poor miss finch-第98节

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that　you　have　been　false　to　me？　You；　a　villain　who　has　tried　to　rob　poor
Me　of　the　only　woman　in　the　world　who　cares　for　me！　You；　so　handsome　and
so　popular；　who　may　marry　any　woman　you　like！　It　can't　be。　You　have
drifted　innocently　into　some　false　position　without　knowing　it。　Defend
yourself。　No。　Let　me　defend　you。　You　shan't　humble　yourself　to　anybody。
Tell　me　how　you　have　really　acted　towards　Lucilla；　and　towards　meand
leave　it　to　your　brother　to　set　you　right　with　everybody。　Come；　Nugent！
lift　up　your　headand　tell　me　what　I　shall　say。〃

Nugent　lifted　his　head；　and　looked　at　Oscar。

Ghastly　as　his　face　was；　I　saw　something　in　his　eyes；　when　he　first　fixed
them　on　his　brother；　which　again　reminded　me　of　past　daysthe　days　when
he　had　joined　us　at　Dimchurch；　and　when　he　used　to　talk　of　〃poor　Oscar〃
in　the　tender；　light…hearted　way　that　first　won　me。　I　thought　once　more
of　the　memorable　night…interview　between　us　at　Browndown；　when　Oscar　had
left　England。　Again；　I　called　to　mind　the　signs　which　had　told　of　the
nobler　nature　of　the　man　pleading　with　him。　Again；　I　remembered　the
remorse　which　had　moved　him　to　tearsthe　effort　he　had　made　in　my
presence　to　atone　for　past　misdoing；　and　to　struggle　for　the　last　time
against　the　guilty　passion　that　possessed　him。　Was　the　nature　which　could
feel　that　remorse　utterly　depraved？　Was　the　man　who　had　made　that
effortthe　last　of　many　that　had　gone　before　itirredeemably　bad？

〃Wait！〃　I　whispered　to　Lucilla；　trembling　and　weeping　in　my　arms。　〃He
will　deserve　our　sympathy；　he　will　win　our　pardon　and　our　pity　yet！〃

〃Come！〃　Oscar　repeated。　〃Tell　me　what　I　shall　say。〃

Nugent　drew　from　his　pocket　a　sheet　of　paper　with　writing　on　it。

〃Say；〃　he　answered；　〃that　I　gave　notice　of　your　marriage　at　the　church
here…and　that　I　went　to　London　and　got　you　_this。_〃

He　handed　the　sheet　of　paper　to　his　brother。　It　was　the　Marriage　License；
taken　out　in　his　brother's　name。

〃Be　happy；　Oscar；〃　he　added。　〃_You_　deserve　it。〃

He　threw　one　arm　in　his　old　easy　protecting　way　round　his　brother。　His
hand；　as　he　did　this；　touched　the　breast…pocket　of　Oscar's　coat。　Before
it　was　possible　to　stop　him；　his　dexterous　fingers　had　opened　the　pocket；
and　had　taken　from　it　a　little　toy…pistol　with　a　chased　silver　handle　of
Oscar's　own　workmanship。

〃Was　this　for　me？〃　he　asked；　with　a　faint　smile。　〃My　poor　boy！　you　could
never　have　done　it；　could　you？〃　He　kissed　Oscar's　dark　cheek；　and　put　the
pistol　into　his　own　pocket。　〃The　handle　is　your　work；〃　he　said。　〃I　shall
take　it　as　your　present　to　me。　Return　to　Browndown　when　you　are　married。
I　am　going　to　travel　again。　You　shall　hear　from　me　before　I　leave
England。　God　bless　you；　Oscar。　Good…bye。〃

He　put　his　brother　back　from　him　with　a　firm　and　gentle　hand。　I　attempted
to　advance　with　Lucilla；　and　speak　to　him。　Something　in　his　facelooking
at　me　out　of　his　mournful　eyes；　calm；　stern；　and　superhuman；　like　a　look
of　doomwarned　me　back　from　him；　and　filled　me　with　the　foreboding　that
I　should　see　him　no　more。　He　walked　to　the　door；　and　opened
itturnedand；　fixing　his　farewell　look　on　Lucilla；　saluted　us　silently
with　a　bend　of　his　head。　The　door　closed　on　him　softly。　In　a　few　minutes
only　from　the　time　when　he　had　entered　the　room；　he　had　left　us
againand　left　us　for　ever。

We　waited；　spell…boundwe　could　not　speak。　The　void　that　he　left　behind
him　was　dreary　and　dreadful。　I　was　the　first　who　moved。　In　silence；　I　led
Lucilla　back　to　our　seat　on　the　sofa；　and　beckoned　to　Oscar　to　go　to　her
in　my　place。

This　done；　I　left　themand　went　out　to　meet　Lucilla's　father；　on　his
return　to　the　hotel。　I　wished　to　prevent　him　from　disturbing　them。　After
what　had　happened；　it　was　good　for　those　two　to　be　alone。

EPILOGUE

Madame　Pratolungo's　Last　Words

TWELVE　years　have　passed　since　the　events　occurred　which　it　has　been　the
business　of　these　pages　to　relate。　I　am　at　my　desk；　looking　idly　at　all
the　leaves　of　writing　which　my　pen　has　filled；　and　asking　myself　if　there
is　more　yet　to　add；　before　I　have　done。

There　is　morenot　much。

Oscar　and　Lucilla　claim　me　first。　Two　days　after　they　were　restored　to
each　other　at　Sydenham；　they　were　married　at　the　church　in　that　place。　It
was　a　dull　wedding。　Nobody　was　in　spirits　but　Mr。　Finch。　We　parted　in
London。　The　bride　and　bridegroom　returned　to　Browndown。　The　rector
remained　in　town　for　a　day　or　two　visiting　some　friends。　I　went　back　to
my　father；　to　accompany　him；　as　I　had　promised；　on　his　journey　from
Marseilles　to　Paris。

As　well　as　I　remember；　I　remained　a　fortnight　abroad。　In　the　course　of
that　time；　I　received　kind　letters　from　Browndown。　One　of　them　announced
that　Oscar　had　heard　from　his　brother。

Nugent's　letter　was　not　a　long　one。　It　was　dated　at　Liverpool；　and　it
announced　his　embarkation　for　America　in　two　hours'　time。　He　had　heard　of
a　new　expedition　to　the　Arctic　regionsthen　fitting　out　in　the　United
Stateswith　the　object　of　discovering　the　open　Polar　sea；　supposed　to　be
situated　between　Spitzbergen　and　Nova　Zembla。　It　had　instantly　struck　him
that　this　expedition　offered　an　entirely　new　field　of　study　to　a
landscape　painter　in　search　of　the　sublimest　aspects　of　Nature。　He　had
decided　on　volunteering　to　join　the　Arctic　explorersand　he　had　already
raised　the　necessary　money　for　his　outfit　by　the　sale　of　the　only
valuables　he　possessedhis　jewelry　and　his　books。　If　he　wanted　more；　he
engaged　to　apply　to　Oscar。　In　any　case；　he　promised　to　write　again；
before　the　expedition　sailed。　And　so；　for　the　present　only；　he　would　bid
his　brother　and　sister　affectionately　farewell。When　I　afterwards　looked
at　the　letter　myself；　I　found　nothing　in　it　which　referred　in　the
slightest　degree　to　the　past；　or　which　hinted　at　the　state　of　the
writer's　own　health　and　spirits。

I　returned　to　our　remote　Southdown　village；　and　occupied　the　room　which
Lucilla　had　herself　prepared　for　me　at　Browndown。

I　found　the　married　pair　as　tranquil　and　as　happy　in　their　union　as　a　man
and　woman　could　be。　The　absent　Nugent　dwelt　a　little　sadly　in　their　minds
at　times；　I　suspect；　as　well　as　in　mine。　It　was　perhaps　on　this　account；
that　Lucilla　appeared　to　me　to　be　quieter　than　she　used　to　be　in　her
maiden　days。　However；　my　presence　did　something　towards　restoring　her　to
her　old　spiritsand　Grosse's　speedy　arrival　exerted　its　enlivening
influence　in　support　of　mine。

As　soon　as　the　gout　would　let　him　get　on　his　feet；　he　presented　himself
with　his　instruments；　at　Browndown；　eager　for　another　experiment　on
Lucilla's　eyes。

〃If　my　operations　had　failed；〃　he　said；　〃I　should　not　have　plagued　you　no
more。　But　my　operations　has　not　failed：　it　is　you　who　have　failed　to　take
care　of　your　nice　new　eyes　when　I　gave　them　to　you。〃

In　those　terms　he　endeavored　to　persuade　her　to　let　him　attempt　another
operation。　She　steadily　refused　to　submit　to　itand　the　discussion　that
followed　roused　her　famously。

More　than　once　afterwards　Grosse　tried　to　make　her　change　her　mind。　He
tried　in　vain。　The　disputes　between　the　two　made　the　house　ring　again。
Lucilla　found　all　her　old　gaiety；　in　refuting　the　grotesque　arguments　and
persuasions　of　our　worthy　German。　To　mewhen　I　once　or　twice　attempted
to　shake　her　resolutionshe　replied　in　another　way；　merely　repeating　the
words　she　had　said　to　me　at　Sydenham：　〃My　life　lives　in　my　love。　And　my
love　lives　in　my　blindness。〃　It　is　only　right　to　add　that　Mr。　Sebright；
and　another　competent　authority　consulted　with　him；　declared
unhesitatingly　that　she　was　right。　Under　the　circumstances；　Mr。　Sebright
was　of　opinion　that　the　success　of　Grosse's　operation　could　never　have
been　more　than　temporary。　His　colleague；　after　examining　Lucilla's　eyes；
at　a　later　period；　entirely　agreed　with　him。　Which　was　in　the
rightthese　two　or　Grossewho　can　say？　As　blind　Lucilla；　you　first　knew
her。　As　blind　Lucilla；　you　see　the　last　of　her　now。　If　you　feel　inclined
to　regret　this；　remember　that　the　one　thing　essential　was　the　thing　she
possessed。　Her　life　was　a　happy　one。　Bear　this　in　mindand　don't　forget
that　your　conditions　of　happiness　need　not　necessarily　be　her　conditions
also。

In　the　time　I　am　now　writing　of；　the　second　letter　from　Nugent　arrived。
It　was　written　the　evening　before　he　sailed　for　the　Polar　seas。　One　line
in　it　touched　us　deeply。　〃Who　knows　whether　I　shall　ever　see　England
again！　If　a　boy　is　born　to　you；　Oscar；　call　him　by　my　namefor　my　sake。〃

Enclosed　in　this　letter　was　a　private　communication　from　Nugent；
addressed　to　me。　It　was　the　confession　to　which　I　have　alluded　in　my
notes　attached　to　Lucilla's　Journal。　These　words　only　were　added　at　the
end：　〃You　now　know　everything。　Forgive　meif　you　can。　I　have　not　escaped
without　suffering；　remember　that。〃　After　making　use　of　the　narrative；　as
you　already　know；　I　have　burnt　it　all；　except　those　last　lines。

At　distant　intervals；　we　heard　twice　of　the　exploring　ship；　from　whaling
vessels。　Then；　there　was　a　long　dreary　interval；　without　news　of　any
sort。　Then；　a　dreadful　report　that　the　expedition　was　lost。　Then；　the
confirmation　of　the　reporta　lapse　of　a　whole　year；　and　no　tidings　of
the　missing　men。

They　were　well　provided　with　supplies　of　all　kinds；　and　there　was　a
gene