poor miss finch-第17节

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irritating　and　uncomfortable　to　see。　The　one　personal　distinction　he
possessed　consisted　in　his　magnificent　bass　voicea　voice　which　had　no
sort　of　right　to　exist　in　the　person　who　used　it。　Until　one　became
accustomed　to　the　contrast；　there　was　something　perfectly　unbearable　in
hearing　those　superb　big　tones　come　out　of　that　contemptible　little　body。
The　famous　Latin　phrase　conveys；　after　all；　the　best　description　I　can
give　of　Reverend　Finch。　He　was　in　very　truthVoice；　and　nothing　else。

〃Madame　Pratolungo；　no　doubt？〃　he　went　on；　turning　to　me。　〃Delighted　to
make　the　acquaintance　of　my　daughter's　judicious　companion　and　friend。
You　must　be　one　of　uslike　Mr。　Dubourg。　Let　me　introduce　you。　Madame
PratolungoMr。　Dubourg。　This　is　the　old　side　of　the　rectory；　my　dear
sir。　We　had　it　put　in　repairlet　me　see：　how　long　since？we　had　it　put
in　repair　just　after　Mrs。　Finch's　last　confinement　but　one。〃　（I　soon
discovered　that　Mr。　Finch　reckoned　time　by　his　wife's　confinements。）　〃You
will　find　it　very　curious　and　interesting　inside。　Lucilla；　my　child！　（It
has　pleased　Providence；　Mr。　Dubourg；　to　afflict　my　daughter　with
blindness。　Inscrutable　Providence！）　Lucilla；　this　is　your　side　of　the
house。　Take　Mr。　Dubourg's　arm；　and　lead　the　way。　Do　the　honors；　my　child。
Madame　Pratolungo；　let　me　offer　you　my　arm。　I　regret　that　I　was　not
present；　when　you　arrived；　to　welcome　you　at　the　rectory。　Consider
yourselfdo　pray　consider　yourselfone　of　us。〃　He　stopped；　and　lowered
his　prodigious　voice　to　a　confidential　growl。　〃Delightful　person；　Mr。
Dubourg。　I　can't　tell　you　how　pleased　I　am　with　him。　And　what　a　sad
story！　Cultivate　Mr。　Dubourg；　my　dear　madam。　As　a　favor　to　Mecultivate
Mr。　Dubourg！〃

He　said　this　with　an　appearance　of　the　deepest　anxietyand　more；　he
emphasized　it　by　affectionately　squeezing　my　hand。

I　have　met　with　a　great　many　audacious　people　in　my　time。　But　the
audacity　of　Reverend　Finchpersisting　to　our　faces　in　the　assumption
that　he　had　been　the　first　to　discover　our　neighbor；　and　that　Lucilla　and
I　were　perfectly　incapable　of　understanding　and　appreciating　Oscar；
unassisted　by　himwas　entirely　without　a　parallel　in　my　experience。　I
asked　myself　what　his　conduct　in　this　matterso　entirely　unexpected　by
Lucilla；　as　well　as　by　mecould　possibly　mean。　My　knowledge　of　his
character；　obtained　through　his　daughter；　and　my　memory　of　what　we　heard
him　say　on　the　other　side　of　the　wall；　suggested　that　his　conduct　might
meanMoney。

We　assembled　in　the　sitting…room。

The　only　person　among　us　who　was　quite　at　his　ease　was　Mr。　Finch。　He
never　let　his　daughter　and　his　guest　alone　for　a　single　moment。　〃My
child；　show　Mr。　Dubourg　this；　show　Mr。　Dubourg　that。　Mr。　Dubourg；　my
daughter　possesses　this；　my　daughter　possesses　that。〃　So　he　went　on；　all
round　the　room。　Oscar　appeared　to　feel　a　little　daunted　by　the
overwhelming　attentions　of　his　new　friend。　Lucilla　was；　as　I　could　see；
secretly　irritated　at　finding　herself　authorized　by　her　father　to　pay
those　attentions　to　Oscar　which　she　would　have　preferred　offering　to　him
of　her　own　accord。　As　for　me；　I　was　already　beginning　to　weary　of　the
patronizing　politeness　of　the　little　priest　with　the　big　voice。　It　was　a
relief　to　us　all；　when　a　message　on　domestic　affairs　arrived　in　the　midst
of　the　proceedings　from　Mrs。　Finch；　requesting　to　see　her　husband
immediately　on　the　rectory　side　of　the　house。

Forced　to　leave　us；　Reverend　Finch　made　his　farewell　speech；　taking
Oscar's　hand　into　a　kind　of　paternal　custody　in　both　his　own　hands。　He
spoke　with　such　sonorous　cordiality；　that　the　china　and　glass　ornaments
on　Lucilla's　chiffonier　actually　jingled　an　accompaniment　to　his　booming
bass　notes。

〃Come　to　tea；　my　dear　sir。　Without　ceremony。　To…night　at　six。　We　must
keep　up　your　spirits；　Mr。　Dubourg。　Cheerful　society；　and　a　little　music。
Lucilla；　my　dear　child；　you　will　play　for　Mr。　Dubourg；　won't　you？　Madame
Pratolungo　will　do　the　sameat　My　requestI　am　sure。　We　shall　make　even
dull　Dimchurch　agreeable　to　our　new　neighbor　before　we　have　done。　What
does　the　poet　say？　'Fixed　to　no　spot　is　happiness　sincere；　'tis　nowhere
to　be　found；　or　everywhere。'　How　cheering！　how　true！　Good　day；　good　day。〃

The　glasses　left　off　jingling。　Mr。　Finch's　wizen　little　legs　took　him　out
of　the　room。

The　moment　his　back　was　turned；　we　both　assailed　Oscar　with　the　same
question。　What　had　passed　at　the　interview　between　the　rector　and
himself？　Men　are　all　alike　incompetent　to　satisfy　women；　when　the
question　between　the　sexes　is　a　question　of　small　details。　A　woman；　in
Oscar's　position；　would　have　been　able　to　relate　to　us；　not　only　the
whole　conversation　with　the　rector；　but　every　little　trifling　incident
which　had　noticeably　illustrated　it。　As　things　were；　we　could　only
extract　from　our　unsatisfactory　man　the　barest　outline　of　the　interview。
The　coloring　and　the　filling…in　we　were　left　to　do　for　ourselves。

Oscar　had；　on　his　own　confession；　acknowledged　his　visitor's　kindness；　by
opening　his　whole　heart　to　the　sympathizing　rector；　and　placing　that　wary
priest　and　excellent　man　of　business　in　possession　of　the　completest
knowledge　of　all　his　affairs。　In　return；　Reverend　Finch　had　spoken　in　the
frankest　manner；　on　his　side。　He　had　drawn　a　sad　picture　of　the
poverty…stricken　condition　of　Dimchurch；　viewed　as　an　ecclesiastical
endowment；　and　he　had　spoken　in　such　feeling　terms　of　the　neglected
condition　of　the　ancient　and　interesting　church；　that　poor　simple　Oscar；
smitten　with　pity；　had　produced　his　cheque…book；　and　had　subscribed　on
the　spot　towards　the　Fund　for　repairing　the　ancient　round　tower。　They　had
been　still　occupied　with　the　subject　of　the　tower　and　the　subscription；
when　we　had　opened　the　garden　gate　and　had　let　them　in。　Hearing　this；　I
now　understood　the　motives　under　which　our　reverend　friend　was　acting　as
well　as　if　they　had　been　my　own。　It　was　plain　to　my　mind　that　the　rector
had　taken　his　financial　measure　of　Oscar；　and　had　privately　satisfied
himself；　that　if　he　encouraged　the　two　young　people　in　cultivating　each
other's　society；　money　（to　use　his　own　phrase）　might　come　of　it。　He　had；
as　I　believed；　put　forward　〃the　round　tower；〃　in　the　first　instance；　as　a
feeler；　and　he　would　follow　it　up；　in　due　time；　by　an　appeal　of　a　more
personal　nature　to　Oscar's　well…filled　purse。　Brief；　he　was；　in　my
opinion；　quite　sharp　enough　（after　having　studied　his　young　friend's
character）　to　foresee　an　addition　to　his　income；　rather　than　a
subtraction　from　it；　if　the　relations　between　Oscar　and　his　daughter
ended　in　a　marriage。

Whether　Lucilla　arrived；　on　her　side；　at　the　same　conclusion　as　mine；　is
what　I　cannot　venture　positively　to　declare。　I　can　only　relate　that　she
looked　ill　at　ease　as　the　facts　came　out；　and　that　she　took　the　first
opportunity　of　extinguishing　her　father；　viewed　as　a　topic　of
conversation。

As　for　Oscar；　it　was　enough　for　him　that　he　had　already　secured　his　place
as　friend　of　the　house。　He　took　leave　of　us　in　the　highest　spirits。　I　had
my　eye　on　them　when　he　and　Lucilla　said　good…bye。　She　squeezed　his　hand。
I　saw　her　do　it。　At　the　rate　at　which　things　were　now　going　on；　I　began
to　ask　myself　whether　Reverend　Finch　would　not　appear　at　tea…time　in　his
robes　of　office；　and　celebrate　the　marriage　of　his　〃sorely…tried〃　young
friend　between　the　first　cup　and　the　second。

At　our　little　social　assembly　in　the　evening；　nothing　passed　worthy　of
much　remark。

Lucilla　and　I　（I　cannot　resist　recording　this）　were　both　beautifully
dressed；　in　honor　of　the　occasion；　Mrs。　Finch　serving　us　to　perfection；
by　way　of　contrast。　She　had　made　an　immense　effortshe　was　half　dressed。
Her　evening　costume　was　an　ancient　green　silk　skirt　（with　traces　of　past
babies　visible　on　it　to　an　experienced　eye）；　topped　by　the　everlasting
blue　merino　jacket。　〃I　lose　everything　belonging　to　me；〃　Mrs。　Finch
whispered　in　my　ear。　〃I　have　got　a　body　to　this　dress；　and　it　can't　be
found　anywhere。〃　The　rector's　prodigious　voice　was　never　silent：　the
pompous　and　plausible　little　man　talked；　talked；　talked；　in　deeper　and
deeper　bass；　until　the　very　teacups　on　the　table　shuddered　under　the
influence　of　him。　The　elder　children；　admitted　to　the　family　festival；
ate　till　they　could　eat　no　more；　stared　till　they　could　stare　no　more；
yawned　till　they　could　yawn　no　moreand　then　went　to　bed。　Oscar　got　on
well　with　everybody。　Mrs。　Finch　was　naturally　interested　in　him　as　one　of
twinsthough　she　was　also　surprised　and　disappointed　at　hearing　that　his
mother　had　begun　and　ended　with　his　brother　and　himself。　As　for　Lucilla；
she　sat　in　silent　happiness；　absorbed　in　the　inexhaustible　delight　of
hearing　Oscar's　voice。　She　found　as　many　varieties　of　expression　in
listening　to　her　beloved　tones；　as　the　rest　of　us　find　in　looking　at　our
beloved　face。　We　had　music　later　in　the　eveningand　I　then　heard；　for
the　first　time；　how　charmingly　Lucilla　played。　She　was　a　born　musician；
with　a　delicacy　and　subtlety　of　touch　such　as　few　even　of　the　greatest
_virtuosi_　possess。　Oscar　was　enchanted。　In　a　word；　the　evening　was　a
success。

I　contrived；　when　our　guest　took　his　departure；　to　say　my　contemplated
word　to　him　in　private；　on　the　subject　of　his　solitary　positio