poor miss finch-第29章

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with　which　they　were　spokenof　her　innocently　earnest　anxiety　to　win　her
pardon。　She　so　affected　Nugent　that　he　tooafter　a　look　at　Oscar　which
said；　〃May　I？〃kissed　the　hand　that　she　offered　to　him。　As　his　lips
touched　her；　she　started。　The　bright　flush　which　always　indicated　the
sudden　rising　of　a　thought　in　her　mind；　flew　over　her　face。　She
unconsciously　held　Nugent's　hand　in　her　own；　absorbed　in　the　interest　of
realizing　the　new　thought。　For　a　moment；　she　stood；　still　as　a　statue；
consulting　with　herself。　The　moment　passed；　she　dropped　Nugent's　hand；
and　turned　gaily　to　me。

〃Will　you　think　me　very　obstinate？〃　she　asked。

〃Why；　my　love？〃

〃I　am　not　satisfied　yet。　I　want　to　try　again。〃

〃No！　no！　At　any　rate　not　to…day。〃

〃I　want　to　try　again；〃　she　repeated。　〃Not　in　your　way。　In　a　way　of　my　own
that　has　just　come　into　my　head。〃　She　turned　to　Oscar。　〃Will　you　humour
me　in　this？〃　It　is　needless　to　set　down　Oscar's　reply。　She　turned　to
Nugent。　〃Will　you？〃

〃Only　say　what　you　wish　me　to　do！〃　he　answered。

〃Go　with　your　brother；〃　she　said；　〃to　the　other　end　of　the　room。　I　know
where　you　are　each　of　you　standing；　at　this　end。　Madame　Pratolungo　will
lead　me　to　the　place；　and　will　put　me　just　within　reach　of　both　your
hands。　I　want　each　of　you　in　turn　（arrange　by　a　sign　between　yourselves
which　is　to　begin）　to　take　my　hand；　and　hold　it　for　a　moment；　and　then
drop　it。　I　have　an　idea　that　I　can　distinguish　between　you；　in　that
wayand　I　want　very　much　to　try　it。〃

The　brothers　went　silently　to　the　other　end　of　the　room。　I　led　Lucilla；
after　them；　to　the　place　in　which　they　stood。　At　my　suggestion；　Nugent
was　the　first　to　take　her　hand；　as　she　had　requested；　to　hold　it　for　a
moment；　and　then　to　drop　it。

〃Nugent！〃　she　said；　without　the　slightest　hesitation。

〃Quite　right；〃　I　answered。

She　laughed　gaily。　〃Go　on！　Puzzle　me　if　you　possibly　can。

The　brothers　noiselessly　changed　places。　Oscar　took　her　hand；　standing
exactly　where　Nugent　had　stood。

〃Oscar！〃　she　said。

〃Right　again；〃　I　told　her。

At　a　sign　from　Nugent；　Oscar　took　her　hand　for　the　second　time。　She
repeated　his　name。　At　a　sign　from　me；　the　brothers　noiselessly　placed
themselves；　one　on　either　side　of　herOscar　on　the　left；　Nugent　on　the
right。　I　gave　them　the　signal；　and　they　each　took　one　of　her　hands　at　the
same　moment。　This　time；　she　waited　a　little　longer　before　she　spoke。　When
she　did　speak；　she　was　right　once　more。　She　turned　smiling；　towards　the
left　side；　pointed　to　him　as　he　stood　by　her；　and　said；　〃Oscar！〃

We　were　all　three　equally　surprised。　I　examined　Oscar's　hand　and　Nugent's
hand　alternately。　Except　the　fatal　difference　in　the　color；　they　were；　to
all　intents　and　purposes；　the　same　handsthe　same　size；　the　same　shape；
the　same　texture　of　skin；　no　scar　or　mark　on　the　hand　of　one　to
distinguish　it　from　the　hand　of　the　other。　By　what　mysterious　process　of
divination　had　she　succeeded　in　discovering　which　was　which？

She　was　unwilling；　or　unable；　to　reply　to　that　question　plainly。

〃Something　in　me　answers　to　one　of　them　and　not　to　the　other；〃　she　said。

〃What　is　it？〃　I　asked。

〃I　don't　know。　It　answers　to　Oscar。　It　doesn't　answer　to　Nugentthat's
all。〃

She　stopped　any　further　inquiries　by　proposing　that　we　should　finish　the
evening　with　some　music；　in　her　own　sitting…room；　on　the　other　side　of
the　house。　When　we　were　seated　together　at　the　pianofortewith　the
twin…brothers　established　as　our　audience　at　the　other　end　of　the
roomshe　whispered　in　my　ear：

〃I'll　tell　_you！_〃

〃Tell　me　what？〃

〃How　I　know　which　is　which　when　they　both　of　them　take　my　hand。　When
Oscar　takes　it；　a　delicious　tingle　runs　from　his　hand　into　mine；　and
steals　all　over　me。　I　can't　describe　it　any　better　than　that。〃

〃I　understand。　And　when　Nugent　takes　your　hand；　what　do　you　feel？〃

〃Nothing！〃

〃And　that　is　how　you　found　out　the　difference　between　them　down…stairs？〃

〃That　is　how　I　shall　always　find　out　the　difference　between　them。　If
Oscar's　brother　ever　attempts　to　play　tricks　upon　my　blindness　（he　is
quite　capable　of　ithe　laughed　at　my　blindness！）；　that　is　how　I　shall
find　him　out。　I　told　you　before　I　saw　him　that　I　hated　him。　I　hate　him
still。〃

〃My　dear　Lucilla！〃

〃I　hate　him　still！〃

She　struck　the　first　chords　on　the　piano；　with　an　obstinate　frown　on　her
pretty　brow。　Our　little　evening　concert　began。

CHAPTER　THE　TWENTY…FIFTH

Nugent　puzzles　Madame　Pratolungo

I　WAS　far　from　sharing　Lucilla's　opinion　of　Nugent　Dubourg。　His　enormous
self…confidence　was；　to　my　mind；　too　amusing　to　be　in　the　least
offensive。　I　liked　the　spirit　and　gaiety　of　the　young　fellow。　He　came
much　nearer　than　his　brother　did　to　my　ideal　of　the　dash　and　resolution
which　ought　to　distinguish　a　man　on　the　right　side　of　thirty。　So　far　as
my　experience　of　them　went；　Nugent　was　（in　the　popular　English　phrase）
good　companyand　Oscar　was　not。　My　nationality　leads　me　to　attach　great
importance　to　social　qualities。　The　higher　virtues　of　a　man　only　show
themselves　occasionally　on　compulsion；　His　social　qualities　come
familiarly　in　contact　with　us　every　day　of　our　lives。　I　like　to　be
cheerful：　I　am　all　for　the　social　qualities。

There　was　one　little　obstacle　in　those　early　days；　which　set　itself　up
between　my　sympathies　and　Nugent。

I　was　thoroughly　at　a　loss　to　understand　the　impression　which　Lucilla　had
produced　on　him。

The　same　constraint　which　had；　in　such　a　marked　manner；　subdued　him　at
his　first　interview　with　her；　still　fettered　him　in　the　time　when　they
became　better　acquainted　with　one　another。　He　was　never　in　high　spirits
in　her　presence。　Mr。　Finch　could　talk　him　down　without　difficulty；　if　Mr。
Finch's　daughter　happened　to　be　by。　Even　when　he　was　vaporing　about
himself；　and　telling　us　of　the　wonderful　things　he　meant　to　do　in
Painting；　Lucilla's　appearance　was　enough　to　check　him；　if　she　happened
to　come　into　the　room。　On　the　first　day　when　he　showed　me　his　American
sketches　（I　define　them；　if　you　ask　my　private　opinion；　as　false
pretenses　of　Art；　by　a　dashing　amateur）on　that　day；　he　was　in　full
flow；　marching　up　and　down　the　room；　smacking　his　forehead；　and
announcing　himself　quite　gravely　as　〃the　coming　man〃　in　landscape
painting。

〃My　mission；　Madame　Pratolungo；　is　to　reconcile　Humanity　and　Nature。　I
propose　to　show　（on　an　immense　scale）　how　Nature　（in　her　grandest
aspects）　can　adapt　herself　to　the　spiritual　wants　of　mankind。　In　your　joy
or　your　sorrow；　Nature　has　subtle　sympathies　with　you；　if　you　only　know
where　to　look　for　them。　My　picturesno！　my　poems　in　colorwill　show
you。　Multiply　my　works；　as　they　certainly　will　be　multiplied；　by　means　of
printsand　what　does　Art　become　in　my　hands？　A　Priesthood！　In　what
aspect　do　I　present　myself　to　the　public？　As　a　mere　landscape　painter？
No！　As　Grand　Consoler！〃　In　the　midst　of　this　rhapsody　（how　wonderfully　he
resembled　Oscar　in　_his_　bursts　of　excitement　while　he　was　talking！）in
the　full　torrent　of　his　predictions　of　his　own　coming　greatness；　Lucilla
quietly　entered　the　room。　The　〃Grand　Consoler〃　shut　up　his　portfolio；
dropped　Painting　on　the　spot；　asked　for　Music；　and　sat　down；　a　model　of
conventional　propriety；　in　a　corner　of　the　room。　I　inquired　afterwards；
why　he　had　checked　himself　when　she　came　in。　〃Did　I？〃　he　said。　〃I　don't
know　why。〃　The　thing　was　really　inexplicable。　He　honestly　admired
herone　had　only　to　notice　him　when　he　was　looking　at　her　to　see　it。　He
had　not　the　faintest　suspicion　of　her　dislike　for　himshe　carefully
concealed　it　for　Oscar's　sake。　He　felt　genuine　sympathy　for　her　in　her
afflictionhis　mad　idea　that　her　sight　might　yet　be　restored；　was　the
natural　offspring　of　a　true　feeling　for　her。　He　was　not　unfavorable　to
his　brother's　marriageon　the　contrary；　he　ruffled　the　rector's　dignity
（he　was　always　giving　offense　to　Mr。　Finch）　by　suggesting　that　the
marriage　might　be　hastened。　I　heard　him　say　the　words　myself：〃The
church　is　close　by。　Why　can't　you　put　on　your　surplice　and　make　Oscar
happy　to…morrow；　after　breakfast？〃　More　even　than　this；　he　showed　the
most　vivid　interestlike　a　woman's　interest　rather　than　a　man'sin
learning　how　the　love…affair　between　Oscar　and　Lucilla　had　begun。　I
referred　him；　so　far　as　Oscar　was　concerned；　to　his　brother　as　the
fountain…head　of　information。　He　did　not　decline　to　consult　his　brother。
He　did　not　own　to　me　that　he　felt　any　difficulty　in　doing　so。　He　simply
dropped　Oscar　in　silence；　and　asked　about　Lucilla。　How　had　it　begun　on
her　side？　I　reminded　him　of　his　brother's　romantic　position　at　Dimchurch
and　told　him　to　judge　for　himself　of　the　effect　it　would　produce　on　the
excitable　imagination　of　a　young　girl。　He　declined　to　judge　for　himself；
he　persisted　in　appealing　to　me。　When　I　told　the　little　love…story　of　the
two　young　people；　one　event　in　it　appeared　to　make　a　very　strong
impression　on　him。　The　effect　produced　on　Lucilla　（when　she　first　heard
it）　by　the　sound　of　his　brother's　voice；　dwelt　strangely　on　his　mind。　He
failed　to　understand　it；　he　ridiculed　it；　he　declined　to　believe　it。　I
was　obliged　to　remind　him　that　Lucilla　was　blind；　and　that　love　which；　in
other　cases；　first　finds　its　way　to　the　heart　through　the　eyes；　could
only；　in　her　case；　first　find　its　way　through　the　ears。　My　explanation；
thus　offered；　had　its　effect：　it　set　him　thinking。　〃The　sound　of　his
voice！〃　he　said　to　himself；　still　turning　the　problem　over　and　over　in
his　mind。　〃People　say　my　voice　is　exactly　like　Oscar's；〃　he　added；
suddenly　addressing　himself　to　me。　〃Do　you　think　so　too？〃　I　answered　that
there　could　be　no　doubt　of　it。　He　got　up　from　his　chair；　with　a　quick
little　shudder；　like　a　man　who　feels　a　chilland　changed　the　subject。　On
the　next　occasion　when　he　and　Lucilla　metso　far　from　being　more
familiar　with　her；　he　was　more　constrained　than　ever。　As　it　had　begun
between　these　two；　so　it　seemed　likely　to　continue　to　the　end。　In　my
society；　he　was　always　at　his　ease。　In　Lucilla's　society；　never！

What　was　the　obvious　conclusion　which　a　person　with　my　experience　ought
to　have　drawn　from　all　this？

I　know　well　enough　what　it　was；　now。　On　my　oath　as　an　honest　woman；　I
failed　to　see　it　at　the　time。　We　are　not　always　（suffer　me　to　remind　you）
consistent　with　ourselves。　The　cleverest　people　commit　occasional　lapses
into　stupidityjust　as　the　stupid　people　light　up　with　gleams　of
intelligence　at　certain　times。　You　may　have　shown　your　usual　good　sense
in　conducting　your　affairs　on　Monday；　Tuesday；　and　Wednesday　in　the　week。
But　it　doesn't　at　all　follow　from　this；　that　you　may　not　make　a　fool　of
yourself　on　Thursday。　Account　for　it　as　you　mayfor　a　much　longer　time
than　it　suits　my　self…esteem　to　reckon　up；　I　suspected　nothing　and
discovered　nothing。　I　noted　his　behavior　in　Lucilla's　presence　as　odd
behavior　and　unaccountable　behaviorand　that　was　all。



During　the　first　fortnight　just　mentioned；　the　London　doctor　came　to　see
Oscar。

He　left　again；　perfectly　satisfied　with　the　results　of　his　treatment。　The
dreadful　epileptic　malady　would　torture　the　patient　and　shock　the　friends
about　him　no　more：　the　marriage　might　safely　be　celebrated　at　the　time
agreed　on。　Oscar　was　cured。

The　doctor's　visitreviving　our　interest　in　observing　the　effect　of　the
me