poor miss finch-第7章

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Batchford；　not　a　Finch！〃　Lucilla's　father　（promoted；　by　this　time；　to　the
rectory　of　Dimchurch）　let　them　talk。　〃Wait　a　bit；　and　money　will　come　of
it；〃　was　all　he　said。　Truly　money　was　wanted！with　fruitful　Mrs。　Finch
multiplying　cradles；　year　after　year；　till　the　doctor　himself　（employed
on　contract）　got　tired　of　it；　and　said　one　day；　〃It　is　not　true　that
there　is　an　end　to　everything：　there　is　no　end　to　the　multiplying
capacity　of　Mrs。　Finch。〃

Lucilla　grew　up　from　childhood　to　womanhood。　She　was　twenty　years　old；
before　her　father's　expectations　were　realized；　and　the　money　came　of　it
at　last。

Uncle　Batchford　died　a　single　man。　He　divided　his　fortune　between　his
maiden　sister；　and　his　niece。　When　she　came　of　age；　Lucilla　was　to　have
an　income　of　fifteen　hundred　pounds　a　yearon　certain　conditions；　which
the　will　set　forth　at　great　length。　The　effect　of　these　conditions　was
（first）　to　render　it　absolutely　impossible　for　Reverend　Finch；　under　any
circumstances　whatever；　to　legally　inherit　a　single　farthing　of　the
moneyand　（secondly）；　to　detach　Lucilla　from　her　father's　household；　and
to　place　her　under　the　care　of　her　maiden　aunt；　so　long　as　she　remained
unmarried；　for　a　period　of　three　months　in　every　year。

　The　will　avowed　the　object　of　this　last　condition　in　the　plainest　words。
〃I　die　as　I　have　lived〃　（wrote　uncle　Batchford）；　〃a　High　Churchman　and　a
Tory。　My　legacy　to　my　niece　shall　only　take　effect　on　these
termsnamelythat　she　shall　be　removed　at　certain　stated　periods　from
the　Dissenting　and　Radical　influences　to　which　she　is　subjected　under　her
father's　roof；　and　shall　be　placed　under　the　care　of　an　English
gentlewoman　who　unites　to　the　advantages　of　birth　and　breeding　the
possession　of　high　and　honorable　principles〃etcetera；　etcetera。　Can　you
conceive　Reverend　Finch's　feelings；　sitting；　with　his　daughter　by　his
side；　among　the　company；　while　the　will　was　read；　and　hearing　this？　He
got　up；　like　a　true　Englishman；　and　made　them　a　speech。　〃Ladies　and
gentlemen；〃　he　said；　〃I　admit　that　I　am　a　Liberal　in　politics；　and　that
my　wife's　family　are　Dissenters。　As　an　example　of　the　principles　thus
engendered　in　my　household；　I　beg　to　inform　you　that　my　daughter　accepts
this　legacy　with　my　full　permission；　and　that　I　forgive　Mr。　Batchford。〃
With　that；　he　walked　out；　with　his　daughter　on　his　arm。　He　had　heard
enough；　please　to　observe；　to　satisfy　him　that　Lucilla　（while　she　lived
unmarried）　could　do　what　she　liked　with　her　income。　Before　they　had　got
back　to　Dimchurch；　Reverend　Finch　had　completed　a　domestic　arrangement
which　permitted　his　daughter　to　occupy　a　perfectly　independent　position
in　the　rectory；　and　which　placed　in　her　father's　pocketsas　Miss　Finch's
contribution　to　the　housekeepingfive　hundred　a　year。

（Do　you　know　what　I　felt　when　I　heard　this？　I　felt　the　deepest　regret
that　Finch　of　the　liberal　principles　had　not　made　a　third　with　my　poor
Pratolungo　and　me　in　Central　America。　With　him　to　advise　us；　we　should
have　saved　the　sacred　cause　of　Freedom　without　spending　a　single　farthing
on　it！）

　The　old　side　of　the　rectory；　hitherto　uninhabited；　was　put　in　order　and
furnishedof　course　at　Lucilla's　expense。　On　her　twenty…first　birthday；
the　repairs　were　completed；　the　first　installment　of　the　housekeeping
money　was　paid；　and　the　daughter　was　established；　as　an　independent
lodger；　in　her　own　father's　house！

In　order　to　thoroughly　appreciate　Finch's　ingenuity；　it　is　necessary　to
add　here　that　Lucilla　had　shown；　as　she　grew　up；　an　increasing　dislike　of
living　at　home。　In　her　blind　state；　the　endless　turmoil　of　the　children
distracted　her。　She　and　her　step…mother　did　not　possess　a　single　sympathy
in　common。　Her　relations　with　her　father　were　in　much　the　same　condition。
She　could　compassionate　his　poverty；　and　she　could　treat　him　with　the
forbearance　and　respect　due　to　him　from　his　child。　As　to　really
venerating　and　loving　himthe　less　said　about　that　the　better。　Her
happiest　days　had　been　the　days　she　spent　with　her　uncle　and　aunt；　her
visits　to　the　Batchfords　had　grown　to　be　longer　and　longer　visits　with
every　succeeding　year。　If　the　father；　in　appealing　to　the　daughter's
sympathies；　had　not　dexterously　contrived　to　unite　the　preservation　of
her　independence　with　the　continuance　of　her　residence　under　his　roof；
she　would；　on　coming　of　age；　either　have　lived　altogether　with　her　aunt；
or　have　set　up　an　establishment　of　her　own。　As　it　was；　the　rector　had
secured　his　five　hundred　a　year；　on　terms　acceptable　to　both　sidesand；
more　than　that；　he　had　got　her　safe　under　his　own　eye。　For；　remark；　there
was　one　terrible　possibility　threatening　him　in　the　futurethe
possibility　of　Lucilla's　marriage！

Such　was　the　strange　domestic　position　of　this　interesting　creature；　at
the　time　when　I　entered　the　house。

You　will　now　understand　how　completely　puzzled　I　was　when　I　recalled　what
had　happened　on　the　evening　of　my　arrival；　and　when　I　asked　myselfin
the　matter　of　the　mysterious　strangerwhat　course　I　was　to　take　next。　I
had　found　Lucilla　a　solitary　beinghelplessly　dependent　in　her　blindness
on　othersand；　in　that　sad　condition；　without　a　mother；　without　a
sister；　without　a　friend　even　in　whose　sympathies　she　could　take　refuge；
in　whose　advice　she　could　trust。　I　had　produced　a　first　favorable
impression　on　her；　I　had　won　her　liking　at　once；　as　she　had　won　mine。　I
had　accompanied　her　on　an　evening　walk；　innocent　of　all　suspicion　of　what
was　going　on　in　her　mind。　I　had　by　pure　accident　enabled　a　stranger　to
intensify　the　imaginary　interest　which　she　felt　in　him；　by　provoking　him
to　speak　in　her　hearing　for　the　first　time。　In　a　moment　of　hysterical
agitationand　in　sheer　despair　of　knowing　who　else　to　confide　inthe
poor；　foolish；　blind；　lonely　girl　had　opened　her　heart　to　me。　What　was　I
to　do？

If　the　case　had　been　an　ordinary　one；　the　whole　affair　would　have　been
simply　ridiculous。

But　the　case　of　Lucilla　was　not　the　case　of　girls　in　general。

The　minds　of　the　blind　are；　by　cruel　necessity；　forced　inward　on
themselves。　They　live　apart　from　usah；　how　hopelessly　far　apart！in
their　own　dark　sphere；　of　which　we　know　nothing。　What　relief　could　come
to　Lucilla　from　the　world　outside？　None！　It　was　part　of　her　desolate
liberty　to　be　free　to　dwell　unremittingly　on　the　ideal　creature　of　her
own　dream。　Within　the　narrow　limit　of　the　one　impression　that　it　had　been
possible　for　her　to　derive　of　this　manthe　impression　of　the　beauty　of
his　voiceher　fancy　was　left　to　work　unrestrained　in　the　changeless
darkness　of　her　life。　What　a　picture！　I　shudder　as　I　draw　it。　Oh；　yes；　it
is　easy；　I　know；　to　look　at　it　the　other　wayto　laugh　at　the　folly　of　a
girl；　who　first　excites　her　imagination　about　a　total　stranger；　and　then；
when　she　hears　him　speak；　falls　in　love　with　his　voice！　But　add　that　the
girl　is　blind；　that　the　girl　lives　habitually　in　the　world　of　her　own
imagination；　that　the　girl　has　nobody　at　home　who　can　exercise　a
wholesome　influence　over　her。　Is　there　nothing　pitiable　in　such　a　state
of　things　as　this？　For　myself；　though　I　come　of　a　light…hearted　nation
that　laughs　at　everythingI　saw　my　own　face　looking　horribly　grave　and
old；　as　I　sat　before　the　glass　that　night；　brushing　my　hair。

I　looked　at　my　bed。　Bah！　what　was　the　use　of　going　to　bed？　She　was　her
own　mistress。　She　was　perfectly　free　to　take　her　next　walk　to　Browndown
alone！　and　to　place　herself；　for　all　I　knew　to　the　contrary；　at　the　mercy
of　a　dishonorable　and　designing　man。　What　was　I？　Only　her　companion。　I
had　no　right　to　interfereand　yet；　if　anything　happened；　I　should　be
blamed。　It　is　so　easy　to　say；　〃You　ought　to　have　done　something。〃　Whom
could　I　consult？　The　worthy　old　nurse　only　held　the　position　of　servant。
Could　I　address　myself　to　the　lymphatic　lady　with　the　baby　in　one　hand；
and　the　novel　in　the　other？　Absurd！　her　stepmother　was　not　to　be　thought
of。　Her　father？　Judging　by　hearsay；　I　had　not　derived　a　favorable
impression　of　the　capacity　of　Reverend　Finch　for　interfering　successfully
in　a　matter　of　this　sort。　However；　he　was　her　father；　and　I　could　feel　my
way　cautiously　with　him　at　first。　Hearing　Zillah　moving　about　the
corridor；　I　went　out　to　her。　In　the　course　of　a　little　gossip；　I
introduced　the　name　of　the　master　of　the　house。　How　was　it　I　had　not　seen
him　yet？　For　an　excellent　reason。　He　had　gone　to　visit　a　friend　at
Brighton。　It　was　then　Tuesday。　He　was　expected　back　on　〃sermon…day〃that
is　to　say　on　Saturday　in　the　same　week。

I　returned　to　my　room；　a　little　out　of　temper。　In　this　state　my　mind
works　with　wonderful　freedom。　I　had　another　of　my　inspirations。　Mr。
Dubourg　had　taken　the　liberty　of　speaking　to　me　that　evening。　Good。　I
determined　to　go　alone　to　Browndown　the　next　morning；　and　take　the
liberty　of　speaking　to　Mr。　Dubourg。

Was　this　resolution　solely　inspired　by　my　interest　in　Lucilla？　Or　had　my
own　curiosity　been　all　the　time　working　under　the　surface；　and
influencing　the　course　of　my　reflections　unknown　to　myself？　I　went　to　bed
without　inquiring。　I　recommend　you　to　go　to　bed　without　inquiring　too。

CHAPTER　THE　SEVENTH

Daylight　View　of　the　Man

WHEN　I　put　out　my　candle　that　night；　I　made　a　mistakeI　trusted　entirely
to　myself　to　wake　in　good　time　in　the　morning。　I　ought　to　have　told
Zillah　to　call　me。

Hours　passed　before　I　could　close　my　eyes。　It　was　broken　rest　when　it
came；　until　the　day　dawned。　Then　I　fell　asleep　at　last　in　good　earnest。
When　I　woke；　and　looked　at　my　watch；　I　was　amazed　to　find　that　it　was　ten
o'clock。

I　jumped　out　of　bed；　and　rang　for　the　old　nurse。　Was　Lucilla　at　home？　No：
she　had　gone　out　for　a　little　walk。　By　herself？　Yesby　herself。　In　what
direction？　Up　the　valley；　towards　Browndown。

I　instantly　arrived　at　my　own　conclusion。

She　had　got　the　start　of　methanks　to　my　laziness　in　sleeping　away　the
precious　hours　of　the　morning　in　bed。　The　one　thing　to　do；　was　to　follow
her　as　speedily　as　possible。　In　half　an　hour　more；　_I_　was　out　for　a
little　walk　by　myselfand　（what　do　you　think？）　_my_　direction　also　was
up　the　valley；　towards　Browndown。

A　pastoral　solitude　reigned　round　the　lonely　little　house。　I　went　on
beyond　it；　into　the　next　winding　of　the　valley。　Not　a　human　creature　was
to　be　seen。　I　returned　to　Browndown　to　reconnoiter。　Ascending　the　rising
ground　on　which　the　house　was　built；　I　approached　it　from　the　back。　The
windows　were　all　open。　I　listened。　（Do　you　suppose　I　felt　scruples　in
such　an　emergency　as　this？　Oh；　pooh！　pooh！　who　but　a　fool　would　have　felt
anything　of　the　sort！）　I　listened　with　both　my　ears。　Through　a　window　at
the　side　of　the　house；　I　heard　the　sound　of　voices。　Advancing　noiselessly
on　the　turf；　I　heard　the　voice　of　Dubourg。　He　was　answered　by　a　woman。
Aha；　I　had　caught　her。　Lucilla　herself！

〃Wonderful！〃　I　heard　him　say。　〃I　believe　you　have　eyes　in　the　ends　of
your　fingers。　Take　this；　nowand　try　if　you　can　tell　me　what　it　is。〃

〃A　little　vase；〃　she　answeredspeaking；　I　give　you　my　word　of　honor；　as
composedly　as　if　she　had　known　him　for　years。　〃Wait！　what　metal　is　it？
Silver？　No。　Gold。　Did　you　really　make　this　yourself　as　well　as　the　box？〃

〃Yes。　It　is　an　odd　taste　of　mineisn't　it？to　be　fond　of　chasing　in
gold　and　silver。　Years　ago　I　met　with　a　man