poor miss finch-第18章

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the　baby　and　the　novel　laid　together　flat　on　their　backs　in　her　lap。

〃Eight　pounds　of　soap？　Where　does　it　all　go　to　I　wonder！〃　groaned　Mrs。
Finch　to　the　accompaniment　of　the　baby's　screams。　〃Five　pounds　of　soda
for　the　laundry？　One　would　think　we　did　the　washing　for　the　whole
village。　Six　pounds　of　candles？　You　must　eat　candles；　like　the　Russians：
who　ever　heard　of　burning　six　pounds　of　candles　in　a　week？　Ten　pounds　of
sugar？　Who　gets　it　all？　I　never　taste　sugar　from　one　year's　end　to
another。　Waste；　nothing　but　waste。〃　Here　Mrs。　Finch　looked　my　way；　and
saw　me　at　the　door。　〃Oh？　Madame　Pratolungo？　How　d'ye　do？　Don't　go
awayI've　just　done。　A　bottle　of　blacking？　My　shoes　are　a　disgrace　to
the　house。　Five　pounds　of　rice？　If　I　had　Indian　servants；　five　pounds　of
rice　would　last　them　for　a　year。　There！　take　the　things　away　into　the
kitchen。　Excuse　my　dress；　Madame　Pratolungo。　How　_am_　I　to　dress；　with
all　I　have　got　to　do？　What　do　you　say？　My　time　must　indeed　be　fully
occupied？　Ah；　that's　just　where　it　is！　When　you　have　lost　half　an　hour　in
the　morning；　and　can't　pick　it　up　againto　say　nothing　of　having　the
store…room　on　your　mind；　and　the　children's　dinner　late；　and　the　baby
fractiousone　slips　on　a　petticoat　and　a　shawl；　and　gives　it　up　in
despair。　What　_can_　I　have　done　with　my　handkerchief？　Would　you　mind
looking　among　those　bottles　behind　you？　Oh；　here　it　is；　under　the　baby。
Might　I　trouble　you　to　hold　my　book　for　one　moment？　I　think　the　baby　will
be　quieter　if　I　put　him　the　other　way。〃　Here　Mrs。　Finch　turned　the　baby
over　on　his　stomach；　and　patted　him　briskly　on　the　back。　At　this　change
in　his　circumstances；　the　unappeasable　infant　only　roared　louder　than
ever。　His　mother　appeared　to　be　perfectly　unaffected　by　the　noise。　This
resigned　domestic　martyr　looked　placidly　up　at　me；　as　I　stood　before　her；
bewildered；　with　the　novel　in　my　hand。　〃Ah；　that's　a　very　interesting
story；〃　she　went　on。　〃Plenty　of　love　in　it；　you　know。　You　have　come　for
it；　haven't　you？　I　remember　I　promised　to　lend　it　to　you　yesterday。〃
Before　I　could　answer　the　cook　appeared　again；　in　search　of　more
household　commodities。　Mrs。　Finch　repeated　the　woman's　demands；　one　by
one　as　she　made　them；　in　tones　of　despair。　〃Another　bottle　of　vinegar？　I
believe　you　water　the　garden　with　vinegar！　More　starch？　The　Queen's
washing；　I'm　firmly　persuaded；　doesn't　come　to　so　much　as　ours。
Sandpaper？　Sandpaper　means　wastepaper　in　this　profligate　house。　I　shall
tell　your　master。　I　really　_can_　NOT　make　the　housekeeping　money　last　at
this　rate。　Don't　go；　Madame　Pratolungo！　I　shall　have　done　directly。　What！
You　must　go！　Oh；　then；　put　the　book　back　on　my　lap；　pleaseand　look
behind　that　sack　of　flour。　The　first　volume　slipped　down　there　this
morning；　and　I　haven't　had　time　to　pick　it　up　since。　（Sandpaper！　Do　you
think　I'm　made　of　sandpaper！）　Have　you　found　the　first　volume？　Ah；　that's
it。　All　over　flour！　there's　a　hole　in　the　sack　I　suppose。　Twelve　sheets
of　sandpaper　used　in　a　week！　What　for？　I　defy　any　of　you　to　tell　me　what
for。　Waste！　waste！　shameful　sinful　waste！〃　At　this　point　in　Mrs。　Finch's
lamentations；　I　made　my　escape　with　the　book；　and　left　the　subject　of
Oscar　Dubourg　to　be　introduced　at　a　fitter　opportunity。　The　last　words　I
heard；　through　the　screams　of　the　baby；　as　I　ascended　the　stairs；　were
words　still　relating　to　the　week's　prodigal　consumption　of　sandpaper。　Let
us　drop　a　tear；　if　you　please；　over　the　woes　of　Mrs。　Finch；　and　leave　the
British　matron　apostrophizing　domestic　economy　in　the　odorous　seclusion
of　her　own　storeroom。

I　had　just　related　to　Lucilla　the　failure　of　my　expedition　to　the　other
side　of　the　house；　when　the　groom　returned；　bringing　with　him　the　gold
vase；　and　a　letter。

Oscar's　answer　was　judiciously　modeled　to　imitate　the　brevity　of
Lucilla's　note。　〃You　have　made　me　a　happy　man　again。　When　may　I　follow
the　vase？〃　There；　in　two　sentences；　was　the　whole　letter。

I　had　another　discussion　with　Lucilla；　relating　to　the　propriety　of　our
receiving　Oscar　in　Reverend　Finch's　absence。　It　was　only　possible　to
persuade　her　to　wait　until　she　had　at　least　heard　from　her　father；　by
consenting　to　take　another　walk　towards　Browndown　the　next　morning。　This
new　concession　satisfied　her。　She　had　received　his　present；　she　had
exchanged　letters　with　himthat　was　enough　to　content　her　for　the　time。

〃Do　you　think　he　is　getting　fond　of　me？〃　she　asked；　the　last　thing　at
night；　taking　her　gold　vase　to　bed　with　her；　poor　dearexactly　as　she
might　have　taken　a　new　toy　to　bed　with　her　when　she　was　a　child。　〃Give
him　time；　my　love；〃　I　answered。　〃It　isn't　everybody　who　can　travel　at
your　pace　in　such　a　serious　matter　as　this。〃　My　banter　had　no　effect　upon
her。　〃Go　away　with　your　candle；〃　she　said。　〃The　darkness　makes　no
difference　to　_me。_　I　can　see　him　in　my　thoughts。〃　She　nestled　her　head
comfortably　on　the　pillows；　and　tapped　me　saucily　on　the　cheek；　as　I　bent
over　her。　〃Own　the　advantage　I　have　over　you　now；〃　she　said。　〃_You_　can't
see　at　night　without　your　candle。　_I_　could　go　all　over　the　house；　at
this　moment；　without　making　a　false　step　anywhere。〃

When　I　left　her　that　night；　I　sincerely　believe　〃poor　Miss　Finch〃　was　the
happiest　woman　in　England。

CHAPTER　THE　TWELFTH

Mr。　Finch　smells　Money

A　DOMESTIC　alarm　deferred　for　some　hours　our　proposed　walk　to　Browndown。

The　old　nurse；　Zillah；　was　taken　ill　in　the　night。　She　was　so　little
relieved　by　such　remedies　as　we　were　able　to　apply；　that　it　became
necessary　to　summon　the　doctor　in　the　morning。　He　lived　at　some　distance
from　Dimchurch；　and　he　had　to　send　back　to　his　own　house　for　the
medicines　required。　As　a　necessary　result　of　these　delays；　it　was　close
on　one　o'clock　in　the　afternoon　before　the　medical　remedies　had　their
effect；　and　the　nurse　was　sufficiently　recovered　to　permit　of　our　leaving
her　in　the　servant's　care。

We　had　dressed　for　our　walk　（Lucilla　being　ready　long　before　I　was）；　and
had　got　as　far　as　the　garden　gate　on　our　way　to　Browndownwhen　we　heard；
on　the　other　side　of　the　wall；　a　man's　voice；　pitched　in　superbly　deep
bass　tones；　pronouncing　these　words：

〃Believe　me；　my　dear　sir；　there　is　not　the　least　difficulty。　I　have　only
to　send　the　cheque　to　my　bankers　at　Brighton。〃

Lucilla　started；　and　caught　hold　of　me　by　the　arm。

〃My　father！〃　she　exclaimed　in　the　utmost　astonishment。　〃Who　is　he　talking
to？〃

The　key　of　the　gate　was　in　my　possession。　〃What　a　grand　voice　your　father
has　got！〃　I　said；　as　I　took　the　key　out　of　my　pocket。　I　opened　the　gate。
There；　confronting　us　on　the　threshold；　arm　in　arm；　as　if　they　had　known
each　other　from　childhood；　stood　Lucilla's　father；　andOscar　Dubourg！

Reverend　Finch　opened　the　proceedings　by　folding　his　daughter
affectionately　in　his　arms。

〃My　dear　child！〃　he　said；　〃I　received　your　letteryour　most　interesting
letterthis　morning。　The　moment　I　read　it　I　felt　that　I　owed　a　duty　to
Mr。　Dubourg。　As　pastor　of　Dimchurch；　it　was　clearly　incumbent　on　me　to
comfort　a　brother　in　affliction。　I　really　felt；　so　to　speak；　a　longing　to
hold　out　the　right　hand　of　friendship　to　this　sorely…tried　man。　I
borrowed　my　friend's　carriage；　and　drove　straight　to　Browndown。　We　have
had　a　long　and　cordial　talk。　I　have　brought　Mr。　Dubourg　home　with　me。　He
must　be　one　of　us。　My　dear　child；　Mr。　Dubourg　must　be　one　of　us。　Let　me
introduce　you。　My　eldest　daughterMr。　Dubourg。〃

He　performed　the　ceremony　of　presentation；　with　the　most　impenetrable
gravity；　as　if　he　really　believed　that　Oscar　and　his　daughter　now　met
each　other　for　the　first　time！

Never　had　I　set　my　eyes　on　a　meaner…looking　man　than　this　rector。　In
height　he　barely　reached　up　to　my　shoulder。　In　substance；　he　was　so
miserably　lean　that　he　looked　the　living　picture　of　starvation。　He　would
have　made　his　fortune　in　the　streets　of　London；　if　he　had　only　gone　out
and　shown　himself　to　the　public　in　ragged　clothes。　His　face　was　deeply
pitted　with　the　small…pox。　His　short　grisly　hair　stood　up　stiff　and
straight　on　his　head　like　hair　fixed　in　a　broom。　His　small　whitish…grey
eyes　had　a　restless；　inquisitive；　hungry　look　in　them；　indescribably
irritating　and　uncomfortable　to　see。　The　one　personal　distinction　he