poor miss finch-第14节

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！


We　now　understood；　not　only　the　masterly　compound　word　of　Jicks
（signifying　man　and　horse；　and　passing　over　cart　as　unimportant）；　but　the
polite　attention　of　Jicks　in　entering　the　house　to　inform　us；　after　a
rest　and　a　drink；　of　a　circumstance　which　had　escaped　our　notice。　The
driver　of　the　cart　had；　on　his　own　acknowledgment；　been　investigated　and
questioned　by　this　extraordinary　child；　strolling　up　to　the　door　of
Browndown　to　see　what　he　was　doing　there。　Jicks　was　a　public　character　at
Dimchurch。　The　driver　knew　all　about　her。　She　had　been　nicknamed　〃Gipsy〃
from　her　wandering　habits；　and　had　shortened　the　name　in　her　own　dialect；
into　〃Jicks。〃　There　was　no　keeping　her　in　at　the　rectory；　try　how　you
might：　they　had　long　since　abandoned　the　effort　in　despair。　Sooner　or
later；　she　turned　up　againor　somebody　brought　her　backor　one　of　the
sheep…dogs　found　her　asleep　under　a　bush；　and　gave　the　alarm。　〃What　goes
on　in　that　child's　head；〃　said　the　driver；　regarding　Jicks　with　a　sort　of
superstitious　admiration；　〃the　Lord　only　knows。　She　has　a　will　of　her
own；　and　a　way　of　her　own。　She　_is_　a　child；　and　she　_aint_　a　child。　At
three　years　of　age；　she's　a　riddle　none　of　us　can　guess。　And　that's　the
long　and　the　short　of　what　I　know　about　her。〃

While　this　explanation　was　in　progress；　the　carpenter　who　had　nailed　up
the　case；　and　the　carpenter's　son；　accompanying　him；　joined　us　in　front
of　the　house。　They　followed　Oscar　in；　and　came　out　again；　bearing　the
heavy　burden　of　precious　metalmore　than　one　man　could　conveniently
liftbetween　them。

The　case　deposited　in　the　cart；　carpenter　senior　and　carpenter　junior　got
in　after　it；　wanting　〃a　lift〃　to　Brighton。

Carpenter　senior；　a　big　burly　man；　made　a　joke。　〃It's　a　lonely　country
between　this　and　Brighton；　sir；〃　he　said　to　Oscar。　Three　of　us　will　be
none　too　many　to　see　your　precious　packing…case　safe　into　the　railway
station。〃　Oscar　took　it　seriously。　〃Are　there　any　robbers　in　this
neighborhood？〃　he　asked。　〃Lord　love　you；　sir！〃　said　the　driver；　〃robbers
would　starve　in　these　parts；　we　have　got　nothing　worth　thieving　here。〃
Jicksstill　watching　the　proceedings　with　an　interest　which　allowed　no
detail　to　escape　unnoticedassumed　the　responsibility　of　starting　the
men　on　their　journey。　The　odd　child　waved　her　chubby　hand　imperiously　to
her　friend　the　driver；　and　cried　in　her　loudest　voice；　〃Away！〃　The　driver
touched　his　hat　with　comic　respect。　〃All　right；　misstime's　money；　aint
it？〃　He　cracked　his　whip；　and　the　cart　rolled　off　noiselessly　over　the
thick　close　turf　of　the　South　Downs。

It　was　time　for　me　to　go　back　to　the　rectory；　and　to　restore　the
wandering　Jicks；　for　the　time　being；　to　the　protection　of　home。　I
returned　to　Oscar；　to　say　good…bye。

〃I　wish　I　was　going　back　with　you；〃　he　said。

〃You　will　be　as　free　as　I　am　to　come　and　to　go　at　the　rectory；〃　I
answered；　〃when　they　know　what　has　passed　this　morning　between　you　and
me。　In　your　own　interests；　I　am　determined　to　tell　them　who　you　are。　You
have　nothing　to　fear；　and　everything　to　gain；　by　my　speaking　out。　Clear
your　mind　of　fancies　and　suspicions　that　are　unworthy　of　you。　By
to…morrow　we　shall　be　good　neighbors；　by　the　end　of　the　week　we　shall　be
good　friends。　For　the　present；　as　we　say　in　France；　_au　revoir！_〃

I　turned　to　take　Jicks　by　the　hand。　While　I　had　been　speaking　to　Oscar
the　child　had　slipped　away　from　me。　Not　a　sign　of　her　was　to　be　seen。

Before　we　could　stir　a　step　to　search　for　our　lost　Gipsy；　her　voice
reached　our　ears；　raised　shrill　and　angry　in　the　regions　behind　us；　at
the　side　of　the　house。

〃Go　away！〃　we　heard　the　child　cry　out　impatiently。　〃Ugly　men；　go　away！〃

We　turned　the　corner；　and　discovered　two　shabby　strangers；　resting
themselves　against　the　side　wall　of　the　house。　Their　cadaverous　faces；
their　brutish　expressions；　and　their　frowzy　clothes；　proclaimed　them；　to
my　eye；　as　belonging　to　the　vilest　blackguard　type　that　the　civilized
earth　has　yet　producedthe　blackguard　of　London　growth。　There　they
lounged；　with　their　hands　in　their　pockets　and　their　backs　against　the
wall；　as　if　they　were　airing　themselves　on　the　outer　side　of　a
public…houseand　there　stood　Jicks；　with　her　legs　planted　wide　apart　on
the　turf；　asserting　the　rights　of　property　（even　at　that　early　age！）　and
ordering　the　rascals　off。

〃What　are　you　doing　there？〃　asked　Oscar　sharply。

One　of　the　men　appeared　to　be　on　the　point　of　making　an　insolent　answer。
The　otherthe　younger　and　the　viler…looking　villain　of　the　twochecked
him；　and　spoke　first。

〃We've　had　a　longish　walk；　sir；〃　said　the　fellow；　with　an　impudent
assumption　of　humility；　〃and　we've　took　the　liberty　of　resting　our　backs
against　your　wall；　and　feasting　our　eyes　on　the　beauty　of　your　young　lady
here。〃

He　pointed　to　the　child。　Jicks　shook　her　fist　at　him；　and　ordered　him　off
more　fiercely　than　ever。

〃There's　an　inn　in　the　village；〃　said　Oscar。　〃Rest　there；　if　you
pleasemy　house　is　not　an　inn。〃

The　elder　man　made　a　second　effort　to　speak；　beginning　with　an　oath。　The
younger　checked　him　again。

〃Shut　up；　Jim！〃　said　the　superior　blackguard　of　the　two。　〃The　gentleman
recommends　the　tap　at　the　inn。　Come　and　drink　the　gentleman's　health。〃　He
turned　to　the　child；　and　took　off　his　hat　to　her　with　a　low　bow。　〃Wish
you　good　morning；　Miss！　You're　just　the　style；　you　are；　that　I　admire。
Please　don't　engage　yourself　to　be　married　till　I　come　back。〃

His　savage　companion　was　so　tickled　by　this　delicate　pleasantry　that　he
burst　suddenly　into　a　roar　of　laughter。　Arm　in　arm；　the　two　ruffians
walked　off　together　in　the　direction　of　the　village。　Our　funny　little
Jicks　became　a　tragic　and　terrible　Jicks；　all　on　a　sudden。　The　child
resented　the　insolence　of　the　two　men　as　if　she　really　understood　it。　I
never　saw　so　young　a　creature　in　such　a　furious　passion　before。　She
picked　up　a　stone；　and　threw　it　at　them　before　I　could　stop　her。　She
screamed；　and　stamped　her　tiny　feet　alternately　on　the　ground；　till　she
was　purple　in　the　face。　She　threw　herself　down；　and　rolled　in　fury　on　the
grass。　Nothing　pacified　her　but　a　rash　promise　of　Oscar's　（which　he　was
destined　to　hear　of　for　many　a　long　day　afterwards）　to　send　for　the
police；　and　to　have　the　two　men　soundly　beaten　for　daring　to　laugh　at
Jicks。　She　got　up　from　the　ground；　and　dried　her　eyes　with　her　knuckles；
and　fixed　a　warning　look　on　Oscar。　〃Mind！〃　said　this　curious　child；　with
her　bosom　still　heaving　under　the　dirty　pinafore；　〃the　men　are　to　be
beaten。　And　Jicks　is　to　see　it。〃

I　said　nothing　to　Oscar；　at　the　time；　but　I　felt　some　secret　uneasiness
on　the　way　homean　uneasiness　inspired　by　the　appearance　of　the　two　men
in　the　neighborhood　of　Browndown。

It　was　impossible　to　say　how　long　they　might　have　been　lurking　about　the
outside　of　the　house；　before　the　child　discovered　them。　They　might　have
heard；　through　the　open　window；　what　Oscar　had　said　to　me　on　the　subject
of　his　plates　of　precious　metal；　and　they　might　have　seen　the　heavy
packing…case　placed　in　the　cart。　I　felt　no　apprehension　about　the　safe
arrival　of　the　case　at　Brighton；　the　three　men　in　the　cart　were　men
enough　to　take　good　care　of　it。　My　fears　were　for　the　future。　Oscar　was
living；　entirely　by　himself；　in　a　lonely　house；　more　than　half　a　mile
distant　from　the　village。　His　fancy　for　chasing　in　the　precious　metals
might　have　its　dangers；　as　well　as　its　attractions；　if　it　became　known
beyond　the　pastoral　limits　of　Dimchurch。　Advancing　from　one　suspicion　to
another；　I　asked　myself　if　the　two　men　had　roamed　by　mere　accident　into
our　remote　part　of　the　worldor　whether　they　had　deliberately　found
their　way　to　Browndown　with　a　purpose　in　view。　Having　this　doubt　in　my
mind；　and　happening　to　encounter　the　old　nurse；　Zillah；　in　the　garden　as
I　entered　the　rectory　gates　with　my　little　charge；　I　put　the　question　to
her　plainly；　〃Do　you　see　many　strangers　at　Dimchurch？〃

〃Strangers？〃　repeated　the　old　woman。　〃Excepting　yourself；　ma'am；　we　see
no　strangers　here；　from　one　year's　end　to　another。〃

I　determined　to　say　a　warning　word　to　Oscar　before　his　precious　metals
were　sent　back　to　Browndown。

CHAPTER　THE　ELEVENTH

Blind　Love

LUCILLA　was　at　the　piano　when　I　entered　the　sitting…room。

〃I　wanted　you　of　all　things；〃　she　said。　〃I　have　sent　all　over　the　house
in　search　of　you。　Where　have　you　been？〃

I　told　her。

She　sprang　to　her　feet　with　a　cry　of　delight。

〃You　have　persuaded　him　to　trust　youyou　have　discovered　everything。　You
only　said　'I　have　been　at　Browndown'and　I　heard　it　in　your　voice。　Out
with　it！　out　with　it！〃

She　never　movedshe　seemed　hardly　to　breathewhile　I　was　telling　her
all　that　had　passed　at　the　interview　between　Oscar　and　me。　As　soon　as　I
had　done；　she　got　up　in　a　violent　hurryflushed　and　eagerand　made
straight　for　her　bedroom　door。

〃What　are　you　going　to　do？〃　I　asked。

〃I　want　my　hat　and　my　stick；〃　she　answered。

〃You　are　going　out？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Where？〃

〃Can　you　ask　the　question？　To　Browndown　of　course！〃

I　begged　her　to　wait　a　moment；　and　hear　a　word　or　two　that　I　had　to　say。
It　is；　I　suppose；　almost　needless　to　add　that　my　object　in　speaking　to
her　was　to　protest　against　the　glaring　impropriety　of　her　paying　a　second