poor miss finch-第30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！



〃This　has　just　come；　sir；〃　said　the　man；　〃by　the　afternoon　post。　It　is
marked　'Immediate。'　I　thought　I　had　better　bring　it　to　you　here。〃

Oscar　took　the　letter；　and　looked　at　the　address。　〃My　brother's　writing！〃
he　exclaimed。　〃A　letter　from　Nugent！〃

He　opened　the　letterand　burst　out　with　a　cry　of　joy　which　brought
Lucilla　instantly　to　his　side。

〃What　is　it？〃　she　asked　eagerly。

〃Nugent　is　coming　back！　Nugent　will　be　here　in　a　week！　Oh；　Lucilla！　my
brother　is　coming　to　stay　with　me　at　Browndown！〃

He　caught　her　in　his　arms；　and　kissed　her；　in　the　first　rapture　of
receiving　that　welcome　news。　She　forced　herself　away　from　him　without
answering　a　word。　She　turned　her　poor　blind　face　round　and　round；　in　the
search　for　me。

〃Here　I　am！〃　I　said。

She　roughly　and　angrily　put　her　arm　in　mine。　I　saw　the　jealous　misery　in
her　face　as　she　dragged　me　away　with　here　to　the　house。　Never　yet　had
Oscar's　voice；　in　_her_　experience　of　him；　sounded　the　note　of　happiness
that　she　heard　in　it　now！　Never　yet　had　she　felt　Oscar's　heart　on　Oscar's
lips；　as　she　felt　it　when　he　kissed　her　in　the　first　joy　of　anticipating
Nugent's　return！

〃Can　he　hear　me？〃　she　whispered；　when　we　had　left　the　lawn；　and　she　felt
the　gravel　under　her　feet。

〃No。　What　is　it？〃

〃I　hate　his　brother！〃


CHAPTER　THE　TWENTY…SECOND

The　Twin…Brother's　Letter

LITTLE　thinking　what　a　storm　he　had　raised；　poor　innocent
Oscarpaternally　escorted　by　the　rectorfollowed　us　into　the　house；
with　his　open　letter　in　his　hand。

Judging　by　certain　signs　visible　in　my　reverend　friend；　I　concluded　that
the　announcement　of　Nugent　Dubourg's　coming　visit　to　Dimchurchregarded
by　the　rest　of　us　as　heralding　the　appearance　of　a　twin…brotherwas
regarded　by　Mr。　Finch　as　promising　the　arrival　of　a　twin…fortune。　Oscar
and　Nugent　shared　the　comfortable　paternal　inheritance。　Finch　smelt
money。

〃Compose　yourself；〃　I　whispered　to　Lucilla　as　the　two　gentlemen　followed
us　into　the　sitting…room。　〃Your　jealousy　of　his　brother　is　a　childish
jealousy。　There　is　room　enough　in　his　heart　for　his　brother　as　well　as
for　you。〃

She　only　repeated　obstinately；　with　a　vicious　pinch　on　my　arm；　〃I　hate
his　brother！〃

〃Come　and　sit　down　by　me；〃　said　Oscar；　approaching　her　on　the　other　side。
〃I　want　to　run　over　Nugent's　letter。　It's　so　interesting！　There　is　a
message　in　it　to　you。〃　Too　deeply　absorbed　in　his　subject　to　notice　the
sullen　submission　with　which　she　listened　to　him；　he　placed　her　on　a
chair；　and　began　reading。　〃The　first　lines；〃　he　explained；　〃relate　to
Nugent's　return　to　England；　and　to　his　delightful　idea　of　coming　to　stay
with　me　at　Browndown。　Then　he　goes　on：　'I　found　all　your　letters　waiting
for　me　on　my　return　to　New　York。　Need　I　tell　you；　my　dearest　brother'
〃

Lucilla　stopped　him　at　those　words　by　rising　abruptly　from　her　seat。

〃What　is　the　matter？〃　he　asked。

〃I　don't　like　this　chair！〃

Oscar　got　her　anotheran　easy…chair　this　timeand　returned　to　the
letter。

〃　'Need　I　tell　you；　my　dearest　brother；　how　deeply　you　have　interested　me
by　the　announcement　of　your　contemplated　marriage？　Your　happiness　is　my
happiness。　I　feel　with　you；　I　congratulate　you；　I　long　to　see　my　future
sister…in…law'　〃

Lucilla　got　up　again。　Oscar；　in　astonishment；　asked　what　was　wrong　now？

〃I　am　not　comfortable　at　this　end　of　the　room。〃

She　walked　to　the　other　end　of　the　room。　Patient　Oscar　walked　after　her；
with　his　precious　letter　in　his　hand。　He　offered　her　a　third　chair。　She
petulantly　declined　to　take　it；　and　selected　another　chair　for　herself。
Oscar　returned　to　the　letter：

〃　'How　melancholy；　and　yet　how　interesting　it　is；　to　hear　that　she　is
blind！　My　sketches　of　American　scenery　happened　to　be　lying　about　in　the
room　when　I　read　your　letter。　The　first　thought　that　came　to　me；　on
hearing　of　Miss　Finch's　affliction；　was　suggested　by　my　sketches。　I　said
to　myself；　〃Sad！　sad！　my　sister…in…law　will　never　see　my　Works。〃　The　true
artist；　Oscar；　is　always　thinking　of　his　Works。　I　shall　bring　back；　let
me　tell　you；　some　very　remarkable　studies　for　future　pictures。　They　will
not　be　so　numerous；　perhaps；　as　you　may　expect。　I　prefer　to　trust　to　my
intellectual　perception　of　beauty；　rather　than　to　mere　laborious
transcripts　from　Nature。　In　certain　moods　of　mine　（speaking　as　an　artist）
Nature　puts　me　out。'　〃　There　Oscar　paused；　and　appealed　to　me。　〃What
writing！eh？　I　always　told　you；　Madame　Pratolungo；　that　Nugent　was　a
genius。　You　see　it　now。　Don't　get　up；　Lucilla。　I　am　going　on。　There　is　a
message　to　you　in　this　part　of　the　letter。　So　neatly　expressed！〃

Lucilla　persisted　in　getting　up；　the　announcement　of　the　neatly…expressed
message　to　be　read　next；　produced　no　effect　on　her。　She　walked　to　the
window；　and　trifled　impatiently　with　the　flowers　placed　in　it。　Oscar
looked　in　mild　astonishment；　first　at　methen　at　the　rector。　Reverend
Finchlistening　thus　far　with　the　complimentary　attention　due　to　the
correspondence　of　one　young　man　of　fortune　with　another　young　man　of
fortuneinterfered　in　Oscar's　interests；　to　secure　him　a　patient
hearing。

〃My　dear　Lucilla；　endeavor　to　control　your　restlessness。　You　interfere
with　our　enjoyment　of　this　interesting　letter。　I　could　wish　to　see　fewer
changes　of　place；　my　child；　and　a　more　undivided　attention　to　what　Oscar
is　reading　to　you。〃

〃I　am　not　interested　in　what　he　is　reading　to　me。〃　In　the　nervous
irritation　which　produced　this　ungracious　answer；　she　overthrew　one　of
the　flower…pots。　Oscar　set　it　up　again　for　her　with　undiminished
good…temper。

〃Not　interested！〃　he　exclaimed。　〃Wait　a　little。　You　haven't　heard
Nugent's　message　yet。　Listen　to　this！　'Present　my　best　and　kindest
regards　to　the　future　Mrs。　Oscar'　（dear　fellow！）；　'and　say　that　she　has
given　me　a　new　interest　in　hastening　my　return　to　England。'　There！　Isn't
that　prettily　put？　Come　Lucilla！　own　that　Nugent　is　worth　listening　to
when　he　writes　about　_you！_〃

She　turned　towards　him　for　the　first　time。　The　charm　of　the　tone　in　which
he　spoke　those　words　subdued　her；　in　spite　of　herself。

〃I　am　much　obliged　to　your　brother；〃　she　answered　gently；　〃and　very　much
ashamed　of　myself　for　what　I　said　just　now。〃　She　stole　her　hand　into　his；
and　whispered；　〃You　are　so　fond　of　NugentI　begin　to　be　almost　afraid
there　will　be　no　love　left　for　me。〃

Oscar　was　enchanted。　〃Wait　till　you　see　him；　and　you　will　be　as　fond　of
him　as　I　am；〃　he　said。　〃Nugent　is　not　like　me。　He　fascinates　people　the
moment　they　come　in　contact　with　him。　Nobody　can　resist　Nugent。〃

She　still　held　his　hand；　with　a　perplexed　and　saddened　face。　The
admirable　absence　of　any　jealousy　on　his　sidehis　large　and　generous
confidence　in　_her_　love　for　_himwas　just　the　rebuke　to　her　that　she
could　feel；　just　the　rebuke　also　（in　my　opinion）　that　she　had　deserved。

〃Go　on；　Oscar；〃　said　the　rector；　in　his　deepest　notes　of　encouragement。
〃What　next；　dear　boy？　what　next？〃

〃Another　interesting　bit；　of　quite　a　new　kind；〃　Oscar　replied。　〃There　is
a　little　mystery　to　stir　us　up　on　the　last　page　of　the　letter。　Nugent
says：'I　have　become　acquainted　（here；　in　New　York）　with　a　very
remarkable　man；　a　German　who　has　made　a　great　deal　of　money　in　the　United
States。　He　proposes　visiting　England　early　in　the　present　year；　and　he
will　write　and　let　me　know　when　he　has　arrived。　I　shall　feel　particular
pleasure　in　presenting　him　to　you　and　your　future　wife。　It　is　quite
possible　that　you　may　have　special　reason　to　congratulate　yourselves　on
making　his　acquaintance。　For　the　present；　no　more　of　my　new　friend　until
we　meet　at　Browndown。''Special　reason　to　congratulate　ourselves　on
making　his　acquaintance。'　〃　repeated　Oscar；　folding　up　the　letter。
〃Nugent　never　writes　in　that　way　without　a　reason　for　it。　Who　can　the
German　gentleman　be？〃

Mr。　Finch　suddenly　lifted　his　head；　and　looked　at　Oscar　with　a　certain
appearance　of　alarm。

〃Your　brother　mentions　that　he　has　made　his　fortune　in　America；〃　said　the
Reverend　gentleman。　〃I　hope　he　is　not　connected　with　the　money…market。　He
might　infect　Mr。　Nugent　with　the　spirit　of　reckless　speculation　which　is；
so　to　speak；　the　national　sin　of　the　United　States。　Your　brother；　having
no　doubt　the　same　generous　disposition　as　yours〃

〃A　far　finer　disposition　than　mine；　Mr。　Finch；〃　interposed　Oscar。

〃Possessed；　like　you；　of　the　gifts　of　fortune；〃　proceeded　the　rector；
with　mounting　enthusiasm。

〃Once　possessed　of　them；〃　said　Oscar。　〃Far　from　being　overburdened　with
the　gifts　of　fortune；　now！〃

〃What！！！〃　cried　Mr。　Finch；　with　a　start　of　consternation。

〃Nugent　has　run　through　his　fortune；〃　proceeded　Oscar；　quite　composedly。
〃I　lent　him　the　money　to　go　to　America。　My　brother　is　a　genius；　Mr。
Finch。　When　did　you　ever　hear　of　a　genius　who　could　keep　within　limits？
Nugent　is　not　content　to　live　in　my　humble　way。　He　has　the　tastes　of　a
princemoney　is　nothing　to　him。　It　doesn't　matter。　He　will　make　a　new
fortune　Out　of　his　pictures；　and；　in　the　meantime；　you　know；　I　can　always
lend　him　something　to　go　on　with。〃

Mr。　Finch　rose　from　his　seat；　with　the　air　of　a　man　whose　just
anticipations　have　not　been　realizedwhose　innocent　confidence　has　been
scandalously　betrayed。　Here　was　a　prospect！　Another　person　in