poor miss finch-第69节

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rectory…place；　in　spite　of　that　windy…talky…puff…bag…Feench…father　of
hers。　I　say　positivelyNugent　shall　come　into　the　house。〃

There　was　no　help　for　it　now。　I　was　obliged　to　tell　him　that　Nugent　had
left　Browndown；　and　that　I　was　the　person　who　had　sent　him　away。

For　a　moment；　I　was　really　in　doubt　whether　the　skilled　hand　of　the　great
surgeon　would　not　be　ignobly　employed　in　boxing　my　ears。　No　perversion　of
spelling　can　possibly　report　the　complicated　German…English　jargon　in
which　his　fury　poured　itself　out　on　my　devoted　head。　Let　it　be　enough　to
say　that　he　declared　Nugent's　abominable　personation　of　his　brother　to　be
vitally　importantso　long　as　Oscar　was　absentto　his　successful
treatment　of　the　sensitive　and　excitable　patient　whom　we　had　placed　under
his　care。　I　vainly　assured　him　that　Nugent's　object　in　leaving　Dimchurch
was　to　set　matters　right　again　by　bringing　his　brother　back。　Grosse
flatly　declined　to　allow　himself　to　be　influenced　by　any　speculative
consideration　of　that　sort。　He　said　（and　swore）　that　my　meddling　had
raised　a　serious　obstacle　in　his　way；　and　that　nothing　but　his　own　tender
regard　for　Lucilla　prevented　him　from　〃turning　the　coachmans　back；〃　and
leaving　us　henceforth　to　shift　for　ourselves。

When　we　reached　the　rectory　gate；　he　had　cooled　a　little。　As　we　crossed
the　garden；　he　reminded　me　that　I　stood　pledged　to　be　present　when　the
bandage　was　taken　off。

　〃Now　mind！〃　he　said。　〃You　are　going　to　see；　if　it　is　goot　or　bad　to　tell
her　that　she　has　had　those　nice　white　arms　of　hers　round　the　wrong
brodder。　You　are　going　to　tell　me　afterwards；　if　you　dare　say　to　her；　in
plain　English　words；　'Blue…Face　is　the　man。'

We　found　Lucilla　in　the　sitting…room。　Grosse　briefly　informed　her　that　he
had　nothing　particular　to　occupy　him　in　London；　and　that　he　had　advanced
the　date　of　his　visit　on　that　account。　〃You　want　something　to　do；　my
lofe；　on　this　soaky…rainy　day。　Show　Papa…Grosse　what　you　can　do　with　your
eyes；　now　you　have　got　them　back　again。〃　With　those　words；　he　unfastened
the　bandage；　and；　taking　her　by　the　chin；　examined　her　eyesfirst
without　his　magnifying　glass；　then　with　it。

〃Am　I　going　on　well？〃　she　asked　anxiously。

〃Famous…well！　You　go　on　（as　my　goot　friends　say　in　America）　first…class。
Now　use　your　eyes　for　yourself。　Gif　one　lofing　look　to　Grosse　first。
Thensee！　see！　see！〃

There　was　no　mistaking　the　tone　in　which　he　spoke　to　her。

He　was　not　only　satisfied　about　her　eyeshe　was　triumphant。　〃Soh！〃　he
grunted；　turning　to　me。　〃Why　is　Mr。　Sebrights　not　here　to　look　at　this？〃

I　eagerly　approached　Lucilla。　There　was　still　a　little　dimness　left　in
her　eyes。　I　noticed　also　that　they　moved　to　and　fro　restlessly；　and　（at
times）　wildly。　But；　oh；　the　bright　change　in　her！　the　new　life　of　beauty
which　the　new　sense　had　bestowed　on　her　already！　Her　smile；　always
charming；　now　caught　light　from　her　lips；　and　spread　its　gentle
fascination　over　all　her　face。　It　was　impossible　not　to　long　to　kiss　her。
I　advanced　to　congratulate；　to　embrace　her。　Grosse　stepped　forward；　and
checked　me。

〃No；〃　he　said。　〃Walk　your　ways　to　the　odder　end　of　the　roomsand　let　us
see　if　_she_　can　go　to　_you。_〃

Like　all　other　people；　knowing　no　more　of　the　subject　than　I　knew；　I　had
no　idea　of　the　pitiably　helpless　manner　in　which　the　restored　sense　of
sight　struggles　to　assert　itself；　in　persons　who　have　been　blind　for
life。　In　such　cases；　the　effort　of　the　eyes　that　are　first　learning　to
see；　is　like　the　effort　of　the　limbs　when　a　child　is　first　learning　to
walk。　But　for　Grosse's　odd　way　of　taking　it；　the　scene　which　I　was　now　to
witness　would　have　been　painful　in　the　last　degree。　My　poor
Lucillainstead　of　filling　me　with　joy；　as　I　had　anticipatedwould　I
really　believe　have　wrung　my　heart；　and　have　made　me　burst　out　crying。

〃Now！〃　said　Grosse；　laying　one　hand　on　Lucilla's　arm；　while　he　pointed　to
me　with　the　other。　〃There　she　stands。　Can　you　go　to　her？〃

〃Of　course　I　can！〃

〃I　lay　you　a　bet…wager　you　can　_not！_　Ten　thausand　pounds　to　six　pennies。
Done…done。　Now　try！〃

She　answered　by　a　little　gesture　of　defiance；　and　took　three　hasty　steps
forward。　Bewildered　and　frightened；　she　stopped　suddenly　at　the　third
stepbefore　she　had　advanced　half　the　way　from　her　end　of　the　room　to
mine。

〃I　saw　her　here；〃　she　said；　pointing　down　to　the　spot　on　which　she　was
standing；　and　appealing　piteously　to　Grosse。　〃I　see　her　nowand　I　don't
know　where　she　is！　She　is　so　near；　I　feel　as　if　she　touched　my　eyesand
yet〃　（she　advanced　another　step；　and　clutched　with　her　hands　at　the　empty
air）〃and　yet；　I　can't　get　near　enough　to　take　hold　of　her。　Oh！　what
does　it　mean？　what　does　it　mean？〃

〃It　meanspay　me　my　six　pennies！〃　said　Grosse。　〃The　wager…bet　is　mine！〃

　She　resented　his　laughing　at　her；　with　an　obstinate　shake　of　her　head；
and　an　angry　knitting　of　her　pretty　eyebrows。

　〃Wait　a　little；〃　she　said。　〃You　shan't　win　quite　so　easily　as　that。　I
will　get　to　her　yet！〃

　She　came　straight　to　me　in　a　momentjust　as　easily　as　I　could　have　gone
to　her　myself　if　I　had　tried。

　〃Another　wager…bet！〃　cried　Grosse；　still　standing　behind　her；　and
calling　to　me。　〃Twenty　thousand　pounds　this　time　to　a　fourpennies…bit。
_She　has　shut　her　eyes　to　get　to　you。_　Hey！〃

　It　was　trueshe　had　blindfolded　herself！　With　her　eyes　closed；　she
could　measure　to　a　hair's　breadth　the　distance　which；　with　her　eyes
opened；　she　was　perfectly　incompetent　to　calculate！　Detected　by　both　of
us；　she　sat　down；　poor　dear；　with　a　sigh　of　despair。　〃Was　it　worth
while；〃　she　said　to　me　sadly；　〃to　go　through　the　operation　for　_this？_〃

　Grosse　joined　us　at　our　end　of　the　room。

〃All　in　goot　time；〃　he　said。　〃Patienceand　these　helpless　eyes　of　yours
will　learn。　Soh！　I　shall　begin　to　teach　them　now。　You　have　got　your　own
notionshey？about　this　colors　and　that？　When　you　were　blind；　did　you
think　what　would　be　your　favorite　colors　if　you　could　see？　You　did？　Which
colors　is　it？　Tell　me。　Come！〃

〃White　first；〃　she　answered。　〃Then　scarlet。〃

Grosse　paused；　and　considered。

〃White；　I　understand；〃　he　said。　〃White　is　the　fancy　of　a　young　girls。　But
why　scarlets？　Could　you　see　scarlets　when　you　were　blind？〃

〃Almost；〃　she　answered；　〃if　it　was　bright　enough。　I　used　to　feel
something　pass　before　my　eyes　when　scarlet　was　shown　to　me。〃

　〃In　these　cataracts…cases；　it　is　constantly　scarlets　that　they　almost
see；〃　muttered　Grosse　to　himself。　〃There　must　be　reason　for　thisand　I
must　find　him。〃　He　went　on　with　his　questions　to　Lucilla。　〃And　the　colors
you　hate　mostwhich　is　_he？_〃

〃Black。〃

Grosse　nodded　his　head　approvingly。　〃I　thought　so；〃　he　said。　〃It　is
always　black　that　they　hate。　For　this　also　there　must　be　reasonand　I
must　find　_him。_〃

Having　expressed　that　resolution；　he　approached　the　writing…table；　and
took　a　sheet　of　paper　out　of　the　case；　and　a　circular　pen…wiper　of
scarlet　cloth　out　of　the　inkstand。　After　that；　he　looked　about　him；
waddled　back　to　the　other　end　of　the　room；　and　fetched　the　black　felt　hat
in　which　he　had　traveled　from　London。　He　ranged　the　hat；　the　paper；　and
the　pen…wiper　in　a　row。　Before　he　could　put　his　next　question　to　her；　she
pointed　to　the　hat　with　a　gesture　of　disapproval。

〃Take　it　away；〃　she　said。　〃I　don't　like　that。〃

Grosse　stopped　me　before　I　could　speak。

〃Wait　a　little；〃　he　whispered　in　my　ear。　〃It　is　not　quite　so　wonderful　as
you　think。　These　blind　peoples；　when　they　first　see；　have　all　alike　the
same　hatred　of　anything　what　is　dark。〃　He　turned　to　Lucilla。　〃Say；〃　he
asked。　〃Is　your　favorite　colors　among　these　things　here？〃

She　passed　by　the　hat　in　contempt；　looked　at　the　pen…wiper；　and　put　it
down；　looked　at　the　sheet　of　paper；　and　put　it　down；　hesitatedand　again
shut　her　eyes。

〃No！〃　cried　Grosse。　〃I　won't　have　it！　How　dare　you　blind　yourself；　in　the
presence　of　Me？　What！　I　give　you　back　your　sights；　and　you　go　shut　your
eyes。　Open　themor　I　will　put　you　in　the　corner　like　a　naughty　girls。
Your　favorite　colors？　Now；　now；　now！〃

She　opened　her　eyes　（very　unwillingly）；　and　looked　once　more　at　the
pen…wiper　and　the　paper。

〃I　see　nothing　as　bright　as　my　favorite　colors　here；〃　she　said。

Grosse　held　up　the　sheet　of　paper；　and　pressed　the　question　without
mercy。

〃What！　is　white；　whiter　than　this？〃

〃Fifty　thousand　times　whiter　than　that！〃

〃Goot。　Now　mind！　This　paper　is　white；〃　（he　snatched　her　handkerchief　out
of　her　apron…pocket）。　〃This　handkerchief　is　white；　too；　whitest　of　white；
both　of　them。　First　lesson；　my　lofe！　Here　in　my　hands　is　your　favorite
colors；　in　the　time　when　you　were　blind。〃

　〃_Those！_〃she　exclaimed；　pointing　to　the　paper　and　the　handkerchief；
with　a　look　of　blank　disappointment　as　he　dropped　them　on　the　table。　She
turned　over　the　pen…wiper　and　the　hat；　and　looked　round　at　me。　Grosse；
waiting　to　try　another　experiment；　left　it　to　me　to　answer。　The　result；
in　both　cases；　was　the　same　as　in　the　cases　of　the　sheet　of　paper　and　the
handkerchief。　Scarlet　was　not　half　as　redblack；　not　one…hundredth　part
as　blackas　her　imagination　had　figured　them　to　her；　in　the　days　when
she　was　blind。　Still；　as　to　this　last　coloras　to　blackshe　could　feel
some　little　encouragement。　It　had　affected　her　disagre