poor miss finch-第106章

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his　daughter　as　a　species　of　complimentary　tribute　to　his　own　foresight。

〃You　remember；　Madame　Pratolungo；　I　took　high　ground　in　this　matter　from
the　first。　I　protested　against　the　proceedings　of　the　man　Grosse；　as
involving　a　purely　worldly　interference　with　the　ways　of　an　inscrutable
Providence。　With　what　effect？　My　paternal　influence　was　repudiated；　my
Moral　Weight　was；　so　to　speak；　set　aside。　And　now　you　see　the　result。
Take　it　to　heart；　dear　friend。　May　it　be　a　warning　to　you！〃　He　sighed
with　ponderous　complacency；　and　turned　from　me　to　the　girl　behind　the
counter。　〃I　will　take　another　cup　of　tea。〃

Oscar's　reception　of　me；　when　I　found　him　on　the　platform；　and　told　him
next　of　Lucilla's　critical　state；　was　more　than　discouraging。　It　is　no
exaggeration　to　say　that　he　alarmed　me。　〃Another　item　in　the　debt　I　owe
to　Nugent！〃　he　said。　Not　a　word　of　sympathy；　not　a　word　of　sorrow。　That
vindictive　answer；　and　nothing　more。

We　started　for　Sydenham。

From　time　to　time；　I　looked　at　Oscar　sitting　opposite　to　me；　to　see　if
any　change　appeared　in　him　as　we　drew　nearer　and　nearer　to　the　place　in
which　Lucilla　was　now　living。　No！　Still　the　same　ominous　silence；　the
same　unnatural　self…repression　possessed　him。

Except　the　momentary　outbreak；　when　Mr。　Finch　had　placed　Nugent's　letter
in　his　hand　on　the　previous　evening；　not　the　faintest　token　of　what　was
really　going　on　in　his　mind　had　escaped　him　since　we　had　left　Marseilles。
He；　who　could　weep　over　all　his　other　griefs　as　easily　and　as
spontaneously　as　a　woman；　had　not　shed　a　tear　since　the　fatal　day　when　he
had　discovered　that　his　brother　had　played　him　falsethat　brother　who
had　been　the　god　of　his　idolatry；　the　sacred　object　of　his　gratitude　and
his　love！　When　a　man　of　Oscar's　temperament　becomes　frozen　up　for　days
together　in　his　own　thoughtswhen　he　keeps　his　own　counsel；　when　he　asks
for　no　sympathy；　and　utters　no　complaintthe　sign　is　a　serious　one。
There　are　hidden　forces　gathering　in　him　which　will　burst　their　way　to
the　surfacefor　good　or　for　evilwith　an　irresistible　result。　Watching
Oscar　attentively　behind　my　veil；　I　felt　the　certain　assurance　that　the
part　he　would　take　in　the　terrible　conflict　of　interests　now　awaiting　us；
would　be　a　part　which　I　should　remember　to　the　latest　day　of　my　life。

We　reached　Sydenham；　and　went　to　the　nearest　hotel。

On　the　railwaywith　other　travelers　in　the　carriage…it　had　been
impossible　to　consult　on　the　safest　method　of　approaching　Lucilla；　in　the
first　instance。　That　serious　question　now　pressed　for　instant　decision。
We　sat　down　to　discuss　it；　in　the　room　which　we　had　hired　at　the　hotel。


CHAPTER　THE　FORTY…NINTH

On　the　Way　to　the　End。　Third　Stage

ON　former　occasions　of　doubt　or　difficulty；　it　had　always　been　Oscar's
habit　to　follow　the　opinions　of　others。　On　this　occasion　he　was　the　first
to　speak；　and　to　assert　an　opinion　of　his　own。

〃It　seems　needless　to　waste　time　in　discussing　our　different　views；〃　he
said。　〃There　is　only　one　thing　to　be　done。　I　am　the　person　principally
concerned　in　this　matter。　Wait　here；　while　I　go　to　the　house。〃

He　spoke　without　any　of　his　usual　hesitation；　he　took　up　his　hat　without
looking　either　at　Mr。　Finch　or　at　me。　I　felt　more　and　more　convinced　that
the　influence　which　Nugent's　vile　breach　of　confidence　had　exerted　over
Oscar's　mind；　was　an　influence　which　had　made　a　dangerous　man　of　him。
Resolved　to　prevent　him　from　leaving　us；　I　insisted　on　his　returning　to
his　chair；　and　hearing　what　I　had　to　say。　At　the　same　moment；　Mr。　Finch
rose；　and　placed　himself　between　Oscar　and　the　door。　Seeing　this；　I
thought　it　might　be　wise　if　I　kept　my　interference　in　reserve；　and
allowed　the　rector　to　speak　first。

〃Wait　a　moment；　Oscar；〃　said　Mr。　Finch；　gravely。　〃You　are　forgetting　Me。〃

Oscar　waited　doggedly；　hat　in　hand。

Mr。　Finch　paused；　evidently　considering　what　words　he　should　use　before
he　spoke　again。　His　respect　for　Oscar's　pecuniary　position　was　great；　but
his　respect　for　himselfespecially　at　the　present　crisiswas；　if
possible；　greater　still。　In　deference　to　the　first　sentiment　he　was　as
polite；　and　in　deference　to　the　second　he　was　as　positive；　in　phrasing
his　remonstrance；　as　a　man　could　be。　〃Permit　me　to　remind　you；　dear
Oscar；　that　my　claim　to　interfere；　as　Lucilla's　father；　is　at　least　equal
to　yours；〃　proceeded　the　rector。　〃In　the　hour　of　my　daughter's　need；　it
is　my　parental　duty　to　be　present。　If　you　go　to　your　cousin's　house；　my
position　imperatively　requires　that　I　should　go　too。〃　Oscar's　reception
of　this　proposal　confirmed　the　grave　apprehensions　with　which　he　had
inspired　me。　He　flatly　refused　to　have　Mr。　Finch　for　a　companion。

〃Excuse　me；〃　he　answered　shortly。　〃I　wish　to　go　to　the　house　alone。〃

〃Permit　me　to　ask　your　reason；〃　said　the　rector；　still　preserving　his
conciliatory　manner。

〃I　wish　to　see　my　brother　in　private；〃　Oscar　replied；　with　his　eyes　on
the　ground。

Mr。　Finch；　still　restraining　himself；　but　still　not　moving　from　the　door；
looked　at　me。　I　hastened　to　interfere　before　there　was　any　serious
disagreement　between　them。

〃I　venture　to　think；〃　I　said；　〃that　you　are　both　wrong。　Whether　one　of
you　goes；　or　both　of　you　go；　the　result　will　be　the　same。　The　chances　are
a　hundred　to　one；　against　your　being　admitted　into　the　house。〃

They　both　turned　on　me　together；　and　asked　what　I　meant。

〃You　can't　force　your　way　in；〃　I　said。　〃You　must　do　one　of　two　things。
You　must　either　give　your　names　to　the　servant　at　the　door；　or　you　must
withhold　your　names。　If　you　give　them；　you　warn　Nugent　of　what　is
comingand　he　is　not　the　man　to　let　you　into　the　house　under　those
circumstances。　If　you　take　the　other　way；　and　keep　your　names　concealed；
you　present　yourselves　as　strangers。　Is　Nugent　likely　to　be　accessible　to
strangers？　Would　Lucilla；　in　her　present　position；　consent　to　receive　two
men　who　are　unknown　to　her？　Take　my　word　for　ityou　will　not　only　gain
nothing　if　you　go　to　the　house　you　will　actually　make　it　more　difficult
to　communicate　with　Lucilla　than　it　is　already。〃

There　was　a　moment's　silence。　Both　the　men　felt　that　my　objections　were
not　easy　to　answer。　Once　more；　Oscar　took　the　lead。

〃Do　you　propose　to　go？〃　he　asked。

〃No；〃　I　answered。　〃I　propose　to　send　a　letter　to　Lucilla。　A　letter　will
find　its　way　to　her。〃

This　again　was　unanswerable。　Oscar　inquired　next　what　the　purport　of　the
letter　was　to　be。　I　replied　that　I　proposed　to　ask　her　to　grant　me　a
private　interviewnothing　more。

〃Suppose　Lucilla　refuses？〃　said　Mr。　Finch。

〃She　will　not　refuse；〃　I　rejoined。　〃There　was　a　little　misunderstanding
between　usI　admitat　the　time　when　I　went　abroad。　I　mean　to　refer
frankly　to　that　misunderstanding　as　my　reason　for　writing。　I　shall　put
your　daughter　on　her　honor　to　give　me　an　opportunity　of　setting　things
right　between　us。　If　I　summon　Lucilla　to　do　an　act　of　justice；　I　believe
she　will　not　refuse　me。〃

（This；　let　me　add　in　parenthesis；　was　the　plan　of　action　which　I　had
formed　on　the　way　to　Sydenham。　I　had　only　waited　to　mention　it；　until　I
heard　what　the　two　men　proposed　to　do　first。）

Oscar；　standing　hat　in　hand；　glanced　at　Mr。　Finch　（also　hat　in　hand）
keeping　obstinately　near　the　door。　If　he　persisted　in　carrying　out　his
purpose　of　going　alone　to　his　cousin's　house；　the　rector's　face　and
manner　expressed；　with　the　politest　plainness；　the　intention　of　following
him。　Oscar　was　placed　between　a　clergyman　and　a　woman；　both　equally
determined　to　have　their　own　way。　Under　those　circumstances；　there　was　no
alternativeunless　he　wished　to　produce　a　public　scandalbut　to　yield；
or　appear　to　yield；　to　one　or　the　other　of　us。　He　selected　me。

〃If　you　succeed　in　seeing　her；〃　he　asked；　〃what　do　you　mean　to　do？〃

〃I　mean　either　to　bring　her　back　with　me　here　to　her　father　and　to　you；
or　to　make　an　appointment　with　her　to　see　you　both　where　she　is　now
living；〃　I　replied。

Oscarafter　another　look　at　the　immovable　rectorrang　the　bell；　and
ordered　writing　materials。

〃One　more　question；〃　he　said。　〃Assuming　that　Lucilla　receives　you　at　the
house；　do　you　intend　to　see？〃　He　stopped；　his　eyes　shrank　from
meeting　mine。　〃Do　you　intend　to　see　anybody　else？〃　he　resum