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me； and； worse still； to let her see that I felt it。
〃You shall have no second opportunity； Miss Gracedieu； of
insulting me。〃 With that foolish reply； I opened the door
violently and went out。
She ran after me； triumphing in having roused the temper of a man
old enough to have been her grandfather； and caught me by the
arm。 〃Your own conduct has exposed you。〃 （That was literally how
she expressed herself。） 〃I saw it in your eyes when we met at the
station。 You； the strangeryou who allowed poor ignorant me to
introduce myselfyou knew me all the time； knew me by sight！〃
I shook her hand off with an inconsiderable roughness；
humiliating to remember。 〃It's false！〃 I cried。 〃I knew you by
your likeness to your mother。〃
The moment the words had passed my lips； I came to my senses
again； I remembered what fatal words they might prove to be； if
they reached the Minister's ears。
Heard only by his daughter； my reply seemed to cool the heat of
her anger in an instant。
〃So you knew my mother？〃 she said。 〃My father never told us that；
when he spoke of your being such a very old friend of his。
Strange； to say the least of it。〃
I was wise enoughnow when wisdom had come too latenot to
attempt to explain myself； and not to give her an opportunity of
saying more。 〃We are neither of us in a state of mind；〃 I
answered； 〃to allow this interview to continue。 I must try to
recover my composure； and I leave you to do the same。〃
In the solitude of my room； I was able to look my position fairly
in the face。
Mr。 Gracedieu's wife had come to me； in the long…past time；
without her husband's knowledge。 Tempted to a cruel resolve by
the maternal triumph of having an infant of her own； she had
resolved to rid herself of the poor little rival in her husband's
fatherly affection； by consigning the adopted child to the
keeping of a charitable asylum。 She had dared to ask me to help
her。 I had kept the secret of her shameful visitI can honestly
say； for the Minister's sake。 And now； long after time had doomed
those events to oblivion； they were revivedand revived by me。
Thanks to my folly； Mr。 Gracedieu's daughter knew what I had
concealed from Mr。 Gracedieu himself。
What course did respect for my friend； and respect for myself；
counsel me to take？
I could only see before me a choice of two evils。 To wait for
eventswith the too certain prospect of a vindictive betrayal of
my indiscretion by Helena Gracedieu。 Or to take the initiative
into my own hands； and risk consequences which I might regret to
the end of my life； by making my confession to the Minister。
Before I had decided； somebody knocked at the door。 It was the
maid…servant again。 Was it possible she had been sent by Helena？
〃Another message？〃
〃Yes； sir。 My master wishes to see you。〃
CHAPTER XXXVIII。
THE GIRLS' AGES。
HAD the Minister's desire to see me been inspired by his
daughter's betrayal of what I had unfortunately said to her？
Although he would certainly not consent to receive her
personally； she would be at liberty to adopt a written method of
communication with him； and the letter might be addressed in such
a manner as to pique his curiosity。 If Helena's vindictive
purpose had been already accomplishedand if Mr。 Gracedieu left
me no alternative but to present his unworthy wife in her true
characterI can honestly say that I dreaded the consequences；
not as they might affect myself； but as they might affect my
unhappy friend in his enfeebled state of body and mind。
When I entered his room； he was still in bed。
The bed…curtains were so drawn； on the side nearest to the
window； as to keep the light from falling too brightly on his
weak eyes。 In the shadow thus thrown on him； it was not possible
to see his face plainly enough； from the open side of the bed； to
arrive at any definite conclusion as to what might be passing in
his mind。 After having been awake for some hours during the
earlier part of the night； he had enjoyed a long and undisturbed
sleep。 〃I feel stronger this morning；〃 he said； 〃and I wish to
speak to you while my mind is clear。〃
If the quiet tone of his voice was not an assumed tone； he was
surely ignorant of all that had passed between his daughter and
myself。
〃Eunice will be here soon；〃 he proceeded； 〃and I ought to explain
why I have sent for her to come and meet you。 I have reasons；
serious reasons； mind； for wishing you to compare her personal
appearance with Helena's personal appearance； and then to tell me
which of the two； on a fair comparison； looks the eldest。 Pray
bear in mind that I attach the greatest importance to the
conclusion at which you may arrive。〃
He spoke more clearly and collectedly than I had heard him speak
yet。
Here and there I detected hesitations and repetitions； which I
have purposely passed over。 The substance of what he said to me
is all that I shall present in this place。 Careful as I have been
to keep my record of events within strict limits； I have written
at a length which I was far indeed from contemplating when I
accepted Mr。 Gracedieu's invitation。
Having promised to comply with the strange request which he had
addressed to me； I ventured to remind him of past occasions on
which he had pointedly abstained； when the subject presented
itself； from speaking of the girls' ages。 〃You have left it to my
discretion；〃 I added； 〃to decide a question in which you are
seriously interested； relating to your daughters。 Have I no
excuse for regretting that I have not been admitted to your
confidence a little more freely？〃
〃You have every excuse；〃 he answered。 〃But you trouble me all the
same。 There was something else that I had to say to youand your
curiosity gets in the way。〃
He said this with a sullen emphasis。 In my position； the worst of
evils was suspense。 I told him that my curiosity could wait； and
I begged that he would relieve his mind of what was pressing on
it at the moment。
〃Let me think a little；〃 he said。
I waited anxiously for the decision at which he might arrive。
Nothing came of it to justify my misgivings。 〃Leave what I have
in my mind to ripen in my mind；〃 he said。 〃The mystery about the
girls' ages seems to irritate you。 If I put my good friend's
temper to any further trial； he will be of no use to me。 Never
mind if my head swims； I'm used to that。 Now listen！〃
Strange as the preface was； the explanation that followed was
stranger yet。 I offer a shortened and simplified version； giving
accurately the substance of what I heard。
The Minister entered without reserve on the mysterious subject of
the ages。 Eunice； he informed me； was nearly two years older than
Helena。 If she outwardly showed her superiority of age； any
person acquainted with the circumstances under which the adopted
infant had been received into Mr。 Gracedieu's childless
household； need only compare the so…called sisters in after…life；
and would thereupon identify the eldest…looking young lady of the
two as the offspring of the woman who had been hanged for murder。
With such a misfortune as this presenting itself as a possible
prospect； the Minister was bound to prevent the girls from
ignorantly