poor miss finch-第16章

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your　mind　of　fancies　and　suspicions　that　are　unworthy　of　you。　By
to…morrow　we　shall　be　good　neighbors；　by　the　end　of　the　week　we　shall　be
good　friends。　For　the　present；　as　we　say　in　France；　_au　revoir！_〃

I　turned　to　take　Jicks　by　the　hand。　While　I　had　been　speaking　to　Oscar
the　child　had　slipped　away　from　me。　Not　a　sign　of　her　was　to　be　seen。

Before　we　could　stir　a　step　to　search　for　our　lost　Gipsy；　her　voice
reached　our　ears；　raised　shrill　and　angry　in　the　regions　behind　us；　at
the　side　of　the　house。

〃Go　away！〃　we　heard　the　child　cry　out　impatiently。　〃Ugly　men；　go　away！〃

We　turned　the　corner；　and　discovered　two　shabby　strangers；　resting
themselves　against　the　side　wall　of　the　house。　Their　cadaverous　faces；
their　brutish　expressions；　and　their　frowzy　clothes；　proclaimed　them；　to
my　eye；　as　belonging　to　the　vilest　blackguard　type　that　the　civilized
earth　has　yet　producedthe　blackguard　of　London　growth。　There　they
lounged；　with　their　hands　in　their　pockets　and　their　backs　against　the
wall；　as　if　they　were　airing　themselves　on　the　outer　side　of　a
public…houseand　there　stood　Jicks；　with　her　legs　planted　wide　apart　on
the　turf；　asserting　the　rights　of　property　（even　at　that　early　age！）　and
ordering　the　rascals　off。

〃What　are　you　doing　there？〃　asked　Oscar　sharply。

One　of　the　men　appeared　to　be　on　the　point　of　making　an　insolent　answer。
The　otherthe　younger　and　the　viler…looking　villain　of　the　twochecked
him；　and　spoke　first。

〃We've　had　a　longish　walk；　sir；〃　said　the　fellow；　with　an　impudent
assumption　of　humility；　〃and　we've　took　the　liberty　of　resting　our　backs
against　your　wall；　and　feasting　our　eyes　on　the　beauty　of　your　young　lady
here。〃

He　pointed　to　the　child。　Jicks　shook　her　fist　at　him；　and　ordered　him　off
more　fiercely　than　ever。

〃There's　an　inn　in　the　village；〃　said　Oscar。　〃Rest　there；　if　you
pleasemy　house　is　not　an　inn。〃

The　elder　man　made　a　second　effort　to　speak；　beginning　with　an　oath。　The
younger　checked　him　again。

〃Shut　up；　Jim！〃　said　the　superior　blackguard　of　the　two。　〃The　gentleman
recommends　the　tap　at　the　inn。　Come　and　drink　the　gentleman's　health。〃　He
turned　to　the　child；　and　took　off　his　hat　to　her　with　a　low　bow。　〃Wish
you　good　morning；　Miss！　You're　just　the　style；　you　are；　that　I　admire。
Please　don't　engage　yourself　to　be　married　till　I　come　back。〃

His　savage　companion　was　so　tickled　by　this　delicate　pleasantry　that　he
burst　suddenly　into　a　roar　of　laughter。　Arm　in　arm；　the　two　ruffians
walked　off　together　in　the　direction　of　the　village。　Our　funny　little
Jicks　became　a　tragic　and　terrible　Jicks；　all　on　a　sudden。　The　child
resented　the　insolence　of　the　two　men　as　if　she　really　understood　it。　I
never　saw　so　young　a　creature　in　such　a　furious　passion　before。　She
picked　up　a　stone；　and　threw　it　at　them　before　I　could　stop　her。　She
screamed；　and　stamped　her　tiny　feet　alternately　on　the　ground；　till　she
was　purple　in　the　face。　She　threw　herself　down；　and　rolled　in　fury　on　the
grass。　Nothing　pacified　her　but　a　rash　promise　of　Oscar's　（which　he　was
destined　to　hear　of　for　many　a　long　day　afterwards）　to　send　for　the
police；　and　to　have　the　two　men　soundly　beaten　for　daring　to　laugh　at
Jicks。　She　got　up　from　the　ground；　and　dried　her　eyes　with　her　knuckles；
and　fixed　a　warning　look　on　Oscar。　〃Mind！〃　said　this　curious　child；　with
her　bosom　still　heaving　under　the　dirty　pinafore；　〃the　men　are　to　be
beaten。　And　Jicks　is　to　see　it。〃

I　said　nothing　to　Oscar；　at　the　time；　but　I　felt　some　secret　uneasiness
on　the　way　homean　uneasiness　inspired　by　the　appearance　of　the　two　men
in　the　neighborhood　of　Browndown。

It　was　impossible　to　say　how　long　they　might　have　been　lurking　about　the
outside　of　the　house；　before　the　child　discovered　them。　They　might　have
heard；　through　the　open　window；　what　Oscar　had　said　to　me　on　the　subject
of　his　plates　of　precious　metal；　and　they　might　have　seen　the　heavy
packing…case　placed　in　the　cart。　I　felt　no　apprehension　about　the　safe
arrival　of　the　case　at　Brighton；　the　three　men　in　the　cart　were　men
enough　to　take　good　care　of　it。　My　fears　were　for　the　future。　Oscar　was
living；　entirely　by　himself；　in　a　lonely　house；　more　than　half　a　mile
distant　from　the　village。　His　fancy　for　chasing　in　the　precious　metals
might　have　its　dangers；　as　well　as　its　attractions；　if　it　became　known
beyond　the　pastoral　limits　of　Dimchurch。　Advancing　from　one　suspicion　to
another；　I　asked　myself　if　the　two　men　had　roamed　by　mere　accident　into
our　remote　part　of　the　worldor　whether　they　had　deliberately　found
their　way　to　Browndown　with　a　purpose　in　view。　Having　this　doubt　in　my
mind；　and　happening　to　encounter　the　old　nurse；　Zillah；　in　the　garden　as
I　entered　the　rectory　gates　with　my　little　charge；　I　put　the　question　to
her　plainly；　〃Do　you　see　many　strangers　at　Dimchurch？〃

〃Strangers？〃　repeated　the　old　woman。　〃Excepting　yourself；　ma'am；　we　see
no　strangers　here；　from　one　year's　end　to　another。〃

I　determined　to　say　a　warning　word　to　Oscar　before　his　precious　metals
were　sent　back　to　Browndown。

CHAPTER　THE　ELEVENTH

Blind　Love

LUCILLA　was　at　the　piano　when　I　entered　the　sitting…room。

〃I　wanted　you　of　all　things；〃　she　said。　〃I　have　sent　all　over　the　house
in　search　of　you。　Where　have　you　been？〃

I　told　her。

She　sprang　to　her　feet　with　a　cry　of　delight。

〃You　have　persuaded　him　to　trust　youyou　have　discovered　everything。　You
only　said　'I　have　been　at　Browndown'and　I　heard　it　in　your　voice。　Out
with　it！　out　with　it！〃

She　never　movedshe　seemed　hardly　to　breathewhile　I　was　telling　her
all　that　had　passed　at　the　interview　between　Oscar　and　me。　As　soon　as　I
had　done；　she　got　up　in　a　violent　hurryflushed　and　eagerand　made
straight　for　her　bedroom　door。

〃What　are　you　going　to　do？〃　I　asked。

〃I　want　my　hat　and　my　stick；〃　she　answered。

〃You　are　going　out？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Where？〃

〃Can　you　ask　the　question？　To　Browndown　of　course！〃

I　begged　her　to　wait　a　moment；　and　hear　a　word　or　two　that　I　had　to　say。
It　is；　I　suppose；　almost　needless　to　add　that　my　object　in　speaking　to
her　was　to　protest　against　the　glaring　impropriety　of　her　paying　a　second
visit；　in　one　day；　to　a　man　who　was　a　stranger　to　her。　I　declared；　in　the
plainest　terms；　that　such　a　proceeding　would　be　sufficient；　in　the
estimation　of　any　civilized　community；　to　put　her　reputation　in　peril。
The　result　of　my　interference　was　curious　and　interesting　in　the　extreme。
It　showed　me　that　the　virtue　called　Modesty　（I　am　not　speaking　of
Decency；　mind）　is　a　virtue　of　purely　artificial　growth；　and　that　the
successful　cultivation　of　it　depends　in　the　first　instance；　not　on　the
influence　of　the　tongue；　but　on　the　influence　of　the　eye。

Suppose　the　case　of　an　average　young　lady　（conscious　of　feeling　a　first
love）　to　whom　I　might　have　spoken　in　the　sense　that　I　have　just
mentionedwhat　would　she　have　done？

She　would　assuredly　have　shown　some　natural　and　pretty　confusion；　and
would；　in　all　human　probability；　have　changed　color　more　or　less　while
she　was　listening　to　me。　Lucilla's　charming　face　revealed　but　one
expressionan　expression　of　disappointment；　slightly　mixed　perhaps　with
surprise。　I　believed　her　to　be　then；　what　I　knew　her　to　be　afterwards；　as
pure　a　creature　as　ever　walked　the　earth。　And　yet；　of　the　natural　and
becoming　confusion；　of　the　little　inevitable　feminine　changes　of　color
which　I　had　expected　to　see；　not　so　much　as　a　vestige　appearedand　this；
remember；　in　the　case　of　a　person　of　unusually　sensitive　and　impulsive
nature：　quick；　on　the　most　trifling　occasions；　to　feel　and　to　express　its
feeling　in　no　ordinary　degree。

What　did　it　mean？

It　meant　that　here　was　one　strange　side　shown　to　me　of　the　terrible
affliction　that　darkened　her　life。　It　meant　that　modesty　is　essentially
the　growth　of　our　own　consciousness　of　the　eyes　of　others　judging　usand
that　blindness　is　never　bashful；　for　the　one　simple　reason　that　blindness
cannot　see。　The　most　modest　girl　in　existence　is　bolder　with　her　lover　in
the　dark　than　in　the　light。　The　female　model　who　〃sits〃　for　the　first
time　in　a　drawing　academy；　and　who　shrinks　from　the　ordeal；　is　persuaded；
in　the　last　resort；　to　enter　the　students'　room　by　having　a　ban