poor miss finch-第111章

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persuasions　of　our　worthy　German。　To　mewhen　I　once　or　twice　attempted
to　shake　her　resolutionshe　replied　in　another　way；　merely　repeating　the
words　she　had　said　to　me　at　Sydenham：　〃My　life　lives　in　my　love。　And　my
love　lives　in　my　blindness。〃　It　is　only　right　to　add　that　Mr。　Sebright；
and　another　competent　authority　consulted　with　him；　declared
unhesitatingly　that　she　was　right。　Under　the　circumstances；　Mr。　Sebright
was　of　opinion　that　the　success　of　Grosse's　operation　could　never　have
been　more　than　temporary。　His　colleague；　after　examining　Lucilla's　eyes；
at　a　later　period；　entirely　agreed　with　him。　Which　was　in　the
rightthese　two　or　Grossewho　can　say？　As　blind　Lucilla；　you　first　knew
her。　As　blind　Lucilla；　you　see　the　last　of　her　now。　If　you　feel　inclined
to　regret　this；　remember　that　the　one　thing　essential　was　the　thing　she
possessed。　Her　life　was　a　happy　one。　Bear　this　in　mindand　don't　forget
that　your　conditions　of　happiness　need　not　necessarily　be　her　conditions
also。

In　the　time　I　am　now　writing　of；　the　second　letter　from　Nugent　arrived。
It　was　written　the　evening　before　he　sailed　for　the　Polar　seas。　One　line
in　it　touched　us　deeply。　〃Who　knows　whether　I　shall　ever　see　England
again！　If　a　boy　is　born　to　you；　Oscar；　call　him　by　my　namefor　my　sake。〃

Enclosed　in　this　letter　was　a　private　communication　from　Nugent；
addressed　to　me。　It　was　the　confession　to　which　I　have　alluded　in　my
notes　attached　to　Lucilla's　Journal。　These　words　only　were　added　at　the
end：　〃You　now　know　everything。　Forgive　meif　you　can。　I　have　not　escaped
without　suffering；　remember　that。〃　After　making　use　of　the　narrative；　as
you　already　know；　I　have　burnt　it　all；　except　those　last　lines。

At　distant　intervals；　we　heard　twice　of　the　exploring　ship；　from　whaling
vessels。　Then；　there　was　a　long　dreary　interval；　without　news　of　any
sort。　Then；　a　dreadful　report　that　the　expedition　was　lost。　Then；　the
confirmation　of　the　reporta　lapse　of　a　whole　year；　and　no　tidings　of
the　missing　men。

They　were　well　provided　with　supplies　of　all　kinds；　and　there　was　a
general　hope　that　they　might　be　holding　out。　A　new　expedition　was
sentand　sent　vainlyin　search　of　them　overland。　Rewards　were　offered
to　whaling　vessels　to　find　them；　and　were　never　earned。　We　wore　mourning
for　Nugent；　we　were　a　melancholy　household。　Two　more　years　passedbefore
the　fate　of　the　expedition　was　discovered。　A　ship　in　the　whale　trade；
driven　out　of　her　course；　fell　in　with　a　wrecked　and　dismantled　vessel；
lost　in　the　ice。　Let　the　last　sentences　of　the　captain's　report　tell　the
story。

〃***　The　wreck　was　drifting　along　a　channel　of　open　water；　when　we　first
saw　it。　Before　long；　it　was　brought　up　by　an　iceberg。　I　got　into　my　boat
with　some　of　my　sailors；　and　we　rowed　to　the　vessel。

〃Not　a　man　was　to　be　seen　on　the　deck；　which　was　covered　with　snow。　We
hailed；　and　got　no　reply。　I　looked　in　through　one　of　the　circular　glazed
port…holes　astern；　and　saw　dimly　the　figure　of　a　man　seated　at　a　table。　I
knocked　on　the　thick　glass；　but　he　never　moved。　We　got　on　deck；　and
opened　the　cabin　hatchway；　and　went　below。　The　man　I　had　seen　was　before
us；　at　the　end　of　the　cabin。　I　led　the　way；　and　spoke　to　him。　He　made　no
answer。　I　looked　closer；　and　touched　one　of　his　hands　which　lay　on　the
table。　To　my　horror　and　astonishment；　he　was　a　frozen　corpse。

〃On　the　table　before　him　was　the　last　entry　in　the　ship's　log！

〃　'Seventeen　days　since　we　have　been　shut　up　in　the　ice：　Our　fire　went
out　yesterday。　The　captain　tried　to　light　it　again；　and　has　failed。　The
surgeon　and　two　seamen　died　of　cold　this　morning。　The　rest　of　us　must
soon　follow。　If　we　are　ever　discovered；　I　beg　the　person　who　finds　me　to
send　this'

〃There　the　hand　that　held　the　pen　had　dropped　into　the　writer's　lap。　The
left　hand　still　lay　on　the　table。　Between　the　frozen　fingers；　we　found　a
long　lock　of　a　woman's　hair；　tied　at　each　end　with　a　blue　ribbon。　The
open　eyes　of　the　corpse　were　still　fixed　on　the　lock　of　hair。

〃The　name　of　this　man　was　found　in　his　pocket…book。　It　was　Nugent
Dubourg。　I　publish　the　name　in　my　report；　in　case　it　may　meet　the　eyes　of
his　friends。

〃Examination　of　the　rest　of　the　vessel；　and　comparison　of　dates　with　the
date　of　the　log…book；　showed　that　the　officers　and　crew　had　been　dead　for
more　than　two　years。　The　positions　in　which　we　found　the　frozen　men；　and
the　names；　where　it　was　possible　to　discover　them；　are　here　set　forth　as
follows。　*　*　*〃

That　〃lock　of　a　woman's　hair〃　is　now　in　Lucilla's　possession。　It　will　be
buried　with　her；　at　her　own　request；　when　she　dies。　Ah；　poor　Nugent！　Are
we　not　all　sinners？　Remember　the　best　of　him；　and　forget　the　worst；　as　I
do。

I　still　linger　over　my　writingreluctant　to　leave　it；　if　the　truth　must
be　told。　But　what　more　is　there　to　say？　I　hear　Oscar　hammering　away　at
his　chasing；　and　whistling　blithely　over　his　work。　In　another　room；
Lucilla　is　teaching　the　piano　to　her　little　girl。　On　my　table　is　a　letter
from　Mrs。　Finch；　dated　from　one　of　our　distant　coloniesover　which　Mr。
Finch　（who　has　risen　gloriously　in　the　world）　presides　pastorally　as
bishop。　He　harangues　the　〃natives〃　to　his　heart's　content：　and　the
wonderful　natives　like　it。　〃Jicks〃　is　in　her　element　among　the　aboriginal
members　of　her　father's　congregation：　there　are　fears　that　the　wandering
Arab　of　the　Finch　family　will　end　in　marrying　〃a　chief。〃　Mrs。　FinchI
don't　expect　you　to　believe　thisis　anticipating　another　confinement。
Lucilla's　eldest　boycalled　Nugenthas　just　come　in；　and　stands　by　my
desk。　He　lifts　his　bright　blue　eyes　up　to　mine；　his　round　rosy　face
expresses　strong　disapproval　of　what　I　am　doing。　〃Aunty；〃　he　says；　〃you
have　written　enough。　Come　and　play。〃

The　boy　is　right。　I　must　put　away　my　manuscript　and　leave　you。　My
excellent　spirits　are　a　little　dashed　at　parting。　I　wonder　whether　you
are　sorry　too？　I　shall　never　know！　Well；　I　have　many　blessings　to　comfort
me；　on　closing　my　relations　with　you。　I　have　kind　souls　who　love　me；
andobserve　this！I　stand　on　my　political　principles　as　firmly　as　ever。
The　world　is　getting　converted　to　my　way　of　thinking：　the　Pratolungo
programme；　my　friends；　is　coming　to　the　front　with　giant　steps。　Long　live
the　Republic！　Farewell。








End