poor miss finch-第2章

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absolutely　nothing　in　prospect；　that　is　to　say　with　not　a　halfpenny　more
to　come　to　me；　unless　I　could　earn　it　for　myself。

In　this　sad　case；　what　does　an　honest　woman　who　is　bent　on　winning　her
own　independence　by　her　own　work；　do？　She　takes　three　and　sixpence　out　of
her　little　humble　store；　and　she　advertises　herself　in　a　newspaper。

One　always　advertises　the　best　side　of　oneself。　（Ah；　poor　humanity！）　My
best　side　was　my　musical　side。　In　the　days　of　my　vicissitudes　（before　my
marriage）　I　had　at　one　time　had　a　share　in　a　millinery　establishment　in
Lyons。　At　another　time；　I　had　been　bedchamber…woman　to　a　great　lady　in
Paris。　But　in　my　present　situation；　these　sides　of　myself　were；　for
various　reasons；　not　so　presentable　as　the　pianoforte　side。　I　was　not　a
great　playerfar　from　it。　But　I　had　been　soundly　instructed；　and　I　had；
what　you　call；　a　competent　skill　on　the　instrument。　Brief；　I　made　the
best　of　myself；　I　promise　you；　in　my　advertisement。

The　next　day；　I　borrowed　the　newspaper；　to　enjoy　the　pride　of　seeing　my
composition　in　print。

Ah；　heaven！　what　did　I　discover？　I　discovered　what　other　wretched
advertising　people　have　found　out　before　me。　Above　my　own　advertisement；
the　very　thing　I　wanted　was　advertised　for　by　somebody　else！　Look　in　any
newspaper；　and　you　will　see　strangers　who　（if　I　may　so　express　myself）
exactly　fit　each　other；　advertising　for　each　other；　without　knowing　it。　I
had　advertised　myself　as　〃accomplished　musical　companion　for　a　lady。　With
cheerful　temper　to　match。〃　And　there　above　me　was　my　unknown　necessitous
fellow…creature；　crying　out　in　printers'　types：〃Wanted；　a　companion　for
a　lady。　Must　be　an　accomplished　musician；　and　have　a　cheerful　temper。
Testimonials　to　capacity；　and　first…rate　references　required。〃　Exactly
what　I　had　offered！　〃Apply　by　letter　only；　in　the　first　instance。〃
Exactly　what　I　had　said！　Fie　upon　me；　I　had　spent　three　and　sixpence　for
nothing。　I　threw　down　the　newspaper；　in　a　transport　of　anger　（like　a
fool）and　then　took　it　up　again　（like　a　sensible　woman）；　and　applied　by
letter　for　the　offered　place。

My　letter　brought　me　into　contact　with　a　lawyer。　The　lawyer　enveloped
himself　in　mystery。　It　seemed　to　be　a　professional　habit　with　him　to　tell
nobody　anything；　if　he　could　possibly　help　it。

Drop　by　drop；　this　wearisome　man　let　the　circumstances　out。　The　lady　was
a　young　lady。　She　was　the　daughter　of　a　clergyman。　She　lived　in　a　retired
part　of　the　country。　More　even　than　that；　she　lived　in　a　retired　part　of
the　house。　Her　father　had　married　a　second　time。　Having　only　the　young
lady　as　child　by　his　first　marriage；　he　had　（I　suppose　by　way　of　a
change）　a　large　family　by　his　second　marriage。　Circumstances　rendered　it
necessary　for　the　young　lady　to　live　as　much　apart　as　she　could　from　the
tumult　of　a　houseful　of　children。　So　he　went　on；　until　there　was　no
keeping　it　in　any　longerand　then　he　let　it　out。　The　young　lady　was
blind！

Younglonelyblind。　I　had　a　sudden　inspiration。　I　felt　I　should　love
her。

The　question　of　my　musical　capacity　was；　in　this　sad　case；　a　serious　one。
The　poor　young　lady　had　one　great　pleasure　to　illumine　her　dark
lifeMusic。　Her　companion　was　wanted　to　play　from　the　book；　and　play
worthily；　the　works　of　the　great　masters　（whom　this　young　creature
adored）and　she；　listening；　would　take　her　place　next　at　the　piano；　and
reproduce　the　music　morsel　by　morsel；　by　ear。　A　professor　was　appointed
to　pronounce　sentence　on　me；　and　declare　if　I　could　be　trusted　not　to
misinterpret　Mozart；　Beethoven；　and　the　other　masters　who　have　written
for　the　piano。　Through　this　ordeal　I　passed　with　success。　As　for　my
references；　they　spoke　for　themselves。　Not　even　the　lawyer　（though　he
tried　hard）　could　pick　holes　in　them。　It　was　arranged　on　both　sides　that
I　should；　in　the　first　instance；　go　on　a　month's　visit　to　the　young　lady。
If　we　both　wished　it　at　the　end　of　the　time；　I　was　to　stay；　on　terms
arranged　to　my　perfect　satisfaction。　There　was　our　treaty！

The　next　day　I　started　for　my　visit　by　the　railway。

My　instructions　directed　me　to　travel　to　the　town　of　Lewes　in　Sussex。
Arrived　there；　I　was　to　ask　for　the　pony…chaise　of　my　young　lady's
fatherdescribed　on　his　card　as　Reverend　Tertius　Finch。　The　chaise　was
to　take　me　to　the　rectory…house　in　the　village　of　Dimchurch。　And　the
village　of　Dimchurch　was　situated　among　the　South　Down　Hills；　three　or
four　miles　from　the　coast。

When　I　stepped　into　the　railway　carriage；　this　was　all　I　knew。　After　my
adventurous　lifeafter　the　volcanic　agitations　of　my　republican　career
in　the　Doctor's　timewas　I　about　to　bury　myself　in　a　remote　English
village；　and　live　a　life　as　monotonous　as　the　life　of　a　sheep　on　a　hill？
Ah；　with　all　my　experience；　I　had　yet　to　learn　that　the　narrowest　human
limits　are　wide　enough　to　contain　the　grandest　human　emotions。　I　had　seen
the　Drama　of　Life　amid　the　turmoil　of　tropical　revolutions。　I　was　to　see
it　again；　with　all　its　palpitating　interest；　in　the　breezy　solitudes　of
the　South　Down　Hills。

CHAPTER　THE　SECOND

Madame　Pratolungo　makes　a　Voyage　on　Land

A　WELL…FED　boy；　with　yellow　Saxon　hair；　a　little　shabby　green　chaise；　and
a　rough　brown　ponythese　objects　confronted　me　at　the　Lewes　Station。　I
said　to　the　boy；　〃Are　you　Reverend　Finch's　servant？〃　And　the　boy
answered；　〃I　be　he。〃

We　drove　through　the　towna　hilly　town　of　desolate　clean　houses。　No
living　creatures　visible　behind　the　jealously…shut　windows。　No　living
creatures　entering　or　departing　through　the　sad…colored　closed　doors。　No
theater；　no　place　of　amusement　except　an　empty　town…hall；　with　a　sad
policeman　meditating　on　its　spruce　white　steps。　No　customers　in　the
shops；　and　nobody　to　serve　them　behind　the　counter；　even　if　they　had
turned　up。　Here　and　there　on　the　pavements；　an　inhabitant　with　a　capacity
for　staring；　and　（apparently）　a　capacity　for　nothing　else。　I　said　to
Reverend　Finch's　boy；　〃Is　this　a　rich　place？〃　Reverend　Finch's　boy
brightened　and　answered；　〃That　it　be！〃　Good。　At　any　rate；　they　don't
enjoy　themselves　herethe　infamous　rich！

Leaving　this　town　of　unamused　citizens　immured　in　domestic　tombs；　we　got
on　a　fine　high　roadstill　ascendingwith　a　spacious　open　country　on
either　side　of　it。

A　spacious　open　country　is　a　country　soon　exhausted　by　a　sight…seer's
eye。　I　have　learnt　from　my　poor　Pratolungo　the　habit　of　searching　for　the
political　convictions　of　my　fellow…creatures；　when　I　find　myself　in
contact　with　them　in　strange　places。　Having　nothing　else　to　do；　I
searched　Finch's　boy。　His　political　programme；　I　found　to　be：As　much
meat　and　beer　as　I　can　contain；　and　as　little　work　to　do　for　it　as
possible。　In　return　for　this；　to　touch　my　hat　when　I　meet　the　Squire；　and
to　be　content　with　the　station　to　which　it　has　pleased　God　to　call　me。
Miserable　Finch's　boy！

We　reached　the　highest　point　of　the　road。　On　our　right　hand；　the　ground
sloped　away　gently　into　a　fertile　valleywith　a　village　and　a　church　in
it；　and　beyond；　an　abominable　privileged　enclosure　of　grass　and　trees
torn　from　the　community　by　a　tyrant；　and　called　a　Park；　with　the　palace
in　which　this　enemy　of　mankind　caroused　and　fattened；　standing　in　the
midst。　On　our　left　hand；　spread　the　open　countrya　magnificent　prospect
of　grand　grassy　hills；　rolling　away　to　the　horizon；　bounded　only　by　the
sky。　To　my　surprise；　Finch's　boy　descended；　took　the　pony　by　the　head；
and　deliberately　led　him　off　the　high　road；　and　on　to　the　wilderness　of
grassy　hills；　on　which　not　so　much　as　a　footpath　was　discernible
anywhere；　far　or　near。　The　chaise　began　to　heave　and　roll　like　a　ship　on
the　sea。　It　became　necessary　to　hold　with　both　hands　to　keep　my　place。　I
thought　first　of　my　luggagethen　of　myself。

〃How　much　is　there　of　this？〃　I　asked。

〃Three　mile　on't；〃　answered　Finch's　boy。

I　insisted　on　stopping　the　shipI　mean　the　chaiseand　on　getting　out。
We　tied　my　luggage　fast　with　a　rope；　and　then　we　went　on　again；　the　boy
at　the　pony's　head；　and　I　after　them　on　foot。

Ah；　what　a　walk　it　was！　What　air　over　my　head；　what　grass　under　my　feet！
The　sweetness　of　the　inner　land；　and　the　crisp　saltness　of　the　distant
sea；　were　mixed　in　that　delicious　breeze。　The　short　turf；　fragrant　with
odo