny that Philip insulted me grossly； in
one way； and that Philip's late father insulted me grossly； in
another way。 But Mamma Tenbruggen is a Christian。 She returns
good for evil； and wouldn't for the world disturb the connubial
felicity of Mr。 and Mrs。 Philip Dunboyne。〃
The moment the woman was out of my house； I sent a telegram to
Philip to say that he might expect to see me that night。 I caught
the last train in the evening； and I sat down to supper with
those two harmless young creatures； knowing I must prepare the
husband for what threatened them； and weakly deferring it； when I
found myself in their presence； until the next day。 Eunice was；
in some degree； answerable for this hesitation on my part。 No one
could look at her husband； and fail to see that he was a
supremely happy man。 But I detected signs of care in the wife's
face。
Before breakfast the next morning I was out on the beach； trying
