poor miss finch-第44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！


again；　Nugent　opened　the　door　for　us　to　go　out。　Lucilla　and　I　left　the
twins　together；　in　the　modest　little　room　which　had　witnessed　a　scene
alike　memorable　to　all　of　us　for　its　interest　at　the　time；　and　for　the
results　which　were　to　come　of　it　in　the　future。

Half　an　hour　later；　we　were　all　assembled　at　the　rectory。

Our　adjourned　debateexcepting　one　small　suggestion　emanating　from
myselfwas　a　debate　which　led　to　nothing。　It　may　be　truly　described　as
resolving　itself　into　the　delivery　of　an　Oration　by　Mr。　Finch。　Subject；
the　assertion　of　Mr。　Finch's　dignity。

On　this　occasion　（having　matters　of　more　importance　on　hand）　I　take　the
liberty　of　cutting　the　reverend　gentleman's　speech　by　the　pattern　of　the
reverend　gentleman's　stature。　Short　in　figure；　the　rector　shall　be　here；
for　the　first　time　in　his　life；　short　in　language　too。

Reverend　Finch　rose；　and　saidhe　objected　to　everything。　To　receiving　a
message　on　a　card　instead　of　a　proper　note。　To　being　expected　to　present
himself　at　Browndown　at　a　moment's　notice。　To　being　the　last　person
informed　（instead　of　the　first）　of　Mr。　Nugent　Dubourg's　exaggerated　and
absurd　view　of　the　case　of　his　afflicted　child。　To　the　German　surgeon；　as
being　certainly　a　foreigner　and　a　stranger；　and　possibly　a　quack。　To　the
slur　implied　on　British　Surgery　by　bringing　the　foreigner　to　Dimchurch。
To　the　expense　involved　in　the　same　proceeding。　Finally　to　the　whole
scope　and　object　of　Mr。　Nugent　Dubourg's　proposal；　which　had　for　its
origin　rebellion　against　the　decrees　of　an　all…wise　Providence；　and　for
its　result　the　disturbance　of　his　daughter's　mind〃under　My　influence；
sir；　a　mind　in　a　state　of　Christian　resignation：　under　Your　influence；　a
mind　in　a　state　of　infidel　revolt。〃　With　those　concluding　remarks；　the
reverend　gentleman　sat　downand　paused　for　a　reply。

A　remarkable　result　followed；　which　might　be　profitably　permitted　to　take
place　in　some　other　Parliaments。　Nobody　replied。

Mr。　Nugent　Dubourg　roseno！　satand　said；　he　declined　to　take　any　part
in　the　proceedings。　He　was　quite　ready　to　wait；　until　the　end　justified
the　means　which　he　proposed　to　employ。　For　the　rest；　his　conscience　was
at　ease；　and　he　was　entirely　at　Miss　Finch's　service。

Mr。　Oscar　Dubourg；　sitting　hidden　from　notice　behind　his　brother；
followed　his　brother's　example。　The　decision　in　the　matter　under
discussion　rested　with　Miss　Finch　alone。　He　had　no　opinion　of　his　own　to
offer　on　it。

Miss　Finch　herself；　appealed　to　next：Had　but　one　reply　to　give。　With
all　possible　respect　for　her　father；　she　ventured　to　think　that　neither
he　nor　any　one；　possessing　the　sense　of　vision；　could　quite　enter　into
her　feelings　as　the　circumstances　then　were。　If　there　really　was　any
chance　of　her　recovering　her　sight；　the　least　she　could　do　would　be　to
give　that　chance　a　fair　trial。　She　entreated　Mr。　Nugent　Dubourg　not　to
lose　one　unnecessary　moment　in　bringing　the　German　surgeon　to　Dimchurch。

Mrs。　Finch；　called　upon　next。　Spoke　after　some　little　delay；　caused　by
the　loss　of　her　pocket…handkerchief。　Would　not　presume　to　differ　in
opinion　with　her　husband；　whom　she　had　never　yet　known　to　be　otherwise
than　perfectly　right　about　everything。　But；　if　the　German　surgeon　_did_
come；　and　if　Mr。　Finch　saw　no　objection　to　it；　she　would　much　like　to
consult　him　（gratis；　if　possible）　on　the　subject　of　〃baby's　eyes。〃　Mrs。
Finch　was　proceeding　to　explain　that　there　was　happily　nothing　the
matter；　that　she　could　see；　with　the　infant's　eyes　at　that　particular
moment；　and　that　she　merely　wished　to　take　a　skilled　medical　opinion；　in
the　event　of　something　happening　on　some　future　occasionwhen　she　was
called　to　order　by　Mr。　Finch。　The　reverend　gentleman；　at　the　same　time；
appealed　to　Madame　Pratolungo　to　close　the　debate　by　giving　frank
expression　to　her　own　opinion。

Madame　Pratolungo；　speaking　in　conclusion；　remarked：

That　the　question　of　consulting　the　German　surgeon　appeared　（after　what
had　fallen　from　Miss　Finch）　to　be　a　question　which　had　passed　beyond　the
range　of　any　expression　of　feeling　on　the　part　of　other　persons。　That　she
proposed；　accordingly；　to　look；　beyond　the　consultation；　at　the　results
which　might　follow　it。　That；　contemplating　these　possible　results；　she
held　very　strong　views　of　her　own；　and　would　proceed　to　give　frank
expression　to　them　as　follows。　That　in　her　opinion；　the　proposed
investigation　of　the　chances　which　might　exist　of　restoring　Miss　Finch's
sight；　involved　consequences　far　too　serious　to　be　trusted　to　the
decision　of　any　one　man；　no　matter　how　skillful　or　how　famous　he　might
be。　That；　in　pursuance　of　this　view；　she　begged　to　suggest　（1）　the
association　of　an　eminent　English　oculist　with　the　eminent　German
oculist；　（2）　an　examination　of　Miss　Finch's　case　by　both　the　professional
gentlemen；　consulting　on　it　together；　and　（3）　a　full　statement　of　the
opinions　at　which　they　might　respectively　arrive；　to　be　laid　before　the
meeting　now　assembled；　and　to　become　the　subject　of　a　renewed　discussion
before　any　decisive　measures　were　taken。

Lastly；　that　this　proposal　be　now　submitted；　in　the　form　of　a　resolution；
and　forthwith　（if　necessary）　put　to　the　vote。

Resolution；　as　above；　put　to　the　vote。

MajorityAyes。

Miss　Finch。　Mr。　Nugent　Dubourg。　Mr。　Oscar　Dubourg。　Madame　Pratolungo。

MinorityNoes。

No　（on　the　score　of　expense）；　Mr。　Finch。　No　（because　Mr。　F。　says　No）；
Mrs。　Finch。

Resolution　carried　by　a　majority　of　two。　Debate　adjourned　to　a　day　to　be
hereafter　decided　on。

By　the　first　train　the　next　morning；　Nugent　Dubourg　started　for　London。

At　luncheon；　the　same　day；　a　telegram　arrived；　reporting　his　proceedings
in　the　following　terms：

〃I　have　seen　my　friend。　He　is　at　our　service。　He　is　also　quite　willing　to
consult　with　any　English　oculist　whom　we　may　choose。　I　am　just　off　to
find　the　man。　Expect　a　second　telegram　later　in　the　day。〃

The　second　telegram　reached　us　in　the　evening；　and　ran　thus：

〃Everything　is　settled。　The　German　oculist　and　the　English　oculist　leave
London　with　me；　by　the　twelve…forty　train　to…morrow　afternoon。〃

After　reading　this　telegram　to　Lucilla；　I　sent　it　to　Oscar　at　Browndown。
Judge　for　yourself　how　he　slept；　and　how　we　slept；　that　night！


CHAPTER　THE　THIRTIETH

Herr　Grosse

SEVERAL　circumstances　deserving　to　be　mentioned　here；　took　place　in　the
early　part　of　the　day　on　which　we　expected　the　visit　of　the　two　oculists。
I　have　all　the　will　to　relate　thembut　the　capacity　to　do　it　completely
fails　me。

When　I　look　back　at　that　eventful　morning；　I　recall　a　scene　of　confusion
and　suspense；　the　bare　recollection　of　which　seems　to　upset　my　mind
again；　even　at　this　distance　of　time。　Things　and　persons　all　blend
distractedly　one　with　another。　I　see　the　charming　figure　of　my　blind
Lucilla；　robed　in　rose…color　and　white；　flitting　hither　and　thither；　in
the　house　and　out　of　the　houseat　one　time　mad　with　impatience　for　the
arrival　of　the　surgeons；　at　another；　shuddering　with　apprehension　of　the
coming　ordeal；　and　the　coming　disappointment　which　might　follow。　A　moment
moreand；　just　as　my　mind　has　seized　it；　the　fair　figure　melts　and
merges　into　the　miserable　apparition　of　Oscar；　hovering　and　hesitating
between　Browndown　and　the　rectory；　painfully　conscious　of　the　new
complications　introduced　into　his　position　towards　Lucilla　by　the　new
state　of　things；　and　yet　not　man　enough；　even　yet；　to　seize　the
opportunity；　and　set　himself　right。　Another　moment　passes；　and　a　new
figurea　little　strutting　consequential　figure　forces　its　way　into　the
foreground；　before　I　am　ready　for　it。　I　hear　a　big　voice　booming　in　my
ear；　with　big　language　to　correspond。　〃No；　Madame　Pratolungo；　nothing
will　induce　me　to　sanction　by　my　presence　this　insane　medical
consultation；　this　extravagant　and　profane　attempt　to　reverse　the　decrees
of　an　all…wise　Providence　by　purely　human　means。　My　foot　is　downI　use
the　language　of　the　people；　observe；　to　impress　it　the　more　strongly　on
your　mindMy　FOOT　is　down！〃　Another　moment　yet；　and　Finch　and　Finch's
Foot　disappear　over　my　mental　horizon　just　as　my　eye　has　caught　them。
Damp　Mrs。　Finch；　and　the　baby　whose　everlasting　programme　is　suction　and
sleep；　take　the　vacant　place。　Mrs。　Finch　pledges　me　with　watery
earnestness　to　secrecy；　and　then　confides　her　intention　of　escaping　her
husband's　supervision　if　she　can；　and　bringing　British　surgery　and　German
surgery　to　bear　both　together　（gratis）　on　baby's　eyes。　Conceive　these
persons　all　twisting　and　turning　in　the　convolutions　of　my　brains；　as　if
those　brains　were　a　labyrinth；　with　the　sayings　and　doings　of　one；
confusing　themselves　with　the　sayings　and　doings　of　the　otherwith　a
thin　stream　of　my　own　private　anxieties　（comprehending　luncheon　on　a
side…table　for　the　doctors）　trickling　at　intervals　through　it　alland
you　will　not　wonder　if　I　take　a　jump；　like　a　sheep；　over　some　six　hours
of　precious　time；　and　present　my　solitary　self　to　your　eye；　posted　alone
in　the　sitting…room　to　receive　the　council　of　surgeons　on　its　arrival　at
the　house。　I　had　but　two　consolations　to　sustain　me。

First；　a　Mayonnaise　of　chicken　of　my　own　making　on　the　luncheon…table；
which；　as　a　work　of　Art；　was　simply　adorableI　say　no　more。　Second