poor miss finch-第31节

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scandalously　betrayed。　Here　was　a　prospect！　Another　person　in　perpetual
want　of　money；　going　to　settle　under　the　shadow　of　the　rectory！　Another
man　likely　to　borrow　of　Oscarand　that　man　his　brother！

〃I　fail　to　take　your　light　view　of　your　brother's　extravagance；〃　said　the
rector；　addressing　Oscar　with　his　loftiest　severity　of　manner；　at　the
door。　〃I　deplore　and　reprehend　Mr。　Nugent's　misuse　of　the　bounty　bestowed
on　him　by　an　all…wise　Providence。　You　will　do　well　to　consider；　before
you　encourage　your　brother's　extravagance　by　lending　him　money。　What　does
the　great　poet　of　humanity　say　of　lenders？　The　Bard　of　Avon　tells　us；
that　'loan　oft　loses　both　itself　and　friend。'　Lay　that　noble　line　to
heart；　Oscar！　Lucilla；　be　on　your　guard　against　that　restlessness　which　I
have　already　had　occasion　to　reprove。　I　find　I　must　leave　you；　Madame
Pratolungo。　I　had　forgotten　my　parish　duties。　My　parish　duties　are
waiting　for　me。　Good　day！　good　day！〃

He　looked　round　on　us　all　three；　in　turn；　with　a　very　sour　face；　and
walked　out。　〃Surely；〃　I　thought　to　myself；　〃this　brother　of　Oscar's　is
not　beginning　well！　First；　the　daughter　takes　offense　at　him；　and　now　the
father　follows　her　example。　Even　on　the　other　side　of　the　Atlantic；　Mr。
Nugent　Dubourg　exercises　a　malignant　influence；　and　disturbs　the　family
tranquillity　before　he　has　shown　his　nose　in　the　house！〃



Nothing　more　that　is　worth　recording　happened　on　that　day。　We　had　a　very
dull　evening。　Lucilla　was　out　of　spirits。　As　for　me；　I　had　not　yet　had
time　to　accustom　myself　to　the　shocking　spectacle　of　Oscar's　discolored
face。　I　was　serious　and　silent。　You　would　never　have　guessed　me　to　be　a
Frenchwoman；　if　you　had　seen　me　for　the　first　time　on　the　occasion　of　my
return　to　the　rectory。

The　next　day　a　small　domestic　event　happened；　which　must　be　chronicled　in
this　place。

Our　Dimchurch　doctor；　always　dissatisfied　with　his　position　in　an　obscure
country　place；　had　obtained　an　appointment　in　India　which　offered　great
professional　advantages　to　an　ambitious　man。　He　called　to　take　leave　of
us　on　his　departure。　I　found　an　opportunity　of　speaking　to　him　about
Oscar。　He　entirely　agreed　with　me　that　the　attempt　to　keep　the　change
produced　in　his　former　patient　by　the　Nitrate　of　Silver　from　Lucilla's
knowledge；　was　simply　absurd。　The　truth　would　reach　her；　he　said；　before
many　days　were　over　our　heads。　With　that　prediction；　addressed　to　my
private　ear；　he　left　us。　The　removal　of　him　from　the　scene　was；　you　will
please　to　bear　in　mind；　the　removal　of　an　important　local　witness　to　the
medical　treatment　of　Oscar；　and　was；　as　such；　an　incident　with　a　bearing
of　its　own　on　the　future；　which　claims　a　place　for　it　in　the　present
narrative。

Two　more　days　passed；　and　nothing　happened。　On　the　morning　of　the　third
day；　the　doctor's　prophecy　was　all　but　fulfilled；　through　the　medium　of
the　wandering　Arab　of　the　family；　our　funny　little　Jicks。

While　Lucilla　and　I　were　strolling　about　the　garden　with　Oscar；　the　child
suddenly　darted　out　on　us　from　behind　a　tree；　and；　seizing　Oscar　round
the　legs；　hailed　him　affectionately　at　the　top　of　her　voice　as　〃The　Blue
Man！〃　Lucilla　instantly　stopped；　and　said；　〃Who　do　you　call　'The　Blue
Man'？〃　Jicks　answered　boldly；　〃Oscar。〃　Lucilla　caught　the　child　up　in　her
arms。　〃Why　do　you　call　Oscar　'The　Blue　Man'？〃　she　asked。　Jicks　pointed　to
Oscar's　face；　and　then；　remembering　Lucilla's　blindness；　appealed　to　me。
〃You　tell　her！〃　said　Jicks；　in　high　glee。　Oscar　seized　my　hand；　and
looked　at　me　imploringly。　I　determined　not　to　interfere。　It　was　bad
enough　to　remain　passive；　and　to　let　her　be　kept　in　the　dark。　Actively；　I
was　resolved　to　take　no　part　in　deceiving　her。　Her　color　rose；　she　put
Jicks　down　on　the　ground。　〃Are　you　both　dumb？〃　she　asked。　〃Oscar！　I
insist　on　knowing　ithow　have　you　got　the　nick…name　of　'The　Blue　Man'？〃
Left　helpless；　Oscar　（to　my　disgust）　took　refuge　in　a　lieand；　worse
still；　a　clumsy　lie。　He　declared　that　he　had　got　his　nick…name　in　the
nursery；　at　the　time　of　Lucilla's　absence　in　London；　by　one　day　painting
his　face　in　the　character　of　Bluebeard　to　amuse　the　children！　If　Lucilla
had　felt　the　faintest　suspicion　of　the　truth；　blind　as　she　was；　she　must
now　have　discovered　it。　As　things　were；　Oscar　annoyed　and　irritated　her。
I　could　see　that　it　cost　her　a　struggle　to　suppress　something　like　a
feeling　of　contempt　for　him。　〃Amuse　the　children；　the　next　time；　in　some
other　way；〃　she　said。　〃Though　I　can't　see　you；　still　I　don't　like　to　hear
of　your　disfiguring　your　face　by　painting　it　blue。〃　With　that　answer；　she
walked　away　a　little　by　herself；　evidently　disappointed　in　her　betrothed
husband　for　the　first　time　in　her　experience　of　him。

He　cast　another　imploring　look　at　me。　〃Did　you　hear　what　she　said　about
my　face？〃　he　whispered。

〃You　have　lost　an　excellent　opportunity　of　speaking　out；〃　I　answered。　〃I
believe　you　will　bitterly　regret　the　folly　and　the　cruelty　of　deceiving
her。〃

He　shook　his　head；　with　the　immovable　obstinacy　of　a　weak　man。

〃Nugent　doesn't　think　as　you　do；〃　he　said；　handing　me　the　letter。　〃Read
that　bit　therenow　Lucilla　is　out　of　hearing。〃

I　paused　for　a　moment　before　I　could　read。　The　resemblance　between　the
twins　extended　even　to　their　handwritings！　If　I　had　picked　Nugent's
letter　up；　I　should　have　handed　it　to　Oscar　as　a　letter　of　Oscar's　own
writing。

The　paragraph　to　which　he　pointed；　only　contained　these　lines：〃Your
last　relieves　my　anxiety　about　your　health。　I　entirely　agree　with　you
that　any　personal　sacrifice　which　cures　you　of　those　horrible　attacks　is
a　sacrifice　wisely　made。　As　to　your　keeping　the　change　a　secret　from　the
young　lady；　I　can　only　say　that　I　suppose　you　know　best　how　to　act　in
this　emergency。　I　will　abstain　from　forming　any　opinion　of　my　own　until
we　meet。〃

I　handed　Oscar　back　the　letter。

〃There　is　no　very　warm　approval　there　of　the　course　you　are　taking；〃　I
said。　〃The　only　difference　between　your　brother　and　me　is；　that　he
suspends　his　opinion；　and　that　I　express　mine。〃

〃I　have　no　fear　of　my　brother；〃　Oscar　answered。　〃Nugent　will　feel　for　me；
and　understand　me；　when　he　comes　to　Browndown。　In　the　meantime；　this
shall　not　happen　again。〃

He　stooped　over　Jicks。　The　child；　while　we　were　talking；　had　laid　herself
down　luxuriously　on　the　grass；　and　was　singing　to　herself　little　snatches
of　a　nursery　song。　Oscar　pulled　her　up　on　her　legs　rather　roughly。　He　was
out　of　temper　with　her；　as　well　as　with　himself。

〃What　are　you　going　to　do？〃　I　asked。

〃I　am　going　to　see　Mr。　Finch；〃　he　answered；　〃and　to　have　Jicks　kept　for
the　future　out　of　Lucilla's　garden。〃

〃Does　Mr。　Finch　approve　of　your　silence？〃

〃Mr。　Finch；　Madame　Pratolungo；　leaves　me　to　decide　on　a　matter　which
concerns　nobody　but　Lucilla　and　myself。〃

After　that　reply；　there　was　an　end　of　all　further　remonstrance　from　me；
as　a　matter　of　course。

Oscar　walked　off　with　his　prisoner　to　the　house。　Jicks　trotted　along　by
his　side；　unconscious　of　the　mischief　she　had　done；　singing　another　verse
of　the　nursery　song。　I　rejoined　Lucilla；　with　my　mind　made　up　as　to　the
line　of　conduct　I　should　adopt　in　the　future。　If　Oscar　did　succeed　in
keeping　the　truth　concealed　from　her；　I　was　positively　resolved；　come
what　might　of　it；　to　enlighten　her　before　they　were　married；　with　my　own
lips。　What！　after　pledging　myself　to　keep　the　secret？　Yes。　Perish　the
promise　which　makes　me　false　to　a　person　whom　I　love！　I　despise　such
promises　from　the　bottom　of　my　heart。

Two　days　more　slipped　byand　then　a　telegram　found　its　way　to　Browndown。
Oscar　came　running　to　us；　at　the　rectory；　with　his　news。　Nugent　had
landed　at　Liverpool。　Oscar　was　to　expect　him　at　Dimchurch　on　the　next
day。


CHAPTER　THE　TWENTY…THIRD

He　sets　us　All　Right

I　HAVE　thus　far　quite　inadvertently　omitted　to　mention　one　of　the
prominent　virtues　of　Reverend　Finch。　He　was　an　accomplished　master　of
that　particular　form　of　human　persecution　which　is　called　reading　aloud；
and　he　inflicted　his　accomplishment　on　his　family　circle　at　every
available　opportunity。　Of　what　we　suffered　on　these　occasions；　I　shall
say　nothing。　Let　it　be　enough　to　mention　that　the　rector　thoroughly
enjoyed　the　pleasure　of　hearing　his　own　magnificent　voice。

There　was　no　escaping　Mr。　Finch　when　the　rage　for　〃reading〃　seized　on
him。　Now　on　one　pretense；　and　now　on　another；　he　descended　on　us
unfortunate　women；　book　in　hand；　seated　us　at　one　end　of　the　room；　placed
himself　at　the　other；　opened　his　dreadful　mouth；　and　fired　words　at　us；
like　shots　at　a　target；　by　the　hour　together。　Sometimes　he　gave　us
poetical　readings　from　Shakespeare　or　Milton；　and　sometimes　Parliamentary
speeches　by　Burke　or　Sheridan。　Read　what　he　might；　he　made　such　a　noise
and　such　a　fuss　over　it；　he　put　his　own　individuality　so　prominently　in
the　foremost　place；　and　he　kept　the　poets　or　the　orators　whom　he　was
supposed　to　be　interpreting　so　far　in　the　back　ground；　that　they　lost
every　trace　of　character　of　their　own；　and　became　one　and　all　perfectly
intolerable　reflections　of　Mr。　Finch。　I　date　my　first　unhappy　doubts　of
the　supreme　excellence　of　Shakespeare's　poetry　from　the　rector's
readings；　and　I　attribute　to　the　same　exasp