the legacy of cain-第8章
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win。
CHAPTER IX。
THE GOVERNOR RECEIVES A VISIT。
A FEW days after the good man had left us； I met with a serious
accident； caused by a false step on the stone stairs of the
prison。
The long illness which followed this misfortune； and my removal
afterward （in the interests of my recovery） to a milder climate
than the climate of England； obliged me to confide the duties of
governor of the prison to a representative。 I was absent from my
post for rather more than a year。 During this interval no news
reached me from my reverend friend。
Having returned to the duties of my office； I thought of writing
to the Minister。 While the proposed letter was still in
contemplation； I was informed that a lady wished to see me。 She
sent in her card。 My visitor proved to be the Minister's wife。
I observed her with no ordinary attention when she entered the
room。
Her dress was simple； her scanty light hair； so far as I could
see it under her bonnet； was dressed with taste。 Th e paleness of
her lips； and the faded color in her face； suggested that she was
certainly not in good health。 Two peculiarities struck me in her
personal appearance。 I never remembered having seen any other
person with such a singularly narrow and slanting forehead as
this lady presented； and I was impressed； not at all agreeably；
by the flashing shifting expression in her eyes。 On the other
hand； let me own that I was powerfully attracted and interested
by the beauty of her voice。 Its fine variety of compass； and its
musical resonance of tone； fell with such enchantment on the ear；
that I should have liked to put a book of poetry into her hand；
and to have heard her read it in summer…time； accompanied by the
music of a rocky stream。
The object of her visitso far as she explained it at the
outsetappeared to be to offer her congratulations on my
recovery； and to tell me that her husband had assumed the charge
of a church in a large town not far from her birthplace。
Even those commonplace words were made interesting by her
delicious voice。 But however sensitive to sweet sounds a man may
be； there are limits to his capacity for deceiving
himselfespecially when he happens to be enlightened by
experience of humanity within the walls of a prison。 I had； it
may be remembered； already doubted the lady's good temper；
judging from her husband's over…wrought description of her
virtues。 Her eyes looked at me furtively； and her manner；
gracefully self…possessed as it was； suggested that she had
something of a delicate； or disagreeable； nature to say to me；
and that she was at a loss how to approach the subject so as to
produce the right impression on my mind at the outset。 There was
a momentary silence between us。 For the sake of saying something；
I asked how she and the Minister liked their new place of
residence。
〃Our new place of residence；〃 she answered； 〃has been made
interesting by a very unexpected eventan event （how shall I
describe it？） which has increased our happiness and enlarged our
family circle。〃
There she stopped： expecting me； as I fancied； to guess what she
meant。 A woman； and that woman a mother； might have fulfilled her
anticipations。 A man； and that man not listening attentively； was
simply puzzled。
〃Pray excuse my stupidity；〃 I said； 〃I don't quite understand
you。〃
The lady's temper looked at me out of the lady's shifting eyes；
and hid itself again in a moment。 She set herself right in my
estimation by taking the whole blame of our little
misunderstanding on her own innocent shoulders。
〃I ought to have spoken more plainly；〃 she said。 〃Let me try what
I can do now。 After many years of disappointment in my married
life； it has pleased Providence to bestow on me the
happinessthe inexpressible happinessof being a mother。 My
baby is a sweet little girl； and my one regret is that I cannot
nurse her myself。〃
My languid interest in the Minister's wife was not stimulated by
the announcement of this domestic event。
I felt no wish to see the 〃sweet little girl〃； I was not even
reminded of another example of long…deferred maternity； which had
occurred within the limits of my own family circle。 All my
sympathies attached themselves to the sad little figure of the
adopted child。 I remembered the poor baby on my knee； enchanted
by the ticking of my watchI thought of her； peacefully and
prettily asleep under the horrid shelter of the condemned
celland it is hardly too much to say that my heart was heavy；
when I compared her prospects with the prospects of her
baby…rival。 Kind as he was； conscientious as he was； could the
Minister be expected to admit to an equal share in his love the
child endeared to him as a father； and the child who merely
reminded him of an act of mercy？ As for his wife； it seemed the
merest waste of time to put her state of feeling （placed between
the two children） to the test of inquiry。 I tried the useless
experiment； nevertheless。
〃It is pleasant to think；〃 I began； 〃that your other daughter〃
She interrupted me； with the utmost gentleness： 〃Do you mean the
child that my husband was foolish enough to adopt？〃
〃Say rather fortunate enough to adopt；〃 I persisted。 〃As your own
little girl grows up； she will want a playfellow。 And she will
find a playfellow in that other child； whom the good Minister has
taken for his own。〃
〃No； my dear sirnot if I can prevent it。〃
The contrast between the cruelty of her intention； and the
musical beauty of the voice which politely expressed it in those
words； really startled me。 I was at a loss how to answer her； at
the very time when I ought to have been most ready to speak。
〃You must surely understand；〃 she went on； 〃that we don't want
another person's child； now we have a little darling of our own？〃
〃Does your husband agree with you in that view？〃 I asked。
〃Oh dear； no！ He said what you said just now； and （oddly enough）
almost in the same words。 But I don't at all despair of
persuading him to change his mindand you can help me。〃
She made that audacious assertion with such an appearance of
feeling perfectly sure of me； that my politeness gave way under
the strain laid on it。 〃What do you mean？〃 I asked sharply。
Not in the least impressed by my change of manner； she took from
the pocket of her dress a printed paper。 〃You will find what I
mean there；〃 she repliedand put the paper into my hand。
It was an appeal to the charitable public； occasioned by the
enlargement of an orphan…asylum； with which I had been connected
for many years。 What she meant was plain enough now。 I said
nothing： I only looked at her。
Pleased to find that I was clever enough to guess what she meant；
on this occasion； the Minister's wife informed me that the
circumstances were all in our favor。 She still persisted in
taking me into partnershipthe circumstances were in _our_
favor。
〃In two years more；〃 she explained； 〃the child of that detestable
creature who was hangeddo you know； I cannot even look at the
little wretch without thinking of the gallows？will be old
enough （with your interest to help us） to be received into the
asylum。 What a relief it will be to get rid of that child！ And
how hard I shall work at canvassing for subscribers' votes！ Your
name will be a tower of strength when I use it as a reference。
Pardon meyou are not looking so pleasantly as usual。 Do you see
some obstacles in our way？〃
〃I see two obstacles。〃
〃What can they possibly be？〃
For the second time； my politeness gave way under the strain laid
on it。 〃You know perfectly well；〃 I said； 〃what one of the
obstacles is。〃
〃Am I to understand that you contemplate any serious resistance
on the part of my husband？〃
〃Certainly！〃
She was unaffectedly amused by my simplicity。
〃Are you a single man？〃 she asked。
〃I am a widower。〃
〃Then your experience ought to tell you that I know every weak
point in the Minister's character。 I can tell him； on your
authority； that the hateful child will be placed in competent and
kindly handsand I have my own sweet baby to plead for me。 With
these advantages in my favor； do you actually suppose I can fail
to make _my_ way of thinking _his_ way of think
