poor miss finch-第19节

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with　a　message　from　the　nursery。

It　was　tea…time；　and；　as　usual；　Jicks　was　missing。　She　was　searched　for；
first　in　the　lower　regions　of　the　house；　secondly　in　the　garden。　Not　a
trace　of　her　was　to　be　discovered　in　either　quarter。　Nobody　was　surprised
or　alarmed。　We　said；　〃Oh；　dear；　she　has　gone　to　Browndown　again！〃and
immersed　ourselves　once　more　in　the　shabby　recesses　of　Mrs。　Finch's
wardrobe。

I　had　just　decided　that　the　blue　merino　jacket　was　an　article　of　wearing
apparel　which　had　done　its　duty；　and　earned　its　right　to　final　retirement
from　the　scenewhen　a　plaintive　cry　reached　my　ear；　through　the　open
door　which　led　into　the　back　garden。

I　stopped；　and　looked　at　Mrs。　Finch。

The　cry　was　repeated；　louder　and　nearer：　recognizable　this　time　as　a　cry
in　a　child's　voice。　The　door　of　the　room　had　been　left　ajar；　when　we　sent
the　messenger　back　to　the　nursery。　I　threw　it　open；　and　found　myself　face
to　face　with　Jicks　in　the　passage。

I　felt　every　nerve　in　my　body　shudder　at　the　sight　of　the　child。

The　poor　little　thing　was　white　and　wild　with　terror。　She　was　incapable
of　uttering　a　word。　When　I　knelt　down　to　fondle　and　soothe　her；　she
caught　convulsively　at　my　hand；　and　attempted　to　raise　me。　I　got　on　my
feet　again。　She　repeated　her　dumb　cry　more　loudlyand　tried　to　drag　me
out　of　the　house。　She　was　so　weak　that　she　staggered　under　the　effort。　I
took　her　up　in　my　arms。　One　of　my　hands；　as　I　embraced　her；　touched　the
top　of　her　frock；　just　below　the　back　of　her　neck。　I　felt　something　on　my
fingers。　I　looked　at　them。　Gracious　God！　I　was　stained　with　blood！

I　turned　the　child　round。　My　own　blood　froze。　Her　mother；　standing　behind
me；　screamed　with　horror。

The　dear　little　thing's　white　frock　was　spotted　and　splashed　with　wet
blood。　Not　her　own　blood。　There　was　not　a　scratch　on　her。　I　looked　closer
at　the　horrid　marks。　They　had　been　drawn　purposely　on　herdrawn；　as　it
seemed；　with　a　finger。　I　took　her　out　into　the　light。　It　was　writing！　A
word　had　been　feebly　traced　on　the　back　of　her　frock。　I　made　out
something　like　the　letter　〃H。〃　Then　a　letter　which　it　was　impossible　to
read。

Then　another　next　to　it；　which　might　have　been　〃L；〃　or　might　have　been
〃J。〃　Then　a　last　letter；　which　I　guessed　to　be　〃P。〃

Was　the　word〃Help〃？

Yes！traced　on　the　back　of　the　child's　frock；　with　a　finger　dipped　in
blood〃HELP。〃

CHAPTER　THE　FOURTEENTH

Discoveries　at　Browndown

IT　is　needless　to　tell　you　at　what　conclusion　I　arrived；　as　soon　as　I　was
sufficiently　myself　to　think　at　all。

Thanks　to　my　adventurous　past　life；　I　have　got　the　habit　of　deciding
quickly　in　serious　emergencies　of　all　sorts。　In　the　present　emergencyas
I　saw　itthere　were　two　things　to　be　done。　One；　to　go　instantly　with
help　to　Browndown：　the　other；　to　keep　the　knowledge　of　what　had　happened
from　Lucilla　until　I　could　get　back　again；　and　prepare　her　for　the
discovery。

I　looked　at　Mrs。　Finch。　She　had　dropped　helplessly　into　a　chair。　〃Rouse
yourself！〃　I　saidand　shook　her。　It　was　no　time　for　sympathizing　with
swoons　and　hysterics。　The　child　was　still　in　my　arms；　fast　yielding；　poor
little　thing；　to　the　exhaustion　of　fatigue　and　terror。　I　could　do　nothing
until　I　had　relieved　myself　of　the　charge　of　her。　Mrs。　Finch　looked　up　at
me；　trembling　and　sobbing。　I　put　the　child　in　her　lap。　Jicks　feebly
resisted　being　parted　from　me；　but　soon　gave　up；　and　dropped　her　weary
little　head　on　her　mother's　bosom。　〃Can　you　take　off　her　frock？〃　I　asked；
with　another　shakea　good　one；　this　time。　The　prospect　of　a　domestic
occupation　（of　any　sort）　appeared　to　rouse　Mrs。　Finch。　She　looked　at　the
baby；　in　its　cradle　in　one　corner　of　the　room；　and　at　the　novel；　reposing
on　a　chair　in　another　corner　of　the　room。　The　presence　of　these　two
familiar　objects　appeared　to　encourage　her。　She　shivered；　she　swallowed　a
sob；　she　recovered　her　breath；　she　began　to　undo　the　frock。

〃Put　it　away　carefully；〃　I　said；　〃and　say　nothing　to　anybody　of　what　has
happened；　until　I　come　back。　You　can　see　for　yourself　that　the　child　is
not　hurt。　Soothe　her；　and　wait　here。　Is　Mr。　Finch　in　the　study？〃

Mrs。　Finch　swallowed　another　sob；　and　said；　〃Yes。〃　The　child　made　a　last
effort。　〃Jicks　will　go　with　you；〃　said　the　indomitable　little　Arab
faintly。　I　ran　out　of　the　room；　and　left　the　three　babiesbig；　little；
and　leasttogether。

After　knocking　at　the　study　door　without　getting　any　reply；　I　opened　it
and　went　in。　Reverend　Finch；　comfortably　prostrate　in　a　large　arm…chair
（with　his　sermon…paper　spread　out　in　fair　white　sheets　by　his　side）；
started　up；　and　confronted　me　in　the　character　of　a　clergyman　that　moment
awakened　from　a　sound　sleep。

The　rector　of　Dimchurch　instantly　recovered　his　dignity。

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　Madame　Pratolungo；　I　was　deep　in　thought。　Please
state　your　business　briefly。〃　Saying　those　words；　he　waved　his　hand
magnificently　over　his　empty　sheets　of　paper；　and　added　in　his　deepest
bass：　〃Sermon…day。〃

I　told　him　in　the　plainest　words　what　I　had　seen　on　his　child's　frock；
and　what　I　feared　had　happened　at　Browndown。　He　turned　deadly　pale。　If　I
ever　yet　set　my　two　eyes　on　a　man　thoroughly　frightened；　Reverend　Finch
was　that　man。

〃Do　you　anticipate　danger？〃　he　inquired。　〃Is　it　your　opinion　that
criminal　persons　are　in；　or　near；　the　house？〃

〃It　is　my　opinion　that　there　is　not　a　moment　to　be　lost；〃　I　answered。　〃We
must　go　to　Browndown；　and　we　must　get　what　help　we　can　on　the　way。〃

I　opened　the　door；　and　waited　for　him　to　come　out　with　me。　Mr。　Finch
（still　apparently　pre…occupied　with　the　question　of　the　criminal　persons）
looked　as　if　he　wished　himself　a　hundred　miles　from　his　own　rectory　at
that　particular　moment。　But　he　was　the　master　of　the　house；　he　was　the
principal　man　in　the　placehe　had　no　other　alternative；　as　matters　now
stood；　than　to　take　his　hat　and　go。

We　went　out　together　into　the　village。　My　reverend　companion　was　silent
for　the　first　time　in　my　limited　experience　of　him。　We　inquired　for　the
one　policeman　who　patrolled　the　district。　He　was　away　on　his　rounds。　We
asked　if　anybody　had　seen　the　doctor。　No：　it　was　not　the　doctor's　day　for
visiting　Dimchurch。　I　had　heard　the　landlord　of　the　Gross　Hands　described
as　a　capable　and　respectable　man；　and　I　suggested　stopping　at　the　inn；
and　taking　him　with　us。　Mr。　Finch　instantly　brightened　at　that　proposal。
His　sense　of　his　own　importance　rose　again；　like　the　mercury　in　a
thermometer　when　you　put　it　into　a　warm　bath。

〃Exactly　what　I　was　about　to　suggest；〃　he　said。　〃Gootheridge　of　the　Gross
Hands　is　a　very　worthy　personfor　his　station　in　life。　Let　us　have
Gootheridge；　by　all　means。　Don't　be　alarmed；　Madame　Pratolungo。　We　are
all　in　the　hands　of　Providence。　It　is　most　fortunate　for　you　that　I　was
at　home。　What　would　you　have　done　without　me？　Now　don't；　pray　don't；　be
alarmed。　In　case　of　criminal　personsI　have　my　stick；　as　you　see。　I　am
not　tall；　but　I　possess　immense　physical　strength。　I　am；　so　to　speak；　all
muscle。　Feel！〃

He　held　out　one　of　his　wizen　little　arms。　It　was　about　half　the　size　of
my　arm。　If　I　had　not　been　far　too　anxious　to　think　of　playing　tricks；　I
should　certainly　have　declared　that　it　was　needless；　with　such　a　tower　of
strength　by　my　side；　to　disturb　the　landlord。　I　dare　not　assert　that　Mr。
Finch　actually　detected　the　turn　my　thoughts　were　takingI　can　only
declare　that　he　did　certainly　shout　for　Gootheridge　in　a　violent　hurry；
the　moment　we　were　in　sight　of　the　inn。

The　landlord　came　out；　and；　hearing　what　our　errand　was；　instantly
consented　to　join　us。

〃Take　your　gun；〃　said　Mr。　Finch。

Gootheridge　took　his　gun。　We　hastened　on　to　the　house。

〃Were　Mrs。　Gootheridge　or　your　daughter　at　Browndown　today？〃　I　asked。

〃Yes；　ma'amthey　were　both　at　Browndown。　They　finished　up　their　work　as
usualand　left　the　house　more　than　an　hour　since。〃

〃Did　anything　out　of　the　common　happen　while　they　were　there？〃

〃Nothing　that　I　heard　of；　ma'am。〃

I　considered　with　myself　for　a　minute；　and　ventured　on　putting　a　few　more
questions　to　Mr。　Gootheridge。

〃Have　any　strangers　been　seen　here　this　evening？〃　I　inquired。

〃Yes；　ma'am。　Nearly　an　hour　ago　two　strangers　drove　by　my　house　in　a
chaise。〃

〃In　what　direction？〃

〃Coming　from　Brighton　way；　and　going　towards　Browndown。〃

〃Did　you　notice　the　men？〃

〃Not　particularly；　ma'am。　I　was　busy。　at　the　time。〃

A　sickening　suspicion　that　the　two　strangers　in　the　chaise　might　be　the
two　men　whom　I　had　seen　lurking　under　the　wall；　forced　its　way　into　my
mind。　I　said　no　more　until　we　reached　the　house。

All　was　quiet。　The　one　sign　of　anything　unusual　was　in　the　plain　traces
of　the　passage　of　wheels　over　the　turf　in　front　of　Browndown。　The
landlord　was　the　first　to　see　them。　〃The　chaise　must　have　stopped　at　the
house；　sir；〃　he　said；　addressing　himself　to　the　rector。

Reverend　Finch　was　suffering　under　a　second　suspension　of　speech。　All　he
could　say　as　we　approached　the　door　of　the　silent　and　solitary
buildingand　he　said　that　with　extreme　difficultywas；　〃Pray　let　us　be
careful！〃

The　landlord　was　the　first　to　reach　the　door。　I　was　behind　him。　The
rectorat　some　little　distanceacted　as　rear…guard；　with　the　South
Downs　behind　him　to　retreat　upon。　Gootherid