the legacy of cain-第72节

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face。

Before　breakfast　the　next　morning　I　was　out　on　the　beach；　trying
to　decide　how　the　inevitable　disclosure　might　be　made。　Eunice
joined　me。　Now；　when　we　were　alone；　I　asked　if　she　was　really　and
completely　happy。　Quietly　and　sadly　she　answered：　〃Not　yet。〃

I　hardly　knew　what　to　say。　My　face　must　have　expressed
disappointment　and　surprise。

〃I　shall　never　be　quite　happy；〃　she　resumed；　〃till　I　know　what　it
is　that　you　kept　from　me　on　that　memorable　day。　I　don't　like
having　a　secret　from　my　husbandthough　it　is　not　_my_　secret。〃

〃Remember　your　promise；〃　I　said

〃I　don't　forget　it；〃　she　answered。　〃I　can　only　wish　that　my
promise　would　keep　back　the　thoughts　that　come　to　me　in　spite　of
myself。〃

〃What　thoughts？〃

〃There　is　something；　as　I　fear；　in　the　story　of　my　parents　which
you　are　afraid　to　confide　to　me。　Why　did　Mr。　Gracedieu　allow　me
to　believe　and　leave　everybody　to　believe；　that　I　was　his　own
child？〃

〃My　dear；　I　relieved　your　mind　of　those　doubts　on　the　morning　of
your　marriage。〃

〃No。　I　was　only　thinking　of　myself　at　that　time。　My　motherthe
doubt　of　_her_　is　the　doubt　that　torments　me　now。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃

She　put　her　arm　in　mine；　and　held　by　it　with　both　hands。

〃The　mock…mother！〃　she　whispered。　〃Do　you　remember　that　dreadful
Vision；　that　horrid　whispering　temptation　in　the　dead　of　night？
_Was_　it　a　mock…mother？　Oh；　pity　me！　I　don't　know　who　my　mother
was。　One　horrid　thought　about　her　is　a　burden　on　my　mind。　If　she
was　a　good　woman；　you　who　love　me　would　surely　have　made　me　happy
by　speaking　of　her？〃

Those　words　decided　me　at　last。　Could　she　suffer　more　than　she
had　suffered　already；　if　I　trusted　her　with　the　truth？　I　ran　the
risk。　There　was　a　time　of　silence　that　filled　me　with　terror。　The
interval　passed。　She　took　my　hand；　and　put　it　to　her　heart。　〃Does
it　beat　as　if　I　was　frightened？〃　she　asked。


No！　It　was　beating　calmly。

〃Does　it　relieve　your　anxiety？〃

It　told　me　that　I　had　not　surprised　her。　That　unforgotten　Vision
of　the　night　had　prepared　her　for　the　worst；　after　the　time　when
I　had　told　her　that　she　was　an　adopted　child。　〃I　know；〃　I　said；
〃that　those　whispered　temptations　overpowered　you　again；　when　you
and　Helena　met　on　the　stairs；　and　you　forbade　her　to　enter
Philip's　room。　And　I　know　that　love　had　conquered　once　more；　when
you　were　next　seen　sitting　by　Philip's　bedside。　Tell　mehave　you
any　misgivings　now？　Is　there　fear　in　your　heart　of　the　return　of
that　tempting　spirit　in　you；　in　the　time　to　come？〃

〃Not　while　Philip　lives！〃

There；　where　her　love　wasthere　her　safety　was。　And　she　knew　it！
She　suddenly　left　me。　I　asked　where　she　was　going。

〃To　tell　Philip；〃　was　the　reply。

She　was　waiting　for　me　at　the　door；　when　I　followed　her　to　the
house。

〃Is　it　done？〃　I　said。

〃It　is　done；〃　she　answered。

〃What　did　he　say？〃

〃He　said：　'My　darling；　if　I　could　be　fonder　of　you　than　ever；　I
should　be　fonder　of　you　now。'　〃

I　have　been　blamed　for　being　too　ready　to　confide　to　Philip　the
precious　trust　of　Eunice's　happiness。　If　that　reply　does　not
justify　me；　where　is　justification　to　be　found？

POSTSCRIPT。


LATER　in　the　day；　Mrs。　Tenbruggen　arrived　to　offer　her
congratulations。　She　asked　for　a　few　minutes　with　Philip　alone。
As　a　cat　elaborates　her　preparations　for　killing　a　mouse；　so　the
human　cat　elaborated　her　preparations　for　killing　Philip's
happiness；　he　remained　uninjured　by　her　teeth　and　her　claws。
〃Somebody；〃　she　said；　〃has　told　you　of　it　already？〃　And　Philip
answered：　〃Yes；　my　wife。〃

For　some　months　longer；　Mr。　Gracedieu　lingered。　One　morning；　he
said　to　Eunice：　〃I　want　to　teach　you　to　knit。　Sit　by　me；　and　see
me　do　it。〃　His　hands　fell　softly　on　his　lap；　his　head　sank　little
by　little　on　her　shoulder。　She　could　just　hear　him　whisper：　〃How
pleasant　it　is　to　sleep！〃　Never　was　Death's　dreadful　work　more
gently　done

Our　married　pair　live　now　on　the　paternal　estate　in　Ireland；　and
Miss　Jillgall　reigns　queen　of　domestic　affairs。　I　am　still　strong
enough　to　pass　my　autumn　holidays　in　that　pleasant　house。

At　times；　my　memory　reverts　to　Helena　Gracedieu；　and　to　what　I
discovered　when　I　had　seen　her　diary。

How　little　I　knew　of　that　terrible　creature　when　I　first　met　with
her；　and　fancied　that　she　had　inherited　her　mother's　character！
It　was　weak　indeed　to　compare　the　mean　vices　of　Mrs。　Gracedieu
with　the　diabolical　depravity　of　her　daughter。　Here　the　doctrine
of　hereditary　transmission　of　moral　qualities　must　own　that　it
has　overlooked　the　fertility　（for　growth　of　good　and　for　growth
of　evil　equally）　which　is　inherent　in　human　nature。　There　are
virtues　that　exalt　us；　and　vices　that　degrade　us；　whose
mysterious　origin　is；　not　in　our　parents；　but　in　ourselves。　When
I　think　of　Helena；　I　ask　myself；　where　is　the　trace　which　reveals
that　the　first　murder　in　the　world　was　the　product　of　inherited
crime？

The　criminal　left　the　prison；　on　the　expiration　of　her　sentence；
so　secretly　that　it　was　impossible　to　trace　her。　Some　months
later；　Miss　Jillgall　received　an　illustrated　newspaper　published
in　the　United　States。　She　showed　me　one　of　the　portraits　in　it。

〃Do　you　recognize　the　illustrious　original？〃　she　asked；　with
indignant　emphasis　on　the　last　two　words。　I　recognized　Helena。
〃Now　read　her　new　title；〃　Miss　Jillgall　continued。

I　read：　〃The　Reverend　Miss　Gracedieu。〃

The　biographical　notice　followed。　Here　is　an　extract：　〃This
eminent　lady；　the　victim　of　a　shocking　miscarriage　of　justice　in
England；　is　now　the　distinguished　leader　of　a　new　community　in
the　United　States。　We　hail　in　her　the　great　intellect　which
asserts　the　superiority　of　woman　over　man。　In　the　first　French
Revolution；　the　attempt　made　by　men　to　found　a　rational　religion
met　with　only　temporary　success。　It　was　reserved　for　the　mightier
spirit　of　woman　to　lay　the　foundations　more　firmly；　and　to
dedicate　one　of　the　noblest　edifices　in　this　city　to　the　Worship
of　Pure　Reason。　Readers　who　wish　for　further　information　will　do
well　to　provide　themselves　with　the　Reverend　Miss　Gracedieu's
Orationsthe　tenth　edition　of　which　is　advertised　in　our
columns。〃

〃I　once　asked　you；〃　Miss　Jillgall　reminded　me；　〃what　Helena　would
do　when　she　came　out　of　prison；　and　you　said　she　would　do　very
well。　Oh；　Mr。　Governor；　Solomon　was　nothing　to　You！〃






End