poor miss finch-第60节

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of　time。　The　surgeon；　who　had　run　into　the　room　after　her；　empty…handed；
turned　suddenly；　and　left　it　again；　coming　back　with　the　bandage；　left
forgotten　in　the　bed…room。　Grosse　was　the　first　among　us　to　recover　his
presence　of　mind。　He　approached　her　in　silence。

She　heard　him；　before　he　could　take　her　by　surprise；　and　slip　the　bandage
over　her　eyes。　The　moment　when　I　turned；　horror…struck；　to　look　at　Oscar；
was　also　the　moment　when　she　lifted　her　head　from　Nugent's　bosom　to　look
for　the　surgeon。　Her　eyes　followed　the　direction　taken　by　mine。　They
encountered　Oscar's　face。　She　saw　the　blue…black　hue　of　it　in　full　light。

A　cry　of　terror　escaped　her：　she　started　back；　shuddering；　and　caught
hold　of　Nugent's　arm。　Grosse　motioned　sternly　to　him　to　turn　her　face
from　the　window；　and　lifted　the　bandage。　She　clutched　at　it　with　feverish
eagerness　as　he　held　it　up。　〃Put　it　on　again！〃　she　said；　holding　by
Nugent　with　one　hand；　and　lifting　the　other　to　point　towards　Oscar　with　a
gesture　of　disgust。　〃Put　it　on　again。　I　have　seen　too　much　already。〃

Grosse　fastened　the　bandage　over　her　eyes；　and　waited　a　little。　She　still
held　Nugent's　arm。　The　sting　of　my　indignation　as　I　saw　it；　roused　me
into　doing　something。　I　stepped　forward　to　part　them。　Grosse　stopped　me。
〃No！〃　he　said。　〃Don't　make　bad　worse。〃　I　looked　at　Oscar　for　the　second
time。　There　he　stood；　as　he　had　stood　from　the　first　moment　when　she
appeared　at　the　doorhis　eyes　staring　wildly　straight　before　him；　his
limbs　set　and　fixed。　I　went　to　him；　and　touched　him。　He　seemed　not　to
feel　it。　I　spoke　to　him。　I　might　as　well　have　spoken　to　a　man　of　stone。

Grosse's　voice　drew　my　attention；　for　a　moment；　the　other　way。

〃Come！〃　he　said；　trying　to　take　Lucilla　back　into　her　own　room。

She　shook　her　head；　and　tightened　her　hold　on　Nugent's　arm。

〃_You_　take　me；〃　she　whispered。　〃As　far　as　the　door。〃

I　again　attempted　to　stop　it；　and　again　the　German　put　me　back。

〃Not　to…day！〃　he　said　sternly。　With　that；　he　made　a　sign　to　Nugent；　and
placed　himself　on　Lucilla's　other　side。　In　silence；　the　two　men　led　her
out　of　the　room。　The　door　closed　on　them。　It　was　over。

CHAPTER　THE　THIRTY…SIXTH

The　Brothers　Meet

A　FAINT　sound　of　crying　found　its　way　to　my　ears　from　the　lower　end　of
the　room；　and　reminded　me　that　the　rector　and　his　wife　had　been　present
among　us。　Feeble　Mrs。　Finch　was　lying　back　in　her　chair；　weeping　and
wailing　over　what　had　happened。　Her　husband；　with　the　baby　in　his　arms；
was　trying　to　compose　her。　I　ought　perhaps　to　have　offered　my　helpbut；
I　own；　poor　Mrs。　Finch's　distress　produced　only　a　passing　impression　on
me。　My　whole　heart　was　with　another　person。　I　forgot　the　rector　and　his
wife；　and　went　back　to　Oscar。

This　time　he　movedhe　lifted　his　head　when　he　saw　me。　Shall　I　ever
forget　the　silent　misery　in　that　face；　the　dull　dreadful　stare　in　those
tearless　eyes？

I　took　his　handI　felt　for　the　poor　disfigured；　rejected　man　as　his
mother　might　have　felt　for　himI　gave　him　a　mother's　kiss。　〃Be
comforted；　Oscar；〃　I　said。　〃Trust　me　to　set　this　right。〃

He　drew　a　long　trembling　breath；　and　pressed　my　hand　gratefully。　I
attempted　to　speak　to　him　againhe　stopped　me　by　looking　suddenly
towards　the　door。

〃Is　Nugent　outside？〃　he　asked　in　a　whisper。

I　went　into　the　corridor。　It　was　empty。　I　looked　into　Lucilla's　room。　She
and　Grosse　and　the　nurse　were　the　only　persons　in　it。　I　beckoned　to
Zillah　to　come　out　and　speak　to　me。　I　asked　for　Nugent。　He　had　left
Lucilla　abruptly　at　the　bed…room　doorhe　was　out　of　the　house。　I
inquired　if　it　was　known　in　what　direction　he　had　gone。　Zillah　had　seen
him　in　the　field　at　the　end　of　the　garden；　walking　away　rapidly；　with　his
back　to　the　village；　and　his　face　to　the　hills。

〃Nugent　has　gone；〃　I　said；　returning　to　Oscar。

〃Add　to　your　kindness　to　me；〃　he　answered。　〃Let　_me_　go　too。〃

A　quick　fear　crossed　my　mind；　that　he　might　be　bent　on　following　his
brother。

〃Wait　a　little；〃　I　said；　〃and　rest　here。〃

He　shook　his　head。

〃I　must　be　by　myself；〃　he　said。　After　considering　a　little；　he　added　a
question。　〃Has　Nugent　gone　to　Browndown？〃

〃No。　Nugent　has　been　seen　walking　towards　the　hills。〃

He　took　my　hand　again。　〃Be　merciful　to　me；〃　he　said。　〃Let　me　go。〃

〃Home？　To　Browndown？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Let　me　go　with　you。〃

He　shook　his　head。　〃Forgive　me。　You　shall　hear　from　me　later　in　the　day。〃

No　tears！　no　flaming…up　of　the　quick　temper　that　I　knew　so　well！　Nothing
in　his　face；　nothing　in　his　voice；　nothing　in　his　manner；　but　a　composure
miserable　to　seethe　composure　of　despair。

〃At　least；　let　me　accompany　you　to　the　gate；〃　I　said。

〃God　bless　and　reward　you！〃　he　answered。　〃Let　me　go。〃

With　a　gentle　handand　yet　with　a　firmness　which　took　me　completely　by
surprisehe　separated　himself　from　me；　and　went　out。

I　could　stand　no　longerI　dropped　trembling　into　a　chair。　The　conviction
forced　itself　on　me　that　there　were　worse　complications；　direr
misfortunes；　still　to　come。　I　was　almost　beside　myselfI　broke　out
vehemently　with　wild　words　spoken　in　my　own　language。　Mrs。　Finch　recalled
me　to　my　senses。　I　saw　her　as　in　a　dream；　drying　her　tears；　and　looking
at　me　in　alarm。　The　rector　approached；　with　profuse　expressions　of
sympathy　and　offers　of　assistance。　I　wanted　no　comforting。　I　had　served　a
hard　apprenticeship　to　life；　I　had　been　well　seasoned　to　trouble。　〃Thank
you；　sir；〃　I　said。　〃Look　to　Mrs。　Finch。〃　There　was　more　air　in　the
corridor。　I　went　out　again；　to　walk　about；　and　get　the　better　of　it
there。

A　small　object　attracted　my　attention；　crouched　up　on　one　of　the　window
seats。　The　small　object　wasJicks。

I　suppose　the　child's　instinct　must　have　told　her　that　something　had　gone
wrong。　She　looked　furtively　sideways　at　me；　round　her　doll：　she　had　grave
doubts　of　my　intentions　towards　her。　〃Are　you　going　to　whack　Jicks？〃
asked　the　curious　little　creature；　shrinking　into　her　corner。　I　sat　down
by　her；　and　soon　recovered　my　place　in　her　confidence。　She　began　to
chatter　again　as　fast　as　usual。　I　listened　to　her　as　I　could　have
listened　to　no　grown…up　person　at　that　moment。　In　some　mysterious　way
that　I　cannot　explain；　the　child　comforted　me。　Little　by　little；　I　learnt
what　she　had　wanted　with　me；　when　she　had　attempted　to　drag　me　out　of　the
room。　She　had　seen　all　that　had　passed　in　the　bed…chamber；　and　she　had
run　out　to　take　me　back　with　her；　and　show　me　the　wonderful　sight　of
Lucilla　with　the　bandage　off　her　eyes。　If　I　had　been　wise　enough　to
listen　to　Jicks；　I　might　have　prevented　the　catastrophe　that　had
happened。　I　might　have　met　Lucilla　in　the　corridor；　and　have　forced　her
back　into　her　own　room　and　turned　the　key　on　her。

It　was　too　late　now　to　regret　what　had　happened。　〃Jicks　has　been　good；〃　I
said；　patting　my　little　friend　on　the　head　with　a　heavy　heart。　The　child
listenedconsidered　with　herself　gravelygot　off　the　window…seatand
claimed　her　reward　for　being　good；　with　that　excellent　brevity　of　speech
which　so　eminently　distinguished　her：

〃Jicks　will　go　out。〃

With　those　words；　she　shouldered　her　doll；　and　walked　off。　The　last　I　saw
of　her；　she　was　descending　the　stairs　as　a　workman　descends　a　ladder；　on
her　way　to　the　gardenand　from　the　garden　（the　first　time　the　gate　was
opened）　to　the　hills。　If　I　could　have　gone　out　with　her　light　heart；　I
would　have　joined　Jicks。

I　had　hardly　lost　sight　of　the　child；　before　the　door　of　Lucilla's　room
opened；　and　Herr　Grosse　appeared　in　the　corridor。

〃Soh！〃　he　muttered　with　a　gesture　of　relief；　〃the　very　womans　I　was
looking　for。　A　nice　mess…fix　we　are　in　now！　I　must　stop　with　Feench。　（I
shall　end　in　hating　Feench！）　Can　you　put　me　into　a　beds　for　the　night？〃

I　assured　him　that　he　could　easily　sleep　at　the　rectory。　In　answer　to　my
inquiries　after　his　patient；　he　gravely　acknowledged　that　he　was　anxious
about　Lucilla。　The　varying　and　violent　emotions　which　had　shaken　her
（acting　through　her　nervous　system）　might　produce　results　which　would
imperil　the　recovery　of　her　sight。　Absolute　repose　was　not　simply
necessaryit　was　now　the　only　chance　for　her。　For　the　next
four…and…twenty　hours；　he　must　keep　watch　over　her　eyes。　At　the　end　of
that　timeno　earlierhe　might　be　able　to　say　whether　the　mischief　done
would　be　fatal　to　her　sight　or　not。　I　asked　how　she　had　contrived　to　get
her　bandage　off；　and　to　make　her　fatal　entrance　into　the　sitting…room。

He　shrugged　his　shoulders。　〃There　are　times；〃　he　said　cynically；　〃when
every　womans　is　a　hussy；　and　every　mans　is　a　fool。　This　was　one　of　the
times。〃

It　appeared；　on　further　explanation；　that　my　poor　Lucilla　had　pleaded　so
earnestly　（after　the　nurse　had　left　the　room）　to　be　allowed　to　try　her
eyes；　and　had　shown　such　ungovernable　disappointment　when　he　persisted　in
saying　No；　that　he　had　yieldednot　so　much　to　her　entreaties；　as　to　his
own　conviction　that　it　would　be　less　dangerous　to　humour　her　than　to
thwart　her；　with　such　a　sensitive　and　irritable　temperament　as　hers。　He
had　first　bargained　however；　on　his　side；　that　she　should　remain　in　the
bed…chamber；　and　be　content；　for　that　time；　with　using　her　sight　on　the
objects　round　her　in　the　room。　She　had　promised　all　that　he　askedand　he
had　been　foolish　enough　to　trust