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seeing you。 May I hope to be forgiven？ How…do…you…do； Eunice？
Have you enjoyed your holiday in the country？〃
Eunice neither moved nor answered。 Having some doubt of what
might happen if the two girls remained together； I proposed to
Helena to leave the garden and to let me hear what she had to
say； in the house。
〃Quite needless；〃 she replied； 〃I shall not detain you for more
than a minute。 Please look at this。〃
She offered to me the portfolio that she had been carrying； and
pointed to a morsel of paper attached to it； which contained this
inscription：
〃Philip's Letters To Me。 Private。 Helena Gracedieu。〃
〃I have a favor to ask；〃 she said； 〃and a proof of confidence in
you to offer。 Will you be so good as to look over what you find
in my portfolio？ I am unwilling to give up the hopes that I had
founded on our interview； when I asked for it。 The letters will；
I venture to think； plead my cause more convincingly than I was
able to plead it for myself。 I wish to forget what passed between
us； to the last word。 To the last word；〃 she repeated
emphaticallywith a look which sufficiently informed me that I
had not been betrayed to her father yet。 〃Will you indulge me？〃
she asked； and offered her portfolio for the second time。
A more impudent bargain could not well have been proposed to me。
I was to read； and to be favorably impressed by； Mr。 Philip
Dunboyne's letters； and Miss Helena was to say nothing of that
unlucky slip of the tongue； relating to her mother； which she had
discovered to be a serious act of self…betrayalthanks to my
confusion at the time。 If I had not thought of Eunice； and of the
desolate and loveless life to which the poor girl was so
patiently resigned； I should have refused to read Miss
Gracedieu's love…letters。
But； as things were； I was influenced by the hope （innocently
encouraged by Eunice herself） that Philip Dunboyne might not be
so wholly unworthy of the sweet girl whom he had injured as I had
hitherto been too hastily disposed to believe。 To act on this
view with the purpose of promoting a reconciliation was
impossible； unless I had the means of forming a correct estimate
of the man's character。 It seemed to me that I had found the
means。 A fair chance of putting his sincerity to a trustworthy
test； was surely offered by the letters （the confidential
letters） which I had been requested to read。 To feel this as
strongly as I felt it； brought me at once to a decision。 I
consented to take the portfolioon my own conditions。
〃Understand； Miss Helena；〃 I said； 〃that I make no promises。 I
reserve my own opinion； and my own right of action。〃
〃I am not afraid of your opinions or your actions；〃 she answered
confidently； 〃if you will only read the letters。 In the meantime；
let me relieve my sister； there； of my presence。 I hope you will
soon recover； Eunice； in the country air。〃
If the object of the wretch was to exasperate her victim； she had
completely failed。 Eunice remained as still as a statue。 To all
appearance； she had not even heard what had been said to her。
Helena looked at me； and touched her forehead with a significant
smile。 〃Sad； isn't it？〃 she saidand bowed； and went briskly
away on her household errand。
We were alone again。
Still； Eunice never moved。 I spoke to her； and produced no
impression。 Beginning to feel alarmed； I tried the effect of
touching her。 With a wild cry； she started into a state of
animation。 Almost at the same moment； she weakly swayed to and
fro as if the pleasant breeze in the garden moved her at its
will； like the flowers。 I held her up； and led her to the seat。
〃There is nothing to be afraid of；〃 I said。 〃She has gone。〃
Eunice's eyes rested on me in vacant surprise。 〃How do you know？〃
she asked。 〃I hear her； but I never see her。 Do you see her？〃
〃My dear child！ of what person are you speaking？〃
She answered： 〃Of no person。 I am speaking of a Voice that
whispers and tempts me； when Helena is near。〃
〃What voice； Eunice？〃
〃The whispering Voice。 It said to me； 'I am your mother；' it
called me Daughter when I first heard it。 My father speaks of my
mother； the angel。 That good spirit has never come to me from the
better world。 It is a mock…mother who comes to mesome spirit of
evil。 Listen to this。 I was awake in my bed。 In the dark I heard
the mock…mother whispering； close at my ear。 Shall I tell you how
she answered me； when I longed for light to see her by； when I
prayed to her to show herself to me？ She said： 'My face was
hidden when I passed from life to death； my face no mortal
creature may see。' I have never seen herhow can _you_ have seen
her？ But I heard her again； just now。 She whispered to me when
Helena was standing therewhere you are standing。 She freezes
the life in me。 Did she freeze the life in _you？_ Did you hear
her tempting me？ Don't speak of it； if you did。 Oh； not a word！
not a word！〃
A man who has governed a prison may say with Macbeth； 〃I have
supped full with horrors。〃 Hardened as I wasor ought to have
beenthe effect of what I had just heard turned me cold。 If I
had not known it to be absolutely impossible； I might have
believed that the crime and the death of the murderess were known
to Eunice； as being the crime and the death of her mother； and
that the horrid discovery had turned her brain。 This was simply
impossible。 What did it mean？ Good God！ what did it mean？
My sense of my own helplessness was the first sense in me that
recovered。 I thought of Eunice's devoted little friend。 A woman's
sympathy seemed to be needed now。 I rose to lead the way out of
the garden。
〃Selina will think we are lost；〃 I said。 〃Let us go and find
Selina。〃
〃Not for the world；〃 she cried。
〃Why not？〃
〃Because I don't feel sure of myself。 I might tell Selina
something which she must never know； I should be so sorry to
frighten her。 Let me stop here with you。〃
I resumed my place at her side。
〃Let me take your hand。〃
I gave her my hand。 What composing influence this simple act may；
or may not； have exercised； it is impossible to say。 She was
quiet； she was silent。 After an interval； I heard her breathe a
long…drawn sigh of relief。
〃I am afraid I have surprised you；〃 she said。 〃Helena brings the
dreadful time back to me〃 She stopped and shuddered。
〃Don't speak of Helena； my dear。〃
〃But I am afraid you will thinkbecause I have said strange
thingsthat I have been talking at random；〃 she insisted。 〃The
doctor will say that； if you meet with him。 He believes I am
deluded by a dream。 I tried to think so myself。 It was of no use；
I am quite sure he is wrong。〃
I privately determined to watch for the doctor's arrival； and to
consult with him。 Eunice went on：
〃I have the story of a terrible night to tell you； but I haven't
the courage to tell it now。 Why shouldn't you come back with me
to the place that I am staying at？ A pleasant farm…house； and
such kind people。 You might read the account of that night in my
journal。 I shall not regret the misery of having written it； if
it helps you to find out how this hateful second self of mine has
come to me。 Hush！ I want to ask you something。 Do you think
Helena is in