poor miss finch-第48节

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to　spare。　You　have　heard　my　opinion。　I　hold　to　it。〃

Herr　Grosse　took　a　pinch　of　snuff。　〃I　also；〃　he　said；　〃hold　to　mine。〃

Lucilla　turned　towards　the　place　from　which　Mr。　Sebright　had　spoken。

〃I　am　obliged　to　you；　sir；　for　your　opinion；〃　she　said；　very　quietly　and
firmly。　〃I　am　determined　to　try　the　operation。　If　it　does　fail；　it　will
only　leave　me　what　I　am　now。　If　it　succeeds；　it　gives　me　a　new　life。　I
will　bear　anything；　and　risk　anything；　on　the　chance　that　I　may　see。〃

So；　she　announced　her　decision。　In　those　memorable　words；　she　cleared　the
way　for　the　coming　Event　in　her　life　and　in　our　lives；　which　it　is　the
purpose　of　these　pages　to　record。

Mr。　Sebright　answered　her；　in　Mr。　Sebright's　discreet　way。

〃I　cannot　affect　to　be　surprised　at　your　decision；〃　he　said。　〃However
sincerely　I　may　regret　it；　I　admit　that　it　is　the　natural　decision；　in
your　case。〃

Lucilla　addressed　herself　next　to　Herr　Grosse。

〃Choose　your　own　day；〃　she　said。　〃The　sooner；　the　better。　To…morrow；　if
you　can。〃

〃Answer　me　one　little　thing；　Miss；〃　rejoined　the　German；　with　a　sudden
gravity　of　tone　and　manner　which　was　quite　new　in　our　experience　of　him。
〃Do　you　mean　what　you　say？〃

She　answered　him　gravely　on　her　side。　〃I　mean　what　I　say。〃

〃Goot。　There　is　times；　my　lofe；　to　be　funny。　There　is　also　times　to　be
grave。　It　is　grave…times　now。　I　have　my　last　word　to　say　to　you　before　I
go。〃

With　his　wild　black　eyes　staring　through　his　owlish　spectacles　at
Lucilla's　face；　speaking　earnestly　in　his　strange　broken　English；　he　now
impressed　on　his　patient　the　necessity　of　gravely　considering；　and
preparing　for；　the　operation　which　he　had　undertaken　to　perform。

I　was　greatly　relieved　by　the　tone　he　took　with　her。　He　spoke　with
authority：　she　would　be　obliged　to　listen　to　him。

In　the　first　place；　he　warned　Lucilla；　if　the　operation　failed；　that
there　would　be　no　possibility　of　returning　to　it；　and　trying　it　again。
Once　done；　be　the　results　what　they　might；　it　was　done　for　good。

In　the　second　place；　before　he　would　consent　to　operate；　he　must　insist
on　certain　conditions；　essential　to　success；　being　rigidly　complied　with；
on　the　part　of　the　patient　and　her　friends。　Mr。　Sebright　had　by　no　means
exaggerated　the　length　of　the　time　of　trial　which　would　follow　the
operation；　in　the　darkened　room。　Under　no　circumstances　could　she　hope　to
have　her　eyes　uncovered；　even　for　a　few　moments；　to　the　light；　after　a
shorter　interval　than　six　weeks。　During　the　whole　of　that　time；　and
probably　during　another　six　weeks　to　follow；　it　was　absolutely　necessary
that　she　should　be　kept　in　such　a　state　of　health　as　would　assist　her；
constitutionally；　in　her　gradual　progress　towards　complete　restoration　of
sight。　If　body　and　mind　both　were　not　preserved　in　their　best　and
steadiest　condition；　all　that　his　skill　could　do　might　be　done　in　vain。
Nothing　to　excite　or　to　agitate　her；　must　be　allowed　to　find　its　way　into
the　quiet　daily　routine　of　her　life；　until　her　medical　attendant　was
satisfied　that　her　sight　was　safe。　The　success　of　Herr　Grosse's
professional　career　had　been　due；　in　no　small　degree；　to　his　rigid
enforcement　of　these　rules：　founded　on　his　own　experience　of　the
influence　which　a　patient's　general　health；　moral　as　well　as　physical；
exercised　on　that　patient's　chance　of　profiting　under　an　operationmore
especially　under　an　operation　on　an　organ　so　delicate　as　the　organ　of
sight。

Having　spoken　to　this　effect；　he　appealed　to　Lucilla's　own　good　sense　to
recognize　the　necessity　of　taking　time　to　consider　her　decision；　and　to
consult　on　it　with　relatives　and　friends。　In　plain　words；　for　at　least
three　months　the　family　arrangements　must　be　so　shaped；　as　to　enable　the
surgeon　in　attendance　on　her　to　hold　the　absolute　power　of　regulating　her
life；　and　of　deciding　on　any　changes　introduced　into　it。　When　she　and　the
members　of　her　family　circle　were　sure　of　being　able　to　comply　with　these
conditions；　Lucilla　had　only　to　write　to　him　at　his　hotel　in　London。　On
the　next　day　he　would　undertake　to　be　at　Dimchurch。　And　then　and　there
（if　he　was　satisfied　with　the　state　of　her　health　at　the　time）；　he　would
perform　the　operation。

After　pledging　himself　in　those　terms；　Herr　Grosse　puffed　out　his
remaining　breath　in　one　deep　guttural　〃Hah！〃and　got　briskly　on　his
short　legs。　At　the　same　moment；　Zillah　knocked　at　the　door；　and　announced
that　the　chaise　was　waiting　for　the　two　gentlemen　at　the　rectory…gate。

Mr。　Sebright　rosein　some　doubt；　apparently；　whether　his　colleague　had
done　talking。　〃Don't　let　me　hurry　you；〃　he　said。　〃I　have　business　in
London；　and　I　must　positively　catch　the　next　train。〃

〃Soh！　I　have　my　business　in　London；　too；〃　answered　his
brother…oculist〃the　business　of　pleasure。〃　（Mr。　Sebright　looked
scandalized　at　the　frankness　of　this　confession；　coming　from　a
professional　man）。　〃I　am　so　passion…fond　of　musics；〃　Herr　Grosse　went
on〃I　want　to　be　in　goot　times　for　the　opera。　Ach　Gott！　musics　is
expensive　in　England！　I　climb　to　the　gallery；　and　pay　my　five　silver
shillingses　even　there。　For　five　copper　pences；　in　my　own　country；　I　can
get　the　same　thingonly　better　done。　From　the　deep　bottoms　of　my　heart；〃
proceeded　this　curious　man；　taking　a　cordial　leave　of　me；　〃I　thank　you；
dear　madam；　for　the　Mayonnaise。　When　I　come　again；　I　pray　you　more　of
that　lofely　dish。〃　He　turned　to　Lucilla；　and　popped　his　thumb　on　her
eyelids　for　the　last　time　at　parting。　〃My　sweet…Feench；　remember　what
your　surgeon…optic　has　said　to　you。　I　shall　let　the　light　in　herebut　in
my　own　way；　at　my　own　time。　Pretty　lofe！　Ah；　how　infinitely　much　prettier
she　will　be；　when　she　can　see！〃　He　took　Lucilla's　hand；　and　put　it
sentimentally　inside　the　collar　of　his　waistcoat；　over　the　region　of　the
heart；　laying　his　other　hand　upon　it　as　if　he　was　keeping　it　warm。　In
this　tender　attitude；　he　blew　a　prodigious　sigh；　recovered　himself；　with
a　shake　of　his　shock…head；　winked　at　me　through　his　spectacles；　and
waddled　out　after　Mr。　Sebright；　who　was　already　at　the　bottom　of　the
stairs。　Who　would　have　guessed　that　this　man　held　the　key　which　was　to
open　for　my　blind　Lucilla　the　gates　of　a　new　life！

CHAPTER　THE　THIRTY…SECOND

Alas　for　the　Marriage！

WE　were　left　together；　Nugent　having　accompanied　the　two　oculists　to　the
garden…gate。

Now　that　we　were　alone；　Oscar's　absence　could　hardly　fail　to　attract
Lucilla's　attention。　Just　as　she　was　referring　to　him　in　terms　which　made
it　no　easy　task　for　me　to　quiet　her　successfully；　we　were　interrupted　by
the　screams　of　the　baby；　ascending　from　the　garden　below。　I　ran　to　the
window；　and　looked　out。

Mrs。　Finch　had　actually　effected　her　desperate　purpose　of　waylaying　the
two　surgeons　in　the　interests　of　〃baby's　eyes。〃　There　she　was；　in　a　skirt
and　a　shawlwith　her　novel　dropped　in　one　part　of　the　lawn；　and　her
handkerchief　in　the　otherpursuing　the　oculists　on　their　way　to　the
chaise。　Reckless　of　appearances；　Herr　Grosse　had　taken　to　his　heels。　He
was　retreating　from　the　screeching　infant　（with　his　fingers　stuffed　into
his　ears）；　as　fast　as　his　short　legs　would　let　him。　Nugent　was　ahead　of
him；　hurrying　on　to　open　the　garden…gate。　Respectable　Mr。　Sebright
（professionally　incapable　of　running）　brought　up　the　rear。　At　short
intervals；　Mrs。　Finch；　close　on　his　heels；　held　up　the　baby　for
inspection。　At　short　intervals；　Mr。　Sebright　held　up　his　hands　in　polite
protest。　Nugent；　roaring　with　laughter；　threw　open　the　garden…gate。　Herr
Grosse　rushed　through　the　opening；　and　disappeared。　Mr。　Sebright　followed
Herr　Grosse；　and　Mrs。　Finch　attempted　to　follow　Mr。　Sebrightwhen　a　new
personage　appeared　on　the　scene。　Startled　in　the　sanctuary　of　his　study
by　the　noise；　the　rector　himself　strutted　into　the　garden；　and　brought
his　wife　to　a　sudden　standstill；　by　inquiring　in　his　deepest　base　notes；
〃What　does　this　unseemly　disturbance　mean？〃

The　chaise　drove　off；　and　Nugent　closed　the　garden…gate。

Some　words；　inaudible　to　my　ears；　passed　between　Nugent　and　the
rectorreferring；　as　I　could　only　suppose；　to　the　visit　of　the　two
departing　surgeons。　After　awhile；　Mr。　Finch　turned　away　（to　all
appearance　offended　by　something　which　had　been　said　to　him）；　and
addressed　himself　to　Oscar；　who　now　reappeared　on　the　lawn；　having
evidently　only　waited　to　show　himself；　until　the　chaise　drove　away。　The
rector　paternally　took　his　arm；　and；　beckoning　to　his　wife　with　the　other
hand；　took　Mrs。　Finch's　arm　next。　Majestically　marching　back　to　the　house
between　the　two；　Reverend　Finch　asserted　himself　and　his　authority
alternately；　now　to　Oscar　and　now　to　his　wife。　His　big　booming　voice
reached　my　ears　distinctly；　accompanied　in　sharp　discord　by　the　last
wailings　of　the　exhausted　child。

In　these　terrible　words　the　Pope　of　Dimchurch　began：〃Oscar！　you　are　to
understand　distinctly；　if　you　please；　that　I　maintain　my　protest　against
this　impious　attempt　to　meddle　with　my　afflicted　daughter's　sight。Mrs。
Finch！　_you_　are　to　understand　that　I　excuse　your　unseemly　pursuit　of　two
strange　surgeons；　in　consideration　of　the　state　that　I　find　you　in　at
this　moment。　After　your　last　confinement　but　eight　you　became；　I
remember；　hysterically　irresponsible。　Hold　your　tongue。　You