poor miss finch-第76章

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It　was　no　time　for　standing　on　ceremony。　I　picked　up　the　letter；　and
looked　at　it　without　asking　leave。　It　proved　to　be　the　letter　from　Nugent
（already　inserted　at　the　close　of　Lucilla's　Journal）；　informing　Miss
Batchford　of　her　niece's　flight　from　Ramsgate；　and　signed　in　Oscar's
name。　The　only　words　which　it　is　necessary　to　repeat　here；　are
these：〃She　accompanies　me；　at　my　express　request；　to　the　house　of　a
married　lady　who　is　a　relative　of　mine；　and　under　whose　care　she　will
remain；　until　the　time　arrives　for　our　marriage。〃

Those　lines　instantly　lightened　my　heart　of　the　burden　that　had　oppressed
it　on　the　journey。　Nugent's　married　relative　was　Oscar's　married　relative
too。　Oscar　had　only　to　tell　us　where　the　lady　livedand　Lucilla　would　be
found！

I　stopped　Mr。　Finch；　in　the　act　of　maddening　Oscar　by　administering
pastoral　consolation　to　him。

〃Leave　it　to　me；〃　I　said；　showing　him　the　letter。　〃I　know　what　you　want。〃

The　rector　stared　at　me　indignantly。　I　turned　to　Mrs。　Finch。

〃We　have　had　a　weary　journey；〃　I　went　on。　〃Oscar　is　not　so　well　used　to
traveling　as　I　am。　Where　is　his　room？〃

Mrs。　Finch　rose　to　show　the　way。　Her　husband　opened　his　lips　to
interfere。

〃Leave　it　to　me；〃　I　repeated。　〃I　understand　him；　and　you　don't。〃

For　once　in　his　life；　the　Pope　of　Dimchurch　was　reduced　to　silence。　His
amazement　at　my　audacity　defied　even　his　powers　of　expression。　I　took
Oscar's　arm；　and　said；　〃You　are　worn　out。　Go　to　your　room。　I　will　make
you　something　warm　and　bring　it　up　to　you　myself　in　a　few　minutes。〃　He
neither　looked　at　me　nor　answered　mehe　yielded　silently　and　followed
Mrs。　Finch。　I　took　from　the　sideboard；　on　which　supper　was　waiting；　the
materials　I　wanted；　set　the　kettle　boiling；　made　my　renovating　mixture；
and　advanced　to　the　door　with　itfollowed　from　first　to　last；　move　where
I　might；　by　the　staring　and　scandalized　eyes　of　Mr。　Finch。　The　moment　in
which　I　opened　the　door　was　also　the　moment　in　which　the　rector　recovered
himself。　〃Permit　me　to　inquire；　Madame　Pratolungo；〃　he　said　with　his
loftiest　emphasis；　〃in　what　capacity　are　You　here？〃

〃In　the　capacity　of　Oscar's　friend；〃　I　answered。　〃You　will　get　rid　of　us
both　to…morrow。〃　I　banged　the　door　behind　me；　and　went　up…stairs。　If　I
had　been　Mr。　Finch's　wife；　I　believe　I　should　have　ended　in　making　quite
an　agreeable　man　of　him。

Mrs。　Finch　met　me　in　the　passage　on　the　first　floor；　and　pointed　out
Oscar's　room。　I　found　him　walking　backwards　and　forwards　restlessly。　The
first　words　he　said　alluded　to　his　brother's　letter。　I　had　arranged　not
to　disturb　him　by　any　reference　to　that　painful　matter　until　the　next
morning；　and　I　tried　to　change　the　topic。　It　was　useless。　There　was　an
anxiety　in　his　mind　which　was　not　to　be　dismissed　at　will。　He　insisted　on
my　instantly　setting　that　anxiety　at　rest。

〃I　don't　want　to　see　the　letter；〃　he　said。　〃I　only　want　to　know　all　that
it　says　about　Lucilla。〃

〃All　that　it　says　may　be　summed　up　in　this。　Lucilla　is　perfectly　safe。〃

He　caught　me　by　the　arm；　and　looked　me　searchingly　in　the　face。

〃Where？〃　he　asked。　With　_him？_〃

〃With　a　married　lady　who　is　a　relative　of　his。〃

He　dropped　my　arm；　and　considered　for　a　moment。

〃My　cousin　at　Sydenham！〃　he　exclaimed。

〃Do　you　know　the　house？〃

〃Perfectly　well。〃

〃We　will　go　there　to…morrow。　Let　that　content　you　for　tonight。　Get　to
rest。〃

I　gave　him　my　hand。　He　took　it　mechanicallyabsorbed　in　his　own
thoughts。

〃Didn't　I　say　something　foolish　down　stairs？〃　he　asked；　putting　the
question　suddenly；　with　an　odd　suspicious　look　at　me。

〃You　were　quite　worn　out；〃　I　said；　consolingly。　〃Nobody　noticed　it。〃

〃You　are　sure　of　that？〃

〃Quite　sure。　Good　night。〃

I　left　the　room；　feeling　much　as　I　had　felt　at　the　station　at　Marseilles。
I　was　not　satisfied　with　him。　I　thought　his　conduct　very　strange。



On　returning　to　the　parlor；　I　found　nobody　there　but　Mrs。　Finch。　The
rector's　offended　dignity　had　left　the　rector　no　honorable　alternative
but　to　withdraw　to　his　own　room。　I　ate　my　supper　in　peace；　and　Mrs。　Finch
（rocking　the　cradle　with　her　foot）　chattered　away　to　her　heart's　content
about　all　that　had　happened　in　my　absence。

I　gathered；　here　and　there；　from　what　she　said；　some　particulars　worth
mentioning。

The　new　disagreement　between　Mr。　Finch　and　Miss　Batchford；　which　had
driven　the　old　lady　out　of　the　rectory　almost　as　soon　as　she　set　foot　in
it；　had　originated　in　Mr。　Finch's　exasperating　composure　when　he　heard　of
his　daughter's　flight。　He　supposed；　of　course；　that　Lucilla　had　left
Ramsgate　with　Oscarwhose　signed　settlements　on　his　future　wife　were
safe　in　Mr。　Finch's　possession。　It　was　only　when　Miss　Batchford　had
communicated　with　Grosse；　and　when　the　discovery　followed　which　revealed
the　penniless　Nugent　as　the　man　who　had　eloped　with　Lucilla；　that　Mr。
Finch's　parental　anxiety　（seeing　no　money　likely　to　come　of　it）　became
roused　to　action。　He；　Miss　Batchford；　and　Grosse；　had　all；　in　their
various　ways；　done　their　best　to　trace　the　fugitivesand　had　all　alike
been　baffled　by　the　impossibility　of　discovering　the　residence　of　the
lady　mentioned　in　Nugent's　letter。　My　telegram；　announcing　my　return　to
England　with　Oscar；　had　inspired　them　with　their　first　hope　of　being　able
to　interfere；　and　stop　the　marriage　before　it　was　too　late。

The　occurrence　of　Grosse's　name　in　Mrs。　Finch's　rambling　narrative；
recalled　to　my　memory　what　the　rector　had　told　me　at　the　garden　gate。　I
had　not　yet　received　the　letter　which　the　German　had　sent　to　wait　my
arrival　at　Dimchurch。　After　a　short　search；　we　found　itwhere　it　had
been　contemptuously　thrown　by　Mr。　Finchon　the　parlor　table。

A　few　lines　comprised　the　whole　letter。　Grosse　informed　me　that　he　had　so
fretted　himself　about　Lucilla；　that　he　had　been　attacked　by　〃a　visitation
of　gouts。〃　It　was　impossible　to　move　his　〃foots〃　without　instantly
plunging　into　the　torture　of　the　infernal　regions。　〃If　it　is　you；　my　goot
dear；　who　are　going　to　find　her；〃　he　concluded；　〃come　to　me　first　in
London。　I　have　something　most　dismal…serious　to　say　to　you　about　our　poor
little　Feench's　eyes。〃

No　words　can　tell　how　that　last　sentence　startled　and　grieved　me。　Mrs。
Finch　increased　my　anxiety　and　alarm　by　repeating　what　she　had　heard　Miss
Batchford　say；　during　her　brief　visit　to　the　rectory；　on　the　subject　of
Lucilla's　sight。　Grosse　had　been　seriously　dissatisfied　with　the　state　of
his　patient's　eyes；　when　he　had　seen　them　as　long　ago　as　the　fourth　of
the　month；　and；　on　the　morning　of　the　next　day；　the　servant　had　reported
Lucilla　as　being　hardly　able　to　distinguish　objects　in　the　view　from　the
window　of　her　room。　Later　on　the　same　day；　she　had　secretly　left
Ramsgate；　and　Grosse's　letter　proved　that　she　had　not　been　near　her
surgical　attendant　since。

Weary　as　I　was　after　the　journey；　this　miserable　news　kept　me　waking　long
after　I　had　gone　to　my　bed。　The　next　morning；　I　was　up　with　the
servantsimpatient　to　start　for　London；　by　the　first　train。



CHAPTER　THE　FORTY…EIGHTH

On　the　Way　to　the　End。　Second　Stage

EARLY　riser　as　I　was；　I　found　that　Oscar　had　risen　earlier　still。　He　had
left　the　rectory　and　had　disturbed　Mr。　Gootheridge's　morning　slumbers　by
an　application　at　the　inn　for　the　key　of　Browndown。

On　his　return　to　the　rectory；　he　merely　said　that　he　had　been　to　see
after　various　things　belonging　to　him；　which　were　still　left　in　the　empty
house。　His　look　and　manner　as　he　gave　us　this　brief　explanation　were；　to
my　mind；　more　unsatisfactory　than　ever。　I　made　no　remark；　and；　observing
that　his　loose　traveling　coat　was　buttoned　awry　over　the　breast；　I　set　it
right　for　him。　My　hand；　as　I　did　this；　touched　his　breast…pocket。　He
started　back　directlyas　if　there　was　something　in　the　pocket　which　he
did　not　wish　me　to　feel。　Was　it　something　he　had　brought　from　Browndown？

We　got　awayencumbered　by　Mr。　Finch；　who　insisted　on　attaching　himself
to　Oscarby　the　first　express　train；　which　took　us　straight　to　London。
Comparison　of　time…tables；　on　reaching　the　terminus；　showed　that　I　had
leisure　to　spare　for　a　brief　visit　to　Grosse；　before　we　again　took　the
railway　back　to　Sydenham。　Having　decided　not　to　mention　the　bad　news
about　Lucilla's　sight　to　Oscar；　until　I　had　seen　the　German　first；　I　made
the　best　excuse　that　suggested　itself；　and　drove　awayleaving　the　two
gentlemen　in　the　waiting…room　at　the　station。

I　found　Grosse　confined　to　his　easy…chair；　with　his　gouty　foot　enveloped
in　cool　cabbage…leaves。　Between　pain　and　anxiety；　his　eyes　were　wilder；
his　broken　English　was　more　grotesque　than　ever。　When　I　appeared　at　the
door　of　his　room　and　said　good　morningin　the　frenzy　of　his　impatience
he　shook　his　fist　at　me。

〃Good　morning　go…damn！〃　he　roared　out；　〃Where？　where？　where　is　Feench？〃

I　told　him　where　we　believed　Lucilla　to　be。　Grosse　turned　his　head；　and
shook　his　fist　at　a　bottle　on　the　chimney…piece　next。

〃Get　that　bottles　on　the　chimney；〃　he　said。　〃And　the　eye…baths　by　the
side　of　him。　Don't　stop　with　your　talky…talky…chatterations　here。　Go！
Save　her　eyes。　Look！　You　do　this。　You　throw　her　head　backsoh！〃　He
illustrated　the　position　so　forcibly　with　his　own　head　that　he　shook　his
gouty　foot；　and　screamed　with　the　pain　of　it。　He　went　on　nevertheless；
glaring　frightfully　through　his　spectacles；　gnashing　his　mustache
fiercely　between　his　teeth。　〃Throw　her　head　back。　Fill　the　eye…baths；
turn　him　upsides…down　over　her　open　eyes。　Drown　them　turn…turn…about　in
my　mixtures。　Drown　them；　I　say；　one…down…todder…come…on；　and　if　she
screech　never　mind　it。　Then　bring　her　to　me。　For　the　lofe　of　Gott；　bring
her　to　me。　If　you　tie　her　hands　and　foots；　bring　her　to　me。　What　is　the
womans　stopping　for？　Go！　go！　go！〃

〃I　want　to　ask　you　a　question　about　Oscar；〃　I　said；　〃before　I　go。〃

He　seized　the　pillow　which　supported　his　headevidently　intending　to
expedite　my　departure　by　throwing　it　at　me。　I　produced　the　railway
time…table　as　the　best　defensive　weapon　at　my　command。　〃Look　at　it　for
yourself；〃　I　said；　〃and　you　will　see　that　I　must　wait　at　the　station；　if
I　don't　wait　here。〃

With　some　difficulty；　I　satisfied　him　that　it　was　impossible　to　leave
London　for　Sydenham　before　a　certain　hour；　and　that　I　had　at　least　ten
minutes　to　spare　which　might　be　just　as　well　passed　in　consulting　him。　He
closed　his　glaring　eyes；　and　laid　his　head　back　on　the　chair；　thoroughly
exhausted　with　his　own　outbreak　of　excitement。　〃No　matter　how　things
goes；〃　he　said；　〃a　womans　must　wag　her　tongue。　Goot。　Wag　yours。〃

〃I　am　placed　in　a　very　difficult　position；〃　I　began。　〃Oscar　is　going　with
me　to　Lucilla。　I　shall　of　course　take　care；　in　the　first　place；　that　he
and　Nugent　do　not　meet；　unless　I　am　present　at　the　interview。　But　I　am
not　equally　sure　of　what　I　ought　to　do　in　the　case　of　Lucilla。　Must　I
keep　them　apart　until　I　have　first　prepared　her　to　see　Oscar？〃

〃Let　her　see　the　devil　himself　if　you　like；〃　growled　Grosse；　〃so　long　as
you　bring　her　here　afterwards…directly　to　me。　You　will　do　the　bettermost
thing；　if　you　prepare　Oscar。　_She_　wants　no　preparations！　She　is　enough
disappointed　in　him　as　it　is！〃

〃Disappointed　in　him！〃　I　repeated。　〃I　don't　understand　you。〃

He　settled　himself　wearily　in　his　chair；　and　referred；　in　a