poor miss finch-第22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！


discern　her；　flitting　to　and　fro　in　the　dusk；　in　her　bright　summer
dressnow　visible　as　she　passed　the　window；　now　lost　in　the　shadows　at
the　end　of　the　roomwas　the　time　when　she　began　to　clear　the　tables　of
the　things　that　had　been　wanted　in　the　day；　and　to　replace　them　by　the
things　which　would　be　wanted　at　night。　We　were　only　allowed　to　light　the
candles　when　they　showed　us　the　room　magically　put　in　order　during　the
darkness　as　if　the　fairies　had　done　it。　She　laughed　scornfully　at　our
surprise；　and　said　she　sincerely　pitied　the　poor　useless　people　who　could
only　see！

The　same　pleasure　which　she　had　in　arranging　the　room　in　the　dark　she
also　felt　in　wandering　all　over　the　house　in　the　dark；　and　in　making
herself　thoroughly　acquainted　with　every　inch　of　it　from　top　to　bottom。
As　soon　as　Oscar　was　well　enough　to　go　down…stairs；　she　insisted　on
leading　him。

〃You　have　been　so　long　up　in　your　bedroom；〃　she　said；　〃that　you　must　have
forgotten　the　rest　of　the　house。　Take　my　armand　come　along。　Now　we　are
out　in　the　passage。　Mind！　there　is　a　step　down；　just　at　this　place。　And
now　a　step　up　again。　Here　is　a　sharp　corner　to　turn　at　the　top　of　the
staircase。　And　there　is　a　rod　out　of　the　stair…carpet；　and　an　awkward
fold　in　it　that　might　throw　you　down。〃　So　she　took　him　into　his　own
drawing…room；　as　if　it　was　he　that　was　blind；　and　she　who　had　the　use　of
her　eyes。　Who　could　resist　such　a　nurse　as　this？　Is　it　wonderful　that　I
heard　a　sound　suspiciously　like　the　sound　of　a　kiss；　on　that　first　day　of
convalescence；　when　I　happened　for　a　moment　to　be　out　of　the　room？　I
strongly　suspected　her　of　leading　the　way　in　that　also。　She　was　so
wonderfully　composed　when　I　came　backand　he　was　so　wonderfully
flurried。

In　a　week　from　his　convalescence；　Lucilla　completed　the　cure　of　the
patient。　In　other　words；　she　received　from　Oscar　an　offer　of　marriage。　I
have　not　the　slightest　doubt；　in　my　own　mind；　that　he　required　assistance
in　bringing　this　delicate　matter　to　a　climaxand　that　Lucilla　helped
him。

I　may　be　right　or　I　may　be　wrong　about　this。　But　I　can　at　least　certify
that　Lucilla　was　in　such　mad　high　spirits　when　she　told　me　the　news　out
in　the　garden；　on　a　lovely　autumn　morning；　that　she　actually　danced　for
joyand；　more　improper　still；　she　made　me；　at　my　discreet　time　of　life；
dance　too。　She　took　me　round　the　waist；　and　we　waltzed　on　the　grassMrs。
Finch　standing　by　in　the　condemned　blue　merino　jacket　（with　the　baby　in
one　hand　and　the　novel　in　the　other）；　and　warning　us　both　that　if　we　lost
half　an　hour　out　of　our　day；　in　whirling　each　other　round　the　lawn；　we
should　never　succeed　in　picking　it　up　again　in　that　house。　We　went　on
whirling；　for　all　that；　until　we　were　both　out　of　breath。　Nothing　short
of　downright　exhaustion　could　tame　Lucilla。　As　for　me；　I　am；　I　sincerely
believe；　the　rashest　person　of　my　age　now　in　existence。　（What　is　my　age？
Ah；　I　am　always　discreet　about　that；　it　is　the　one　exception。）　Set　down
my　rashness　to　my　French　nationality；　my　easy　conscience；　and　my
excellent　stomachand　let　us　go　on　with　our　story。

There　was　a　private　interview　at　Browndown；　later　on　that　day；　between
Oscar　and　Reverend　Finch。

Of　what　passed　on　that　occasion；　I　was　not　informed。　The　rector　came　back
among　us　with　his　head　high　in　the　air；　strutting　magnificently　on　his
wizen　little　legs。　He　embraced　his　daughter　in　pathetic　silence；　and　gave
me　his　hand　with　a　serene　smile　of　condescension　worthy　of　the　greatest
humbug　（say　Louis　the　Fourteenth）　that　ever　sat　on　a　throne。　When　he　got
the　better　of　his　paternal　emotion；　and　began　to　speak；　his　voice　was　so
big　that　I　really　thought　it　must　have　burst　him。　The　vapor　of　words　in
which　he　enveloped　himself　（condensed　on　paper）　amounted　to　these　two
statements。　First；　that　he　hailed　in　Oscar　（not　having；　I　suppose；
children　enough　already　of　his　own）　the　advent　of　another　son。　Secondly；
that　he　saw　the　finger　of　Providence　in　everything　that　had　happened。
Alas；　for　me！　My　irreverent　French　nature　saw　nothing　but　the　finger　of
Finchin　Oscar's　pocket。

The　wedding…day　was　not　then　actually　fixed。　It　was　only　generally
arranged　that　the　marriage　should　take　place　in　about　six　weeks。

This　interval　was　intended　to　serve　a　double　purpose。　It　was　to　give　the
lawyers　time　to　prepare　the　marriage　settlements；　and　to　give　Oscar　time
to　completely　recover　his　health。　Some　anxiety　was　felt　by　all　of　us　on
this　latter　subject。　His　wound　was　well；　and　his　mind　was　itself　again。
But　still　there　was　something　wrong　with　him；　for　all　that。

Those　curious　contradictions　in　his　character　which　I　have　already
mentioned；　showed　themselves　more　strangely　than　ever。　The　man　who　had
found　the　courage　（when　his　blood　was　up）　to　measure　himself　alone　and
unarmed　against　two　robbers；　was　now　unable　to　enter　the　room　in　which
the　struggle　had　taken　place；　without　trembling　from　head　to　foot。　He；
who　had　laughed　at　me　when　I　begged　him　not　to　sleep　in　the　house　by
himself；　now　had　two　men　（a　gardener　and　an　indoor　servant）　domiciled　at
Browndown　to　protect　himand　felt　no　sense　of　security　even　in　that。　He
was　constantly　dreaming　that　the　ruffian　with　the　〃life…preserver〃　was
attacking　him　again；　or　that　he　was　lying　bleeding　on　the　floor　and
coaxing　Jicks　to　venture　within　reach　of　his　hand。　If　any　of　us　hinted　at
his　occupying　himself　once　more　with　his　favorite　art；　he　stopped　his
ears；　and　entreated　us　not　to　renew　his　horrible　associations　with　the
past。　He　would　not　even　look　at　his　box　of　chasing　tools。　The
doctorsummoned　to　say　what　was　the　matter　with　himtold　us　that　his
nervous　system　had　been　shaken；　and　frankly　acknowledged　that　there　was
nothing　to　be　done　but　to　wait　until　time　set　it　right　again。

I　am　afraid　I　must　confess　that　I　myself　took　no　very　indulgent　view　of
the　patient's　case。

It　was　his　duty　to　exert　himselfas　I　thought。　He　appeared　to　me　to　be
too　indolent　to　make　a　proper　effort　to　better　his　own　condition。　Lucilla
and　I　had　more　than　one　animated　discussion　about　him。　On　a　certain
evening　when　we　were　at　the　piano　gossiping；　and　playing　in　the
intervals；　she　was　downright　angry　with　me　for　not　sympathizing　with　her
darling　as　unreservedly　as　she　did。　〃I　have　noticed　one　thing；　Madame
Pratolungo；〃　she　said　to　me；　with　a　flushed　face　and　a　heightened　tone。
〃You　have　never　done　Oscar　justice　from　the　first。〃

（Mark　those　trifling　words。　The　time　is　coming　when　you　will　hear　of　them
again。）

The　preparations　for　the　contemplated　marriage　went　on。　The　lawyers
produced　their　sketch　of　the　settlement；　and　Oscar　wrote　（to　an　address
in　New　York；　given　to　him　by　Nugent）　to　tell　his　brother　of　the
approaching　change　in　his　life；　and　of　the　circumstances　which　had
brought　it　about。

The　marriage　settlement　was　not　shown　to　me；　but；　from　certain　signs　and
tokens；　I　guessed　that　Oscar's　perfect　disinterestedness　on　the　question
of　money　had　been　turned　to　profitable　account　by　Oscar's　future
father…in…law。　Reverend　Finch　was　reported　to　have　shed　tears　when　he
first　read　the　document。　And　Lucilla　came　out　of　the　study；　after　an
interview　with　her　father；　more　thoroughly　and　vehemently　indignant　than
I　had　ever　seen　her　yet。　〃Don't　ask　what　is　the　matter！〃　she　said　to　me
between　her　teeth。　〃I　am　ashamed　to　tell　you。〃　When　Oscar　came　in；　a
little　later；　she　fell　on　her　kneesliterally　on　her　kneesbefore　him。
Some　overmastering　agitation　was　in　possession　of　her　whole　being；　which
made　her；　for　the　moment；　reckless　of　what　she　said　or　did。　〃I　worship
you！〃　she　burst　out　hysterically；　kissing　his　hand。　〃You　are　the　noblest
of　living　men。　I　can　never；　never　be　worthy　of　you！〃　The　interpretation
of　these　high…flown　sayings　and　doings　was；　to　my　mind；　briefly　this：
Oscar's　money　in　the　rector's　pocket；　and　the　rector's　daughter　used　as
the　means。

The　interval　expired；　the　weeks　succeeded　each　other。　All　had　been　long
since　ready　for　the　marriageand　still　the　marriage　did　not　take　place。

Far　from　becoming　himself　again；　with　time　to　help　himas　the　doctor　had
foretoldOscar　steadily　grew　worse。　All　the　nervous　symptoms　（to　use　the
medical　phrase）　which　I　have　already　described；　strengthened　instead　of
loosening　their　hold　on　him。　He　grew　thinner　and　thinner；　and　paler　and
paler。　Early　in　the　month　of　November；　we　sent　for　the　doctor　again。　The
question　to　be　put　to　him　this　time；　was　the　question　（suggested　by
Lucilla）　of　trying　as　a　last　remedy　change　of　air。

SomethingI　forget　whatdelayed　the　arrival　of　our　medical　man。　Oscar
had　given　up　all　idea　of　seeing　him　that　day；　and　had　come　to　us　at　the
rectorywhen　the　doctor　drove　into　Dimchurch。　He　was　stopped　before　he
went　on　to　Browndown；　and　he　and　his　patient　saw　each　other　alone　in
Lucilla's　sitting…room。

They　were　a　long　time　together。　Lucilla；　waiting　with　me　in　my
bed…chamber；　grew　impatient。　She　begged　me　to　knock　at　the　sitting…room
door；　and　inquire　when　she　might　be　permitted　to　assist　at　the
consultation。

I　found　doctor　and　patient　standing　together　at　the　window；　talking
quietly。　Evidently；　nothing　had　passed　to　excite　either　of　them　in　the
smallest　degree。　Oscar　looked　a　little　pale　and　wearybut　he；　like　his
medic