poor miss finch-第4节

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And　half　an　hour　does　slip　away　so　easily；　that　how　to　overtake　it　again；
I　do　assure　you　I　really　don't　know。〃　Here　the　baby　began　to　exhibit
symptoms　of　having　taken　more　maternal　nourishment　than　his　infant
stomach　could　comfortably　contain。　I　held　the　novel；　while　Mrs。　Finch
searched　for　her　handkerchieffirst　in　her　bedgown　pocket；　secondly；
here；　there；　and　everywhere　in　the　room。

At　this　interesting　moment　there　was　a　knock　at　the　door。　An　elderly
woman　appearedwho　offered　a　most　refreshing　contrast　to　the　members　of
the　household　with　whom　I　had　made　acquaintance　thus　far。　She　was　neatly
dressed；　and　she　saluted　me　with　the　polite　composure　of　a　civilized
being。

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　ma'am。　My　young　lady　has　only　this　moment　heard　of
your　arrival。　Will　you　be　so　kind　as　to　follow　me？〃

I　turned　to　Mrs。　Finch。　She　had　found　her　handkerchief；　and　had　put　her
overflowing　baby　to　rights　again。　I　respectfully　handed　back　the　novel。
〃Thank　you；〃　said　Mrs。　Finch。　〃I　find　novels　compose　my　mind。　Do　you　read
novels　too？　Remind　meand　I'll　lend　you　this　one　to…morrow。〃　I　expressed
my　acknowledgments；　and　withdrew。　At　the　door；　I　look　round；　saluting　the
lady　of　the　house。　Mrs。　Finch　was　promenading　the　room；　with　the　baby　in
one　hand　and　the　novel　in　the　other；　and　the　dimity　bedgown　trailing
behind　her。

We　ascended　the　stairs；　and　entered　a　bare　white…washed　passage；　with
drab…colored　doors　in　it；　leading；　as　I　presumed；　into　the　sleeping
chambers　of　the　house。

Every　door　opened　as　we　passed；　children　peeped　out　at　me；　screamed　at
me；　and　banged　the　door　to　again。　〃What　family　has　the　present　Mrs。
Finch？〃　I　asked。　The　decent　elderly　woman　was　obliged　to　stop；　and
consider。　〃Including　the　baby；　ma'am；　and　two　sets　of　twins；　and　one
seven　months'　child　of　deficient　intellectfourteen　in　all。〃　Hearing
this；　I　beganthough　I　consider　priests；　kings；　and　capitalists　to　be
the　enemies　of　the　human　raceto　feel　a　certain　exceptional　interest　in
Reverend　Finch。　Did　he　never　wish　that　he　had　been　a　priest　of　the　Roman
Catholic　Church；　mercifully　forbidden　to　marry　at　all？　While　the　question
passed　through　my　mind；　my　guide　took　out　a　key；　and　opened　a　heavy　oaken
door　at　the　further　end　of　the　passage。

〃We　are　obliged　to　keep　the　door　locked；　ma'am；〃　she　explained；　〃or　the
children　would　be　in　and　out　of　our　part　of　the　house　all　day　long。〃

After　my　experience　of　the　children；　I　own　I　looked　at　the　oaken　door
with　mingled　sentiments　of　gratitude　and　respect。

We　turned　a　corner；　and　found　ourselves　in　the　vaulted　corridor　of　the
ancient　portion　of　the　house。

The　casement　windows；　on　one　sidesunk　deep　in　recesseslooked　into　the
garden。　Each　recess　was　filled　with　groups　of　flowers　in　pots。　On　the
other　side；　the　old　wall　was　gaily　decorated　with　hangings　of　bright
chintz。　The　doors　were　colored　of　a　creamy　white；　with　gilt　moldings。　The
brightly　ornamented　matting　under　our　feet　I　at　once　recognized　as　of
South　American　origin。　The　ceiling　above　was　decorated　in　delicate　pale
blue；　with　borderings　of　flowers。　Nowhere　down　the　whole　extent　of　the
place　was　so　much　as　a　single　morsel　of　dark　color　to　be　seen　anywhere。

At　the　lower　end　of　the　corridor；　a　solitary　figure　in　a　pure　white　robe
was　bending　over　the　flowers　in　the　window。　This　was　the　blind　girl　whose
dark　hours　I　had　come　to　cheer。　In　the　scattered　villages　of　the　South
Downs；　the　simple　people　added　their　word　of　pity　to　her　name；　and　called
her　compassionately〃Poor　Miss　Finch。〃　As　for　me；　I　can　only　think　of
her　by　her　pretty　Christian　name。　She　is　〃Lucilla〃　when　my　memory　dwells
on　her。　Let　me　call　her　〃Lucilla〃　here。

When　my　eyes　first　rested　on　her；　she　was　picking　off　the　dead　leaves
from　her　flowers。　Her　delicate　ear　detected　the　sound　of　my　strange
footstep；　long　before　I　reached　the　place　at　which　she　was　standing。　She
lifted　her　headand　advanced　quickly　to　meet　me　with　a　faint　flush　on
her　face；　which　came　and　died　away　again　in　a　moment。　I　happen　to　have
visited　the　picture　gallery　at　Dresden　in　former　years。　As　she　approached
me；　nearer　and　nearer；　I　was　irresistibly　reminded　of　the　gem　of　that
superb　collectionthe　matchless　Virgin　of　Raphael；　called　〃The　Madonna
di　San　Sisto。〃　The　fair　broad　forehead；　the　peculiar　fullness　of　the
flesh　between　the　eyebrow　and　the　eyelid；　the　delicate　outline　of　the
lower　face；　the　tender；　sensitive　lips；　the　color　of　the　complexion　and
the　hairall　reflected；　with　a　startling　fidelity；　the　lovely　creature
of　the　Dresden　picture。　The　one　fatal　point　at　which　the　resemblance
ceased；　was　in　the　eyes。　The　divinely…beautiful　eyes　of　Raphael's　Virgin
were　lost　in　the　living　likeness　of　her　that　confronted　me　now。　There　was
no　deformity；　there　was　nothing　to　recoil　from；　in　my　blind　Lucilla。　The
poor；　dim；　sightless　eyes　had　a　faded；　changeless；　inexpressive　lookand
that　was　all。　Above　them；　below　them；　round　them；　to　the　very　edges　of
her　eyelids；　there　was　beauty；　movement；　life。　_In_　themdeath！　A　more
charming　creaturewith　that　one　sad　drawbackI　never　saw。　There　was　no
other　personal　defect　in　her。　She　had　the　fine　height；　the　well…balanced
figure；　and　the　length　of　the　lower　limbs；　which　make　all　a　woman's
movements　graceful　of　themselves。　Her　voice　was　deliciousclear；
cheerful；　sympathetic。　This；　and　her　smilewhich　added　a　charm　of　its
own　to　the　beauty　of　her　mouthwon　my　heart；　before　she　had　got　close
enough　to　me　to　put　her　hand　in　mine。　〃Ah；　my　dear！〃　I　said；　in　my
headlong　way；　〃I　am　so　glad　to　see　you！〃　The　instant　the　words　passed　my
lips；　I　could　have　cut　my　tongue　out　for　reminding　her　in　that　brutal
manner　that　she　was　blind。

To　my　relief；　she　showed　no　sign　of　feeling　it　as　I　did。　〃May　I　see　you；
in　_my_　way？〃　she　asked　gentlyand　held　up　her　pretty　white　hand。　〃May　I
touch　your　face？〃

I　sat　down　at　once　on　the　window…seat。　The　soft　rosy　tips　of　her　fingers
seemed　to　cover　my　whole　face　in　an　instant。　Three　separate　times　she
passed　her　hand　rapidly　over　me；　her　own　face　absorbed　all　the　while　in
breathless　attention　to　what　she　was　about。　〃Speak　again！〃　she　said
suddenly；　holding　her　hand　over　me　in　suspense。　I　said　a　few　words。　She
stopped　me　by　a　kiss。　〃No　more！〃　she　exclaimed　joyously。　〃Your　voice　says
to　my　ears；　what　your　face　says　to　my　fingers。　I　know　I　shall　like　you。
Come　in；　and　see　the　rooms　we　are　going　to　live　in　together。〃

As　I　rose；　she　put　her　arm　round　my　waistthen　instantly　drew　it　away
again；　and　shook　her　fingers　impatiently；　as　if　something　had　hurt　them。

〃A　pin？〃　I　asked。

〃No！　no！　What　colored　dress　have　you　got　on？〃

〃Purple。〃

〃Ah！　I　knew　it！　Pray　don't　wear　dark　colors。　I　have　my　own　blind　horror
of　anything　that　is　dark。　Dear　Madame　Pratolungo；　wear　pretty　bright
colors；　to　please　_me！_〃　She　put　her　arm　caressingly　round　me
againround　my　neck；　however；　this　time；　where　her　hand　could　rest　on　my
linen　collar。　〃You　will　change　your　dress　before　dinnerwon't　you？〃　she
whispered。　〃Let　me　unpack　for　you；　and　choose　which　dress　I　like。〃

The　brilliant　decorations　of　the　corridor　were　explained　to　me　now！

We　entered　the　rooms；　her　bed…room；　my　bed…room；　and　our　sitting…room
between　the　two。　I　was　prepared　to　find　them；　what　they　proved　to　beas
bright　as　looking…glasses；　and　gilding；　and　gaily…colored　ornaments；　and
cheerful　knick…knacks　of　all　sorts　could　make　them。　They　were　more　like
rooms　in　my　lively　native　country　than　rooms　in　sober　colorless　England。
The　one　thing　which　I　own　did　still　astonish　me；　was　that　all　this
sparkling　beauty　of　adornment　in　Lucilla's　habitation　should　have　been
provided　for　the　express　gratification　of　a　young　lady　who　could　not　see。
Experience　was　yet　to　show　me　that　the　blind　can　live　in　their
imaginations；　and　have　their　favorite　fancies　and　illusions　like　the　rest
of　us。

To　satisfy　Lucilla　by　changing　my　dark　purple　dress；　it　was　necessary
that　I　should　first　have　my　boxes。　So　far　as　I　knew；　Finch's　boy　had
taken　my　luggage；　along　with　the　pony；　to　the　stables。　Before　Lucilla
could　ring　the　bell　to　make　inquiries；　my　elderly　guide　（who　had　silently
left　us　while　we　were　talking　together　in　the　corridor）　re…appeared；
followed　by　the　boy　and　a　groom；　carrying　my　things。　These　servants　also
brought　with　them　certain　parcels　for　their　young　mistress；　purchased　in
the　town；　together　with　a　bottle；　wrapped　in　fair　white　paper；　which
looked　like　a　bottle　of　medicineand　which　had　a　part　of　its　own　to　play
in　our　proceedings；　later　in　the　day。

〃This　is　my　old　nurse；〃　said　Lucilla；　presenting　her　attendant　to　me。
〃Zillah　can　do　a　little　of　everythingcooking　included。　She　has　had
lessons　at　a　London　Club。　You　must　like　Zillah；　Madame　Pratolungo；　for　my
sake。　Are　your　boxes　open？〃

She　went　down　on　her　knees　before　the　boxes；　as　she　asked　the　question。
No　girl　with　the　full　use　of　her　eyes　could　have　enjoyed　more　thoroughly
than　she　did　the　trivial　amusement　of　unpacking　my　clothes。　This　time；
however；　her　wonderful　delicacy　of　touch　proved　to　be　at　fault。　Of　two
dresses　of　mine　which　happened　to　be　exactly　the　same　in　texture；　though
widely　different　in　color；　she　picked　out　the　dark　dress　as　being　the
light　one。　I　saw　that