poor miss finch-第6章

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〃You　must　be　very　strange　people；　my　dear；〃　I　said；　〃to　make　a　mystery　of
such　a　plain　case　as　this。〃

〃Plain？〃　repeated　Lucilla；　in　amazement。

〃Certainly！　The　gold　and　silver　plates；　and　the　strange　tools；　and　the
living　in　retirement；　and　the　sending　the　servants　away　at　nightall
point　to　the　same　conclusion。　My　guess　is　the　right　one。　The　man　is　an
escaped　criminal；　and　his　form　of　crime　is　coining　false　money。　He　has
been　discovered　at　Exeterhe　has　escaped　the　officers　of　justiceand　he
is　now　going　to　begin　again　here。　You　can　do　as　you　please。　If　_I_　happen
to　want　change；　I　won't　get　it　in　this　neighborhood。〃

Lucilla　laid　herself　back　in　her　chair　again。　I　could　see　that　she　gave
me　up；　in　the　matter　of　Mr。　Dubourg；　as　a　person　willfully　and
incorrigibly　wrong。

〃A　coiner　of　false　money；　recommended　as　an　honorable　man　by　one　of　the
first　merchants　in　London！〃　she　exclaimed。　〃We　do　some　very　eccentric
things　in　England；　occasionallybut　there　is　a　limit　to　our　national
madness；　Madame　Pratolungo；　and　you　have　reached　it。　Shall　we　have　some
music？〃

She　spoke　a　little　sharply。　Mr。　Dubourg　was　the　hero　of　her　romance。　She
resentedseriously　resentedany　attempt　on　my　part　to　lower　him　in　her
estimation。

I　persisted　in　my　unfavorable　opinion　of　him；　nevertheless。　The　question
between　us　（as　I　might　have　told　her）　was　a　question　of　believing；　or　not
believing；　in　the　merchant　of　London。　To　her　mind；　it　was　a　sufficient
guarantee　of　his　integrity　that　he　was　a　rich　man。　To　my　mind　（speaking
as　a　good　Socialist）；　that　very　circumstance　told　dead　against　him。　A
capitalist　is　a　robber　of　one　sort；　and　a　coiner　is　a　robber　of　another
sort。　Whether　the　capitalist　recommends　the　coiner；　or　the　coiner　the
capitalist；　is　all　one　to　me。　In　either　case　（to　quote　the　language　of　an
excellent　English　play）　the　honest　people　are　the　soft　easy　cushions　on
which　these　knaves　repose　and　fatten。　It　was　on　the　tip　of　my　tongue　to
put　this　large　and　liberal　view　of　the　subject　to　Lucilla。　But　（alas！）　it
was　easy　to　see　that　the　poor　child　was　infected　by　the　narrow　prejudices
of　the　class　amid　which　she　lived。　How　could　I　find　it　in　my　heart　to　run
the　risk　of　a　disagreement　between　us　on　the　first　day？　Noit　was　not　to
be　done。　I　gave　the　nice　pretty　blind　girl　a　kiss。　And　we　went　to　the
piano　together。　And　I　put　off　making　a　good　Socialist　of　Lucilla　till　a
more　convenient　opportunity。

We　might　as　well　have　left　the　piano　unopened。　The　music　was　a　failure。

I　played　my　best。　From　Mozart　to　Beethoven。　From　Beethoven　to　Schubert。
From　Schubert　to　Chopin。　She　listened　with　all　the　will　in　the　world　to
be　pleased。　She　thanked　me　again　and　again。　She　tried；　at　my　invitation；
to　play　herself；　choosing　the　familiar　compositions　which　she　knew　by
ear。　No！　The　abominable　Dubourg；　having　got　the　uppermost　place　in　her
mind；　kept　it。　She　tried；　and　tried；　and　triedand　could　do　nothing。　His
voice　was　still　in　her　earsthe　only　music　which　could　possess　itself　of
her　attention　that　night。　I　took　her　place；　and　began　to　play　again。　She
suddenly　snatched　my　hands　off　the　keys。　〃Is　Zillah　here？〃　she　whispered。
I　told　her　Zillah　had　left　the　room。　She　laid　her　charming　head　on　my
shoulder；　and　sighed　hysterically。　〃I　can't　help　thinking　of　him；〃　she
burst　out。　〃I　am　miserable　for　the　first　time　in　my　lifeno！　I　am　happy
for　the　first　time　in　my　life。　Oh；　what　must　you　think　of　me！　I　don't
know　what　I　am　talking　about。　Why　did　you　encourage　him　to　speak　to　us？　I
might　never　have　heard　his　voice　but　for　you。〃　She　lifted　her　head　again
with　a　little　shiver；　and　composed　herself。　One　of　her　hands　wandered
here　and　there　over　the　keys　of　the　piano；　playing　softly。　〃His　charming
voice！〃　she　whispered　dreamily　while　she　played。　〃Oh；　his　charming
voice！〃　She　paused　again。　Her　hand　dropped　from　the　piano；　and　took　mine。
〃Is　this　love？〃　she　said；　half　to　herself；　half　to　me。

My　duty　as　a　respectable　woman　lay　clearly　before　memy　duty　was　to　tell
her　a　lie。

〃It　is　nothing；　my　dear；　but　too　much　excitement　and　too　much　fatigue；〃　I
said。　〃To…morrow　you　shall　be　my　young　lady　again。　To…night　you　must　be
only　my　child。　Come；　and　let　me　put　you　to　bed。〃

She　yielded　with　a　weary　sigh。　Ah；　how　lovely　she　looked　in　her　pretty
night…dress；　on　her　knees　at　the　bed…sidethe　innocent；　afflicted
creaturesaying　her　prayers！

I　am；　let　me　own；　an　equally　headlong　woman　at　loving　and　hating。　When　I
had　left　her　for　the　night；　I　could　hardly　have　felt　more　tenderly
interested　in　her　if　she　had　been　really　a　child　of　my　own。　You　have　met
with　people　of　my　sortunless　you　are　a　very　forbidding　person
indeedwho　have　talked　to　you　in　the　most　confidential　manner　of　all
their　private　affairs；　on　meeting　you　in　a　railway　carriage；　or　sitting
next　to　you　at　a　table…d'ho^te。　For　myself；　I　believe　I　shall　go　on
running　up　sudden　friendships　with　strangers　to　my　dying　day。　Infamous
Dubourg！　If　I　could　have　got　into　Browndown　that　night；　I　should　have
liked　to　have　done　to　him　what　a　Mexican　maid　of　mine　（at　the　Central
American　period　of　my　career）　did　to　her　drunken　husbandwho　was　a　kind
of　peddler；　dealing　in　whips　and　sticks。　She　sewed　him　strongly　up　one
night　in　the　sheet；　while　he　lay　snoring　off　his　liquor　in　bed；　and　then
she　took　his　whole　stock…in…trade　out　of　the　corner　of　the　room；　and
broke　it　on　him；　to　the　last　article　on　sale；　until　he　was　beaten　to　a
jelly　from　head　to　foot。

Not　having　this　resource　open　to　me；　I　sat　myself　down　in　my　bedroom；　to
considerif　the　matter　of　Dubourg　went　any　furtherwhat　it　was　my
business　to　do　next。

I　have　already　mentioned　that　Lucilla　and　I　had　idled　away　the　whole
afternoon；　woman…like；　in　talking　of　ourselves。　You　will　best　understand
what　course　my　reflections　took；　if　I　here　relate　the　chief　particulars
which　Lucilla　communicated　to　me；　concerning　her　own　singular　position　in
her　father's　house。

CHAPTER　THE　SIXTH

A　Cage　of　Finches

LARGE　families　areas　my　experience　goesof　two　sorts。　We　have　the
families　whose　members　all　admire　each　other。　And　we　have　the　families
whose　members　all　detest　each　other。　For　myself；　I　prefer　the　second
sort。　Their　quarrels　are　their　own　affair；　and　they　have　a　merit　which
the　first　sort　are　never　known　to　possessthe　merit　of　being　sometimes
able　to　see　the　good　qualities　of　persons　who　do　not　possess　the
advantage　of　being　related　to　them　by　blood。　The　families　whose　members
all　admire　each　other；　are　families　saturated　with　insufferable　conceit。
You　happen　to　speak　of　Shakespeare；　among　these　people；　as　a　type　of
supreme　intellectual　capacity。　A　female　member　of　the　family　will　not
fail　to　convey　to　you　that　you　would　have　illustrated　your　meaning　far
more　completely　if　you　had　referred　her　to　〃dear　Papa。〃　You　are　out
walking　with　a　male　member　of　the　household；　and　you　say　of　a　woman　who
passes；　〃What　a　charming　creature！〃　Your　companion　smiles　at　your
simplicity；　and　wonders　whether　you　have　ever　seen　his　sister　when　she　is
dressed　for　a　ball。　These　are　the　families　who　cannot　be　separated
without　corresponding　with　each　other　every　day。　They　read　you　extracts
from　their　letters；　and　say；　〃Where　is　the　writer　by　profession　who　can
equal　this？〃　They　talk　of　their　private　affairs；　in　your　presenceand
appear　to　think　that　you　ought　to　be　interested　too。　They　enjoy　their　own
jokes　across　you　at　tableand　wonder　how　it　is　that　you　are　not　amused。
In　domestic　circles　of　this　sort　the　sisters　sit　habitually　on　the
brothers'　knees；　and　the　husbands　inquire　into　the　wives'　ailments；　in
public；　as　unconcernedly　as　if　they　were　closeted　in　their　own　room。　When
we　arrive　at　a　more　advanced　stage　of　civilization；　the　State　will　supply
cages　for　these　intolerable　people；　and　notices　will　be　posted　at　the
corners　of　streets；　〃Beware　of　Number　Twelve：　a　family　in　a　state　of
mutual　admiration　is　hung　up　there！〃

I　gathered　from　Lucilla　that　the　Finches　were　of　the　second　order　of
large　families；　as　mentioned　above。　Hardly　one　of　the　members　of　this
domestic　group　was　on　speaking　terms　with　the　other。　And　some　of　them　had
been　separated　for　years；　without　once　troubling　Her　Majesty's　Post
Office　to　convey　even　the　slightest　expression　of　sentiment　from　one　to
the　other。

The　first　wife　of　Reverend　Finch　was　a　Miss　Batchford。　The　members　of　her
family　（limited　at　the　time　of　the　marriage　to　her　brother　and　her
sister）　strongly　disapproved　of　her　choice　of　a　husband。　The　rank　of　a
Finch　（I　laugh　at　these　contemptible　distinctions！）　was　decided；　in　this
case；　to　be　not　equal　to　the　rank　of　a　Batchford。　Nevertheless；　Miss
married。　Her　brother　and　sister　declined　to　be　present　at　the　ceremony。
First　quarrel。

Lucilla　was　born。　Reverend　Finch's　elder　brother　（on　speaking　terms　with
no　other　member　of　the　family）　interfered　with　a　Christian
proposalnamelyto　shake　hands　across　the　baby's　cradle。　Adopted　by　the
magnanimous　Batchfords。　First　reconciliation。

Time　passed。　Reverend　Finchthen　officiating　in　a　poor　curacy　near　a
great　manufacturing　townfelt　a　want　（the　want　of　money）；　and　took　a
liberty　（the　liberty　of　attempting　to　borrow　of　his　brother…in…law）。　Mr。
Batchford；　being　a　rich　man；　regarded　this　overture；　it　is　needless　to
say；　in　the　light　of　an　insult。　Miss　Batchford　sided　with　her　brother。
Second　quarrel。

Time　passed；　as　before。　Mrs。　Finch　the　first　died。　Reverend　Finch's　elder
brother　（still　at　daggers　drawn　with　the　other　members　of　the　family）
made　a　second　Christian　proposalnamelyto　shake　hands　across　the
wife's　grave。　Adopted　once　more　by　the　bereaved　Batchfords。　Second
reconciliation。

Another　lapse　of　time。　Reverend　Finch；　left　a　widower　with　one　daughter；
became　personally　acquainted　with　an　inhabitant　of　the　great　city　near
which　he　ministered；　who　was　also　a　widower　with　one　daughter。　The　status
of　the　parent；　in　this　casesocial…political…religiouswas
Shoemaker…Radical…Baptist。　Reverend　Finch；　still　wanting　money；　swallowed
it　all；　and　married　the　daughter；　with　a　dowry　of　three　thousand　pounds。
This　proceeding　alienated　from　him　for　ever；　not　the　Batchfords　only；　but
the　peacemaking　elder　brother　as　well。　That　excellent　Christian　ceased　to
be　on　speaking　terms　now　with　his　brother　the　clergyman；　as　well　as　with
all　the　rest　of　the　family。　The　complete　isolation　of　Reverend　Finch
followed。　Regularly　every　year　did　the　second　Mrs。　Finch　afford
opportunities　of　shaking　hands；　not　only　over　one　cradle；　but　sometimes
over　two。　Vain　and　meritorious　fertility！　Nothing　came　of　it；　but　a　kind
of　compromise。　Lucilla；　quite　overlooked　among　the　rector's
rapidly…increasing　second　family；　was　allowed　to　visit　her　maternal　uncle
and　aunt　at　stated　periods　in　every　year。　Born；　to　all　appearance　with
the　full　possession　of　her　sight；　the　poor　child　had　become　incurably
blind　before　she　was　a　year　old。　In　all　other　respects；　she　presented　a
striking　resemblance　to　her　mother。　Bachelor　uncle　Batchford；　and　his　old
maiden　sister；　both　conceived　the　strongest　affection　for　the　child。　〃Our
niece　Lucilla；〃　they　said；　〃has　justified　our　fondest　hopesshe　is　a
Batchford；　not　a　Finch！〃　Lucilla's　father　（promoted；　by　this　time；　to　the
rectory　of　Dimchurch）　let　them