the legacy of cain-第24章
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to be sadly anxious and out of sorts。 Miss Jillgall； if I had
been in the humor to enjoy it； would have been more amusing than
ever。 One of her funny little eyes persisted in winking at me；
and her heavy foot had something to say to my foot； under the
table； which meant a great deal perhaps； but which only succeeded
in hurting me。
My father left us； and Miss Jillgall explained herself。
〃I know； dearest Euneece； that we have only been acquainted for a
day or two and that I ought not perhaps to have expected you to
confide in me so soon。 Can I trust you not to betray me if I set
an example of confidence？ Ah； I see I can trust you！ And； my
dear； I do so enjoy telling secrets to a friend。 Hush！ Your
father； your excellent father； has been talking to me about young
Mr。 Dunboyne。〃
She provokingly stopped there。 I entreated her to go on。 She
invited me to sit on her knee。 〃I want to whisper；〃 she said。 It
was too ridiculousbut I did it。 Miss Jillgall's whisper told me
serious news。
〃The minister has some reason； Euneece； for disapproving of Mr。
Dunboyne； but； mind this； I don't think he has a bad opinion of
the young man himself。 He is going to return Mr。 Dunboyne's call。
Oh； I do so hate formality； I really can't go on talking of _Mr。_
Dunboyne。 Tell me his Christian name。 Ah； what a noble name！ How
I long to be useful to him！ Tomorrow； my dear； after the one
o'clock dinner； your papa will call on Philip； at his hotel。 I
hope he won't be out； just at the wrong time。〃
I resolved to prevent that unlucky accident by writing to Philip。
If Miss Jillgall would have allowed it； I should have begun my
letter at once。 But she had more to say； and she was stronger
than I was； and still kept me on her knee。
〃It all looks bright enough so far； doesn't it； dear sister？ Will
you let me be your second sister？ I do so love you； Euneece。
Thank you！ thank you！ But the gloomy side of the picture is to
come next！ The ministerno！ now I am your sister I must call him
papa； it makes me feel so young again！ Well； then； papa has asked
me to be your companion whenever you go out。 'Euneece is too
young and too attractive to be walking about this great town （in
Helena's absence） by herself。' That was how he put it。 Slyly
enough； if one may say so of so good a man。 And he used your
sister （didn't he？） as a kind of excuse。 I wish your sister was
as nice as you are。 However； the point is； why am I to be your
companion？ Because； dear child； you and your young gentleman are
not to make appointments and to meet each other alone。 Oh；
yesthat's it！ Your father is quite willing to return Philip's
call； he proposes （as a matter of civility to Mrs。 Staveley） to
ask Philip to dinner； but； mark my words； he doesn't mean to let
Philip have you for his wife。〃
I jumped off her lap； it was horrible to hear her。 〃Oh；〃 I said；
〃_can_ you be right about it？〃 Miss Jillgall jumped up too。 She
has foreign ways of shrugging her shoulders and making signs with
her hands。 On this occasion she laid both hands on the upper part
of her dress； just below her throat； and mysteriously shook her
head。
〃When my views are directed by my affections；〃 she assured me； 〃I
never see wrong。 My bosom is my strong point。〃
She has no bosom； poor soulbut I understood what she meant。 It
failed to have any soothing effect on my feelings。 I felt grieved
and angry and puzzled； all in one。 Miss Jillgall stood looking at
me； with her hands still on the place where her bosom was
supposed to be。 She made my temper hotter than ever。
〃I mean to marry Philip；〃 I said。
〃Certainly； my dear Euneece。 But please don't be so fierce about
it。〃
〃If my father does really object to my marriage；〃 I went on； 〃it
must be because he dislikes Philip。 There can be no other
reason。〃
〃Oh； yes； dearthere can。〃
〃What is the reason； then？〃
〃That； my sweet girl； is one of the things that we have got to
find out。〃
。 。 。 。 。 。 。
The post of this morning brought a letter from my sister。 We were
to expect her return by the next day's train。 This was good news。
Philip and I might stand in need of clever Helena's help； and we
might be sure of getting it now。
In writing to Philip； I had asked him to let me hear how papa and
he had got on at the hotel。
I won't say how often I consulted my watch； or how often I looked
out of the window for a man with a letter in his hand。 It will be
better to get on at once to the discouraging end of it； when the
report of the interview reached me at last。 Twice Philip had
attempted to ask for my hand in marriageand twice my father had
〃deliberately； obstinately〃 （Philip's own words） changed the
subject。 Even this was not all。 As if he was determined to show
that Miss Jillgall was perfectly right； and I perfectly wrong；
papa （civil to Philip as long as he did not talk of Me） had asked
him to dine with us； and Philip had accepted the invitation！
What were we to think of it？ What were we to do？
I wrote back to my dear love （so cruelly used） to tell him that
Helena was expected to return on the next day； and that her
opinion would be of the greatest value to both of us。 In a
postscript I mentioned the hour at which we were going to the
station to meet my sister。 When I say 〃we；〃 I mean Miss Jillgall
as well as myself。
。 。 。 。 。 。 。
We found him waiting for us at the railway。 I am afraid he
resented papa's incomprehensible resolution not to give him a
hearing。 He was silent and sullen。 I could not conceal that to
see this state of feeling distressed me。 He showed how truly he
deserved to be lovedhe begged my pardon； and he became his own
sweet self again directly。 I am more determined to marry him than
ever。
When the train entered the station； all the carriages were full。
I went one way； thinking I had seen Helena。 Miss Jillgall went
the other way； under the same impression。 Philip was a little way
behind me。
Not seeing my sister； I had just turned back； when a young man
jumped out of a carriage； opposite Philip； and recognized and
shook hands with him。 I was just near enough to hear the stranger
say； 〃Look at the girl in our carriage。〃 Philip looked。 〃What a
charming creature！〃 he said； and then checked himself for fear
the young lady should hear him。 She had just handed her traveling
bag and wraps to a porter； and was getting out。 Philip politely
offered his hand to help her。 She looked my way。 The charming
creature of my sweetheart's admiration was； to my infinite
amusement； Helena herself。
CHAPTER XXI。
HELENA'S DIARY。
THE day of my return marks an occasion which I am not likely to
forget。 Hours have passed since I came homeand my agitation
still forbids the thought of repose。
As I sit at my desk I see Eunice in bed； sleeping peacefully；
except when she is murmuring enjoyment in some happy dream。 To
what end has my sister been advancing blindfold； and （who knows？）
dragging me with her； since that disastrous visit to our friends
in London？ Strange that there should be a leaven of superstition
in _my_ nature！ Strange that I should feel fear of somethingI
hardly know what！
I have met somewhere （perhaps in my historical reading） with the
expression： 〃A chain of events。〃 Was I at the beginning of that
chain； when I entered the railway carriage on my journey home？
Among the other passengers there was a young gentleman；
accompanied by a lady who proved to be his sister。 They were both
well…bred people。 The brother evidently admired me； and did his
best to make himself agreeable。 Time passed quickly in pleasant
talk； and my vanity was flatteredand that was all。
My fellow…travelers were going on to London。 When the train
reached our station the young lady sent her brother to buy some
fruit； which she saw in the window of the refreshment…room。 The
first man whom he encountered on the platform was one of his
friends； to whom he said something which I failed to hear。 When I
handed my traveling bag and my wraps to the porter； and showed
myself at the carriage door； I heard the friend say： 〃What a
charming creature！〃 Having nothing to conceal in a journal which
I protect by a lock； I may own that the stranger's personal
app
