poor miss finch-第42节

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mention　that　I　paused　in　my　most　becoming　manner。　Grace　tempered　with
dignity：　dignity　tempered　with　grace。

〃Madame　Pratolungo！〃

〃Miss　Finch？〃

〃This　is　the　man　who　is　not　half　so　agreeable　as　his　brother。　Look！〃

She　tightened　her　hold　round　his　neck；　and　gave　himostentatiously　gave
himthe　kiss　which　he　was　ashamed　to　give　_her。_　I　advanced；　in
contemptuous　silence；　to　the　door。　My　attitude　expressed　disgust
accompanied　by　sorrow：　sorrow；　accompanied　by　disgust。

〃Madame　Pratolungo！〃

I　made　no　answer。

〃This　is　the　man　whom　I　should　never　have　loved　if　I　had　happened　to　meet
his　brother　first。　Look！〃

She　put　both　arms　round　his　neck；　and　gave　him　a　shower　of　kisses　all　in
one。　I　indignantly　withdrew。　The　door　had　been　imperfectly　closed　when　I
had　entered　the　room：　it　was　ajar。　I　pulled　it　openand　found　myself
face　to　face　with　Nugent　Dubourg；　standing　by　the　table；　with　his　letter
from　Liverpool　in　his　hand！　He　must　have　certainly　heard　Lucilla　cast　my
own　words　back　in　my　teethif　he　had　heard　no　more。

I　stopped　short；　looking　at　him　in　silent　surprise。　He　smiled；　and　held
out　the　open　letter　to　me。　Before　we　could　speak；　we　heard　the　door　of
the　room　closed。　Oscar　had　followed　me　out　（shutting　the　door　behind　him）
to　apologize　for　Lucilla's　behavior　to　me。　He　explained　what　had　happened
to　his　brother。　Nugent　nodded；　and　tapped　his　open　letter　smartly。　〃Leave
me　to　manage　it。　I　shall　give　you　something　better　to　do　than　quarreling
among　yourselves。　You　will　hear　what　it　is　directly。　In　the　meantime；　I
have　got　a　message　for　our　friend　at　the　inn。　Gootheridge　is　on　his　way
here；　to　speak　to　me　about　altering　the　stable。　Run　and　tell　him　I　have
other　business　on　hand；　and　I　can't　keep　my　appointment　to…day。　Stop！
Give　him　this　at　the　same　time；　and　ask　him　to　leave　it　at　the　rectory。〃

He　took　one　of　his　visiting　cards　out　of　the　case；　wrote　a　few　lines　on
it　in　pencil；　and　handed　it　to　his　brother。　Oscar　（always　ready　to　go　on
errands　for　Nugent）　hurried　out　to　meet　the　landlord。　Nugent　turned　to
me。

〃The　German　is　in　England；〃　he　said。　〃Now　I　may　open　my　lips。〃

〃At　once！〃　I　exclaimed。

〃At　once。　I　have　put　off　my　own　business　（as　you　heard）　in　favor　of　this。
My　friend　will　be　in　London　to…morrow。　I　mean　to　get　my　authority　to
consult　him　to…day；　and　to　start　tomorrow　for　town。　Prepare　yourself　to
meet　one　of　the　strangest　characters　you　ever　set　eyes　on！　You　saw　me
write　on　my　card。　It　was　a　message　to　Mr。　Finch；　asking　him　to　join　us
immediately　（on　important　family　business）　at　Browndown。　As　Lucilla's
father；　he　has　a　voice　in　the　matter。　When　Oscar　comes　back；　and　when　the
rector　joins　us；　our　domestic　privy　council　will　be　complete。〃

He　spoke　with　his　customary　spirit；　he　moved　with　his　customary
brisknesshe　had　become　quite　himself　again；　since　I　had　seen　him　last。

〃I　am　stagnating　in　this　place；〃　he　went　on；　seeing　that　I　noticed　the
change　in　him。　〃It　puts　me　in　spirits　again；　having　something　to　do。　I　am
not　like　OscarI　must　have　action　to　stir　my　bloodaction　to　keep　me
from　fretting　over　my　anxieties。　How　do　you　think　I　found　the　witness　to
my　brother's　innocence　at　the　Trial？　In　that　way。　I　said　to　myself；　'I
shall　go　mad　if　I　don't　do　something。'　I　did　somethingand　saved　Oscar。
I　am　going　to　do　something　again。　Mark　my　words！　Now　I　am　stirring　in　it；
Lucilla　will　recover　her　sight。〃

〃This　is　a　serious　matter；〃　I　said。　〃Pray　give　it　serious　consideration。〃

〃Consideration？〃　he　repeated。　〃I　hate　the　word。　I　always　decide　on　the
instant。　If　I　am　wrong　in　my　view　of　Lucilla's　case；　consideration　is　of
no　earthly　use。　If　I　am　right；　every　day's　delay　is　a　day　of　sight　lost
to　the　blind。　I'll　wait　for　Oscar　and　Mr。　Finch；　and　then　I'll　open　the
business。　Why　are　we　talking　in　the　hall？　Come　in！〃

He　led　the　way　to　the　sitting…room。　I　had　a　new　interest；　now；　in　going
back。　Still；　Lucilla's　behavior　hung　on　my　mind。　Suppose　she　treated　me
with　renewed　coldness　and　keener　contempt？　I　remained　standing　at　the
table　in　the　hall。　Nugent　looked　back　at　me；　over　his　shoulder。

〃Nonsense！〃　he　said。　〃I'll　set　things　right。　It's　beneath　a　woman　like
you　to　take　notice　of　what　a　girl　says　in　a　pet。　Come　in！〃

I　doubt　if　I　should　have　yielded　to　please　any　other　living　man。　But；
there　is　no　denying　it；　some　people　have　a　magnetic　attracting　power　over
others。　Nugent　had　that　power　over　me。　Against　my　own　willfor　I　was
really　hurt　and　offended　by　her　usage　of　meI　went　back　with　him　into
the　room。

Lucilla　was　still　sitting　in　the　place　which　she　had　occupied　when　I
withdrew。　On　hearing　the　door　open；　and　a　man's　footsteps　entering；　she
of　course　assumed　that　the　man　was　Oscar。　She　had　penetrated　his　object
in　leaving　her　to　follow　me　out；　and　it　had　not　improved　her　temper。

〃Oh？〃　she　said。　〃You　have　come　back　at　last？　I　thought　you　had　offered
yourself　as　Madame　Pratolungo's　escort　to　the　rectory。〃　She　stopped；　with
a　sudden　frown。　Her　quick　ears　had　detected　my　return　into　the　room。
〃Oscar！〃　she　exclaimed；　〃what　does　this　mean？　Madame　Pratolungo　and　I
have　nothing　more　to　say　to　each　other。　What　has　she　come　back　for？　Why
don't　you　answer？　This　is　infamous！　I　shall　leave　the　room！〃

The　utterance　of　that　final　threat　was　followed　so　rapidly　by　its
execution　that；　before　Nugent　（standing　between　her　and　the　door）　could
get　out　of　her　way；　she　came　in　violent　contact　with　him。　She　instantly
caught　him　by　the　arm；　and　shook　him　angrily。　〃What　does　your　silence
mean？　Is　it　at　Madame　Pratolungo's　instigation　that　you　are　insulting
me？〃

I　had　just　opened　my　lips　to　make　one　more　attempt　at　reconciliation；　by
saying　some　pacifying　words　to　herwhen　she　planted　that　last　sting　in
me。　French　flesh　and　blood　（whatever　English　flesh　and　blood　might　have
done）　could　bear　no　more。　I　silently　turned　my　back　on　her；　in　a　rage。

At　the　same　moment；　Nugent's　eyes　brightened　as　if　a　new　idea　had　struck
him。　He　gave　me　one　significant　lookand　answered　her　in　his　brother's
character。　Whether　he　was　possessed　at　the　moment　by　some　demon　of
mischief；　or　whether　he　had　the　idea　of　trying　to　make　Oscar's　peace　for
him；　before　Oscar　returnedwas　more　than　I　could　say　at　the　time。　I
ought　to　have　stopped　itI　know。　But　my　temper　was　in　a　flame。　I　was　as
spiteful　as　a　cat　and　as　fierce　as　a　bear。　I　said　to　myself　（in　your
English　idiom）；　She　wants　taking　down　a　peg；　quite　right；　Mr。　Nugent；　do
it。　Shocking！　shameful！　no　words　are　bad　enough　for　me：　give　it　me　well。
Ah；　Heaven！　what　is　a　human　being　in　a　rage？　On　my　sacred　word　of　honor；
nothing　but　a　human　beast！　The　next　time　it　happens　to　You；　look　at
yourself　in　the　glass；　and　you　will　find　your　soul　gone　out　of　you　at
your　face；　and　nothing　left　but　an　animaland　a　bad；　a　villainous　bad
animal　too！

〃You　ask　what　my　silence　means？〃　said　Nugent。

He　had　only　to　model　his　articulation　on　his　brother's　slower　manner　of
speaking　as　distinguished　from　his　own；　to　be　his　brother　himself。　In
saying　those　few　first　words；　he　did　it　so　dexterously　that　I　could　have
swornif　I　had　not　seen　him　standing　before　meOscar　was　in　the　room。

〃Yes；〃　she　said；　〃I　ask　that。〃

〃I　am　silent；〃　he　answered；　〃because　I　am　waiting。〃

〃What　are　you　waiting　for？〃

〃To　hear　you　make　your　apologies　to　Madame　Pratolungo。〃

She　started　back　a　step。　Submissive　Oscar　was　taking　a　peremptory　tone
with　her　for　the　first　time　in　his　life。　Submissive　Oscar；　instead　of
giving　her　time　to　speak；　sternly　went　on。

〃Madame　Pratolungo　has　made　her　excuses　to　_you。_　You　ought　to　receive
them；　you　ought　to　reciprocate　them。　It　is　distressing　to　see　you　and
hear　you。　You　are　behaving　ungratefully　to　your　best　friend。〃

She　raised　her　face；　she　raised　her　hands；　in　blank　amazement：　she　looked
as　if　she　distrusted　her　own　ears。

〃Oscar！〃　she　exclaimed。

〃Here　I　am；〃　said　Oscar；　opening　the　door　at　the　same　moment。

She　turned　like　lightning　towards　the　place　from　which　he　had　spoken。　She
detected　the　deception　which　Nugent　had　practiced　on　her；　with　a　cry　of
indignation　that　rang　through　the　room。

Oscar　ran　to　her　in　alarm。　She　thrust　him　back　violently。

〃A　trick！〃　she　cried。　〃A　mean；　vile；　cowardly　trick　played　upon　my
blindness！　Oscar！　your　brother　has　been　imitating　you；　your　brother　has
been　speaking　to　me　in　your　voice。　And　that　woman　who　calls　herself　my
friendthat　woman　stood　by　and　heard　him；　and　never　told　me。　She
encouraged　it：　she　enjoyed　it。　The　wretches！　take　me　away　from　them。　They
are　capable　of　any　deceit。　She　always　hated　you；　dear；　from　the
firstshe　took　up　with　your　brother　the　moment　he　came　here。　When　you
marry　me；　it　mustn't　be　at　Dimchurch；　it　must　be　in　some　place　they　don't
know　of。　There　is　a　conspiracy　between　them　against　you　and　against　me。
Beware　of　them！　beware　of　them！　She　said　I　should　have　fallen　in　love
with　your　brother；　if　I　had　met　him　first。　There　is　a　deeper　meaning　in
that；　my　love；　than　you　can　see。　It　means　that　they　will　part　us　if　they
can。　Ha！　I　hear　somebody　moving！　Has　he　changed　places　with　you？　Is　it
_you_　whom　I　am　speaking　to　now？　Oh；　my　blindness！　my　blindness！　Oh；　God；
of　all　your　creatures；　the　most　helpless；　the　most　mis