poor miss finch-第17章

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least。　I　felt　the　necessity　of　getting　back　at　once　to　the　rectory；　so　as
to　be　able　to　tell　Lucilla　（with　all　needful　preparation）　the　melancholy
truth。　Otherwise；　the　news　of　what　had　happened　would　get　abroad　in　the
village；　and　might　come　to　her　ears；　in　the　worst　possible　way；　through
one　of　the　servants。　To　my　infinite　relief；　Mr。　Finch；　when　I　rose　to　go；
excused　himself　from　accompanying　me。　He　had　discovered　that　it　was　his
duty；　as　rector；　to　give　the　earliest　information　of　the　outrage　at
Browndown　to　the　legal　authorities。　He　went　his　way　to　the　nearest
magistrate。　And　I　went　mineleaving　Oscar　under　the　care　of　Mrs。
Gootheridge　and　her　brotherback　to　the　house。　Mr。　Finch's　last　words　at
parting　reminded　me；　once　more；　that　we　had　one　thing　at　least　to　be
thankful　for　under　the　circumstancessad　as　they　otherwise　were。

〃Most　fortunate；　Madame　Pratolungo；　that　I　was　at　home。　What　would　you
have　done　without　me？〃

CHAPTER　THE　FIFTEENTH

Events　at　the　Bedside

I　AM；　if　you　will　be　so　good　as　to　remember；　constitutionally
Frenchand；　therefore；　constitutionally　averse　to　distressing　myself；　if
I　can　possibly　help　it。　For　this　reason；　I　really　cannot　summon　courage
to　describe　what　passed　between　my　blind　Lucilla　and　me　when　I　returned
to　our　pretty　sitting…room。　She　made　me　cry　at　the　time；　and　she　would
make　me　（and　perhaps　you）　cry　again　now；　if　I　wrote　the　little　melancholy
story　of　what　this　tender　young　creature　suffered　when　I　told　her　my
miserable　news。　I　won't　write　it；　I　am　dead　against　tears。　They　affect
the　nose；　and　my　nose　is　my　best　feature。　Let　us　use　our　eyes；　my　fair
friends；　to　conquer；　not　to　cry。

Be　it　enough　to　say；　that　when　I　went　back　to　Browndown；　Lucilla　went
with　me。

I　now　observed　her；　for　the　first　time；　to　be　jealous　of　the　eyes　of　us
happy　people　who　could　see。　The　instant　she　entered；　she　insisted　on
being　near　enough　to　the　bed；　to　hear　us；　or　to　touch　us；　as　we　waited　on
the　injured　man。　This　was　at　once　followed　by　her　taking　the　place
occupied　by　Mrs。　Gootheridge　at　the　bed…head；　and　herself　bathing　Oscar's
face　and　forehead。　She　was　even　jealous　of　_me；_　when　she　discovered　that
I　was　moistening　the　bandages　on　the　wound。　I　irritated　her　into　boldly
kissing　the　poor　insensible　face　in　our　presence！　The　landlady　of　the
Cross　Hands　was　one　of　my　sort：　she　took　cheerful　views　of　things。　〃Sweet
on　himeh；　ma'am？〃　she　whispered　in　my　ear；　〃we　shall　have　a　wedding　in
Dimchurch。〃　In　presence　of　these　kissings　and　whisperings；　Mrs。
Gootheridge's　brother；　as　the　only　man　present；　began　to　look　very
uncomfortable。　This　worthy　creature　belonged　to　that　large　and
respectable　order　of　Englishmen；　who　don't　know　what　to　do　with　their
hands；　or　how　to　get　out　of　a　room。　I　took　pity　on　himhe　was；　I　assure
you；　a　fine　man。　〃Smoke　your　pipe；　sir；　in　the　garden；〃　I　said。　〃We　will
call　to　you　from　the　window；　if　we　want　you　up　here。〃　Mrs。　Gootheridge's
brother　cast　on　me　one　look　of　unutterable　gratitudeand　escaped；　as　if
he　had　been　let　out　of　a　trap。

At　last；　the　doctor　came。

His　first　words　were　an　indescribable　relief　to　us。　The　skull　of　our　poor
Oscar　was　not　injured。　There　was　concussion　of　the　brain；　and　there　was　a
scalp…woundinflicted　evidently　with　a　blunt　instrument。　As　to　the
wound；　I　had　done　all　that　was　necessary　in　the　doctor's　absence。　As　to
the　injury　to　the　brain；　time　and　care　would　put　everything　right　again。
〃Make　your　minds　easy；　ladies；〃　said　this　angel　of　a　man。　〃There　is　no
reason　for　feeling　the　slightest　alarm　about　him。〃

He　came　to　his　sensesthat　is　to　say；　he　opened　his　eyes　and　looked
vacantly　about　himbetween　four　and　five　hours　after　the　time　when　we
had　found　him　on　the　floor　of　the　workshop。

His　mind；　poor　fellow；　was　still　all　astray。　He　recognized　nobody。　He
imitated　the　action　of　writing　with　his　finger；　and　said　very　earnestly；
over　and　over　again；　〃Go　home；　Jicks；　go　home；　go　home！〃　fancying　himself
（as　I　suppose）；　lying　helpless　on　the　floor；　and　sending　the　child　back
to　us　to　give　the　alarm。　Later　in　the　night　he　fell　asleep。　All　through
the　next　day；　he　still　wandered　in　his　mind　when　he　spoke。　It　was　not
till　the　day　after；　that　he　began　feebly　to　recover　his　reason。　The　first
person　he　recognized　was　Lucilla。　She　was　engaged　at　the　moment　in
brushing　his　beautiful　chestnut　hair。　To　her　unutterable　joy；　he　patted
her　hand；　and　murmured　her　name。

She　bent　over　him；　and；　under　cover　of　the　hair…brush；　whispered
something　in　his　ear　which　made　the　young　fellow's　pale　face　flush；　and
his　dull　eyes　brighten　with　pleasure。　A　day　or　two　afterwards；　she　owned
to　me　that　she　had　said；　〃Get　well；　for　my　sake。〃　She　was　not　in　the
least　ashamed　of　having　spoken　to　that　plain　purpose。　On　the　contrary；
she　triumphed　in　it。　〃Leave　him　to　me；〃　said　Lucilla；　in　the　most
positive　manner。　〃I　mean　first　to　cure　him。　And　then　I　mean　to　be　his
wife。〃

In　a　week　more；　he　was　in　complete　possession　of　his　facultiesbut　still
wretchedly　weak；　and　only　gaining　ground　very　slowly　after　the　shock　that
he　had　suffered。

He　was　now　able　to　tell　us；　by　a　little　at　a　time；　of　what　had　happened
in　the　workshop。

After　Mrs。　Gootheridge　and　her　daughter　had　quitted　the　house　at　their
usual　hour；　he　had　gone　up　to　his　room；　had　remained　there　some　little
time；　and　had　then　gone　downstairs　again。　On　approaching　the　workshop；　he
heard　voices　talking　in　whispers　in　the　room。　The　idea　instantly　occurred
to　him　that　something　was　wrong。　He　softly　tried　the　door；　and　found　it
lockedthe　robbers　having　no　doubt　taken　that　precaution；　to　prevent
their　being　surprised　at　their　thieving　work　by　any　person　in　the　house。
The　one　other　way　of　getting　into　the　room；　was　the　way　that　we　had
tried。　He　went　round　to　the　back　garden；　and　found　an　empty　chaise　drawn
up　outside　the　door。　This　circumstance　thoroughly　puzzled　him。　But　for
the　mysterious　locking　of　the　workshop　door；　it　would　have　suggested　to
him　nothing　more　alarming　than　the　arrival　of　some　unexpected　visitors。
Eager　to　solve　the　mystery；　he　crossed　the　garden；　and；　entering　the
room；　found　himself　face　to　face　with　the　same　two　men　whom　Jicks　had
discovered　ten　days　previously　lounging　against　the　wall。

As　he　approached　the　window；　they　were　both　busily　engaged；　with　their
backs　towards　him；　in　cording　up　the　packing…case　which　contained　the
metal　plates。

They　rose　and　faced　him　as　he　stepped　into　the　room。　The　act　of　robbery
which　he　found　them　coolly　perpetrating　in　broad　daylight；　instantly　set
his　irritable　temper　in　a　flame。　He　rushed　at　the　younger　of　the　two
menbeing　the　one　nearest　to　him。　The　ruffian　sprang　aside　out　of　his
reach；　snatched　up　from　the　table　on　which　it　was　lying　ready；　a　short
loaded　staff　of　leather　called　〃a　life…preserver；〃　and　struck　him　with　it
on　the　head；　before　he　had　recovered　himself；　and　could　face　his　man　once
more。

From　that　moment；　he　remembered　nothing；　until　he　had　regained　his
consciousness　after　the　first　shock　of　the　blow。

He　found　himself　lying；　giddy　and　bleeding；　on　the　floor；　and　he　saw　the
child　（who　must　have　strayed　into　the　room　while　he　was　senseless）
standing　petrified　with　fear；　looking　at　him。　The　idea　of　making　use　of
heras　the　only　living　being　nearto　give　the　alarm；　came　to　him
instinctively　the　moment　he　recognized　her。　He　coaxed　the　little　creature
to　venture　within　reach　of　his　hand；　and；　dipping　his　finger　in　the　blood
that　was　flowing　from　him；　sent　us　the　terrible　message　which　I　had　spelt
out　on　the　back　of　her　frock。　That　done；　he　exerted　his　last　remains　of
strength　to　push　her　gently　towards　the　open　window；　and　direct　her　to　go
home。　He　fainted　from　loss　of　blood；　while　he　was　still　repeating　the
words；　〃Go　home！　go　home！〃and　still　seeing；　or　fancying　that　he　saw；
the　child　stopping　obstinately　in　the　room；　stupefied　with　terror。　Of　the
time　at　which　she　found　the　courage　and　the　sense　to　run　home；　and　of　all
that　had　happened　after　that；　he　was　necessarily　ignorant。　His　next
conscious　impression　was　the　impression；　already　recorded；　of　seeing
Lucilla　sitting　by　his　bedside。

The　account　of　the　matter　thus　given　by　Oscar；　was　followed　by　a
supplementary　statement　provided　by　the　police。

The　machinery　of　the　law　was　put　in　action；　and　the　village　was　kept　in　a
fever　of　excitement　for　days　together。　Never　was　there　a　more　complete
investigationand　never　was　a　poorer　result　achieved。　Substantially；
nothing　was　discovered　beyond　what　I　had　already　found　out　for　myself。
The　robbery　was　declared　to　have　been　（as　I　had　supposed）　a　planned
thing。　Though　we　had　none　of　us　noticed　them　at　the　rectory；　it　was
ascertained　that　the　thieves　had　been　at　Dimchurch　on　the　day　when　the
unlucky　plates　were　first　delivered　at　Browndown。　Having　taken　their　time
to　examine　the　house；　and　to　make　themselves　acquainted　with　the　domestic
habits　of　the　persons　in　it；　the　rogues　had　paid　their　second　visit　to
the　villageno　doubt　to　commit　the　robberyon　the　occasion　when　we　had
discovered　them。　Foiled　by　the　unexpected　return　of　the　gold　and　silver
to　London；　they　had　waited　again；　had　followed　the　plates　back　to
Browndown；　and　had　effected　their　objectthanks　to　the　lonely　situation
of　the　house；　and　to　the　murderous　blow　which　had　stretched　Oscar
insensible　on　the　floor。

More　than　one　witness　had　met　them　on　the　road　back　to　Brighton；　with　the
packing…case　in　the　chaise。　But　when　they　returned　to　the　livery…stables
from　which　they　had　hired　the　vehicle；　the　case　was　not　to　be　seen。
Accomplices　in　Brighton　had；　in　all　probability；　assisted　them　in　getting
rid　of　it；　and　in　shifting　the　plates　into　ordinary　articles　of　luggage；
which　would　attract　no　special　attention　at　the　railway　station。　This　was
the　explanation　given　by　the　police。　Right　or　wrong；　the　one　fact　remains
that　the　villains　were　not　caught；　and　that　the　assault　and　robbery　at
Oscar's　house　may　be　added　to　the　long　list　of　crimes　cleverly　enough
committed　to　defy　the　vengeance　of　the　law。

For　ourselves；　we　all　agreedled　by　Lucillato　indulge　in　no　useless
lamentations；　and　to　be　grateful　that　Oscar　had　escaped　without　serious
injury。　The　mischief　was　done；　and　there　was　an　end　of　it。

In　this　philosophical　spirit；　we　looked　at　the　affair　while　our　invalid
was　recovering。　We　all　plumed　ourselves　on　our　excellent　good　senseand
（ah；　poor　stupid　human　wretches！）　we　were　all　fatally　wrong。　So　far　from
the　mischief　being　at　an　end；　the　mischief　had　only　begun。　The　true
results　of　the　robbery　at　Browndown　were　yet　to　show　themselves；　and　were
yet　to　be　felt　in　the　strangest　and　the　saddest　way　by　every　member　of
the　little　circle　assembled　at　Dimchurch。

CHAPTER　THE　SIXTEENTH

First　Result　of　the　Robbery

BETWEEN　five　and　six　weeks　passed。　Oscar　was　out　of　his　bed…room；　and　was
well　of　his　wound。

During　this　lapse　of　time；　Lucilla　steadily　pursued　that　process　of　her
own　of　curing　him；　which　was　to　end　in　marrying　him。　Never　had　I　seen
such　nursing　beforenever　do　I　expect　to　see　such　nursing　again。　From
morning　to　night；　she　interested　him；　and　kept　him　in　good　spirits。　The
charming　creature　actually　made　her　blindness　a　means　of　lightening　the
weary　hours　of　t