poor miss finch-第65章

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before　me。　I　happened　to　have　noticed；　at　the　same　moment；　a　lady
approaching　us　in　a　dress　of　a　peculiar　color；　and　I　pulled　Oscar　on　one
side；　to　look　at　her　as　she　passed　in　front　of　me。　〃Why　do　you　get　in　my
way？〃　I　asked。　Before　he　could　answer　the　question　the　lady　passed；　with
two　lovely　children；　and　with　a　tall　man　at　her　side。　My　eyes；　looking
first　at　the　lady　and　the　children；　found　their　way　next　to　the
gentlemanand　saw　repeated　in　his　face；　the　same　black…blue　complexion
which　had　startled　me　in　the　face　of　Oscar's　brother；　when　I　first　opened
my　eyes　at　the　rectory！　For　the　moment　I　felt　startled　againmore；　as　I
believe；　by　the　unexpected　repetition　of　the　blue　face　in　the　face　of　a
stranger；　than　by　the　ugliness　of　the　complexion　itself。　At　any　rate；　I
was　composed　enough　to　admire　the　lady's　dress；　and　the　beauty　of　the
children；　before　they　had　passed　beyond　my　range　of　view。　Oscar　spoke　to
me；　while　I　was　looking　at　them；　in　a　tone　of　reproach　for　which；　as　I
thought；　there　was　no　occasion　and　no　excuse。

〃I　tried　to　spare　you；〃　he　said。　〃You　have　yourself　to　thank；　if　that　man
has　frightened　you。〃

〃He　has　_not_　frightened　me；〃　I　answeredsharply　enough。

Oscar　looked　at　me　very　attentively；　and　sat　down　again；　without　saying　a
word　more。

The　good…humoured　old　woman；　on　my　other　side；　who　had　seen　and　heard　all
that　had　passed；　began　to　talk　of　the　gentleman　with　the　discolored　face；
and　of　the　lady　and　the　children　who　accompanied　him。　He　was　a　retired
Indian　officer；　she　said。　The　lady　was　his　wife；　and　the　two　beautiful
children　were　his　own　children。　〃It　seems　a　pity　that　such　a　handsome　man
should　be　disfigured　in　that　way；〃　my　new　acquaintance　remarked。　〃But
still；　it　don't　matter　much；　after　all。　There　he　is；　as　you　see；　with　a
fine　woman　for　a　wife；　and　with　two　lovely　children。　I　know　the　landlady
of　the　house　where　they　lodgeand　a　happier　family　you　couldn't　lay　your
hand　on　in　all　England。　That　is　my　friend's　account　of　them。　Even　a　blue
face　don't　seem　such　a　dreadful　misfortune；　when　you　look　at　it　in　that
lightdoes　it；　Miss？〃

I　entirely　agreed　with　the　old　lady。　Our　talk　seemed；　for　some
incomprehensible　reason；　to　irritate　Oscar。　He　got　up　again　impatiently；
and　looked　at　his　watch。

〃Your　aunt　will　be　wondering　what　has　become　of　us；〃　he　said。　〃Surely　you
have　had　enough　of　the　mob　on　the　sands；　by　this　time？〃

I　had　not　had　enough　of　it；　and　I　should　have　been　quite　content　to　have
made　one　of　the　mob　for　some　time　longer。　But　I　saw　that　Oscar　would　be
seriously　vexed　if　I　persisted　in　keeping　my　place。　So　I　took　leave　of　my
nice　old　lady；　and　left　the　pleasant　sandsnot　very　willingly。

He　said　nothing　more；　until　we　had　threaded　our　way　out　of　the　crowd。
Then　he　returned；　without　any　reason　for　it　that　I　could　discover；　to　the
subject　of　the　Indian　officer；　and　to　the　remembrance　which　the
stranger's　complexion　must　have　awakened　in　me　of　his　brother's　face。

〃I　don't　understand　your　telling　me　you　were　not　frightened　when　you　saw
that　man；〃　he　said。　〃You　were　terribly　frightened　by　my　brother；　when　you
saw　him。〃

〃I　was　terribly　frightened　by　my　own　imagination；　_before_　I　saw　him；〃　I
answered。　〃_After_　I　saw　him；　I　soon　got　over　it。〃

〃So　you　say！〃　he　rejoined。

There　is　something　excessively　provokingat　least　to　mein　being　told
to　my　face　that　I　have　said　something　which　is　not　worthy　of　belief。　It
was　not　a　very　becoming　act　on　my　part　（after　what　he　had　told　me　in　his
letter　about　his　brother's　infatuation）　to　mention　his　brother。　I　ought
not　to　have　done　it。　I　did　it；　for　all　that。

〃I　say　what　I　mean；〃　I　replied。　〃Before　I　knew　what　you　told　me　about
your　brother；　I　was　going　to　propose　to　you；　for　your　sake　and　for　his；
that　he　should　live　with　us　after　we　were　married。〃

Oscar　suddenly　stopped。　He　had　given　me　his　arm　to　lead　me　through　the
crowdhe　dropped　it　now。

〃You　say　that；　because　you　are　angry　with　me！〃　he　said。

I　denied　being　angry　with　him；　I　declared；　once　more；　that　I　was　only
speaking　the　truth。

〃You　really　mean；〃　he　went　on；　〃that　you　could　have　lived　comfortably
with　my　brother's　blue　face　before　you　every　hour　of　the　day？〃

〃Quite　comfortablyif　he　would　have　been　my　brother　too。〃　Oscar　pointed
to　the　house　in　which　my　aunt　and　I　are　livingwithin　a　few　yards　of　the
place　on　which　we　stood。

〃You　are　close　at　home；〃　he　said；　speaking　in　an　odd　muffled　voice；　with
his　eyes　on　the　ground。　〃I　want　a　longer　walk。　We　shall　meet　at
dinner…time。〃

He　left　mewithout　looking　up；　and　without　saying　a　word　more。

Jealous　of　his　brother！　There　is　something　unnatural；　something　degrading
in　such　jealousy　as　that。　I　am　ashamed　of　myself　for　thinking　it　of　him。
And　yet　what　else　could　his　conduct　mean？

＇Note。It　is　for　me　to　answer　that　question。　Give　the　miserable　wretch
his　due。　His　conduct　meant；　in　one　plain　wordremorse。　The　only　excuse
left　that　he　could　make　to　his　own　conscience　for　the　infamous　part　which
he　was　playing；　was　thisthat　his　brother's　personal　disfigurement
presented　a　fatal　obstacle　in　the　way　of　his　brother's　marriage。　And　now
Lucilla's　own　words；　Lucilla's　own　actions；　had　told　him　that　Oscar's
face　was　no　obstacle　to　her　seeing　Oscar　perpetually　in　the　familiar
intercourse　of　domestic　life。　The　torture　of　self…reproach　which　this
discovery　inflicted　on　him；　drove　him　out　of　her　presence。　His　own　lips
would　have　betrayed　him；　if　he　had　spoken　a　word　more　to　her　at　that
moment。　This　is　no　speculation　of　mine。　I　know　what　I　am　now　writing　to
be　the　truth。P。＇

It　is　night　again。　I　am　in　my　bed…roomtoo　nervous　and　too　anxious　to　go
to　rest　yet。　Let　me　employ　myself　in　finishing　this　private　record　of　the
events　of　the　day。

Oscar　came　a　little　before　dinner…time；　haggard　and　pale；　and　so　absent
in　mind　that　he　hardly　seemed　to　know　what　he　was　talking　about。　No
explanations　passed　between　us。　He　asked　my　pardon　for　the　hard　things　he
had　said；　and　the　ill…temper　he　had　shown；　earlier　in　the　day。　I　readily
accepted　his　excusesand　did　my　best　to　conceal　the　uneasiness　which　his
vacant；　pre…occupied　manner　caused　me。　All　the　time　he　was　speaking　to
me；　he　was　plainly　thinking　of　something　elsehe　was　more　unlike　the
Oscar　of　my　blind　remembrances　than　ever。　It　was　the　old　voice　talking　in
a　new　way：　I　can　only　describe　it　to　myself　in　those　terms。

As　for　his　manner；　I　know　it　used　to　be　always　more　or　less　quiet　and
retiring　in　the　old　days：　but　was　it　ever　so　hopelessly　subdued　and
depressed；　as　I　have　seen　it　to…day？　Useless　to　ask！　In　the　by…gone　time；
I　was　not　able　to　see　it。　My　past　judgment　of　him　and　my　present　judgment
of　him　have　been　arrived　at　by　such　totally　different　means；　that　it
seems　useless　to　compare　them。　Oh；　how　I　miss　Madame　Pratolungo！　What　a
relief；　what　a　consolation　it　would　have　been；　to　have　said　all　this　to
her；　and　to　have　heard　what　she　thought　of　it　in　return！

There　is；　however；　a　chance　of　my　finding　my　way　out　of　some　of　my
perplexities；　at　any　rateif　I　can　only　wait　till　tomorrow。

Oscar　seems　to　have　made　up　his　mind　at　last　to　enter　into　the
explanations　which　he　has　hitherto　withheld　from　me。　He　has　asked　me　to
give　him　a　private　interview　in　the　morning。　The　circumstances　which　led
to　his　making　this　request　have　highly　excited　my　curiosity。　Something　is
evidently　going　on　under　the　surface；　in　which　my　interests　are
concernedand；　possibly；　Oscar's　interests　too。

It　all　came　about　in　this　way。

On　returning　to　the　house；　after　Oscar　had　left　me；　I　found　that　a　letter
from　Grosse　had　arrived　by　the　afternoon　post。　My　dear　old　surgeon　wrote
to　say　that　he　was　coming　to　see　meand　added　in　a　postscript　that　he
would　arrive　the　next　day　at　luncheon…time。　Past　experience　told　me　that
this　meant　a　demand　on　my　aunt's　housekeeping　for　all　the　good　things
that　it　could　produce。　（Ah；　dear！　I　thought　of　Madame　Pratolungo　and　the
Mayonnaise。　Will　those　times　never　come　again？）　Wellat　dinner；　I
announced　Grosse's　visit；　adding　significantly；　〃at　luncheon…time。〃

My　aunt　looked　up　from　her　plate　with　a　little　startnot　interested；　as
I　was　prepared　to　hear；　in　the　serious　question　of　luncheon；　but　in　the
opinion　which　my　medical　adviser　was　likely　to　give　of　the　state　of　my
health。

〃I　am　anxious　to　hear　what　Mr。　Grosse　says　about　you　to…morrow；〃　the　old
lady　began。　〃I　shall　insist　on　his　giving　me　a　far　more　complete　report
of　you　than　he　gave　last　time。　The　recovery　of　your　sight　appears　to　me；
my　dear；　to　be　quite　complete。〃

〃Do　you　want　me　to　be　cured；　aunt；　because　you　want　to　get　away？〃　I
asked。　〃Are　you　weary　of　Ramsgate？〃

Miss　Batchford's　quick　temper　flashed　at　me　out　of　Miss　Batchford's
bright　old　eyes。

〃I　am　weary　of　keeping　a　letter　of　yours；〃　she　answered；　with　a　look　of
disgust。

〃A　letter　of　mine！〃　I　exclaimed。

〃Yes。　A　letter　which　is　only　to　be　given　to　you；　when　Mr。　Grosse
pronounces　that　you　are　quite　yourself　again。〃

Oscarwho　had　not　taken　the　slightest　interest　in　the　conversation　thus
farsuddenly　stopped；　with　his　fork　half　way　to　his　mouth；　changed
color；　and　looked　eagerly　at　my　aunt。

〃What　letter？〃　I　asked。　〃Who　gave　it　to　you？　Why　am　I　not　to　see　it　until
I　am　quite　myself　again？〃

Miss　Batchford　obstinately　shook　her　head　three　times；　in　answer　to　those
three　questions。

〃I　hate　secrets　and　mysteries；〃　she　said　impatiently。　〃This　is　a　secret
and　a　mysteryand　I　long　to　have　done　with　it。　That　is　all。　I　have　said
too　much　already。　I　shall　say　no　more。〃

All　my　entreaties　were　of　no　avail。　My　aunt's　quick　temper　had　evidently
led　her　into　committing　an　imprudence　of　some　sort。　Having　done　that；　she
was　now　provokingly　determined　not　to　make　bad　worse。　Nothing　that　I
could　say　would　induce　her　to　open　her　lips　on　the　subject　of　the
mysterious　letter。　〃Wait　till　Mr。　Grosse　comes　to…morrow。〃　That　was　the
only　reply　I　could　get。

As　for　Oscar；　this　little　incident　appeared　to　have　an　effect　on　him
which　added　immensely　to　the　curiosity　that　my　aunt　had　roused　in　me。

He　listened　with　breathless　attention　while　I　was　trying　to　induce　Miss
Batchford　to　answer　my　questions。　When　I　gave　it　up；　he　pushed　away　his
plate；　and　ate　no　more。　On　the　other　hand　（though　generally　the　most
temperate　of　men）　he　drank　a　great　deal　of　wine；　both　at　dinner　and
after。　In　the　evening；　he　made　so　many　mistakes　in　playing　cards　with　my
aunt；　that　she　dismissed　him　from　the　game　in　disgrace。　He　sat　in　a
corner　for　the　rest　of　the　time；　pretending　to　listen　while　I　was　playing
the　pianoreally　lost　to　me　and　my　music；　buried；　fathoms　deep；　in　some
uneasy　thoughts　of　his　own。

When　he　took　his　leave；　he　whispered　these　words　in　my　ear；　anxiously
pressing　my　hand　while　he　spoke：

〃I　must　see　you　alone　to…morrow；　before　Grosse　comes。　Can　you　manage　it？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃When？〃

〃At　the　stairs　on　the　cliff；　at　eleven　o'clock。〃

On　that；　he　left　me。　But　one　question　has　pursued　me　ever　since。　Does
Oscar　know　the　writer　of　the　mysterious　letter？　I　firmly　believe　he　does。
To…morrow　will　prove　whether　I　am　right　or　wrong。　How　I　long　for
to…morrow　to　come！


CHAPTER　THE　FORTY…FOURTH

Lucilla's　Journal；　continued

_September_　4th。

I　MARK　t