poor miss finch-第40章

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open　for　my　blind　Lucilla　the　gates　of　a　new　life！

CHAPTER　THE　THIRTY…SECOND

Alas　for　the　Marriage！

WE　were　left　together；　Nugent　having　accompanied　the　two　oculists　to　the
garden…gate。

Now　that　we　were　alone；　Oscar's　absence　could　hardly　fail　to　attract
Lucilla's　attention。　Just　as　she　was　referring　to　him　in　terms　which　made
it　no　easy　task　for　me　to　quiet　her　successfully；　we　were　interrupted　by
the　screams　of　the　baby；　ascending　from　the　garden　below。　I　ran　to　the
window；　and　looked　out。

Mrs。　Finch　had　actually　effected　her　desperate　purpose　of　waylaying　the
two　surgeons　in　the　interests　of　〃baby's　eyes。〃　There　she　was；　in　a　skirt
and　a　shawlwith　her　novel　dropped　in　one　part　of　the　lawn；　and　her
handkerchief　in　the　otherpursuing　the　oculists　on　their　way　to　the
chaise。　Reckless　of　appearances；　Herr　Grosse　had　taken　to　his　heels。　He
was　retreating　from　the　screeching　infant　（with　his　fingers　stuffed　into
his　ears）；　as　fast　as　his　short　legs　would　let　him。　Nugent　was　ahead　of
him；　hurrying　on　to　open　the　garden…gate。　Respectable　Mr。　Sebright
（professionally　incapable　of　running）　brought　up　the　rear。　At　short
intervals；　Mrs。　Finch；　close　on　his　heels；　held　up　the　baby　for
inspection。　At　short　intervals；　Mr。　Sebright　held　up　his　hands　in　polite
protest。　Nugent；　roaring　with　laughter；　threw　open　the　garden…gate。　Herr
Grosse　rushed　through　the　opening；　and　disappeared。　Mr。　Sebright　followed
Herr　Grosse；　and　Mrs。　Finch　attempted　to　follow　Mr。　Sebrightwhen　a　new
personage　appeared　on　the　scene。　Startled　in　the　sanctuary　of　his　study
by　the　noise；　the　rector　himself　strutted　into　the　garden；　and　brought
his　wife　to　a　sudden　standstill；　by　inquiring　in　his　deepest　base　notes；
〃What　does　this　unseemly　disturbance　mean？〃

The　chaise　drove　off；　and　Nugent　closed　the　garden…gate。

Some　words；　inaudible　to　my　ears；　passed　between　Nugent　and　the
rectorreferring；　as　I　could　only　suppose；　to　the　visit　of　the　two
departing　surgeons。　After　awhile；　Mr。　Finch　turned　away　（to　all
appearance　offended　by　something　which　had　been　said　to　him）；　and
addressed　himself　to　Oscar；　who　now　reappeared　on　the　lawn；　having
evidently　only　waited　to　show　himself；　until　the　chaise　drove　away。　The
rector　paternally　took　his　arm；　and；　beckoning　to　his　wife　with　the　other
hand；　took　Mrs。　Finch's　arm　next。　Majestically　marching　back　to　the　house
between　the　two；　Reverend　Finch　asserted　himself　and　his　authority
alternately；　now　to　Oscar　and　now　to　his　wife。　His　big　booming　voice
reached　my　ears　distinctly；　accompanied　in　sharp　discord　by　the　last
wailings　of　the　exhausted　child。

In　these　terrible　words　the　Pope　of　Dimchurch　began：〃Oscar！　you　are　to
understand　distinctly；　if　you　please；　that　I　maintain　my　protest　against
this　impious　attempt　to　meddle　with　my　afflicted　daughter's　sight。Mrs。
Finch！　_you_　are　to　understand　that　I　excuse　your　unseemly　pursuit　of　two
strange　surgeons；　in　consideration　of　the　state　that　I　find　you　in　at
this　moment。　After　your　last　confinement　but　eight　you　became；　I
remember；　hysterically　irresponsible。　Hold　your　tongue。　You　are
hysterically　irresponsible　now。Oscar！　I　decline；　in　justice　to　myself；
to　be　present　at　any　discussion　which　may　follow　the　visit　of　those　two
professional　persons。　But　I　am　not　averse　to　advising　you　for　your　own
good。　My　Foot　is　down。　Put　your　foot　down　too。Mrs。　Finch！　how　long　is
it　since　you　ate　last？　Two　hours？　Are　you　sure　it　is　two　hours？　Very
good。　You　require　a　sedative　application。　I　order　you；　medically；　to　get
into　a　warm　bath；　and　stay　there　till　I　come　to　you。Oscar！　you　are
deficient；　my　good　fellow；　in　moral　weight。　Endeavor　to　oppose　yourself
resolutely　to　any　scheme；　on　the　part　of　my　unhappy　daughter　or　of　those
who　advise　her；　which　involves　more　expenditure　of　money　in　fees；　and　new
appearances　of　professional　persons。Mrs。　Finch！　the　temperature　is　to
be　ninety…eight；　and　the　position　partially　recumbent。Oscar！　I
authorize　you　（if　you　can't　stop　it　in　any　other　way）　to　throw　My　moral
weight　into　the　scale。　You　are　free　to　say　'I　oppose　This；　with　Mr。
Finch's　approval：　I　am；　so　to　speak；　backed　by　Mr。　Finch。'Mrs。　Finch！　I
wish　you　to　understand　the　object　of　the　bath。　Hold　your　tongue。　The
object　is　to　produce　a　gentle　action　on　your　skin。　One　of　the　women　is　to
keep　her　eye　on　your　forehead。　The　instant　she　perceives　an　appearance　of
moisture；　she　is　to　run　for　me。Oscar！　you　will　let　me　know　at　what
decision　they　arrive；　up…stairs　in　my　daughter's　room。　Not　after　they
have　merely　heard　what　you　have　to　say；　but　after　My　Moral　Weight　has
been　thrown　into　the　scale。Mrs。　Finch！　on　leaving　the　bath；　I　shall
have　you　only　lightly　clothed。　I　forbid；　with　a　view　to　your　head；　all
compression；　whether　of　stays　or　strings；　round　the　waist。　I　forbid
garterswith　the　same　object。　You　will　abstain　from　tea　and　talking。　You
will　lie；　loose；　on　your　back。　You　will〃

What　else　this　unhappy　woman　was　to　do；　I　failed　to　hear。　Mr。　Finch
disappeared　with　her；　round　the　corner　of　the　house。　Oscar　waited　at　the
door　of　our　side　of　the　rectory；　until　Nugent　joined　him；　on　their　way
back　to　the　sitting…room　in　which　we　were　expecting　their　return。



After　an　interval　of　a　few　minutes；　the　brothers　appeared。

Throughout　the　whole　of　the　time　during　which　the　surgeons　had　been　in
the　house；　I　had　noticed　that　Nugent　persisted　in　keeping　himself
scrupulously　in　the　background。　Having　assumed　the　responsibility　of
putting　the　serious　question　of　Lucilla's　sight　scientifically　to　the
test；　he　appeared　to　be　resolved　to　pause　there；　and　to　interfere　no
further　in　the　affair　after　it　had　passed　its　first　stage。　And　now　again；
when　we　were　met　in　our　little　committee　to　discuss；　and　possibly　to
combat；　Lucilla's　resolution　to　proceed　to　extremities；　he　once　more
refrained　from　interfering　actively　with　the　matter　in　hand。

〃I　have　brought　Oscar　back　with　me；〃　he　said　to　Lucilla；　〃and　I　have　told
him　how　widely　the　two　oculists　differ　in　opinion　on　your　case。　He　knows
also　that　you　have　decided　on　being　guided　by　the　more　favorable　view
taken　by　Herr　Grosseand　he　knows　no　more。〃

There　he　stopped　abruptly　and　seated　himself　apart　from　us；　at　the　lower
end　of　the　room。

Lucilla　instantly　appealed　to　Oscar　to　explain　his　conduct。

〃Why　have　you　kept　out　of　the　way？〃　she　asked。　〃Why　have　you　not　been
with　me；　at　the　most　important　moment　of　my　life？〃

〃Because　I　felt　your　anxious　position　too　keenly；〃　Oscar　answered。　〃Don't
think　me　inconsiderate　towards　you；　Lucilla。　If　I　had　not　kept　away；　I
might　not　have　been　able　to　control　myself。〃

I　thought　that　reply　far　too　dexterous　to　have　come　from　Oscar　on　the
spur　of　the　moment。　Besides；　he　looked　at　his　brother　when　he　said　the
last　words。　It　seemed　more　than　likelyshort　as　the　interval　had　been
before　they　appeared　in　the　sitting…roomthat　Nugent　had　been　advising
Oscar；　and　had　been　telling　him　what　to　say。

Lucilla　received　his　excuses　with　the　readiest　grace　and　kindness。

〃Mr。　Sebright　tells　me；　Oscar；　that　my　sight　is　hopelessly　gone；〃　she
said。　〃Herr　Grosse　answers　for　it　that　an　operation　will　make　me　see。
Need　I　tell　you　which　of　the　two　I　believe　in？　If　I　could　have　had　my　own
way；　Herr　Grosse　should　have　operated　on　my　eyes；　before　he　went　back　to
London。〃

〃Did　he　refuse？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Why？〃

Lucilla　told　him　of　the　reasons　which　the　German　oculist　had　stated　as
unanswerable　reasons　for　delay。　Oscar　listened　attentively；　and　looked　at
his　brother　again；　before　he　replied。

〃As　I　understand　it；〃　he　said；　〃if　you　decide　on　risking　the　operation　at
once；　you　decide　on　undergoing　six　weeks'　imprisonment　in　a　darkened
room；　and　on　placing　yourself　entirely　at　the　surgeon's　disposal　for　six
weeks　more；　after　that。　Have　you　considered；　Lucilla；　that　this　means
putting　off　our　marriage　again；　for　at　least　three　months？〃

〃If　you　were　in　my　place；　Oscar；　you　would　let　nothing；　not　even　your
marriage；　stand　in　the　way　of　your　restoration　to　sight。　Don't　ask　me　to
consider；　love。　I　can　consider　nothing　but　the　prospect　of　seeing　You！〃

That　fearlessly　frank　confession　silenced　him。　He　happened　to　be　sitting
opposite　to　the　glass；　so　that　he　could　see　his　face。　The　poor　wretch
abruptly　moved　his　chair；　so　as　to　turn　his　back　on　it。

I　looked　at　Nugent；　and　surprised　him　trying　to　catch　his　brother's　eye。
Prompted　by　him；　as　I　could　now　no　longer　doubt；　Oscar　had　laid　his
finger　on　a　certain　domestic　difficulty　which　I　had　had　in　my　mind；　from
the　moment　when　the　question　of　the　operation　had　been　first　agitated
among　us。

（The　marriage　of　Oscar　and　Lucillait　is　here　necessary　to　explainhad
encountered　another　obstacle；　and　undergone　a　new　delay；　in　consequence
of　the　dangerous　illness　of　Lucilla's　aunt。　Miss　Batchford；　formally
invited　to　the　ceremony　as　a　matter　of　course；　had　most　considerately
sent　a　message　begging　that　the　marriage　might　not　be　deferred　on　her
account。　Lucilla；　however；　had　refused　to　allow　her　wedding　to　be
celebrated；　while　the　woman　who　had　been　a　second　mother　to　her；　lay　at
the　point　of　death。　The　rector　having　an　eye　to　rich　Miss　Batchford's
moneynot　for　himself　（Miss　B。　detested　him）；　but　for　Lucillahad
supported　his　daughter's　decision；　and　Oscar　had　been　compelled　to
submit。　These　domestic　events　had　taken　place　about　three　weeks　since；
and　we　were　now　in　receipt　of　news　which　not　only　assured　us　of　the　old
lady's　recovery；　but　informed　us　also　that　she　would　be　well　enough　to
make　one　of　the　wedding　party　in　a　fortnight's　time。　The　bride's　dress
was　in　the　house；　the　bride's　father　was　ready　to　officiateand　here；
like　a　fatality；　was　the　question　of　the　operation　unexpectedly　starting
up；　and　threatening　another　delay　yet；　for　a　period　which　could　not
possibly　be　shorter　than　a　period　of　three　months！　Add　to　this；　if　you
please；　a　new　element　of　embarrassment　as　follows。　Supposing　Lucilla　to
persist　in　her　resolution；　and　Oscar　to　persist　in　concealing　from　her
the　personal　change　in　him　produced　by　the　medical　treatment　of　the　fits；
what　would　happen？　Nothing　less　than　this。　Lucilla；　if　the　operation
succeeded；　would　find　out　for　herselfbefore　instead　of　after　her
marriagethe　deception　that　had　been　practiced　on　her。　And　how　she　might
resent　that　deception；　thus　discovered；　the　cleverest　person　among　us
could　not　pretend　to　foresee。　There　was　our　situation；　as　we　sat　in
domestic　parliament　assembled；　when　the　surgeons　had　left　us！）

Finding　it　impossible　to　attract　his　brother's　attention；　Nugent　had　no
alternative　but　to　interfere　actively　for　the　first　time。

〃Let　me　suggest；　Lucilla；〃　he　said；　〃that　it　is　your　duty　to　look　at　the
other　side　of　the　question；　before　you　make　up　your　mind。　In　the　first
place；　it　is　surely　hard　on　Oscar　to　postpone　the　wedding…day　again。　In
the　second　place；　clever　as　he　is；　Herr　Grosse　is　not　infallible。　It　is
just　possible　that　the　operation　may　fail；　and　that　you　may　find　you　have
put　off　your　marriage　for　three　months；　to　no　purpose。　Do　think　of　it！　If
you　defer　the　operation　on　your　eyes　till　after　your　marriage；　you
conciliate　all　interests；　and　you　only　delay　by　a　month　or　so　the　time
when　you　may　see。〃

Lucilla　impatientl