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！
find myself feeling thirsty and sick。〃 I have no opportunity of
looking after him as I could wish； for Helena insists on nursing
him； assisted by the housemaid。 Maria is a very good girl in her
way； but too stupid to be of much use。 If he is not better
to…morrow； I shall insist on sending for the doctor。
He is no better； and he wishes to have medical help。 Helena
doesn't seem to understand his illness。 It was not until Philip
had insisted on seeing him that she consented to send for the
doctor。
You had some talk with this experienced physician when you were
here； and you know what a clever man he is。 When I tell you that
he hesitates to say what is the matter with Philip； you will feel
as much alarmed as I do。 I will wait to send this to the post
until I can write in a more definite way。
Two days more have passed。 The doctor has put two very strange
questions to me。
He asked； first； if there was anybody staying with us besides the
regular members of the household。 I said we had no visitor。 He
wanted to know； next； if Mr。 Philip Dunboyne had made any enemies
since he has been living in our town。 I said none that I knew
ofand I took the liberty of asking what he meant。 He answered
to this； that he has a few more inquiries to make； and that he
will tell me what he means to…morrow。
For God's sake come here as soon as you possibly can。 The whole
burden is thrown on meand I am quite unequal to it。
I received the doctor to…day in the drawing…room。 To my
amazement； he begged leave to speak with me in the garden。 When I
asked why； he answered： 〃I don't want to have a listener at the
door。 Come out on the lawn； where we can be sure that we are
alone。〃
When we were in the garden； he noticed that I was trembling。
〃Rouse your courage； Miss Jillgall；〃 he said。 〃In the Minister's
helpless state there is nobody whom I can speak to but yourself。〃
I ventured to remind him that he might speak to Helena as well as
to myself。
He looked as black as thunder when I mentioned her name。 All he
said was； 〃No！〃 But； oh； if you had heard his voiceand he so
gentle and sweet…tempered at other timesyou would have felt； as
I did； that he had Helena in his mind！
〃Now； listen to this；〃 he went on。 〃Everything that my art can do
for Mr。 Philip Dunboyne； while I am at his bedside； is undone
while I am away by some other person。 He is worse to…day than I
have seen him yet。〃
〃Oh； sir； do you think he will die？〃
〃He will certainly die unless the right means are taken to save
him； and taken at once。 It is my duty not to flinch from telling
you the truth。 I have made a discovery since yesterday which
satisfies me that I am right。 Somebody is trying to poison Mr。
Dunboyne； and somebody will succeed unless he is removed from
this house。〃
I am a poor feeble creature。 The doctor caught me； or I should
have dropped on the grass。 It was not a fainting…fit。 I only
shook and shivered so that I was too weak to stand up。 Encouraged
by the doctor； I recovered sufficiently to be able to ask him
where Philip was to be taken to。 He said： 〃To the hospital。 No
poisoner can follow my patient there。 Persuade him to let me take
him away； when I call again in an hour's time。〃
As soon as I could hold a pen； I sent a telegram to you。 Pray；
pray come by the earliest train。 I also telegraphed to old Mr。
Dunboyne； at the hotel in London。
It was impossible for me to face Helena； I own I was afraid。 The
cook kindly went upstairs to see who was in Philip's room。 It was
the housemaid's turn to look after him for a while。 I went
instantly to his bedside。
There was no persuading him to allow himself to be taken to the
hospital。 〃I am dying；〃 he said。 〃If you have any pity for me；
send for Euneece。 Let me see her once more； let me hear her say
that she forgives me； before I die。〃
I hesitated。 It was too terrible to think of Euneece in the same
house with her sister。 Her life might be in danger！ Philip gave
me a look； a dreadful ghastly look。 〃If you refuse；〃 he said
wildly； 〃the grave won't hold me。 I'll haunt you for the rest of
your life。〃
〃She shall hear that you are ill；〃 I answeredand ran out of the
room before he could speak again。
What I had promised to write； I did write。 But； placed between
Euneece's danger and Philip's danger； my heart was all for
Euneece。 Would Helena spare her； if she came to Philip's bedside？
In such terror as I never felt before in my life； I added a word
more； entreating her not to leave the farm。 I promised to keep
her regularly informed on the subject of Philip's illness； and I
mentioned that I expected the Governor to return to us
immediately。 〃Do nothing；〃 I wrote； 〃without his advice。〃 My
letter having been completed； I sent the cook away with it； in a
chaise。 She belonged to the neighborhood； and she knew the
farmhouse well。
Nearly two hours afterward； I heard the chaise stop at the door；
and ran out； impatient to hear how my sweet girl had received my
letter。 God help us all！ When I opened the door； the first person
whom I saw was Euneece herself。
CHA PTER LIX。
DEFENSE。
ONE surprise followed another； after I had encountered Euneece at
the door。
When my fondness had excused her for setting the well…meant
advice in my letter at defiance； I was conscious of expecting to
see her in tears； eager； distressingly eager； to hear what hope
there might be of Philip's recovery。 I saw no tears； I heard no
inquiries。 She was pale； and quiet； and silent。 Not a word fell
from her when we met； not a word when she kissed me； not a word
when she led the way into the nearest roomthe dining…room。 It
was only when we were shut in together that she spoke。
〃Which is Philip's room？〃 she asked。
Instead of wanting to know how he was； she desired to know where
he was！ I pointed toward the back dining…room； which had been
made into a bedroom for Philip。 He had chosen it himself； when he
first came to stay with us； because the window opened into the
garden。 and he could slip out and smoke at any hour of the day or
night； when he pleased。
〃Who is with him now？〃 was the next strange thing this
sadly…changed girl said to me。
〃Maria is taking her turn；〃 I answered； 〃she assists in nursing
Philip。〃
〃Where is？〃 Euneece got no further than that。 Her breath
quickened； her color faded away。 I had seen people look as she
was looking now； when they suffered under some sudden pain。
Before I could offer to help her； she rallied； and went on：
〃Where；〃 she began again； 〃is the other nurse？〃
〃You mean Helena？〃 I said。
〃I mean the Poisoner。〃
When I remind you； dear Mr。 Governor； that my letter had
carefully concealed from her the horrible discovery made by the
doctor； your imagination will picture my state of mind。 She saw
that I was overpowered。 Her sweet nature； so strangely frozen up
thus far； melted at last。 〃You don't know what I have heard；〃 she
said； 〃you don't know what thoughts have been roused in me。〃 She
left her chair； and sat on my knee with the familiarity of the
dear old times； and took the letter that I had written to her
from her pocket。
〃Look at it yourself；〃 she said； 〃and tell me if anybody