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I was not unprepared for Miss Jillgall when she alluded； for the
second time； to the sad events which had happened in the house on
the previous dayand especially to the destruction by Mr。
Gracedieu of the portrait of his wife。
〃Why didn't he destroy something else？〃 she pleaded； piteously。
〃It is such a disappointment to Me。 I never liked that picture
myself。 Of course I ought to have admired the portrait of the
wife of my benefactor。 But nothat disagreeable painted face was
too much for me。 I should have felt inexpressibly relieved； if I
could have shown it to Elizabeth； and heard her say that she
agreed with me。〃
〃Perhaps I saw it when I called on you；〃 Mrs。 Tenbruggen
suggested。 〃Where did the picture hang？〃
〃My dear！ I received you in the dining…room； and the portrait
hung in Mr。 Gracedieu's study。〃
What they said to each other next escaped my attention。 Quite
unconsciously； Miss Jillgall had revealed to me a danger which
neither the Minister nor I had discovered； though it had
conspicuously threatened us both on the wall of the study。 The
act of mad destruction which； if I had possessed the means of
safely interfering； I should certainly have endeavored to
prevent； now assumed a new and startling aspect。 If Mrs。
Tenbruggen really had some motive of her own for endeavoring to
identify the adopted child； the preservation of the picture must
have led her straight to the end in view。 The most casual
opportunity of comparing Helena with the portrait of Mrs。
Gracedieu would have revealed the likeness between mother and
daughterand； that result attained； the identification of Eunice
with the infant whom the 〃Miss Chance〃 of those days had brought
to the prison must inevitably have followed。 It was perhaps
natural that Mr。 Gracedieu's infatuated devotion to the memory of
his wife should have blinded him to the betrayal of Helena's
parentage； which met his eyes every time he entered his study。
But that I should have been too stupid to discover what he had
failed to see； was a wound dealt to my self…esteem which I was
vain enough to feel acutely。
Mrs。 Tenbruggen's voice； cheery and humorous； broke in on my
reflections； with an odd question：
〃Mr。 Governor； do you ever condescend to read novels？〃
〃It's not easy to say； Mrs。 Tenbruggen； how grateful I am to the
writers of novels。〃
〃Ah！ I read novels； too。 But I blush to confessdo I
blush？that I never thought of feeling grateful till you
mentioned it。 Selina and I don't complain of your preferring your
own reflections to our company。 On the contrary； you have
reminded us agreeably of the heroes of fiction； when the author
describes them as being 'absorbed in thought。' For some minutes；
Mr。 Governor； you have been a hero； absorbed； as I venture to
guess； in unpleasant remembrances of the time when I was a single
lady。 You have not forg otten how badly I behaved； and what
shocking things I said； in those bygone days。 Am I right？〃
〃You are entirely wrong。〃
It is possible that I may have spoken a little too sharply。
Anyway； faithful Selina interceded for her friend。 〃Oh； dear sir；
don't be hard on Elizabeth！ She always means well。〃 Mrs。
Tenbruggen； as facetious as ever； made a grateful return for a
small compliment。 She chucked Miss Jillgall under the chin； with
the air of an amorous old gentleman expressing his approval of a
pretty servant…girl。 It was impossible to look at the two； in
their relative situations； without laughing。 But Mrs。 Tenbruggen
failed to cheat me into altering my opinion of her。 Innocent Miss
Jillgall clapped her ugly hands； and said： 〃Isn't she good
company？〃
Mrs。 Tenbruggen's social resources were not exhausted yet。 She
suddenly shifted to the serious side of her character。
〃Perhaps I have improved a little；〃 she said； 〃as I have advanced
in years。 The sorrows of an unhappy married life may have had a
purifying influence on my nature。 My husband and I began badly。
Mr。 Tenbruggen thought I had money； and I thought Mr。 Tenbruggen
had money。 He was taken in by me； and I was taken in by him。 When
he repeated the words of the marriage service （most impressively
read by your friend the Chaplain）： 'With all my worldly goods I
thee endow'his eloquent voice suggested one of the largest
incomes in Europe。 When I promised and vowed； in my turn； the
delightful prospect of squandering my rich husband's money made
quite a new woman of me。 I declare solemnly； when I said I would
love； honor； and obey Mr。 T。； I looked as if I really meant it。
Wherever he is now； poor dear； he is cheating somebody。 Such a
handsome； gentleman…like man； Selina！ And； oh； Mr。 Governor； such
a blackguard！〃
Having described her husband in those terms； she got tired of the
subject。 We were now favored with another view of this many…sided
woman。 She appeared in her professional character。
〃Ah； what a delicious breeze is blowing； out here in the
country！〃 she said。 〃Will you excuse me if I take off my gloves？
I want to air my hands。〃 She held up her hands to the breeze；
firm； muscular； deadly white hands。 〃In my professional
occupation；〃 she explained； 〃I am always rubbing； tickling；
squeezing； tapping； kneading； rolling； striking the muscles of
patients。 Selina； do you know the movements of your own joints？
Flexion； extension； abduction； adduction； rotation；
circumduction； pronation； supination； and the lateral movements。
Be proud of those accomplishments； my dear； but beware of
attempting to become a Masseuse。 There are drawbacks in that
vocationand I am conscious of one of them at this moment。〃 She
lifted her hands to her nose。 〃Pah！ my hands smell of other
people's flesh。 The delicious country air will blow it awaythe
luxury of purification！〃 Her fingers twisted and quivered； and
got crooked at one moment and straight again at another； and
showed themselves in succession singly； and flew into each other
fiercely interlaced； and then spread out again like the sticks of
a fan； until it really made me giddy to look at them。 As for Miss
Jillgall； she lifted her poor little sunken eyes rapturously to
the sky； as if she called the homiest sunlight to witness that
this was the most lovable woman on the face of the earth。
But elderly female fascination offers its allurements in vain to
the rough animal； man。 Suspicion of Mrs。 Tenbruggen's motives had
established itself firmly in my mind。 Why had the Popular
Masseuse abandoned her brilliant career in London； and plunged
into the obscurity of a country town？ An opportunity of clearing
up the doubt thus suggested seemed to have presented itself now。
〃Is it indiscreet to ask；〃 I said； 〃if you are here in your
professional capacity？〃
Her cunning seized its advantage and put a sly question to me。
〃Do you wish to be one of my patients yourself？〃
〃That is； unfortunately； impossible；〃 I replied 〃I have arranged
to return to London。〃
〃Immediately？〃
〃To…morrow at the latest。〃
Artful as she was； Mrs。 Tenbruggen failed to conceal a momentary
expression of relief which betrayed itself； partly in her manner；
partly in her face。 She had ascertained； to her own complete
satisfaction； that my speedy departure was an event w