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and gets mentioned in the newspapersI only mean influence over
Mr。 Gracedieu。 That's what frightens me。 How do I know？ Oh；
dear； I'm asking another question！ Allow me； for once； to be
plain and positive。 I'm afraid； sir； you have encouraged the
Minister to consent to Helena's marriage。〃
〃Pardon me；〃 I answered； 〃you mean Eunice's marriage。〃
〃No； sir！ Helena。〃
〃No； madam！ Eunice。〃
〃What does he mean？〃 said Miss Jillgall to herself。
I heard her。 〃This is what I mean；〃 I asserted； in my most
positive manner。 〃The only subject on which the Minister has
consulted me is Miss Eunice's marriage。〃
My tone left her no alternative but to believe me。 She looked not
only bewildered； but alarmed。 〃Oh； poor man； has he lost himself
in such a dreadful way as that？〃 she said to herself。 〃I daren't
believe it！〃 She turned to me。 〃You have been talking with him
for some time。 Please try to remember。 While Mr。 Gracedieu was
speaking of Euneece； did he say nothing of Helena's infamous
conduct to her sister？〃
Not the slightest hint of any such thing； I assured her； had
reached my ears。
〃Then；〃 she cried； 〃I can tell you what he has forgotten！ We kept
as much of that miserable story to ourselves as we could； in
mercy to him。 Besides； he was always fondest of Euneece； she
would live in his memory when he had forgotten the otherthe
wretch； the traitress； the plotter； the fiend！〃 Miss Jillgall's
good manners slipped； as it were； from under her； she clinched
her fists as a final means of expressing her sentiments。 〃The
wretched English language isn't half strong enough for me；〃 she
declared with a look of fury。
I took a liberty。 〃May I ask what Miss Helena has done？〃 I said。
〃_May_ you ask？ Oh； Heavens！ you must ask； you shall ask。 Mr。
Governor； if your eyes are not opened to Helena's true character；
I can tell you what she will do； she will deceive you into taking
her part。 Do you think she went to the station out of regard for
the great man？ Pooh！ she went with an eye to her own interests；
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