the legacy of cain-第37部分

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and　she　means　to　make　the　great　man　useful。　Thank　God；　I　can　stop
that！〃

She　checked　herself　there；　and　looked　suspiciously　at　the　door　of
Mr。　Gracedieu's　room。

〃In　the　interest　of　our　conversation；〃　she　whispered；　〃we　have
not　given　a　thought　to　the　place　we　have　been　talking　in。　Do　you
think　the　Minister　has　heard　us？〃

〃Not　if　he　is　asleepas　I　left　him；〃

Miss　Jillgall　shook　her　head　ominously。　〃The　safe　way　is　this
way；〃　she　said。　〃Come　with　me。〃


CHAPTER　XXXV。

THE　FUTURE　LOOKS　GLOOMY。


MY　ever…helpful　guide　led　me　to　my　roomwell　out　of　Mr。
Gracedieu's　hearing；　if　he　happened　to　be　awakeat　the　other　end
of　the　passage。　Having　opened　the　door；　she　paused　on　the
threshold。　The　decrees　of　that　merciless　English　despot；
Propriety；　claimed　her　for　their　own。　〃Oh；　dear！〃　she　said　to
herself；　〃ought　I　to　go　in？〃

My　interest　as　a　man　（and；　what　is　more；　an　old　man）　in　the
coming　disclosure　was　too　serious　to　be　trifled　with　in　this　way。
I　took　her　arm；　and　led　her　into　my　room　as　if　I　was　at　a
dinner…party；　leading　her　to　the　table。　Is　it　the　good　or　the
evil　fortune　of　mortals　that　the　comic　side　of　life；　and　the
serious　side　of　life；　are　perpetually　in　collision　with　each
other？　We　burst　out　laughing；　at　a　moment　of　grave　importance　to
us　both。　Perfectly　inappropriate；　and　perfectly　natural。　But　we
were　neither　of　us　philosophers；　and　we　were　ashamed　of　our　own
merriment　the　moment　it　had　ceased。

〃When　you　hear　what　I　have　to　tell　you；〃　Miss　Jillgall　began；　〃I
hope　you　will　think　as　I　do。　What　has　slipped　Mr。　Gracedieu'　s
memory；　it　may　be　safer　to　sayfor　he　is　sometimes　irritable；
poor　dearwhere　he　won't　know　anything　about　it。〃

With　that　she　told　the　lamentable　story　of　the　desertion　of
Eunice。

In　silence　I　listened；　from　first　to　last。　How　could　I　trust
myself　to　speak；　as　I　must　have　spoken；　in　the　presence　of　a
woman？　The　cruel　injury　inflicted　on　the　poor　girl；　who　had
interested　and　touched　me　in　the　first　innocent　year　of　her
lifewho　had　grown　to　womanhood　to　be　the　victim　of　two
wretches；　both　trusted　by　her；　both　bound　to　her　by　the　sacred
debt　of　loveso　fired　my　temper　that　I　longed　to　be　within　reach
of　the　man；　with　a　horsewhip　in　my　hand。　Seeing　in　my　face；　as　I
suppose；　what　was　passing　in　my　mind；　Miss　Jillgall　expressed
sympathy　and　admiration　in　her　own　quaint　way：　〃Ah；　I　like　to　see
you　so　angry！　It's　grand　to　know　that　a　man　who　has　governed
prisoners　has　got　such　a　pitying　heart。　Let　me　tell　you　one
thing；　sir。　You　will　be　more　angry　than　ever；　when　you　see　my
sweet　girl　to…morrow。　And　mind　thisit　is　Helena's　devouring
vanity；　Helena's　wicked　jealousy　of　her　sister's　good　fortune；
that　has　done　the　mischief。　Don't　be　too　hard　on　Philip？　I　do
believe；　if　the　truth　was　told；　he　is　ashamed　of　himself。〃

I　felt　inclined　to　be　harder　on　Philip　than　ever。　〃Where　is　he？〃
I　asked。

Miss　Jillgall　started。　〃Oh；　Mr。　Governor；　don't　show　the　severe
side　of　yourself；　after　the　pretty　compliment　I　have　just　paid　to
you！　What　a　masterful　voice！　and　what　eyes；　dear　sir；　what
terrifying　eyes！　I　feel　as　if　I　was　one　of　your　prisoners；　and
had　misbehaved　myself。〃

I　repeated　my　question　with　improvement；　I　hope；　in　my　looks　and
tones：　〃Don't　think　me　obstinate；　my　dear　lady。　I　only　want　to
know　if　he　is　in　this　town。〃

Miss　Jillgall　seemed　to　take　a　curious　pleasure　in　disappointing
me；　she　had　not　forgotten　my　unfortunate　abruptness　of　look　and
manner。　〃You　won't　find　him　here；〃　she　said。

〃Perhaps　he　has　left　England？〃

〃If　you　must　know；　sir；　he　is　in　Londonwith　Mr。　Dunboyne。〃

The　name　startled　me。

In　a　moment　more　it　recalled　to　my　memory　a　remarkable　letter；
addressed　to　me　many　years　ago；　which　will　be　found　in　my
introductory　narrative。　The　writeran　Irish　gentleman；　named
Dunboyne　confided　to　me　that　his　marriage　had　associated　him　with
the　murderess；　who　had　then　been　recently　executed；　as
brother…in…law　to　that　infamous　woman。　This　circumstance　he　had
naturally　kept　a　secret　from　every　one；　including　his　son；　then　a
boy。　I　alone　was　made　an　exception　to　the　general　rule；　because　I
alone　could　tell　him　what　had　become　of　the　poor　little　girl；　who
in　spite　of　the　disgraceful　end　of　her　mother　was　still　his
niece。　If　the　child　had　not　been　provided　for；　he　felt　it　his
duty　to　take　charge　of　her　education；　and　to　watch　over　her
prospects　in　the　future。　Such　had　been　his　object　in　writing　to
me；　and　such　was　the　substance　of　his　letter。　I　had　merely
informed　him；　in　reply；　that　his　kind　intentions　had　been
anticipated；　and　that　the　child's　prosperous　future　was　assured。

Miss　Jillgall's　keen　observation　noticed　the　impression　that　had
been　produced　upon　me。　〃Mr。　Dunboyne's　name　seems　to　surprise
you。〃　she　said。

〃This　is　the　first　time　I　have　heard　you　mention　it；〃　I　answered。

She　looked　as　if　she　could　hardly　believe　me。　〃Surely　you　must
have　heard　the　name；〃　she　said；　〃when　I　told　you　about　poor
Euneece？〃

〃No。〃

〃Well；　then；　Mr。　Gracedieu　must　have　mentioned　it？〃

〃No。〃

This　second　reply　in　the　negative　irritated　her。

〃At　any　rate；〃　she　said；　sharply；　〃you　appeared　to　know　Mr。
Dunboyne's　name；　just　now。〃

〃Certainly！〃

〃And　yet；〃　she　persisted；　〃the　name　seemed　to　come　upon　you　as　a
surprise。　I　don't　understand　it。　If　I　have　mentioned　Philip's
name　once；　I　have　mentioned　it　a　dozen　times。〃

We　were　completely　at　cross…purposes。　She　had　taken　something　for
granted　which　was　an　unfathomable　mystery　to　me。

〃Well；〃　I　objected；　〃if　you　did　mention　his　name　a　dozen
timesexcuse　me　for　asking　the　question…what　then？〃

〃Good　heavens！〃　cried　Miss　Jillgall；　〃do　you　mean　to　say　you
never　guessed　that　Philip　was　Mr。　Dunboyne's　son？〃

I　was　petrified。

His　son！　Dunboyne's　son！　How　could　I　have　guessed　it？

At　a　later　time　only；　the　good　little　creature　who　had　so
innocently　deceived　me；　remembered　that　the　mischief　might　have
been　wrought　by　the　force　of　habit。　While　he　had　still　a　claim　on
their　regard　the　family　had　always　spoken　of　Eunice's　unworthy
lover　by　his　Christian　name；　and　what　had　been　familiar　in　their
mouths　felt　the　influence　of　custom；　before　time　enough　had
elapsed　to　make　them　think　as　readily　of　the　enemy　as　they　had
hitherto　thought　of　the　friend。

But　I　was　ignorant　of　this：　and　the　disclosure　by　which　I　found
myself　suddenly　confronted　was　more　than　I　could　support。　For　the
moment；　speech　was　beyond　me。

His　son！　Dunboyne's　son！

What　a　position　that　young　man　had　occupied；　unsuspected　by　his
father；　unknown　to　himself！　kept　in　ignorance　of　the　family
disgrace；　he　had　been　a　guest　in　the　house　of　the　man　who　had
consoled　his　infamous　aunt　on　the　eve　of　her　executionwho　had
saved　his　unhappy　cousin　from　poverty；　from　sorrow；　from　shame。
And　but　one　human　being　knew　this。　And　that　human　being　was
myself！

Observing　my　agitation；　Miss　Jillgall　placed　her　own　construction
on　it。

〃Do　you　know　anything　bad　of　Philip？〃　she　asked　eagerly。　〃If　it's
something　that　will　prevent　Helena　from　marrying　him；　tell　me
what　it　is；　I　beg　and　pray。〃

I　knew　no　more　of　〃Philip〃　（whom　she　still　called　by　his
Christian　name！）　than　she　had　told　me　herself：　there　was　no　help
for　it　but　to　disappoint　her。　At　the　same　time　I　was　unable　to
conceal　that　I　was　ill　at　ease；　and　that　it　might　be　well　to
leave　me　by　myself。　After　a　look　round　the　bedchamber　to　see　that
nothing　was　wanting　to　my　comfort；　she　made　her　quaint　curtsey；
and　left　me　with　her　own　inimitable　form　of　farewell。

〃Oh；　indeed；　I　have　been　here　too　long！　And　I'm　afraid　I　have
been　guilty；　once　or　twice；　of　vulgar　familiarity。　You　will
excuse　me；　I　hope。　This　has　been　an　exciting　interviewI　think　I
am　going　to　cry。〃

She　ran　out　of　the　room；　and　carried　away　with　her　some　of　my
kindliest　feelings；　short　as　the　time　of　our　acquaintance　had
been。　What　a　wife　and　what　a　mother　was　lost　thereand　all　for
want　of　a　pretty　face！

Left　alone；　my　thoughts　inevitably　reverted　to　Dunboyne　the
elder；　and　to　all　that　had　happened　in　Mr。　Gracedieu's　family
since　the　Irish　gentleman　had　written　to　me　in　bygone　years。

The　terrible　choice　of　responsibilities　which　had　preyed　on　the
Minister's　mind　had　been　foreseen　by　Mr。　Dunboyne；　when　he　first
thought　of　adopting　his　infant　niece；　and　had　warned　him　to　dread
what　might　happen　in　the　future；　if　he　brought　her　up　as　a　member
of　the　family　with　his　own　boy；　and　if　the　two　young　people
became　at　a　later　period　attached　to　each　other。　How　had　the　wise
foresight；　which　offered　such　a　contrast　to　the　poor　Minister's
impulsive　act　of　mercy；　met　with　its　reward？　Fate　or　Providence
（call　it　which　we　may）　had　brought　Dunboyne's　son　and　the
daughter　of　the　murderess　together；　had　inspired　those　two
strangers　with　love；　and　had　emboldened　them　to　plight　their
troth　by　a　marriage　engagement。　Was　the　man's　betrayal　of　the
trust　placed　in　him　by　the　faithful　girl　to　be　esteemed　a
fortunate　circumstance　by　the　two　persons　who　knew　the　true　story
of　her　parentage；　the　Minister　and　myself？　Could　we　rejoice　in　an
act　of　infidelity　which　had　embittered　and　darkened　the　gentle
harmless　life　of　the　victim？　Or　could　we；　on　the　other　hand；
encourage