poor miss finch-第92节

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monthhow　soon；　if　you　please；　can　they　be　lawfully　married　after　that？〃

〃I　presume　you　mean　in　church？〃　said　the　young　clergyman。

〃In　church；　of　course。〃　（To　that　extent　I　believed　I　might　answer　for
Lucilla；　without　any　fear　of　making　a　mistake。）

〃They　may　be　married　by　License；〃　said　the　clergyman〃provided　one　of
them　continues　to　reside　in　that　other　place　to　which　they　traveled　on
the　fifthon　the　twenty…first；　or　（possibly）　even　the　twentieth　of　this
month。〃

〃Not　before？〃

〃Certainly　not　before。〃

It　was　then　the　night　of　the　seventeenth。　I　gave　my　companion's　hand　a
little　squeeze　in　the　dark。　Here　was　a　glimpse　of　encouragement　to　cheer
us　on　the　journey。　Before　the　marriage　could　take　place；　we　should　be　in
England。　〃We　have　time　before　us；〃　I　whispered　to　Oscar。　〃We　will　save
Lucilla　yet。〃

〃Shall　we　find　Lucilla？〃　was　all　he　whispered　back。

I　had　forgotten　that　serious　difficulty。　No　answer　to　Oscar's　question
could　possibly　present　itself　until　we　reached　the　rectory。　Between　this
and　then；　there　was　nothing　for　it　but　to　keep　patience　and　to　keep　hope。

I　refrain　from　encumbering　this　part　of　my　narrative　with　any　detailed
account　of　the　little　accidents；　lucky　and　unlucky；　which　alternately
hastened　or　retarded　our　journey　home。　Let　me　only　say　that；　before
midnight　on　the　eighteenth；　Oscar　and　I　drove　up　to　the　rectory　gate。

Mr。　Finch　himself　came　out　to　receive　us；　with　a　lamp　in　his　hand。　He
lifted　his　eyes　（and　his　lamp）　devotionally　to　the　sky　when　he　saw　Oscar。
The　two　first　words　he　said；　were：

〃Inscrutable　Providence！〃

〃Have　you　found　Lucilla？〃　I　asked。

Mr。　Finchwith　his　whole　attention　fixed　on　Oscarwrung　my　hand
mechanically；　and　said　I　was　a　〃good　creature；〃　much　as　he　might　have
patted；　and　spoken　to；　Oscar's　companion；　if　the　companion　had　been　a
dog。　I　almost　wished　myself　that　animal　for　the　momentI　should　have　had
the　privilege　of　biting　Mr。　Finch。　Oscar　impatiently　repeated　my
question；　the　rector；　at　the　time；　officiously　assisting　him　to　descend
from　the　carriage；　and　leaving　me　to　get　out　as　I　could。

〃Did　you　hear　Madame　Pratolungo？〃　Oscar　asked。　〃Is　Lucilla　found？〃

〃Dear　Oscar；　we　hope　to　find　her；　now　you　have　come。〃

That　answer　revealed　to　me　the　secret　of　Mr。　Finch's　extraordinary
politeness　to　his　young　friend。　The　last　chance；　as　things　were；　of
preventing　Lucilla's　marriage　to　a　man　who　had　squandered　away　every
farthing　of　his　money；　was　the　chance　of　Oscar's　arrival　in　England
before　the　ceremony　could　take　place。　The　measure　of　Oscar's　importance
to　Mr。　Finch　was　now；　more　literally　than　ever；　the　measure　of　Oscar's
fortune。

I　asked　for　news　of　Grosse　as　we　went　in。　The　rector　actually　found　some
comparatively　high　notes　in　his　prodigious　voice；　to　express　his
amazement　at　my　audacity　in　speaking　to　him　of　anybody　but　Oscar。

〃Oh；　dear；　dear　me！〃　cried　Mr。　Finch；　impatiently　conceding　to　me　one
precious　moment　of　his　attention。　〃Don't　bother　about　Grosse！　Grosse　is
ill　in　London。　There　is　a　note　for　you　from　Grosse。Take　care　of　the
door…step；　dear　Oscar；〃　he　went　on；　in　his　deepest　and　gravest　bass
notes。　〃Mrs。　Finch　is　so　anxious　to　see　you。　We　have　both　looked　forward
to　your　arrival　with　such　eager　hopesuch　impatient　affection；　so　to
speak。　Let　me　put　down　your　hat。　Ah！　how　you　must　have　suffered！　Share　my
trust　in　an　all…wise　Providence；　and　meet　this　trial　with　cheerful
submission　as　I　do。　All　is　not　lost　yet。　Bear　up！　bear　up！〃　He　threw　open
the　parlor　door。　〃Mrs。　Finch！　compose　yourself。　Our　dear　adopted　son。　Our
afflicted　Oscar！〃

Is　it　necessary　to　say　what　Mrs。　Finch　was　about；　and　how　Mrs。　Finch
looked？

There　were　the　three　unchangeable　institutionsthe　novel；　the　baby；　and
the　missing　pocket…handkerchief　There　was　the　gaudy　jacket　over　the　long
trailing　dressing…gownand　the　damp　lady　inside　them；　damp　as　ever！
Receiving　Oscar　with　a　mouth　drawn　down　at　the　corners；　and　a　head　that
shook　sadly　in　sympathy　with　him；　Mrs。　Finch's　face　underwent　a　most
extraordinary　transformation　when　she　turned　my　way　next。　To　my
astonishment；　her　dim　eyes　actually　sparkled；　a　broad　smile　of
irrepressible　contentment　showed　itself　cunningly　to　_me；_　in　place　of
the　dismal　expression　which　had　welcomed　Oscar。　Holding　up　the　baby　in
triumph；　the　lady　of　the　rectory　whispered　these　words　in　my　ear：〃What
do　you　think　he　has　done　since　you　have　been　away？〃

〃I　really　don't　know；〃　I　answered。

〃He　has　cut　two　teeth！　Put　your　finger　in　and　feel。〃

Others　might　bewail　the　family　misfortune。　The　family　triumph　filled　the
secret　mind　of　Mrs。　Finch；　to　the　exclusion　of　every　other　earthly
consideration。　I　put　my　finger　in　as　instructed；　and　got　instantly　bitten
by　the　ferocious　baby。　But　for　a　new　outburst　of　the　rector's　voice　at
the　moment；　Mrs。　Finch　（if　I　am　any　judge　of　physiognomy）　must　have
certainly　relieved　herself　by　a　scream　of　delight。　As　it　was；　she　opened
her　mouth；　and　（having　lost　her　handkerchief　as　already　stated）　retired
into　a　corner；　and　gagged　herself　with　the　baby。

In　the　meantime；　Mr。　Finch　had　produced　from　a　cupboard　near　the
fireplace；　two　letters。　The　first　he　threw　down　impatiently　on　the　table。
〃Oh；　dear；　dear！　what　a　nuisance　other　people's　letters　are！〃　The　second
he　handled　with　extraordinary　care；　offering　it　to　Oscar　with　a　heavy
sigh；　and　with　eyes　that　turned　up　martyr…like　to　the　ceiling。　〃Rouse
yourself；　and　read　it；〃　said　Mr。　Finch　in　his　most　pathetic　pulpit　tones。
〃I　would　have　spared　you；　Oscar；　if　I　could。　All　our　hopes　depend；　dear
boy；　on　what　you　can　say　to　guide　us　when　you　have　read　those　lines。〃

Oscar　took　the　enclosure　out　of　the　enveloperan　over　the　first
wordsglanced　at　the　signatureand；　with　a　look　of　mingled　rage　and
horror；　threw　the　letter　on　the　floor。

〃Don't　ask　me　to　read　it！〃　he　cried；　in　the　first　burst　of　passion　which
had　escaped　him　yet。　〃If　I　read　it；　I　shall　kill　him　when　we　meet。〃　He
dropped　into　a　chair；　and　hid　his　face　in　his　hands。　〃Oh；　Nugent！　Nugent！
Nugent！〃　he　moaned　to　himself；　with　a　cry　that　was　dreadful　to　hear。

It　was　no　time　for　standing　on　ceremony。　I　picked　up　the　letter；　and
looked　at　it　without　asking　leave。　It　proved　to　be　the　letter　from　Nugent
（already　inserted　at　the　close　of　Lucilla's　Journal）；　informing　Miss
Batchford　of　her　niece's　flight　from　Ramsgate；　and　signed　in　Oscar's
name。　The　only　words　which　it　is　necessary　to　repeat　here；　are
these：〃She　accompanies　me；　at　my　express　request；　to　the　house　of　a
married　lady　who　is　a　relative　of　mine；　and　under　whose　care　she　will
remain；　until　the　time　arrives　for　our　marriage。〃

Those　lines　instantly　lightened　my　heart　of　the　burden　that　had　oppressed
it　on　the　journey。　Nugent's　married　relative　was　Oscar's　married　relative
too。　Oscar　had　only　to　tell　us　where　the　lady　livedand　Lucilla　would　be
found！

I　stopped　Mr。　Finch；　in　the　act　of　maddening　Oscar　by　administering
pastoral　consolation　to　him。

〃Leave　it　to　me；〃　I　said；　showing　him　the　letter。　〃I　know　what　you　want。〃

The　rector　stared　at　me　indignantly。　I　turned　to　Mrs。　Finch。

〃We　have　had　a　weary　journey；〃　I　went　on。　〃Oscar　is　not　so　well　used　to
traveling　as　I　am。　Where　is　his　room？〃

Mrs。　Finch　rose　to　show　the　way。　Her　husband　opened　his　lips　to
interfere。

〃Leave　it　to　me；〃　I　repeated。　〃I　understand　him；　and　you　don't。〃

For　once　in　his　life；　the　Pope　of　Dimchurch　was　reduced　to　silence。　His
amazement　at　my　audacity　defied　even　his　powers　of　expression。　I　took
Oscar's　arm；　and　said；　〃You　are　worn　out。　Go　to　your　room。　I　will　make
you　something　warm　and　bring　it　up　to　you　myself　in　a　few　minutes。〃　He
neither　looked　at　me　nor　answered　mehe　yielded　silently　and　followed
Mrs。　Finch。　I　took　from　the　sideboard；　on　which　supper　was　waiting；　the
materials　I　wanted；　set　the　kettle　boiling；　made　my　renovating　mixture；
and　advanced　to　the　door　with　itfollowed　from　first　to　last；　move　where
I　might；　by　the　staring　and　scandalized　eyes　of　Mr。　Finch。　The　moment　in
which　I　opened　the　door　was　also　the　moment　in　which　the　rector　recovered
himself。　〃Permit　me　to　inquire；　Madame　Pratolungo；〃　he　said　with　his
loftiest　emphasis；　〃in　what　capacity　are　You　here？〃

〃In　the　capacity　of　Oscar's　friend；〃　I　answered。　〃You　will　get　rid　of　us
both　to…morrow。〃　I　banged　the　door　behind　me；　and　went　up…stairs。　If　I
had　been　Mr。　Finch's　wife；　I　believe　I　should　have　ended　in　making　quite
an　agreeable　man　of　him。

Mrs。　Finch　met　me　in　the　passage　on　the　first　floor；　and　pointed　out
Oscar's　room。　I　found　him　walking　backwards　and　forwards　restlessly。　The
first　words　he　said　alluded　to　his　brother's　letter。　I　had　arranged　not
to　disturb　him　by　any　reference　to　that　painful　matter　until　the　next
morning；　and　I　tried　to　change　the　topic。　It　was　useless。　There　was　an
anxiety　in　his　mind　which　was　not　to　be　dismissed　at　will。　He　insisted　on
my　instantly　setting　that　anxiety　at　rest。

〃I　don't　want　to　see　the　letter；〃　he　said。　〃I　only　want　to　know　all　that
it　says　about　Lucilla。〃

〃All　that　it　says　may　be　summed　up　in　this。　Lucilla　is　perfectly　safe。〃

He　caught　me　by　the　arm；　and　looked　me　searchingly　in　the　face。

〃Where？〃　he　asked。　With　_him？_〃

〃With　a　mar