poor miss finch-第21章

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occasion　when　she　favored　Oscar　with　a　morning　call。

On　the　sixth　day；　the　gold　and　silver　plates　were　returned　to　Browndown
from　the　manufactory　in　London。

The　next　morning　a　note　arrived　for　me　from　Oscar。　It　ran　thus：

〃DEAR　MADAME　PRATOLUNGO；I　regret　to　inform　you　that　nothing　happened　to
me　last　night。　My　locks　and　bolts　are　in　their　usual　good　order；　my　gold
and　silver　plates　are　safe　in　the　workshop：　and　I　myself　am　now　eating　my
breakfast　with　an　uncut　throatYours　ever；

〃OSCAR。〃

After　this；　there　was　no　more　to　be　said。　Jicks　might　persist　in
remembering　the　two　ill…looking　strangers。　Older　and　wiser　people
dismissed　them　from　all　further　consideration。

Saturday　camemaking　the　tenth　day　since　the　memorable　morning　when　I
had　forced　Oscar　to　disclose　himself　to　me　in　the　little　side…room　at
Browndown。

In　the　forenoon　we　had　a　visit　from　him　at　the　rectory。　In　the　afternoon
we　went　to　Browndown；　to　see　him　begin　a　new　piece　of　chasing　in　golda
casket　for　holding　glovesdestined　to　take　its　place　on　Lucilla's
toilet…table　when　it　was　done。　We　left　him　industriously　at　work；
determined　to　go　on　as　long　as　the　daylight　lasted。

Early　in　the　evening；　Lucilla　sat　down　at　her　pianoforte；　and　I　paid　a
visit　by　appointment　to　the　rectory　side　of　the　house。

Unhappy　Mrs。　Finch　had　determined　to　institute　a　complete　reform　of　her
wardrobe。　She　had　entreated　me　to　give　her　the　benefit　of　〃my　French
taste；〃　in　the　capacity　of　confidential　critic　and　adviser。　〃I　can't
afford　to　buy　any　new　things；〃　said　the　poor　lady。　〃But　a　deal　might　be
done　in　altering　what　I　have　got　by　me；　if　a　clever　person　took　the
matter　up。〃　Who　could　resist　that　piteous　appeal？　I　resigned　myself　to
the　baby；　the　novel；　and　the　children　in　general；　and　（Reverend　Finch
being　out　of　the　way；　writing　his　sermon）　I　presented　myself　in　Mrs。
Finch's　parlor；　full　of　ideas；　with　my　scissors　and　my　pattern…paper
ready　in　my　hand。

We　had　only　begun　our　operations；　when　one　of　the　elder　children　arrived
with　a　message　from　the　nursery。

It　was　tea…time；　and；　as　usual；　Jicks　was　missing。　She　was　searched　for；
first　in　the　lower　regions　of　the　house；　secondly　in　the　garden。　Not　a
trace　of　her　was　to　be　discovered　in　either　quarter。　Nobody　was　surprised
or　alarmed。　We　said；　〃Oh；　dear；　she　has　gone　to　Browndown　again！〃and
immersed　ourselves　once　more　in　the　shabby　recesses　of　Mrs。　Finch's
wardrobe。

I　had　just　decided　that　the　blue　merino　jacket　was　an　article　of　wearing
apparel　which　had　done　its　duty；　and　earned　its　right　to　final　retirement
from　the　scenewhen　a　plaintive　cry　reached　my　ear；　through　the　open
door　which　led　into　the　back　garden。

I　stopped；　and　looked　at　Mrs。　Finch。

The　cry　was　repeated；　louder　and　nearer：　recognizable　this　time　as　a　cry
in　a　child's　voice。　The　door　of　the　room　had　been　left　ajar；　when　we　sent
the　messenger　back　to　the　nursery。　I　threw　it　open；　and　found　myself　face
to　face　with　Jicks　in　the　passage。

I　felt　every　nerve　in　my　body　shudder　at　the　sight　of　the　child。

The　poor　little　thing　was　white　and　wild　with　terror。　She　was　incapable
of　uttering　a　word。　When　I　knelt　down　to　fondle　and　soothe　her；　she
caught　convulsively　at　my　hand；　and　attempted　to　raise　me。　I　got　on　my
feet　again。　She　repeated　her　dumb　cry　more　loudlyand　tried　to　drag　me
out　of　the　house。　She　was　so　weak　that　she　staggered　under　the　effort。　I
took　her　up　in　my　arms。　One　of　my　hands；　as　I　embraced　her；　touched　the
top　of　her　frock；　just　below　the　back　of　her　neck。　I　felt　something　on　my
fingers。　I　looked　at　them。　Gracious　God！　I　was　stained　with　blood！

I　turned　the　child　round。　My　own　blood　froze。　Her　mother；　standing　behind
me；　screamed　with　horror。

The　dear　little　thing's　white　frock　was　spotted　and　splashed　with　wet
blood。　Not　her　own　blood。　There　was　not　a　scratch　on　her。　I　looked　closer
at　the　horrid　marks。　They　had　been　drawn　purposely　on　herdrawn；　as　it
seemed；　with　a　finger。　I　took　her　out　into　the　light。　It　was　writing！　A
word　had　been　feebly　traced　on　the　back　of　her　frock。　I　made　out
something　like　the　letter　〃H。〃　Then　a　letter　which　it　was　impossible　to
read。

Then　another　next　to　it；　which　might　have　been　〃L；〃　or　might　have　been
〃J。〃　Then　a　last　letter；　which　I　guessed　to　be　〃P。〃

Was　the　word〃Help〃？

Yes！traced　on　the　back　of　the　child's　frock；　with　a　finger　dipped　in
blood〃HELP。〃

CHAPTER　THE　FOURTEENTH

Discoveries　at　Browndown

IT　is　needless　to　tell　you　at　what　conclusion　I　arrived；　as　soon　as　I　was
sufficiently　myself　to　think　at　all。

Thanks　to　my　adventurous　past　life；　I　have　got　the　habit　of　deciding
quickly　in　serious　emergencies　of　all　sorts。　In　the　present　emergencyas
I　saw　itthere　were　two　things　to　be　done。　One；　to　go　instantly　with
help　to　Browndown：　the　other；　to　keep　the　knowledge　of　what　had　happened
from　Lucilla　until　I　could　get　back　again；　and　prepare　her　for　the
discovery。

I　looked　at　Mrs。　Finch。　She　had　dropped　helplessly　into　a　chair。　〃Rouse
yourself！〃　I　saidand　shook　her。　It　was　no　time　for　sympathizing　with
swoons　and　hysterics。　The　child　was　still　in　my　arms；　fast　yielding；　poor
little　thing；　to　the　exhaustion　of　fatigue　and　terror。　I　could　do　nothing
until　I　had　relieved　myself　of　the　charge　of　her。　Mrs。　Finch　looked　up　at
me；　trembling　and　sobbing。　I　put　the　child　in　her　lap。　Jicks　feebly
resisted　being　parted　from　me；　but　soon　gave　up；　and　dropped　her　weary
little　head　on　her　mother's　bosom。　〃Can　you　take　off　her　frock？〃　I　asked；
with　another　shakea　good　one；　this　time。　The　prospect　of　a　domestic
occupation　（of　any　sort）　appeared　to　rouse　Mrs。　Finch。　She　looked　at　the
baby；　in　its　cradle　in　one　corner　of　the　room；　and　at　the　novel；　reposing
on　a　chair　in　another　corner　of　the　room。　The　presence　of　these　two
familiar　objects　appeared　to　encourage　her。　She　shivered；　she　swallowed　a
sob；　she　recovered　her　breath；　she　began　to　undo　the　frock。

〃Put　it　away　carefully；〃　I　said；　〃and　say　nothing　to　anybody　of　what　has
happened；　until　I　come　back。　You　can　see　for　yourself　that　the　child　is
not　hurt。　Soothe　her；　and　wait　here。　Is　Mr。　Finch　in　the　study？〃

Mrs。　Finch　swallowed　another　sob；　and　said；　〃Yes。〃　The　child　made　a　last
effort。　〃Jicks　will　go　with　you；〃　said　the　indomitable　little　Arab
faintly。　I　ran　out　of　the　room；　and　left　the　three　babiesbig；　little；
and　leasttogether。

After　knocking　at　the　study　door　without　getting　any　reply；　I　opened　it
and　went　in。　Reverend　Finch；　comfortably　prostrate　in　a　large　arm…chair
（with　his　sermon…paper　spread　out　in　fair　white　sheets　by　his　side）；
started　up；　and　confronted　me　in　the　character　of　a　clergyman　that　moment
awakened　from　a　sound　sleep。

The　rector　of　Dimchurch　instantly　recovered　his　dignity。

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　Madame　Pratolungo；　I　was　deep　in　thought。　Please
state　your　business　briefly。〃　Saying　those　words；　he　waved　his　hand
magnificently　over　his　empty　sheets　of　paper；　and　added　in　his　deepest
bass：　〃Sermon…day。〃

I　told　him　in　the　plainest　words　what　I　had　seen　on　his　child's　frock；
and　what　I　feared　had　happened　at　Browndown。　He　turned　deadly　pale。　If　I
ever　yet　set　my　two　eyes　on　a　man　thoroughly　frightened；　Reverend　Finch
was　that　man。

〃Do　you　anticipate　danger？〃　he　inquired。　〃Is　it　your　opinion　that
criminal　persons　are　in；　or　near；　the　house？〃

〃It　is　my　opinion　that　there　is　not　a　moment　to　be　lost；〃　I　answered。　〃We
must　go　to　Browndown；　and　we　must　get　what　help　we　can　on　the　way。〃

I　opened　the　door；　and　waited　for　him　to　come　out　with　me。　Mr。　Finch
（still　apparently　pre…occupied　with　the　question　of　the　criminal　persons）
looked　as　if　he　wished　himself　a　hundred　miles　from　his　own　rectory　at
that　particular　moment。　But　he　was　the　master　of　the　house；　he　was　the
principal　man　in　the　placehe　had　no　other　alternative；　as　matters　now
stood；　than　to　take　his　hat　and　go。

We　went　out　together　into　the　village。　My　reverend　companion　was　silent
for　the　first　time　in　my　limited　experience　of　him。　We　inquired　for　the
one　policeman　who　patrolled　the　district。　He　was　away　on　his　rounds。　We
asked　if　anybody　had　seen　the　doctor。　No：　it　was　not　the　doctor's　day　for
visiting　Dimchurch。　I　had　heard　the　landlord　of　the