poor miss finch-第103章

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the　time。　What　was　actually　going　on　below　the　surface　it　defied　my
ingenuity　even　to　guess。　Perhaps　I　shall　best　describe　the　sort　of　vague
apprehension　which　he　aroused　in　meafter　what　had　passed　between　us　at
the　stationby　saying　that　I　would　not　for　worlds　have　allowed　him　to　go
to　England　by　himself。

Left　as　I　now　was　to　my　own　resources；　I　occupied　the　first　hours　of　the
journey；　in　considering　what　course　it　would　be　safest　and　best　for　us　to
take；　on　reaching　England。

I　decided；　in　the　first　place；　that　we　ought　to　go　straight　to　Dimchurch。
If　any　tidings　had　been　obtained　of　Lucilla；　they　would　be　sure　to　have
received　them　at　the　rectory。　Our　route；　after　reaching　Paris；　must　be
therefore　by　way　of　Dieppe；　thence　across　the　Channel　to　Newhaven；　near
Brightonand　so　to　Dimchurch。

In　the　second　placeassuming　it　to　be　always　possible　that　we　might　see
Lucilla　at　the　rectorythe　risk　of　abruptly　presenting　Oscar　to　her　in
his　own　proper　person　might；　for　all　I　knew　to　the　contrary；　be　a　very
serious　one。　It　would　relieve　us；　as　I　thought；　of　a　grave
responsibility；　if　we　warned　Grosse　of　our　arrival；　and　so　enabled　him　to
be　present；　if　he　thought　it　necessary；　in　the　interests　of　Lucilla's
health。　I　put　this　view　（as　also　my　plan　for　returning　by　way　of　Dieppe）
to　Oscar。　He　briefly　consented　to　everythinghe　ungraciously　left　it　all
to　me。

Accordingly；　on　our　arrival　at　Lyons；　having　some　time　for　refreshment　at
our　disposal　before　we　went　on；　I　telegraphed　to　Mr。　Finch　at　the
rectory；　and　to　Grosse　in　London；　informing　them　（as　well　as　I　could
calculate　it）　that；　if　we　were　lucky　in　catching　trains　and　steamboats；
Oscar　and　I　might　be　in　Dimchurch　in　good　time；　on　the　next　nightthat
is　to　say；　on　the　night　of　the　eighteenth。　In　any　case；　they　were　to
expect　us　at　the　earliest　possible　moment。

These　difficulties　disposed　of；　and　a　little　store　of　refreshment　for　the
night　packed　in　my　basket；　we　re…entered　the　train；　for　our　long　journey
to　Paris。

Among　the　new　passengers　who　joined　us　at　Lyons　was　a　gentleman　whose
face　was　English；　and　whose　dress　was　the　dress　of　a　clergyman。　For　the
first　time　in　my　life；　I　hailed　the　appearance　of　a　priest　with　a　feeling
of　relief。　The　reason　was　this。　From　the　moment　when　I　had　read　Mrs。
Finch's　letter　until　now；　a　horrid　doubt；　which　a　priest　was　just　the　man
to　solve；　had　laid　its　leaden　weight　on　my　mindand；　I　firmly　believe；
on　Oscar's　mind　as　well。　Had　time　enough　passed；　since　Lucilla　had　left
Ramsgate；　to　allow　of　Nugent's　marrying　her；　under　his　brother's　name？

As　the　train　rolled　out　of　the　station；　I；　the　enemy　of　priests；　began　to
make　myself　agreeable　to　_this_　priest。　He　was　young　and　shybut　I
conquered　him。　Just　as　the　other　travelers　were　beginning　（with　the
exception　of　Oscar）　to　compose　themselves　to　sleep；　I　put　my　case　to　the
clergyman。　〃A　and　B；　sir；　lady　and　gentleman；　both　of　age；　leave　one
place　in　England；　and　go　to　live　in　another　place；　on　the　fifth　of　this
monthhow　soon；　if　you　please；　can　they　be　lawfully　married　after　that？〃

〃I　presume　you　mean　in　church？〃　said　the　young　clergyman。

〃In　church；　of　course。〃　（To　that　extent　I　believed　I　might　answer　for
Lucilla；　without　any　fear　of　making　a　mistake。）

〃They　may　be　married　by　License；〃　said　the　clergyman〃provided　one　of
them　continues　to　reside　in　that　other　place　to　which　they　traveled　on
the　fifthon　the　twenty…first；　or　（possibly）　even　the　twentieth　of　this
month。〃

〃Not　before？〃

〃Certainly　not　before。〃

It　was　then　the　night　of　the　seventeenth。　I　gave　my　companion's　hand　a
little　squeeze　in　the　dark。　Here　was　a　glimpse　of　encouragement　to　cheer
us　on　the　journey。　Before　the　marriage　could　take　place；　we　should　be　in
England。　〃We　have　time　before　us；〃　I　whispered　to　Oscar。　〃We　will　save
Lucilla　yet。〃

〃Shall　we　find　Lucilla？〃　was　all　he　whispered　back。

I　had　forgotten　that　serious　difficulty。　No　answer　to　Oscar's　question
could　possibly　present　itself　until　we　reached　the　rectory。　Between　this
and　then；　there　was　nothing　for　it　but　to　keep　patience　and　to　keep　hope。

I　refrain　from　encumbering　this　part　of　my　narrative　with　any　detailed
account　of　the　little　accidents；　lucky　and　unlucky；　which　alternately
hastened　or　retarded　our　journey　home。　Let　me　only　say　that；　before
midnight　on　the　eighteenth；　Oscar　and　I　drove　up　to　the　rectory　gate。

Mr。　Finch　himself　came　out　to　receive　us；　with　a　lamp　in　his　hand。　He
lifted　his　eyes　（and　his　lamp）　devotionally　to　the　sky　when　he　saw　Oscar。
The　two　first　words　he　said；　were：

〃Inscrutable　Providence！〃

〃Have　you　found　Lucilla？〃　I　asked。

Mr。　Finchwith　his　whole　attention　fixed　on　Oscarwrung　my　hand
mechanically；　and　said　I　was　a　〃good　creature；〃　much　as　he　might　have
patted；　and　spoken　to；　Oscar's　companion；　if　the　companion　had　been　a
dog。　I　almost　wished　myself　that　animal　for　the　momentI　should　have　had
the　privilege　of　biting　Mr。　Finch。　Oscar　impatiently　repeated　my
question；　the　rector；　at　the　time；　officiously　assisting　him　to　descend
from　the　carriage；　and　leaving　me　to　get　out　as　I　could。

〃Did　you　hear　Madame　Pratolungo？〃　Oscar　asked。　〃Is　Lucilla　found？〃

〃Dear　Oscar；　we　hope　to　find　her；　now　you　have　come。〃

That　answer　revealed　to　me　the　secret　of　Mr。　Finch's　extraordinary
politeness　to　his　young　friend。　The　last　chance；　as　things　were；　of
preventing　Lucilla's　marriage　to　a　man　who　had　squandered　away　every
farthing　of　his　money；　was　the　chance　of　Oscar's　arrival　in　England
before　the　ceremony　could　take　place。　The　measure　of　Oscar's　importance
to　Mr。　Finch　was　now；　more　literally　than　ever；　the　measure　of　Oscar's
fortune。

I　asked　for　news　of　Grosse　as　we　went　in。　The　rector　actually　found　some
comparatively　high　notes　in　his　prodigious　voice；　to　express　his
amazement　at　my　audacity　in　speaking　to　him　of　anybody　but　Oscar。

〃Oh；　dear；　dear　me！〃　cried　Mr。　Finch；　impatiently　conceding　to　me　one
precious　moment　of　his　attention。　〃Don't　bother　about　Grosse！　Grosse　is
ill　in　London。　There　is　a　note　for　you　from　Grosse。Take　care　of　the
door…step；　dear　Oscar；〃　he　went　on；　in　his　deepest　and　gravest　bass
notes。　〃Mrs。　Finch　is　so　anxious　to　see　you。　We　have　both　looked　forward
to　your　arrival　with　such　eager　hopesuch　impatient　affection；　so　to
speak。　Let　me　put　down　your　hat。　Ah！　how　you　must　have　suffered！　Share　my
trust　in　an　all…wise　Providence；　and　meet　this　trial　with　cheerful
submission　as　I　do。　All　is　not　lost　yet。　Bear　up！　bear　up！〃　He　threw　open
the　parlor　door。　〃Mrs。　Finch！　compose　yourself。　Our　dear　adopted　son。　Our
afflicted　Oscar！〃

Is　it　necessary　to　say　what　Mrs。　Finch　was　about；　and　how　Mrs。　Finch
looked？

There　were　the　three　unchangeable　institutionsthe　novel；　the　baby；　and
the　missing　pocket…handkerchief　There　was　the　gaudy　jacket　over　the　long
trailing　dressing…gownand　the　damp　lady　inside　them；　damp　as　ever！
Receiving　Oscar　with　a　mouth　drawn　down　at　the　corners；　and　a　head　that
shook　sadly　in　sympathy　with　him；　Mrs。　Finch's　face　underwent　a　most
extraordinary　transformation　when　she　turned　my　way　next。　To　my
astonishment；　her　dim　eyes　actually　sparkled；　a　broad　smile　of
irrepressible　contentment　showed　itself　cunningly　to　_me；_　in　place　of
the　dismal　expression　which　had　welcomed　Oscar。　Holding　up　the　baby　in
triumph；　the　lady　of　the　rectory　whispered　these　words　in　my　ear：〃What
do　you　think　he　has　done　since　you　have　been　away？〃

〃I　really　don't　know；〃　I　answered。

〃He　has　cut　two　teeth！　Put　your　finger　in　and　feel。〃

Others　might　bewail　the　family　misfortune。　The　family　triumph　filled　the
secret　mind　of　Mrs。　Finch；　to　the　exclusion　of　every　other　earthly
consideration。　I　put　my　finger　in　as　instructed；　and　got　instantly　bitten
by　the　ferocious　baby。　But　for　a　new　outburst　of　the　rector's　voice　at
the　moment；　Mrs。　Finch　（if　I　am　any　judge　of　physiognomy）　must　have
certainly　relieved　herself　by　a　scream　of　delight。　As　it　was；　she　opened
her　mouth；　and　（having　lost　her　handkerchief　as　already　stated）　retired
into　a　corner；　and　gagged　herself　with　the　baby。

In　the　meantime；　Mr。　Finch　had　produced　from　a　cupboard　near　the
fireplace；　two　letters。　The　first　he　threw　down　impatiently　on