poor miss finch-第25节

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take　you　through　the　present　narrative；　without　sooner　or　later
disclosing　the　one　weakness　（amiable　weakness）　of　the　gayest　and
brightest　and　best…preserved　man　of　his　time。

Ah；　I　am　now　treading　on　egg…shells；　I　know！　The　English　specter　called
Propriety　springs　up　rampant　on　my　writing…table；　and　whispers　furiously
in　my　ear；　〃Madame　Pratolungo；　raise　a　blush　on　the　cheek　of　Innocence；
and　it　is　all　over　from　that　moment　with　you　and　your　story。〃　Oh；
inflammable　Cheek　of　Innocence；　be　good…natured　for　once；　and　I　will　rack
my　brains　to　try　if　I　can　put　it　to　you　without　offense！　May　I　picture
good　Papa　as　an　elder　in　the　Temple　of　Venus；　burning　incense
inexhaustibly　on　the　altar　of　love？　No：　Temple　of　Venus　is　Pagan；　altar
of　love　is　not　propertake　them　out。　Let　me　only　say　of　my　evergreen
parent　that　his　life　from　youth　to　age　had　been　one　unintermitting
recognition　of　the　charms　of　the　sex；　and　that　my　sisters　and　I　（being　of
the　sex）　could　not　find　it　in　our　hearts　to　abandon　him　on　that　account。
So　handsome；　so　affectionate；　so　sweet…tempered；　with　only　one　faultand
that　a　compliment　to　the　women；　who　naturally　adored　him　in　return！　We
accepted　our　destiny。　For　years　past　（since　the　death　of　Mamma）；　we
accustomed　ourselves　to　live　in　perpetual　dread　of　his　marrying　some　one
of　the　hundreds　of　unscrupulous　hussies　who　took　possession　of　him：　and；
worse　if　possible　than　that；　of　his　fighting　duels　about　them　with　men
young　enough　to　be　his　grandsons。　Papa　was　so　susceptible！　Papa　was　so
brave！　Over　and　over　again；　I　had　been　summoned　to　interfere；　as　the
daughter　who　had　the　strongest　influence　over　him。　I　had　succeeded　in
effecting　his　rescue；　now　by　one　means；　and　now　by　another；　ending
always；　however；　in　the　same　sad　way；　by　the　sacrifice　of　money　for
damageson　which　damages；　when　the　woman　is　shameless　enough　to　claim
them；　my　verdict　is；　〃Serve　her　right！〃

On　the　present　occasion；　it　was　the　old　story　over　again。　My　sisters　had
done　their　best　to　stop　it；　and　had　failed。　I　had　no　choice　but　to　appear
on　the　sceneto　begin；　perhaps；　by　boxing　her　ears：　to　end；　certainly；
by　filling　her　pockets。

My　absence　at　this　time　was　something　more　than　an　annoyanceit　was　a
downright　grief　to　my　blind　Lucilla。　On　the　morning　of　my　departure；　she
clung　to　me　as　if　she　was　determined　not　to　let　me　go。

〃What　shall　I　do　without　you？〃　she　said。　〃It　is　hard；　in　these　dreary
days；　to　lose　the　comfort　of　hearing　your　voice。　I　shall　feel　all　my
security　gone；　when　I　feel　you　no　longer　near　me。　How　many　days　shall　you
be　away？〃

〃A　day　to　get　to　Paris；〃　I　answered；　〃and　a　day　to　get　backtwo。　Five
days　（if　I　can　do　it　in　the　time）　to　thunder…strike　the　hussy；　and　to
rescue　Papaseven。　Let　us　say；　if　possible；　a　week。〃

〃You　must　be　back；　no　matter　what　happen；　before　the　new　year。〃

〃Why？〃

〃I　have　my　yearly　visit　to　pay　to　my　aunt。　It　has　been　twice　put　off。　I
must　absolutely　go　to　London　on　the　last　day　of　the　old　year；　and　stay
there　my　allotted　three　months　in　Miss　Batchford's　house。　I　had　hoped　to
be　Oscar's　wife　before　the　time　came　round　again〃　she　waited　a　moment
to　steady　her　voice。　〃That　is　all　over　now。　We　must　be　parted。　If　I　can't
leave　you　here　to　console　him　and　to　take　care　of　him；　come　what　may　of
itI　shall　stay　at　Dimchurch。〃

Her　staying　at　Dimchurch；　while　she　was　still　unmarried；　meant　（under　the
terms　of　her　uncle's　will）　sacrificing　her　fortune。　If　Reverend　Finch　had
heard　her；　he　would　not　even　have　been　able　to　say　〃Inscrutable
Providence〃he　would　have　lost　his　senses　on　the　spot。

〃Don't　be　afraid；〃　I　said；　〃I　shall　be　back；　Lucilla；　before　you　go。
Besides；　Oscar　may　get　better。　He　may　be　able　to　follow　you　to　London；
and　visit　you　at　your　aunt's。〃

She　shook　her　head；　with　such　a　sad；　sad　doubt　of　it；　that　the　tears　came
into　my　eyes。　I　gave　her　a　last　kissand　hurried　away。

My　route　was　to　Newhaven；　and　then　across　the　Channel　to　Dieppe。　I　don't
think　I　really　knew　how　fond　I　had　grown　of　Lucilla；　until　I　lost　sight
of　the　rectory　at　the　turn　in　the　road　to　Brighton。　My　natural　firmness
deserted　me；　I　felt　torturing　presentiments　that　some　great　misfortune
would　happen　in　my　absence；　I　astonished　myselfI；　the　widow　of　the
Spartan　Pratolungo！by　having　a　good　cry；　like　any　other　woman。

Sooner　or　later；　we　susceptible　people　pay　with　the　heartache　for　the
privilege　of　loving。　No　matter：　heartache　or　not；　one　must　have　something
to　love　in　this　world　as　long　as　one　lives　in　it。　I　have　lived　in
itnever　mind　how　many　yearsand　I　have　got　Lucilla。　Before　Lucilla　I
had　the　Doctor。　Before　the　Doctorah；　my　friends；　we　won't　look　back
beyond　the　Doctor！

CHAPTER　THE　NINETEENTH

Second　Result　of　the　Robbery

THE　history　of　my　proceedings　in　Paris　can　be　dismissed　in　a　very　few
words。　It　is　only　necessary　to　dwell　in　detail　on　one　among　the　many
particulars　which　connect　themselves　in　my　memory　with　the　rescue　of　good
Papa。

The　affair；　this　time；　assumed　the　gravest　possible　aspect。　The　venerable
victim　had　gone　the　length　of　renewing　his　youth；　in　respect　of　his
teeth；　his　hair；　his　complexion；　and　his　figure　（this　last　involving　the
purchase　of　a　pair　of　stays）。　I　declare　I　hardly　knew　him　again；　he　was
so　outrageously　and　unnaturally　young。　The　utmost　stretch　of　my　influence
was　exerted　over　him　in　vain。　He　embraced　me　with　the　most　touching
fervour；　he　expressed　the　noblest　sentimentsbut　in　the　matter　of　his
contemplated　marriage；　he　was　immovable。　Life　was　only　tolerable　to　him
on　one　condition。　The　beloved　object；　or　deathsuch　was　the　programme　of
this　volcanic　old　man。

To　make　the　prospect　more　hopeless　still；　the　beloved　object　proved；　on
this　occasion；　to　be　a　bold　enough　woman　to　play　her　trump　card　at
starting。

I　give　the　jade　her　due。　She　assumed　a　perfectly　unassailable　attitude：
we　had　her　full　permission　to　break　off　the　matchif　we　could。　〃I　refer
you　to　your　father。　Pray　understand　that　I　don't　wish　to　marry　him；　if
his　daughters　object　to　it。　He　has　only　to　say；　'Release　me。'　From　that
moment　he　is　free。〃　There　was　no　contending　against　such　a　system　of
defence　as　this。　We　knew　as　well　as　she　did　that　our　fascinated　parent
would　not　say　the　word。　Our　one　chance　was　to　spend　money　in
investigating　the　antecedent　indiscretions　of　the　lady's　life；　and　to
produce　against　her　proof　so　indisputable　that　not　even　an　old　man's
infatuation　could　say；　This　is　a　lie。

We　disbursed；　we　investigated；　we　secured　our　proof。　It　took　a　fortnight。
At　the　end　of　that　time；　we　had　the　necessary　materials　in　hand　for
opening　the　eyes　of　good　Papa。

In　the　course　of　the　inquiry　I　was　brought　into　contact　with　many　strange
peopleamong　others；　with　a　man　who　startled　me；　at　our　first　interview；
by　presenting　a　personal　deformity；　which；　with　all　my　experience　of　the
world；　I　now　saw　oddly　enough　for　the　first　time。

The　man's　face；　instead　of　exhibiting　any　of　the　usual　shades　of
complexion；　was　hideously　distinguished　by　a　superhumanI　had　almost
said　a　devilishcolouring　of　livid　blackish　_blue！_　He　proved　to　be　a
most　kind；　intelligent；　and　serviceable　person。　But　when　we　first
confronted　each　other；　his　horrible　color　so　startled　me；　that　I　could
not　repress　a　cry　of　alarm。　He　not　only　passed　over　my　involuntary　act　of
rudeness　in　the　most　indulgent　mannerhe　explained　to　me　the　cause　which
had　produced　his　peculiarity　of　complexion；　so　as　to　put　me　at　my　ease
before　we　entered　on　the　delicate　private　inquiry　which　had　brought　us
together。

〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　said　this　unfortunate　man；　〃for　not　having　warned
you　of　my　disfigurement；　before　I　entered　the　room。　There　are　hundreds　of
people　discolored　as　I　am；　in　the　various　parts　of　the　civilized　world；
and　I　supposed　that　you　had　met；　in　the　course　of　your　experience；　with
other　examples　of　my　case。　The　blue　tinge　in　my　complexion　is　produced　by
the　effect　on　the　blood　of　Nitrate　of　Silvertaken　internally。　It　is　the
only　medicine　which　relieves　sufferers　like　me　from　an　otherwise
incurable　malady。　We　have　no　alternative　but　to　accept　the　consequences
for　the　sake　of　the　cure。〃

He　did　not　mention　what　his　malady　had　been；　and　I　abstained；　it　is
needless　to　say；　from　questioning　him　further。　I　got　used　to　his
disfigurement　in　the　course　of　my　relations　with　him；　and　I　should　no
doubt　have　forgotten　my　blue　man　in　attending　to　more　absorbing　matters
of　interest；　if　the　effects　of　Nitrate　of　Silver　as　a　medicine　had　not
been　once　more　unexpectedly　forced　on　my　attention；　in　another　quarter；
and　under　circumstances　which　surprised　me　in　no　ordinary　degree。

Having　saved　Papa　on　the　brink　oflet　us　say；　his　twentieth　precipice；
it　was　next　necessary　to　stay　a　few　days　longer　and　reconcile　him　to　the
hardship　of　being　rescued　in　spite　of　himself。　You　would　have　been
greatly　shocked；　if　you　had　seen　how　he　suffered。　He　gnashed　his
expensive　teeth；　he　tore　his　beautifully　manufactured　hair。　In　the
fervour　of　his　emotions；　I　have　no　doubt　he　would　have　burst　his　new
staysif　I　had　not　taken　them　away；　and　sold　them　half…price；　and　made
（to　that　small　extent）　a　profit　out　of　our　calamity　to　set　against　the
loss。　Do　what　one　may　in　th