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hands。 It has been an effort to me to say the little I have said；
since I first entered this room。 I can think of nothing but that
unhappy criminal； and the death that she must die to…morrow。〃
〃Does she wish you to be present？〃 I asked。
〃She positively forbids it。 'After what you have done for me；'
she said； 'the least I can do in return is to prevent your being
needlessly distressed。' She took leave of me； she kissed the
little girl for the last timeoh； don't ask me to tell you about
it！ I shall break down if I try。 Come； my darling！〃 He kissed the
child tenderly； and took her away with him。
〃That man is a strange compound of strength and weakness；〃 the
Doctor remarked。 〃Did you notice his face； just now？ Nine men out
of ten； suffering as he suffered； would have failed to control
themselves。 Such resolution as his _may_ conquer the difficulties
that are in store for him yet。〃
It was a trial of my temper to hear my clever colleague
justifying； in this way； the ignorant prediction of an insolent
woman。
〃There are exceptions to all rules；〃 I insisted。 〃And why are the
virtues of the parents not just as likely to descend to the
children as the vices？ There was a fund of good； I can tell you；
in that poor baby's fatherthough I don't deny that he was a
profligate man。 And even the horrible motheras you heard just
nowhas virtue enough left in her to feel grateful to the man
who has taken care of her child。 These are facts； you can't
dispute them。〃
The Doctor took out his pipe。 〃Do you mind my smoking？〃 he asked。
〃Tobacco helps me to arrange my ideas。〃
I gave him the means of arranging his ideas； that is to say； I
gave him the match…box。 He blew some preliminary clouds of smoke
and then he answered me：
〃For twenty years past； my friend； I have been studying the
question of hereditary transmission of qualities； and I have
found vices and diseases descending more frequently to children
than virtue and health。 I don't stop to ask why： there is no end
to that sort of curiosity。 What I have observed is what I tell
you； no more and no less。 You will say this is a horribly
discouraging result of experience； for it tends to show that
children come into the world at a disadvantage on the day of
their birth。 Of course they do。 Children are born deformed；
children are born deaf； dumb； or blind； children are born with
the seeds in them of deadly diseases。 Who can account for the
cruelties of creation？ Why are we endowed with lifeonly to end
in death？ And does it ever strike you； when you are cutting your
mutton at dinner； and your cat is catching its mouse； and your
spider is suffocating its fly； that we are all； big and little
together； born to one certain inheritancethe privilege of
eating each other？〃
〃Very sad；〃 I admitted。 〃But it will all be set right in another
world。〃
〃Are you quite sure of that？〃 the Doctor asked。
〃Quite sure； thank God！ And it would be better for you if you
felt about it as I do。〃
〃We won't dispute； my dear Governor。 I don't scoff at comforting
hopes； I don't deny the existence of occasional compensations。
But I do see； nevertheless； that Evil has got the upper hand
among us； on this curious little planet。 Judging by my
observation and experience； that ill…fated baby's chance of
inheriting the virtues of her parents is not to be compared with
her chances of inheriting their vices； especially if she happens
to take after her mother。 _There_ the virtue is not conspicuous；
and the vice is one enormous fact。 When I think of the growth of
that poisonous hereditary taint； which may come with timewhen I
think of passions let loose and temptations lying in ambushI
see the smooth surface of the Minister's domestic life with
dangers lurking under it which make me shake in my shoes。 God！
what a life I should lead； if I happened to be in his place； some
years hence。 Suppose I said or did something （in the just
exercise of my parental authority） which offended my adopted
daughter。 What figure would rise from the dead in my memory； when
the girl bounced out of the room in a rage？ The image of her
mother would be the image I should see。 I should remember what
her mother did when _she_ was provoked； I should lock my bedroom
door； in my own house； at night。 I should come down to breakfast
with suspicions in my cup of tea； if I discovered that my adopted
daughter had poured it out。 Oh； yes； it's quite true that I might
be doing the girl a cruel injustice all the time； but how am I to
be sure of that？ I am only sure that her mother was hanged for
one of the most merciless murders committed in our time。 Pass the
match…box。 My pipe's out； and my confession of faith has come to
an end。〃
It was useless to dispute with a man who possessed his command of
language。 At the same time； there was a bright side to the poor
Minister's prospects which the Doctor had failed to see。 It was
barely possible that I might succeed in putting my positive
friend in the wrong。 I tried the experiment； at any rate。
〃You seem to have forgotten；〃 I reminded him； 〃that the child
will have every advantage that education can offer to her； and
will be accustomed from her earliest years to restraining and
purifying influences； in a clergyman's household。〃
Now that he was enjoying the fumes of tobacco； the Doctor was as
placid and sweet…tempered as a man could be。
〃Quite true；〃 he said。
〃Do you doubt the influence of religion？〃 I asked sternly。
He answered； sweetly： 〃Not at all〃
〃Or the influence of kindness？〃
〃Oh； dear； no！〃
〃Or the force of example？〃
〃I wouldn't deny it for the world。〃
I had not expected this extraordinary docility。 The Doctor had
got the upper hand of me againa state of thing s that I might
have found it hard to endure； but for a call of duty which put an
end to our sitting。 One of the female warders appeared with a
message from the condemned cell。 The Prisoner wished to see the
Governor and the Medical Officer。
〃Is she ill？〃 the Doctor inquired。
〃No； sir。〃
〃Hysterical？ or agitated； perhaps？〃
〃As easy and composed； sir； as a person can be。〃
We set forth together for the condemned cell。
CHAPTER VII。
THE MURDERESS CONSULTS THE AUTHORITIES。
THERE was a considerate side to my friend's character； which
showed itself when the warder had left us。
He was especially anxious to be careful of what he said to a
woman in the Prisoner's terrible situation； especially in the
event of her having been really subjected to the influence of
religious belief。 On the Minister's own authority； I declared
that there was every reason to adopt this conclusion； and in
support of what I had said I showed him the confession。 It only
contained a few lines； acknowledging that she had committed the
murder and that she deserved her sentence。 〃From the planning of
the crime to the commission of the crime； I was in my right
senses throughout。 I knew what I was doing。〃 With that remarkable
disavowal of the defense set up by her advocate； the confession
ended。
My colleague read the paper； and handed it back to me without
making any remark。 I asked if he suspected the Prisoner of
feigning conversio