poor miss finch-第61节

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objects　round　her　in　the　room。　She　had　promised　all　that　he　askedand　he
had　been　foolish　enough　to　trust　to　her　promise。　The　bandage　once　off；
she　had　instantly　set　every　consideration　at　defiancehad　torn　herself
out　of　his　hands　like　a　mad　creatureand　had　rushed　into　the
sitting…room　before　he　could　stop　her。　The　rest　had　followed　as　a　matter
of　course。　Feeble　as　it　was　at　the　first　trial　of　it；　her　sense　of　sight
was　sufficiently　restored　to　enable　her　to　distinguish　objects　dimly。　Of
the　three　persons　who　had　offered　themselves　to　view　on　the　right…hand
side　of　the　door；　one　（Mrs。　Finch）　was　a　woman；　another　（Mr。　Finch）　was　a
short；　grey…headed；　elderly　man；　the　third　（Nugent）；　in　his　heightwhich
she　could　seeand　in　the　color　of　his　hairwhich　she　could　see…was　the
only　one　of　the　three　who　could　possibly　represent　Oscar。　The　catastrophe
that　followed　was　（as　things　were）　inevitable。　Now　that　the　harm　was
done；　the　one　alternative　left　was　to　check　the　mischief　at　the　point
which　it　had　already　reached。　Not　the　slightest　hint　at　the　terrible
mistake　that　she　had　made　must　be　suffered　to　reach　her　ears。　If　we　any
of　us　said　one　word　about　it　before　he　authorized　us　to　do　so；　he　would
refuse　to　answer　for　the　consequences；　and　would　then　and　there　throw　up
the　case。

So；　in　his　broken　English；　Herr　Grosse　explained　what　had　happened；　and
issued　his　directions　for　our　future　conduct。

〃No　person　is　to　go　into　her；〃　he　said；　in　conclusion；　〃but　you　and　goot
Mrs。　Zillahs。　You　two　watch　her；　turn…about…turn…about。　In　a　whiles；　she
will　sleep。　For　me；　I　go　to　smoke　my　tobaccos　in　the　garden。　Hear　this；
Madame　Pratolungo。　When　Gott　made　the　womens；　he　was　sorry　afterwards　for
the　poor　mensand　he　made　tobaccos　to　comfort　them。〃

Favoring　me　with　this　peculiar　view　of　the　scheme　of　creation；　Herr
Grosse　shook　his　shock　head；　and　waddled　away　to　the　garden。

I　softly　opened　the　bed…room　door；　and　looked　indisappearing　just　in
time　to　escape　the　rector　and　Mrs。　Finch　returning　to　their　own　side　of
the　house。

Lucilla　was　lying　on　the　sofa。　She　asked　who　it　was　in　a　drowsy
voiceshe　was　happily　just　sinking　into　slumber。　Zillah　occupied　a　chair
near　her。　I　was　not　wanted　for　the　momentand　I　was　glad；　for　the　first
time　in　my　experience　at　Dimchurch；　to　get　out　of　the　room　again。　By　some
contradiction　in　my　character　which　I　am　not　able　to　explain；　there　was　a
certain　hostile　influence　in　the　sympathy　that　I　felt　for　Oscar；　which
estranged　me；　for　the　moment；　from　Lucilla。　It　was　not　her　faultand　yet
（I　am　ashamed　to　own　it）　I　almost　felt　angry　with　her　for　reposing　so
comfortably；　when　I　thought　of　the　poor　fellow；　without　a　creature　to　say
a　kind　word　to　him；　alone　at　Browndown。

Out　again　in　the　corridor；　the　question　faced　me：What　was　I　to　do　next？

The　loneliness　of　the　house　was　insupportable；　my　anxiety　about　Oscar
grew　more　than　I　could　endure。　I　put　on　my　hat；　and　went　out。

Having　no　desire　to　interfere　with　Herr　Grosse's　enjoyment　of　his　pipe；　I
made　my　way　through　the　garden　as　quickly　as　possible；　and　found　myself
in　the　village　again。　My　uneasiness　on　the　subject　of　Oscar；　was　matched
by　my　angry　desire　to　know　what　Nugent　would　do。　Now　that　he　had　worked
the　very　mischief　which　his　brother　had　foreseen　to　be　possiblethe　very
mischief　which　it　had　been　Oscar's　one　object　to　prevent　in　asking　him　to
leave　Dimchurchwould　he　take　his　departure？　would　he　rid　us；　at　once
and　for　ever；　of　the　sight　of　him？　The　bare　idea　of　the　other
alternativeI　mean；　of　his　remaining　in　the　placeshook　me　with　such　an
unutterable　dread　of　what　might　happen　next；　that　my　feet　refused　to
support　me。　I　was　obliged；　just　beyond　the　village；　to　sit　down　by　the
road…side；　and　wait　till　my　giddy　head　steadied　itself　before　I　attempted
to　move　again。

After　a　minute　or　two；　I　heard　footsteps　coming　along　the　road。　My　heart
gave　one　great　leap　in　me。　I　thought　it　was　Nugent。

A　moment　more　brought　the　person　in　view。　It　was　only　Mr。　Gootheridge　of
the　village　inn；　on　his　way　home。　He　stopped；　and　took　off　his　hat。

〃Tired；　ma'am？〃　he　said。

The　uppermost　idea　in　my　mind　found　its　way　somehow；　ill　as　I　was；　to
expression　on　my　lipsin　the　form　of　a　question　addressed　to　the
landlord。

〃Do　you　happen　to　have　seen　anything　of　Mr。　Nugent　Dubourg？〃　I　asked。

〃I　saw　him　not　five　minutes　since；　ma'am。〃

〃Where？〃

〃Going　into　Browndown。〃

I　started　up；　as　if　I　had　been　struck　or　shot。　Worthy　Mr。　Gootheridge
stared。　I　wished　him　good…day；　and　went　on　as　fast　as　my　feet　would　take
me；　straight　to　Browndown。　Had　the　brothers　met　in　the　house？　I　turned
cold　at　the　bare　thought　of　itbut　I　still　kept　on。　There　was　an
obstinate　resolution　in　me　to　part　them；　which　served　me　in　place　of
courage。　Account　for　it　as　you　may；　I　was　bold　and　frightened　both　at　the
same　time。　At　one　moment；　I　was　fool　enough　to　say　to　myself；　〃They　will
kill　me。〃　At　another；　just　as　foolishly；　I　found　comfort　in　the　opposite
view。　〃Bah！　They　are　gentlemen；　they　can't　hurt　a　woman！〃

The　servant　was　standing　idling　at　the　front　door；　when　I　arrived　in
sight　of　the　house。　This；　in　itself；　was　unusual。　He　was　a　hard…working
well…trained　man。　On　other　occasions；　nobody　had　ever　seen　him　out　of　his
proper　place。　He　advanced　a　few　steps　to　meet　me。　I　looked　at　him
carefully。　Not　the　slightest　appearance　of　disturbance　was　visible　in　his
face。

〃Is　Mr。　Oscar　at　home？〃　I　asked。

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　ma'am。　Mr。　Oscar　is　at　homebut　you　can't　see　him。
He　and　Mr。　Nugent　are　together。〃

I　rested　my　hand　on　the　low　wall　in　front　of　the　house；　and　made　a
desperate　effort　to　put　a　calm　face　on　it。

〃Surely　Mr。　Oscar　will　see　_me？_〃　I　said。

〃I　have　Mr。　Oscar's　orders；　ma'am；　to　wait　at　the　door；　and　tell
everybody　who　comes　to　the　house　（without　exception）　that　he　is　engaged。〃

The　house…door　was　half　open。　I　listened　intently　while　the　man　was
speaking。　If　they　had　been　at　high　words　together；　I　must　have　heard　them
in　the　silence　of　the　lonely　hills　all　round　us。　I　heard　nothing。

It　was　strange；　it　was　inconceivable。　At　the　same　time　it　relieved　me。
There　they　were　together；　and　no　harm　had　come　of　it；　so　far。

I　left　my　cardand　walked　on　a　little；　past　the　corner　of　the　house
wall。　As　soon　as　I　was　out　of　the　servant's　sight；　I　turned　back　to　the
side　of　the　building；　and　ventured　as　near　as　I　durst　to　the　window　of
the　sitting…room。　Their　voices　reached　me；　but　not　their　words。　On　both
sides；　the　tones　were　low　and　confidential。　Not　a　note　of　anger　in　either
voicelisten　for　it　as　I　might！　I　left　the　house　again；　breathless　with
amazement；　and　（so　rapidly　does　a　woman　shift　from　one　emotion　to
another）　burning　with　curiosity。

After　half　an　hour　of　aimless　wandering　in　the　valley；　I　returned　to　the
rectory。

Lucilla　was　still　sleeping。　I　took　Zillah's　place；　and　sent　her　into　the
kitchen。　The　landlady　of　the　inn　was　there　to　help　us　with　the　dinner。
But　she　was　hardly　equal；　single…handed；　to　the　superintendence　of　such
dishes　as　we　had　to　set　before　Herr　Grosse。　It　was　high　time　I　relieved
Zillah　if　we　were　to　pass　successfully　through　the　ordeal　of　the　great
surgeon's　criticism；　as　reviewer　of　all　the　sauces。

An　hour　more　passed　before　Lucilla　woke。　I　sent　a　messenger　to　Grosse；
who　appeared　enveloped　in　a　halo　of　tobacco；　examined　the　patient's　eyes；
felt　her　pulse；　ordered　her　wine　and　jelly；　filled　his　monstrous　pipe；
and　gruffly　returned　to　his　promenade　in　the　garden。

The　day　wore　on。　Mr。　Finch　came　to　make　inquiries；　and　then　went　back　to
his　wifewhom　he　described　as　〃hysterically　irresponsible；〃　and　in
imminent　need　of　another　warm　bath。　He　declined；　in　his　most　pathetic
manner；　to　meet　the　German　at　dinner。　〃After　what　I　have　suffered；　after
what　I　have　seen；　these　banquetingsI　would　say；　these　ticklings　of　the
palateare　not　to　my　taste。　You　mean　well；　Madame　Pratolungo。　（Good
creature！）　But　I　am　not　in　heart　for　feasting。　Simple　fare；　by　my　wife's
couch；　a　few　consoling　words；　in　the　character　of　pastor　and　husband；
when　the　infant　is　quiet。　So　my　day　is　laid　out。　I　wish　you　well。　I　don't
object　to　your　little　dinner。　Good　day！　good　day！〃

A　second　examination　of　Lucilla's　eyes　brought　us　to　the　dinner…hour。

At　the　sight　of　the　table…cloth；　Herr　Grosse's　good　humour　returned。　We
two　dined　together　alonethe　German　sending　in　selections　of　his　own
making　from　the　dishes　to　Lucilla's　room。　So　far；　he　said；　she　had
escaped　any　serious　injury。　But　he　still　insisted　on　keeping　his　patient
perfectly　quiet；　and　he　refused　to　answer　for　anything　until　the　night
had　passed。　As　for　me；　Oscar's　continued　silence　weighed　more　and　more
heavily　on　my　spirits。　My　past　suspense　in　the　darkened　room　with　Lucilla
seemed　to　be　a　mere　trifle　by　comparison　with　the　keener　anxieties　which
I　suffered　now。　I　saw　Grosse's　eyes　glaring　discontentedly　at　me　through
his　spectacles。　He　had　good　reason　to　look　at　me　as　he　didI　had　never
before　been　so　stupid　and　so　disagreeable　in　all　my　life。

Towards　the　end　of　the　dinner；　there　came　news　from　Browndown　at　last。
The　servant　sent　in　a　message　by　Zillah；　begging　me　to　see　him　for　a
moment　outside　the　sitting…room　doo