poor miss finch-第1节

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Poor　Miss　Finch


by　Wilkie　Collins






TO　MRS。　ELLIOT；

（OF　THE　DEANERY；　BRISTOL）。

WILL　YOU　honor　me　by　accepting　the　Dedication　of　this　book；　in
remembrance　of　an　uninterrupted　friendship　of　many　years？

More　than　one　charming　blind　girl；　in　fiction　and　in　the　drama；　has
preceded　〃Poor　Miss　Finch。〃　But；　so　far　as　I　know；　blindness　in　these
cases　has　been　always　exhibited；　more　or　less　exclusively；　from　the　ideal
and　the　sentimental　point　of　view。　The　attempt　here　made　is　to　appeal　to
an　interest　of　another　kind；　by　exhibiting　blindness　as　it　really　is。　I
have　carefully　gathered　the　information　necessary　to　the　execution　of
this　purpose　from　competent　authorities　of　all　sorts。　Whenever　〃Lucilla〃
acts　or　speaks　in　these　pages；　with　reference　to　her　blindness；　she　is
doing　or　saying　what　persons　afflicted　as　she　is　have　done　or　said　before
her。　Of　the　other　features　which　I　have　added　to　produce　and　sustain
interest　in　this　central　personage　of　my　story；　it　does　not　become　me　to
speak。　It　is　for　my　readers　to　say　if　〃Lucilla〃　has　found　her　way　to
their　sympathies。　In　this　character；　and　more　especially　again　in　the
characters　of　〃Nugent　Dubourg〃　and　〃Madame　Pratolungo；〃　I　have　tried　to
present　human　nature　in　its　inherent　inconsistencies　and
self…contradictionsin　its　intricate　mixture　of　good　and　evil；　of　great
and　smallas　I　see　it　in　the　world　about　me。　But　the　faculty　of
observing　character　is　so　rare；　the　curiously　mistaken　tendency　to　look
for　logical　consistency　in　human　motives　and　human　actions　is　so　general；
that　I　may　possibly　find　the　execution　of　this　part　of　my　task
misunderstoodsometimes　even　resentedin　certain　quarters。　However；
Time　has　stood　my　friend　in　relation　to　other　characters　of　mine　in　other
booksand　who　can　say　that　Time　may　not　help　me　again　here？　Perhaps；　one
of　these　days；　I　may　be　able　to　make　use　of　some　of　the　many　interesting
stories　of　events　that　have　really　happened；　which　have　been　placed　in　my
hands　by　persons　who　could　speak　as　witnesses　to　the　truth　of　the
narrative。　Thus　far；　I　have　not　ventured　to　disturb　the　repose　of　these
manuscripts　in　the　locked　drawer　allotted　to　them。　The　true　incidents　are
so　〃far…fetched〃；　and　the　conduct　of　the　real　people　is　so　〃grossly
improbable〃！

As　for　the　object　which　I　have　had　in　view　in　writing　this　story；　it　is；
I　hope；　plain　enough　to　speak　for　itself。　I　subscribe　to　the　article　of
belief　which　declares；　that　the　conditions　of　human　happiness　are
independent　of　bodily　affliction；　and　that　it　is　even　possible　for　bodily
affliction　itself　to　take　its　place　among　the　ingredients　of　happiness。
These　are　the　views　which　〃Poor　Miss　Finch〃　is　intended　to　advocateand
this　is　the　impression　which　I　hope　to　leave　on　the　mind　of　the　reader
when　the　book　is　closed。

W。　C。

January　16th；　1872。





NOTE　TO　THE　PRESENT　EDITION。

IN　expressing　my　acknowledgments　for　the　favorable　reception　accorded　to
the　previous　editions　of　this　story；　I　may　take　the　present　opportunity
of　adverting　to　one　of　the　characters；　not　alluded　to　in　the　Letter　of
Dedication。　The　German　oculist〃Herr　Grosse〃has　impressed　himself　so
strongly　as　a　real　personage　on　the　minds　of　some　of　my　readers　afflicted
with　blindness；　or　suffering　from　diseases　of　the　eye；　that　I　have
received　several　written　applications　requesting　me　to　communicate　his
present　address　to　patients　desirous　of　consulting　him！　Sincerely
appreciating　the　testimony　thus　rendered　to　the　truth　of　this　little
study　of　character；　I　have　been　obliged　to　acknowledge　to　my
correspondentsand　I　may　as　well　repeat　it　herethat　Herr　Grosse　has　no
（individual）　living　prototype。　Like　the　other　Persons　of　the　Drama；　in
this　book　and　in　the　books　which　have　preceded　it；　he　is　drawn　from　my
general　observation　of　humanity。　I　have　always　considered　it　to　be　a
mistake　in　Art　to　limit　the　delineation　of　character　in　fiction　to　a
literary　portrait　taken　from　any　one　〃sitter。〃　The　result　of　this　process
is　generally　（to　my　mind）　to　produce　a　caricature　instead　of　a　character。

November　27th；　1872








POOR　MISS　FINCH


CHAPTER　THE　FIRST

Madame　Pratolungo　presents　Herself

You　are　here　invited　to　read　the　story　of　an　Event　which　occurred　in　an
out…of…the…way　corner　of　England；　some　years　since。

The　persons　principally　concerned　in　the　Event　are：a　blind　girl；　two
（twin）　brothers；　a　skilled　surgeon；　and　a　curious　foreign　woman。　I　am　the
curious　foreign　woman。　And　I　take　it　on　myselffor　reasons　which　will
presently　appearto　tell　the　story。

So　far　we　understand　each　other。　Good。　I　may　make　myself　known　to　you　as
briefly　as　I　can。

I　am　Madame　Pratolungowidow　of　that　celebrated　South　American　patriot；
Doctor　Pratolungo。　I　am　French　by　birth。　Before　I　married　the　Doctor；　I
went　through　many　vicissitudes　in　my　own　country。　They　ended　in　leaving
me　（at　an　age　which　is　of　no　consequence　to　anybody）　with　some　experience
of　the　world；　with　a　cultivated　musical　talent　on　the　pianoforte；　and
with　a　comfortable　little　fortune　unexpectedly　bequeathed　to　me　by　a
relative　of　my　dear　dead　mother　（which　fortune　I　shared　with　good　Papa
and　with　my　younger　sisters）。　To　these　qualifications　I　added　another；
the　most　precious　of　all；　when　I　married　the　Doctor；　namelya　strong
infusion　of　ultra…liberal　principles。　_Vive　la　Re'publique！_

Some　people　do　one　thing；　and　some　do　another；　in　the　way　of　celebrating
the　event　of　their　marriage。　Having　become　man　and　wife；　Doctor
Pratolungo　and　I　took　ship　to　Central　Americaand　devoted　our
honey…moon；　in　those　disturbed　districts；　to　the　sacred　duty　of
destroying　tyrants。

Ah！　the　vital　air　of　my　noble　husband　was　the　air　of　revolutions。　From
his　youth　upwards　he　had　followed　the　glorious　profession　of　Patriot。
Wherever　the　people　of　the　Southern　New　World　rose　and　declared　their
independenceand；　in　my　time；　that　fervent　population　did　nothing
elsethere　was　the　Doctor　self…devoted　on　the　altar　of　his　adopted
country。　He　had　been　fifteen　times　exiled；　and　condemned　to　death　in　his
absence；　when　I　met　with　him　in　Paristhe　picture　of　heroic　poverty；
with　a　brown　complexion　and　one　lame　leg。　Who　could　avoid　falling　in　love
with　such　a　man？　I　was　proud　when　he　proposed　to　devote　me　on　the　altar
of　his　adopted　country；　as　well　as　himselfme；　and　my　money。　For；　alas！
everything　is　expensive　in　this　world；　including　the　destruction　of
tyrants　and　the　saving　of　Freedom。　All　my　money　went　in　helping　the
sacred　cause　of　the　people。　Dictators　and　filibusters　flourished　in　spite
of　us。　Before　we　had　been　a　year　married；　the　Doctor　had　to　fly　（for　the
sixteenth　time）　to　escape　being　tried　for　his　life。　My　husband　condemned
to　death　in　his　absence；　and　I　with　my　pockets　empty。　This　is　how　the
Republic　rewarded　us。　And　yet；　I　love　the　Republic。　Ah；　you
monarchy…people；　sitting　fat　and　contented　under　tyrants；　respect　that！

This　time；　we　took　refuge　in　England。　The　affairs　of　Central　America　went
on　without　us。

I　thought　of　giving　lessons　in　music。　But　my　glorious　husband　could　not
spare　me　away　from　him。　I　suppose　we　should　have　starved；　and　made　a　sad
little　paragraph　in　the　English　newspapersif　the　end　had　not　come　in
another　way。　My　poor　Pratolungo　was　in　truth　worn　out。　He　sank　under　his
sixteenth　exile。　I　was　left　a　widowwith　nothing　but　the　inheritance　of
my　husband's　noble　sentiments　to　console　me。

I　went　back　for　awhile　to　good　Papa　and　my　sisters　in　Paris。　But　it　was
not　in　my　nature　to　remain　and　be　a　burden　on　them　at　home。　I　returned
again　to　London；　with　recommendations：　and　encountered　inconceivable
disasters　in　the　effort　to　earn　a　living　honorably。　Of　all　the　wealth
about　methe　prodigal；　insolent；　ostentatious　wealthnone　fell　to　my
share。　What　right　has　anybody　to　be　rich？　I　defy　you；　whoever　you　may　be；
to　prove　that　anybody　has　a　right　to　be　rich。

Without　dwelling　on　my　disasters；　let　it　be　enough　to　say　that　I　got　up
one　morning；　with　three　pounds；　seven　shillings；　and　fourpence　in　my
purse；　with　my　fervid　temper；　and　my　republican　principlesand　with
absolutely　nothing　in　prospect；　that　is　to　say　with　not　a　halfpenny　more
to　come　to　me；　unless　I　could　earn　it　for　myself。

In　this　sad　case；　what　does　an　honest　woman　who　is　bent　on　winning　her
own　independence　by　her　own　work；　do？　She　takes　three　and　sixpence　out　of
her　little　humble　store；　and　she　advertises　herself　in　a　newspaper。

One　always　advertises　the　best　side　of　oneself。　（Ah；　poor　humanity！）　My
best　side　was　my　musical　side。　In　the　days　of　my　vicissitudes　（before　my
marriage）　I　had　at　one　time　had　a　share　in　a　millinery　establishment　in
Lyons。　At　another　time；　I　had　been　bedchamber…woman　to　a　great　lady　in
Paris。　But　in　my　present　situation；　these　sides　of　myself　were；　for
various　reasons；　not　so　presentable　as　the　pianoforte　side。　I　was　not　a
great　playerfar　from　it。　But　I　had　been　soundly　instructed；　and　I　had；
what　you　call；　a　competent　skill　on　the　instrument。　Brief；　I　made　the
best　of　myself；　I　promise　you；　in　my　advertisement。

The　next　day；　I　borrowed　the　newspaper；　to　enjoy　the　pride　of　seeing　my
composition　in　print。

Ah；　heaven！　what　did　I　discover？　I　discovered