poor miss finch-第35节

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〃Try　again；　Lucilla；〃　said　Oscar　kindly。

〃Never！〃　she　answered；　angrily　stepping　back　from　both　of　them。　〃One
mystification　is　enough。〃

Nugent　tried　next　to　persuade　her　to　renew　the　experiment。　She　checked
him　sternly　at　the　first　word。

〃Do　you　think　if　I　won't　do　it　for　Oscar；〃　she　said；　〃that　I　would　do　it
for　you？　You　laughed　at　me。　What　was　there　to　laugh　at？　Your　brother's
features　are　your　features；　your　brother's　hair　is　your　hair；　your
brother's　height　is　your　height。　What　is　there　so　very　ridiculouswith
such　a　resemblance　as　thatin　a　poor　blind　girl　like　me　mistaking　you
one　for　the　other？　I　wish　to　preserve　a　good　opinion　of　you；　for　Oscar's
sake。　Don't　turn　me　into　ridicule　againor　I　shall　be　forced　to　think
that　your　brother's　good　heart　is　not　yours　also！〃

Nugent　and　Oscar　looked　at　each　other；　petrified　by　this　sudden　outbreak；
Nugent；　of　the　two；　being　the　most　completely　overwhelmed　by　it。

I　attempted　to　interfere　and　put　things　right。　My　easy　philosophy　and　my
volatile　French　nature；　failed　to　see　any　adequate　cause　for　this
vehement　exhibition　of　resentment　on　Lucilla's　part。　Something　in　my
tone；　as　I　suppose；　only　added　to　her　irritation。　I；　in　my　turn；　was
checked　sternly　at　the　first　word。　〃You　proposed　it；〃　she　said；　〃You　are
the　most　to　blame。〃　I　hastened　to　make　my　apologies　（inwardly　remarking
that　the　habit　of　raising　a　storm　in　a　tea…cup　is　a　growing　habit　with
the　rising　generation　in　England）。　Nugent　followed　me　with　more　apologies
on　his　side。　Oscar　supported　us　with　his　superior　influence。　He　took
Lucilla's　handkissed　itand　whispered　something　in　her　ear。　The　kiss
and　the　whisper　acted　like　a　charm。　She　held　out　her　hand　to　Nugent；　she
put　her　arm　round　my　neck　and　embraced　me；　with　all　her　own　grace　and
sweetness。　〃Forgive　me；〃　she　said　to　us　gently。　〃I　wish　I　could　learn　to
be　patient。　But；　oh；　Mr。　Nugent；　it　is　sometimes　so　hard　to　be　blind！〃　I
can　repeat　the　words；　but　I　can　give　no　idea　of　the　touching　simplicity
with　which　they　were　spokenof　her　innocently　earnest　anxiety　to　win　her
pardon。　She　so　affected　Nugent　that　he　tooafter　a　look　at　Oscar　which
said；　〃May　I？〃kissed　the　hand　that　she　offered　to　him。　As　his　lips
touched　her；　she　started。　The　bright　flush　which　always　indicated　the
sudden　rising　of　a　thought　in　her　mind；　flew　over　her　face。　She
unconsciously　held　Nugent's　hand　in　her　own；　absorbed　in　the　interest　of
realizing　the　new　thought。　For　a　moment；　she　stood；　still　as　a　statue；
consulting　with　herself。　The　moment　passed；　she　dropped　Nugent's　hand；
and　turned　gaily　to　me。

〃Will　you　think　me　very　obstinate？〃　she　asked。

〃Why；　my　love？〃

〃I　am　not　satisfied　yet。　I　want　to　try　again。〃

〃No！　no！　At　any　rate　not　to…day。〃

〃I　want　to　try　again；〃　she　repeated。　〃Not　in　your　way。　In　a　way　of　my　own
that　has　just　come　into　my　head。〃　She　turned　to　Oscar。　〃Will　you　humour
me　in　this？〃　It　is　needless　to　set　down　Oscar's　reply。　She　turned　to
Nugent。　〃Will　you？〃

〃Only　say　what　you　wish　me　to　do！〃　he　answered。

〃Go　with　your　brother；〃　she　said；　〃to　the　other　end　of　the　room。　I　know
where　you　are　each　of　you　standing；　at　this　end。　Madame　Pratolungo　will
lead　me　to　the　place；　and　will　put　me　just　within　reach　of　both　your
hands。　I　want　each　of　you　in　turn　（arrange　by　a　sign　between　yourselves
which　is　to　begin）　to　take　my　hand；　and　hold　it　for　a　moment；　and　then
drop　it。　I　have　an　idea　that　I　can　distinguish　between　you；　in　that
wayand　I　want　very　much　to　try　it。〃

The　brothers　went　silently　to　the　other　end　of　the　room。　I　led　Lucilla；
after　them；　to　the　place　in　which　they　stood。　At　my　suggestion；　Nugent
was　the　first　to　take　her　hand；　as　she　had　requested；　to　hold　it　for　a
moment；　and　then　to　drop　it。

〃Nugent！〃　she　said；　without　the　slightest　hesitation。

〃Quite　right；〃　I　answered。

She　laughed　gaily。　〃Go　on！　Puzzle　me　if　you　possibly　can。

The　brothers　noiselessly　changed　places。　Oscar　took　her　hand；　standing
exactly　where　Nugent　had　stood。

〃Oscar！〃　she　said。

〃Right　again；〃　I　told　her。

At　a　sign　from　Nugent；　Oscar　took　her　hand　for　the　second　time。　She
repeated　his　name。　At　a　sign　from　me；　the　brothers　noiselessly　placed
themselves；　one　on　either　side　of　herOscar　on　the　left；　Nugent　on　the
right。　I　gave　them　the　signal；　and　they　each　took　one　of　her　hands　at　the
same　moment。　This　time；　she　waited　a　little　longer　before　she　spoke。　When
she　did　speak；　she　was　right　once　more。　She　turned　smiling；　towards　the
left　side；　pointed　to　him　as　he　stood　by　her；　and　said；　〃Oscar！〃

We　were　all　three　equally　surprised。　I　examined　Oscar's　hand　and　Nugent's
hand　alternately。　Except　the　fatal　difference　in　the　color；　they　were；　to
all　intents　and　purposes；　the　same　handsthe　same　size；　the　same　shape；
the　same　texture　of　skin；　no　scar　or　mark　on　the　hand　of　one　to
distinguish　it　from　the　hand　of　the　other。　By　what　mysterious　process　of
divination　had　she　succeeded　in　discovering　which　was　which？

She　was　unwilling；　or　unable；　to　reply　to　that　question　plainly。

〃Something　in　me　answers　to　one　of　them　and　not　to　the　other；〃　she　said。

〃What　is　it？〃　I　asked。

〃I　don't　know。　It　answers　to　Oscar。　It　doesn't　answer　to　Nugentthat's
all。〃

She　stopped　any　further　inquiries　by　proposing　that　we　should　finish　the
evening　with　some　music；　in　her　own　sitting…room；　on　the　other　side　of
the　house。　When　we　were　seated　together　at　the　pianofortewith　the
twin…brothers　established　as　our　audience　at　the　other　end　of　the
roomshe　whispered　in　my　ear：

〃I'll　tell　_you！_〃

〃Tell　me　what？〃

〃How　I　know　which　is　which　when　they　both　of　them　take　my　hand。　When
Oscar　takes　it；　a　delicious　tingle　runs　from　his　hand　into　mine；　and
steals　all　over　me。　I　can't　describe　it　any　better　than　that。〃

〃I　understand。　And　when　Nugent　takes　your　hand；　what　do　you　feel？〃

〃Nothing！〃

〃And　that　is　how　you　found　out　the　difference　between　them　down…stairs？〃

〃That　is　how　I　shall　always　find　out　the　difference　between　them。　If
Oscar's　brother　ever　attempts　to　play　tricks　upon　my　blindness　（he　is
quite　capable　of　ithe　laughed　at　my　blindness！）；　that　is　how　I　shall
find　him　out。　I　told　you　before　I　saw　him　that　I　hated　him。　I　hate　him
still。〃

〃My　dear　Lucilla！〃

〃I　hate　him　still！〃

She　struck　the　first　chords　on　the　piano；　with　an　obstinate　frown　on　her
pretty　brow。　Our　little　evening　concert　began。

CHAPTER　THE　TWENTY…FIFTH

Nugent　puzzles　Madame　Pratolungo

I　WAS　far　from　sharing　Lucilla's　opinion　of　Nugent　Dubourg。　His　enormous
self…confidence　was；　to　my　mind；　too　amusing　to　be　in　the　least
offensive。　I　liked　the　spirit　and　gaiety　of　the　young　fellow。　He　came
much　nearer　than　his　brother　did　to　my　ideal　of　the　dash　and　resolution
which　ought　to　distinguish　a　man　on　the　right　side　of　thirty。　So　far　as
my　experience　of　them　went；　Nugent　was　（in　the　popular　English　phrase）
good　companyand　Oscar　was　not。　My　nationality　leads　me　to　attach　great
importance　to　social　qualities。　The　higher　virtues　of　a　man　only　show
themselves　occasionally　on　compulsion；　His　social　qualities　come
familiarly　in　contact　with　us　every　day　of　our　lives。　I　like　to　be
cheerful：　I　am　all　for　the　social　qualities。

There　was　one　little　obstacle　in　those　early　days；　which　set　itself　up
between　my　sympathies　and　Nugent。

I　was　thoroughly　at　a　loss　to　understand　the　impression　which　Lucilla　had
produced　on　him。

The　same　constraint　which　had；　in　such　a　marked　manner；　subdued　him　at
his　first　interview　with　her；　still　fettered　him　in　the　time　when　they
became　better　acquainted　with　one　another。　He　was　never　in　high　spirits
in　her　presence。　Mr。　Finch　could　talk　him　down　without　difficulty；　if　Mr。
Finch's　daughter　happened　to　be　by。　Even　when　he　was　vaporing　about
himself；　and　telling　us　of　the　wonderful　things　he　meant　to　do　in
Painting；　Lucilla's　appearance　was　enough　to　check　him；　if　she　happened
to　come　into　the　room。　On　the　first　day　when　he　showed　me　his　American
sketches　（I　define　them；　if　you　ask　my　private　opinion；　as　false
pretenses　of　Art；　by　a　dashing　amateur）on　that　day；　he　was　in　full
flow；　marching　up　and　down　the　room；　smacking　his　forehead；　and
announcing　himself　quite　gravely　as　〃the　coming　man〃　in　landscape
painting。

〃My　mission；　Madame　Pratolungo；　is　to　reconcile　Humanity　and　Nature。　I
propose　to　show　（on　an　immense　scale）　how　Nature　（in　her　grandest
aspects）　can　adapt　herself　to　the　spiritual　wants　of　mankind。　In　your　joy
or　your　sorrow；　Nature　has　subtle　sympathies　with　you；　if　you　only　know
where　to　look　for　them。　My　picturesno！　my　poems　in　colorwill　show
you。　Multiply　my　works；　as　they　certainly　will　be　multiplied；　by　means　of
printsand　what　does　Art　become　in　my　hands？　A　Priesthood！　In　what
aspect　do　I　present　myself　to　the　public？　As　a　mere　landscape　painter？
No！　As　Grand　Consoler！〃　In　the　midst　of　this　rhapsody　（how　wonderfully　he
resembled　Oscar　in　_his_　bursts　of　excitement　while　he　was　talking！）in
the　full　torrent　of　his　predictions　of　his　own　coming　greatness；　Lucilla
quietly　entered　the　room。　The　〃Grand　Consoler〃　shut　up　his　portfolio；
dropped　Painting　on　the　spot；　asked　for　Music；　and　sat　down；　a　model　of
conventional　propriety；　in　a　corner　of　the　room。　I　inquire