poor miss finch-第59节

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I　had　yielded　to　it；　he　would　have　seen　in　my　face　that　I　gloried　in
having　outwitted　him。　I　sat　down；　the　picture　of　innocence；　in　the
nearest　chair；　and　crossed　my　hands　on　my　lap；　a　composed　and　ladylike
person；　edifying　to　see。

The　slow　minutes　followed　each　otherand　still　we　waited　the　event　in
silence。　Even　Mr。　Finch's　tongue　was；　on　this　solitary　occasion；　a　tongue
incapable　of　pronouncing　a　single　word。　He　sat　by　his　wife　at　one　end　of
the　room。　Oscar　and　I　were　at　the　other。　Nugent　stood　by　himself　at　one
of　the　windows；　deep　in　his　own　thoughts；　plotting　how　he　could　pay　me
out。

Oscar　was　the　first　of　the　party　who　broke　the　silence。　After　looking　all
round　the　room；　he　suddenly　addressed　himself　to　me。

〃Madame　Pratolungo！〃　he　exclaimed。　〃What　has　become　of　Jicks？〃

I　had　completely　forgotten　the　child。　I　too　looked　round　the　room；　and
satisfied　myself　that　she　had　really　disappeared。　Mrs。　Finch；　observing
our　astonishment；　timidly　enlightened　us。　The　maternal　eye　had　seen　Jicks
slip　out　cunningly　at　Herr　Grosse's　heels。　The　child's　object　was　plain
enough。　While　there　was　any　probability　of　the　presence　of　more
gingerbread　in　the　surgeon's　pocket；　the　wandering　Arab　of　the　family　（as
stealthy　and　as　quick　as　a　cat）　was　certain　to　keep　within　reach　of　her
friend。　Nobody　who　knew　her　could　doubt　that　she　had　stolen　into
Lucilla's　bed…chamber；　under　cover　of　Herr　Grosse's　ample　coat…tails。

We　had　just　accounted　in　this　way　for　the　mysterious　absence　of　Jicks；
when　we　heard　the　bed…chamber　door　opened；　and　the　surgeon's　voice
calling　for　Zillah。　In　a　minute　more　the　nurse　appeared；　the　bearer　of　a
message　from　the　next　room。

We　all　surrounded　her；　with　one　and　the　same　question　to　ask。　What　had
Herr　Grosse　decided　to　do？　The　answer　informed　us　that　he　had　decided　on
forbidding　Lucilla　to　try　her　eyes　that　day。

〃Is　she　very　much　disappointed？〃　Oscar　inquired　anxiously。

〃I　can　hardly　say；　sir。　She　isn't　like　herself。　I　never　knew　Miss　Lucilla
so　quiet　when　she　was　crossed　in　her　wishes；　before。　When　the　doctor
called　me　into　the　room；　she　said：　'Go　in；　Zillah；　and　tell　them。'　Those
words；　sir；　and　no　more。〃

〃Did　she　express　no　wish　to　see　me？〃　I　inquired。

〃No；　ma'am。　I　took　the　liberty　of　asking　her　if　she　wished　to　see　you。
Miss　Lucilla　shook　her　head；　and　sat　herself　down　on　the　sofa；　and　made
the　doctor　sit　by　her。　'Leave　us　by　ourselves。'　Those　were　the　last　words
she　said　to　me；　before　I　came　in　here。〃

Reverend　Finch　put　the　next　question。　The　Pope　of　Dimchurch　was　himself
again：　the　man　of　many　words　saw　his　chance　of　speaking　once　more。

〃Good　woman；〃　said　the　rector　with　ponderous　politeness；　〃step　this　way。
I　wish　to　address　an　inquiry　to　you。　Did　Miss　Finch　make　any　remark；　in
your　hearing；　indicating　a　desire　to　be　comforted　by　My　Ministrationsas
one　bearing　the　double　relation　towards　her　of　pastor　and　parent？〃

〃I　didn't　hear　Miss　Lucilla　say　anything　to　that　effect；　sir。〃

Mr。　Finch　waved　his　hand　with　a　look　of　disgust；　intimating　that　Zillah's
audience　was　over。　Nugent；　upon　that；　came　forward；　and　stopped　her　as
she　was　leaving　the　room。

〃Have　you　nothing　more　to　tell　us？〃　he　asked。

〃No；　sir。〃

〃Why　don't　they　come　back　here？　What　are　they　doing　in　the　other　room？〃

〃They　were　doing　what　I　mentioned　just　now；　sirthey　were　sitting　side
by　side　on　the　sofa。　Miss　Lucilla　was　talking；　and　the　doctor　was

listening　to　her。　And　Jicks；〃　added　Zillah；　addressing　herself
confidentially　to　me；　〃was　behind　them；　picking　the　doctor's　pocket。〃

Oscar　put　in　a　word　thereby　no　means　in　his　most　gracious　manner。

〃What　was　Miss　Lucilla　saying　to　the　doctor？〃

〃I　don't　know；　sir。〃

〃You　don't　know？〃

〃I　couldn't　hear；　sir。　Miss　Lucilla　was　speaking　to　him　in　a　whisper。〃

After　that；　there　was　no　more　to　be　said。　Zillahdisturbed　over　her
domestic　occupations　and　eager　to　get　back　to　her　kitchenseized　the
first　chance　of　leaving　the　room；　going　out　in　such　a　hurry　that　she
forgot　to　close　the　door　after　her。　We　all　looked　at　each　other。　To　what
conclusion　did　the　nurse's　strange　answers　point？　It　was　plainly
impossible　for　Oscar　（no　matter　how　quick　his　temper　might　be）　to　feel
jealous　of　a　man　of　Grosse's　age　and　personal　appearance。　Still；　the
prolonged　interview　between　patient　and　surgeonafter　the　decision　had
been　pronounced　and　the　trial　of　the　eyes　definitely　deferred　to　a　future
dayhad　a　strange　appearance；　to　say　the　least　of　it。

Nugent　returned　to　his　place　at　the　windowpuzzled；　suspicious；　deep　in
his　own　thoughts。　Reverend　Finch；　swelling　with　unspoken　words；　rose
portentously　from　his　chair　by　his　wife's　side。　Had　he　discovered　another
chance　of　inflicting　his　eloquence　on　us？　It　was　only　too　evident　that　he
had！　He　looked　at　us　with　his　ominous　smile。　He　addressed　us　in　his
biggest　voice。

〃My　Christian　friends〃

Nugent；　unassailable　by　eloquence；　persisted　in　looking　out　of　the
window。　Oscar；　insensible　to　every　earthly　consideration　except　the　one
consideration　of　Lucilla；　drew　me　aside　unceremoniously　out　of　the
rector's　hearing。　Mr。　Finch　resumed。

〃My　Christian　friends；　I　could　wish　to　say　a　few　appropriate　words。〃

〃Go　to　Lucilla！〃　whispered　Oscar；　taking　me　entreatingly　by　both　hands。
〃_You_　needn't　stand　on　ceremony　with　her。　Do；　do　see　what　is　going　on　in
the　next　room！〃

Mr。　Finch　resumed。

〃The　occasion　seems　to　call　upon　one　in　my　position　for　a　little
sustaining　advice　on　Christian　dutyI　would　say；　the　duty　of　being
cheerful　under　disappointment。〃

Oscar　persisted。

〃Do　me　the　greatest　of　all　favors！　Pray　find　out　what　is　keeping　Lucilla
with　that　man！〃

Mr。　Finch　cleared　his　throat；　and　lifted　his　right　hand　persuasively　by
way　of　introduction　to　his　next　sentence。

I　answered　Oscar　in　a　whisper。

〃I　don't　like　intruding　on　them。　Lucilla　told　the　nurse　they　were　to　be
left　by　themselves。〃

Just　as　I　said　the　words；　I　became　aware　of　a　sudden　bump　against　me　from
behind。　I　turned；　and　discovered　Jicks　with　the　battering…ram…doll；
preparing　for　a　second　plunge　at　me。　She　stopped；　when　she　found　that　she
had　attracted　my　attention；　and；　taking　hold　of　my　dress；　tried　to　pull
me　out　of　the　room。

〃Remove　that　child！〃　cried　the　rector；　exasperated　by　this　new
interruption。

The　child　pulled　harder　and　harder　at　my　dress。　Something　had　apparently
happened　outside　the　sitting…room　which　had　produced　a　strong　impression
on　her。　Her　little　round　face　was　flushed；　her　bright　blue　eyes　were　wide
open　and　staring。　〃Jicks　wants　to　speak　to　you；〃　she　saidand　pulled　at
me　impatiently　harder　than　ever。

I　stooped　down　with　the　double　purpose　of　obeying　Mr。　Finch's　commands
and　of　humouring　the　child's　whim；　by　carrying　Jicks　out　of　the　room；
when　I　was　startled　by　a　sound　from　the　bed…chamberthe　sound；　loud　and
peremptory；　of　Lucilla's　voice。

〃Let　go　of　me！〃　she　cried。　〃I　am　a　womanI　won't　be　treated　like　a
child。〃

There　was　a　moment　of　silencefollowed　by　the　rustling　sound　of　her
dress；　approaching　us　along　the　corridor。

Grosse's　voiceunmistakably　angry　and　excitedbecame　audible　at　the
same　time。　〃No！　Come　back！　come　back！〃

The　rustling　sound　of　the　dress　came　nearer。

Nugent　and　Mr。　Finch　moved　together　closer　to　the　door。　Oscar　caught　me
by　the　arm。　He　and　I　were　on　the　left…hand　side　of　the　door：　Nugent　and
the　rector　were　on　the　right…hand　side。　It　all　happened　with　the
suddenness　of　a　flash　of　lightning。　My　heart　stood　still。　I　couldn't
speak。　I　couldn't　move。

The　half…closed　door　of　the　sitting…room　was　burst　wide　openroughly；
violently；　as　if　a　man；　not　a　woman；　had　been　on　the　other　side。　（The
rector　drew　back；　Nugent　remained　where　he　was。）　Wildly　groping　her　way
with　outstretched　arms；　as　I　had　never　seen　her　grope　it　in　the　time　of
her　blindness；　Lucilla　staggered　into　the　room。　Merciful　God！　the　bandage
was　off。　The　life；　the　new　life　of　sight；　was　in　her　eyes。　It
transfigured　her　face：　it　irradiated　her　beauty　with　an　awful　and
unearthly　light。　She　saw！　she　saw！

For　an　instant　she　stopped　at　the　door；　swaying　to　and　fro；　giddy　under
the　broad　stare　of　daylight。

She　looked　at　the　rectorthen　at　Mrs。　Finch；　who　had　followed　her
husband。　She　paused　bewildered；　and　put　her　hands　over　her　eyes。　She
slightly　changed　her　position；　turned　her　head；　as　if　to　look　at　me；
turned　it　back　sharply　towards　the　right…hand　side　of　the　door　again；　and
threw　up　her　arms　in　the　air；　with　a　burst　of　hysterical　laughter。　The
laughter　ended　in　a　scream　of　triumph；　which　rang　through　the　house。　She
rushed　at　Nugent　Dubourg；　so　blindly　incapable　of　measuring　her　distance
that　she　struck　against　him　violently；　and　nearly　threw　him　down。　〃I　know
him！　I　know　him！〃　she　criedand　flung　her　arms　round　his　neck。　〃Oh；
Oscar！　Oscar！〃　She　clasped　him　to　her　with　all　her　strength　as　the　name
passed　her　lips；　and　dropped　her　head　on　his　bosom　in　an　ecstasy　of　joy。

It　was　done　before　any　of　us　had　recovered　the　use　of　our　senses。　The
whole　horrible　scene　must　have　begun　and　ended　in　less　than　half　a　minute
of　time。　The　surgeon；　who　had　run　into　the　room　after　her；　empty…handed；
turned　suddenly；　and　left　it　again；　coming　back　with　th