下载辰思小说免费APP
thoughtofwhatyousaid，afterIhadshownyoumyJournal；andyourwordstookmymemorybacktothedayswhenIwashappywithPhilip。Thetrialandtheterrorpassedaway。
"Consolationhascometomefromthebestofgoodwomen。Mrs。
Staveleywritesaslovinglyasmymothermighthavewritten，ifdeathhadsparedher。IhaverepliedwithallthegratitudethatIreallyfeel，butwithouttakingadvantageoftheserviceswhichsheoffers。Mrs。Staveleyhasitinhermind，asyouhaditinyourmind，tobringPhilipbacktome。Doessheforget，doyouforget，thatHelenaclaimshim？Butyoubothmeankindly，andI
loveyoubothfortheinterestthatyoufeelinme。
"Thefarmer’swife——deargoodsoul！——hardlyunderstandsmesowellasherhusbanddoes。SheconfessestopityingPhilip。’Heissowretched，’shesays。’And，dearheart，howhandsome，andwhatnice，winningmanners！Idon’tthinkIshouldhavehadyourcourage，inyourplace。Totellthetruth，IshouldhavejumpedforjoywhenIsawhimatthedoor；andIshouldhaverundowntolethimin——andperhapsbeensorryforitafterward。Ifyoureallywishtoforgethim，mydear，IwilldoallIcantohelpyou。’
"Thesearetriflingthingstomention，butIamafraidyoumaythinkIamunhappy——andIwanttopreventthat。
"Ihavesomuchtobethankfulfor，andthechildrenaresofondofme。WhetherIteachthemaswellasImighthavedone，ifI
hadbeenamorelearnedgirl，mayperhapsbedoubtful。Theydomorefortheirgoverness，Iamafraid，thantheirgovernessdoesforthem。Whentheycomeintomyroominthemorning，androusemewiththeirkisses，thehourofwaking，whichusedtobesohardtoendureafterPhilipleftme，isnowthehappiesthourofmyday。"
Withthatreassuringviewofherlifeasagoverness，thepoorchild’slettercomestoanend。
CHAPTERLI。
THETRIUMPHOFMRS。TENBRUGGEN。
MISSJILLGALLappearsagain，afteraninterval，onthefieldofmyextracts。Mypleasantfrienddeservesthistimeaseriousreception。SheinformsmethatMrs。TenbruggenhasbeguntheinquirieswhichIhavethebestreasontodread——forIaloneknowtheendwhichtheyaredesignedtoreach。
Thearrivalofthisnewsaffectedmeintwodifferentways。
ItwasdiscouragingtofindthatcircumstanceshadnotjustifiedmyrelianceonHelena’senmityasacounter—influencetoMrs。
Tenbruggen。Ontheotherhand，itwasarelieftobeassuredthatmyreturntoLondonwouldserve，ratherthancompromise，theinterestswhichitwasmychiefanxietytodefend。IhadforeseenthatMrs。Tenbruggenwouldwaittosetherenterpriseonfoot，untilIwasoutofherway；andIhadcalculatedonmyabsenceasaneventwhichwouldatleastputanendtosuspensebyencouraginghertobegin。
ThefirstsentencesinMissJillgall’sletterexplainthenatureofherinterestintheproceedingsofherfriend，andare，onthataccount，worthreading。
"Thingsaresadlychangedfortheworse"（Selinawrites）；"butI
don’tforgetthatPhilipwasonceengagedtoEuneece，andthatMr。Gracedieu’sextraordinaryconducttowardhimpuzzledusall。
ThemodeofdiscoverywhichdearElizabethsuggestedbyletter，atthattime，appearstobethemodewhichsheisfollowingnow。
WhenIaskedwhy，shesaid：’PhilipmayreturntoEuneece；theMinistermayrecover——andwillbeallthemorelikelytodosoifhetriesMassage。Inthatcase，hewillprobablyrepeattheconductwhichsurprisedyou；andyournaturalcuriositywillaskmeagaintofindoutwhatitmeans。AmIyourfriend，Selina，oramInot？’Thiswassodelightfullykind，andsoirresistiblyconclusive，thatIkissedherinatransportofgratitude。WithwhatbreathlessinterestIhavewatchedherprogresstowardpenetratingthemysteryofthegirls’ages，itisquiteneedlesstotellyou。"
Mrs。Tenbruggen’smethodofkeepingMissJillgallinignoranceofwhatshewasreallyabout，andMissJillgall’sadmirableconfidenceintheintegrityofMrs。Tenbruggen，beingnowsetforthonthebestauthority，anexactpresentationofthestateofaffairswillbecompletedifIaddawordmore，relatingtothepositionsactuallyoccupiedtowardMrs。Tenbruggen’senterprise，bymycorrespondentandmyself。
Onherside，MissJillgallwasentirelyignorantthatoneofthetwogirlswasnotMr。Gracedieu’sdaughter，buthisadoptedchild。Onmyside，IwasentirelyignorantofMrs。Tenbruggen’spurposeinendeavoringtoidentifythedaughterofthemurderess。
Speakingofmyself，individually，letmeaddthatIonlywaitedtheeventtoprotectthehelplessones——mypoordementedfriend，andtheorphanwhomhismercyreceivedintohisheartandhishome。
MissJillgallgoesonwithhercuriousstory，asfollows：
"Alwaysdesirousofmakingmyselfuseful，IthoughtIwouldgivemydearElizabethahintwhichmightsavetimeandtrouble。’Whynotbegin，’Isuggested，’byaskingtheGovernortohelpyou？’
Thatwonderfulwomanneverforgetsanything。Shehadalreadyappliedtoyou，withoutsuccess。
"Inmynextattempttobeuseful，Ididviolencetomymostcherishedconvictions，bypresentingthewretchHelenatotheadmirableElizabeth。Thattheformerwouldbecoldasice，inherreceptionofanyfriendofmine，wasnothingwonderful。Mrs。
Tenbruggenpasseditoverwiththegracefulcomposureofawomanoftheworld。InthecourseofconversationwithHelena，sheslippedinaquestion：’MightIaskifyouareolderthanyoursister？’Theanswerwas，ofcourse：’Idon’tknow。’Andhere，foronce，themostdeceitfulgirlinexistencespokethetruth。
"Whenwewerealoneagain，Elizabethmadearemark：’Ifpersonalappearancecoulddecidethequestion，’shesaid，’thedisagreeableyoungwomanistheoldestofthetwo。Thenextthingtobedoneistodiscoveriflooksaretobetrustedinthiscase。’
"Myfriend’slawyerreceivedconfidentialinstructions（notshowntome，whichseemsratherhard）totracethetwoMissGracedieus’
registersofbirth。Elizabethdescribedthisproceeding（notveryintelligiblytomymind）asameansoffindingoutwhichofthegirlscouldbeidentifiedbynameastheelderofthetwo。
"Thereportarrivedthismorning。Iwasonlyinformedthattheresult，inonecase，hadentirelydefeatedtheinquiries。Intheothercase，ElizabethhadhelpedheragentbyreferringhimtoaBirth，advertisedinthecustomarycolumnsofthe_Times_
newspaper。Evenhere，therewasafatalobstacle。ThenameoftheplaceinwhichMr。Gracedieu’sdaughterhadbeenbornwasnotadded，asusual。
"Istilltriedtobeuseful。HadmyfriendknowntheMinister’swife？MyfriendhadneverevenseentheMinister’swife。And，asifbyafatality，herportraitwasnolongerinexistence。I
couldonlymentionthatHelenawaslikehermother。ButElizabethseemedtoattachverylittleimportancetomyevidence，ifImaycallitbysograndaname。’Peoplehavesuchstrangeideasaboutlikenesses，’shesaid，’andarriveatsuchcontradictoryconclusions。Onecanonlytrustone’sowneyesinamatterofthatkind。’
"Myfriendnextaskedmeaboutourdomesticestablishment。Wehadonlyacookandahousemaid。Iftheywereoldservantswhohadknownthegirlsaschildren，theymightbemadeofsomeuse。Ourluckwasassteadilyagainstusasever。TheyhadbothbeenengagedwhenMr。Gracedieuassumedhisnewpastoralduties，afterhavingresidedwithhiswifeathernativeplace。
"IaskedElizabethwhatsheproposedtodonext。
"Shedeferredheranswer，untilIhadfirsttoldherwhetherthevisitofthedoctormightbeexpectedonthatday。Icouldreplytothisinthenegative。Elizabeth，thereupon，madeastartlingrequest；shebeggedmetointroducehertoMr。Gracedieu。
"Isaid：’Surely，youhaveforgottenthesadstateofhismind？’
No；sheknewperfectlywellthathewasimbecile。’Iwanttotry，’sheexplained，’ifIcanrousehimforafewminutes。’
"’ByMassage？’Iinquired。
"Sheburstoutlaughing。’Massage，mydear，doesn’tactinthatway。Itisanelaborateprocess，pursuedpatientlyforweekstogether。Butmyhandshavemorethanoneaccomplishmentattheirfinger—ends。Oh，makeyourmindeasy！Ishalldonoharm，ifIdonogood。Takeme。Selina，totheMinister。’
"Wewenttohisroom。Don’tblamemeforgivingway；IamtoofondofElizabethtobeabletodisappointher。
"Itwasasadsightwhenwewentin。Hewasquitehappy，playinglikeachild，atcup—and—ball。Theattendantretiredatmyrequest。IintroducedMrs。Tenbruggen。Hesmiledandsho
