按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
course。 Do you blame me？〃
〃I will wait till you have done。〃
〃I have no more to say。〃
She made that amazing reply with such perfect composure； that I
began to fear there must have been some misunderstanding between
us。 〃Is that really all you have to say for yourself？〃 I
persisted。
Her patience with me was most exemplary。 She lowered herself to
my level。 Not trusting to words only on this occasion； she （so to
say） beat her meaning into my head by gesticulating on her
fingers； as if she was educating a child。
〃Philip and I；〃 she began； 〃are the victims of an accident； which
kept us apart when we ought to have met togetherwe are not
responsible for an accident。〃 She impressed this on me by
touching her forefinger。 〃Philip and I fell in love with each
other at first sightwe are not responsible for the feelings
implanted in our natures by an all…wise Providence。〃 She assisted
me in understanding this by touching her middle finger。 〃Philip
and I owe a duty to each other； and accept a responsibility under
those circumstancesthe responsibility of getting married。〃 A
touch on her third finger； and an indulgent bow； announced that
the lesson was ended。 〃I am not a clever man like you；〃 she
modestly acknowledged； 〃but I ask you to help us； when you next
see my father； with some confidence。 You know exactly what to say
to him； by this time。 Nothing has been forgotten。〃
〃Pardon me；〃 I said； 〃a person has been forgotten。〃
〃Indeed？ What person？〃
〃Your sister。〃
A little perplexed at first； Miss Helena reflected； and recovered
herself。
〃Ah； yes；〃 she said； 〃I was afraid I might be obliged to trouble
you for an explanationI see it now。 You are shocked （very
properly） when feelings of enmity exist between near relations；
and you wish to be assured that I bear no malice toward Eunice。
She is violent； she is sulky； she is stupid； she is selfish ； and
she cruelly refuses to live in the same house with me。 Make your
mind easy； sir； I forgive my sister。〃
Let me not attempt to disguise itMiss Helena Gracedieu
confounded me。
Ordinary audacity is one of those forms of insolence which mature
experience dismisses with contempt。 This girl's audacity struck
down all resistance； for one shocking reason： it was
unquestionably sincere。 Strong conviction of her own virtue
stared at me in her proud and daring eyes。 At that time； I was
not aware of what I have learned since。 The horrid hardening of
her moral sense had been accomplished by herself。 In her diary；
there has been found the confession of a secret course of
readingwith supplementary reflections flowing from it； which
need only to be described as worthy of their source。
A person capable of repentance and reform would； in her place；
have seen that she had disgusted me。 Not a suspicion of this
occurred to Miss Helena。 〃I see you are embarrassed；〃 she
remarked； 〃and I am at no loss to account for it。 You are too
polite to acknowledge that I have not made a friend of you yet。
Oh； I mean to do it！〃
〃No；〃 I said； 〃I think not。〃
〃We shall see；〃 she replied。 〃Sooner or later； you will find
yourself saying a kind word to my father for Philip and me。〃 She
rose； and took a turn in the roomand stopped； eying me
attentively。 〃Are you thinking of Eunice？〃 she asked。
〃Yes。〃
〃She has your sympathy； I suppose？〃
〃My heart…felt sympathy。〃
〃I needn't ask how I stand in your estimation； after that。 Pray
express yourself freely。 Your looks confess ityou view me with
a feeling of aversion。〃
〃I view you with a feeling of horror。〃
The exasperating influences of her language； her looks； and her
tones would； as I venture to think； have got to the end of
another man's self…control before this。 Anyway； she had at last
irritated me into speaking as strongly as I felt。 What I said had
been so plainly （perhaps so rudely） expressed； that
misinterpretation of it seemed to be impossible。 She mistook me；
nevertheless。 The most merciless disclosure of the dreary side of
human destiny is surely to be found in the failure of words；
spoken or written； so to answer their purpose that we can trust
them； in our attempts to communicate with each other。 Even when
he seems to be connected； by the nearest and dearest relations；
with his fellow…mortals； what a solitary creature； tried by the
test of sympathy； the human being really is in the teeming world
that he inhabits！ Affording one more example of the impotence of
human language to speak for itself； my misinterpreted words had
found their way to the one sensitive place in Helena Gracedieu's
impenetrable nature。 She betrayed it in the quivering and
flushing of her hard face； and in the appeal to the looking…glass
which escaped her eyes the next moment。 My hasty reply had roused
the idea of a covert insult addressed to her handsome face。 In
other words； I had wounded her vanity。 Driven by resentment； out
came the secret distrust of me which had been lurking in that
cold heart； from the moment when we first met。
〃I inspire you with horror； and Eunice inspires you with
compassion；〃 she said。 〃That； Mr。 Governor； is not natural。〃
〃May I ask why？〃
〃You know why。〃
〃No。〃
〃You will have it？〃
〃I want an explanation； Miss Helena； if that is what you mean。〃
〃Take your explanation； then！ You are not the stranger you are
said to be to my sister and to me。 Your interest in Eunice is a
personal interest of some kind。 I don't pretend to guess what it
is。 As for myself； it is plain that somebody else has been
setting you against me； before Miss Jillgall got possession of
your private ear。〃
In alluding to Eunice； she had blundered； strangely enough； on
something like the truth。 But when she spoke of herself； the
headlong malignity of her suspicionsmaking every allowance for
the anger that had hurried her into themseemed to call for some
little protest against a false assertion。 I told her that she was
completely mistaken。
〃I am completely right；〃 she answered； 〃I saw it。〃
〃Saw what？〃
〃Saw you pretending to be a stranger to me。〃
〃When did I do that？〃
〃You did it when we met at the station。〃
The reply was too ridiculous for the preservation of any control
over my own sense of humor。 It was wrong； but it was
inevitableI laughed。 She looked at me with a fury； revealing a
concentration of evil passion in her which I had not seen yet。 I
asked her pardon； I begged her to think a little before she
persisted in taking a view of my conduct unworthy of her； and
unjust to myself。
〃Unjust to You！〃 she burst out。 〃Who are you？ A man who has
driven your trade has spies always at his commandyes！ and knows
how to use them。 You were primed with private informationyou
had； for all I know； a stolen photograph of me in your
pocketbefore ever you came to our town。 Do you still deny it？
Oh； sir； why degrade yourself by telling a lie？〃
No such outrage as this had ever been inflicted on me； at any
time in my life。 My forbearance must； I suppose； have been more
severely tried than I was aware of myself。 With or without excuse
for me； I was weak enough to let a girl's spiteful tongue sting
me； and； worse still； to let her see that I felt it。