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this man's weakness； for the sake of the good that may come of
it。 I hear he is in London with his father。 Try the strong
influence； and write to his father。 There is another reason
besides for doing this。 It is quite possible that the truth has
been concealed from Mr。 Dunboyne the elder。 Take care that he is
informed of what has really happened。 Are you looking for pen；
ink； and paper？ Let me offer you the writing materials which I
use in traveling。〃
I placed them before him。 He took up the pen； he arranged the
paper； he was eager to begin。
After writing a few words； he stoppedreflectedtried
againstopped againtore up the little that he had doneand
began a new letter； ending in the same miserable result。 It was
impossible to witness his helplessness； to see how pitiably
patient he was over his own incapacity； and to let the melancholy
spectacle go on。 I proposed to write the letter； authenticating
it； of course； by his signature。 When he allowed me to take the
pen； he turned away his face； ashamed to let me see what he
suffered。 Was this the same man； whose great nature had so nobly
asserted itself in the condemned cell？ Poor mortality！
The letter was easily written。
I had only to inform Mr。 Dunboyne of his son's conduct；
repeating； in the plainest language that I could use； what Miss
Jillgall had related to me。 Arrived at the conclusion； I
contrived to make Mr。 Gracedieu express himself in these strong
terms： 〃I protest against the marriage in justice to you； sir； as
well as to myself。 We can neither of us content to be accomplices
in an act of domestic treason of the basest kind。〃
In silence； the Minister read the letter； and attached his
signature to it。 In silence； he rose and took my arm。 I asked if
he wished to go to his room。 He only replied by a sign。 I offered
to sit with him； and try to cheer him。 Gratefully； he pressed my
hand： gently； he put me back from the door。 Crushed by the
miserable discovery of the decay of his own faculties！ What could
I do？ what could I say？ Nothing！
Miss Jillgall was in the drawing…room。 With the necessary
explanations； I showed her the letter。 She read it with
breathless interest。 〃It terrifies one to think how much depends
on old Mr。 Dunboyne；〃 she said。 〃You know him。 What sort of man
is he？〃
I could only assure her （after what I remembered of his letter to
me） that he was a man whom we could depend upon。
Miss Jillgall possessed treasures of information to which I could
lay no claim。 Mr。 Dunboyne； she told me； was a scholar； and a
writer； and a rich man。 His views on marriage were liberal in the
extreme。 Let his son find good principles； good temper； and good
looks； in a wife； and he would promise to find the money。
〃I get these particulars；〃 said Miss Jillgall； 〃from dear
Euneece。 They are surely encouraging？ That Helena may carry out
Mr。 Dunboyne's views in her personal appearance is； I regret to
say； what I can't deny。 But as to the other qualifications； how
hopeful is the prospect！ Good principles； and good temper？ Ha！
ha！ Helena has the principles of Jezebel； and the temper of Lady
Macbeth。〃
After dashing off this striking sketch of character； the fair
artist asked to look at my letter again； and observed that the
address was wanting。 〃I can set this right for you；〃 she resumed；
〃thanks； as before； to my sweet Euneece。 And （don't be in a
hurry） I can make myself useful in another way。 Oh； how I do
enjoy making myself useful！ If you trust your letter to the
basket in the hall； Helena's lovely eyescapable of the meanest
conceivable actionsare sure to take a peep at the address。 In
that case； do you think your letter would get to London？ I am
afraid you detect a faint infusion of spitefulness in that
question。 Oh； for shame！ I'll post the letter myself。〃
CHAPTER XXXVII。
THE SHAMELESS SISTER。
FOR some reason； which my unassisted penetration was unable to
discover； Miss Helena Gracedieu kept out of my way。
At dinner； on the day of my arrival； and at breakfast on the next
morning； she was present of course； ready to make herself
agreeable in a modest way； and provided with the necessary supply
of cheerful small…talk。 But the meal having come to an end； she
had her domestic excuse ready； and unostentatiously disappeared
like a well…bred young lady。 I never met her on the stairs； never
found myself intruding on her in the drawing…room； never caught
her getting out of my way in the garden。 As much at a loss for an
explanation of these mysteries as I was； Miss Jillgall's interest
in my welfare led her to caution me in a vague and general way。
〃Take my word for it； dear Mr。 Governor； she has some design on
you。 Will you allow an insignificant old maid to offer a
suggestion？ Oh； thank you； I will venture to advise。 Please look
back at your experience of the very worst female prisoner you
ever had to deal withand be guided accordingly if Helena
catches you at a private interview。〃
In less than half an hour afterward； Helena caught me。 I was
writing in my room； when the maidservant came in with a message：
〃Miss Helena's compliments； sir； and would you please spare her
half an hour； downstairs？〃
My first excuse was of course that I was engaged。 This was
disposed of by a second message； provided beforehand； no doubt；
for an anticipated refusal： 〃Miss Helena wished me to say； sir；
that her time is your time。〃 I was still obstinate； I pleaded
next that my day was filled up。 A third message had evidently
been prepared； even for this emergency： 〃Miss Helena will regret；
sir； having the pleasure deferred； but she will leave you to make
your own appointment for to…morrow。〃 Persistency so inveterate as
this led to a result which Mr。 Gracedieu's cautious daughter had
not perhaps contemplated： it put me on my guard。 There seemed to
be a chance； to say the least of it； that I might serve Eunice's
interests if I discovered what the enemy had to say。 I locked up
my writingdeclared myself incapable of putting Miss Helena to
needless inconvenienceand followed the maid to the lower floor
of the house。
The room to which I was conducted proved to be empty。 I looked
round me。
If I had been told that a man lived there who was absolutely
indifferent to appearances； I should have concluded that his
views were faithfully represented by his place of abode。 The
chairs and tables reminded me of a railway waiting…room。 The
shabby little bookcase was the mute record of a life indifferent
to literature。 The carpet was of that dreadful drab color； still
the cherished favorite of the average English mind； in spite of
every protest that can be entered against it； on behalf of Art。
The ceiling； recently whitewashed； made my eyes ache when they
looked at it。 On either side of the window； flaccid green
curtains hung helplessly with nothing to loop them up。 The
writing…desk and the paper…case； viewed as specimens of woodwork；
recalled the ready…made bedrooms on show in cheap shops。 The
books； mostly in slate…colored bindings； were devoted to the
literature which is called religious； I only discovered three
worldly publications among themDomestic Cookery； Etiquette for
L