poor miss finch-第24章

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Lucilla　sitting　by　his　bedside。

The　account　of　the　matter　thus　given　by　Oscar；　was　followed　by　a
supplementary　statement　provided　by　the　police。

The　machinery　of　the　law　was　put　in　action；　and　the　village　was　kept　in　a
fever　of　excitement　for　days　together。　Never　was　there　a　more　complete
investigationand　never　was　a　poorer　result　achieved。　Substantially；
nothing　was　discovered　beyond　what　I　had　already　found　out　for　myself。
The　robbery　was　declared　to　have　been　（as　I　had　supposed）　a　planned
thing。　Though　we　had　none　of　us　noticed　them　at　the　rectory；　it　was
ascertained　that　the　thieves　had　been　at　Dimchurch　on　the　day　when　the
unlucky　plates　were　first　delivered　at　Browndown。　Having　taken　their　time
to　examine　the　house；　and　to　make　themselves　acquainted　with　the　domestic
habits　of　the　persons　in　it；　the　rogues　had　paid　their　second　visit　to
the　villageno　doubt　to　commit　the　robberyon　the　occasion　when　we　had
discovered　them。　Foiled　by　the　unexpected　return　of　the　gold　and　silver
to　London；　they　had　waited　again；　had　followed　the　plates　back　to
Browndown；　and　had　effected　their　objectthanks　to　the　lonely　situation
of　the　house；　and　to　the　murderous　blow　which　had　stretched　Oscar
insensible　on　the　floor。

More　than　one　witness　had　met　them　on　the　road　back　to　Brighton；　with　the
packing…case　in　the　chaise。　But　when　they　returned　to　the　livery…stables
from　which　they　had　hired　the　vehicle；　the　case　was　not　to　be　seen。
Accomplices　in　Brighton　had；　in　all　probability；　assisted　them　in　getting
rid　of　it；　and　in　shifting　the　plates　into　ordinary　articles　of　luggage；
which　would　attract　no　special　attention　at　the　railway　station。　This　was
the　explanation　given　by　the　police。　Right　or　wrong；　the　one　fact　remains
that　the　villains　were　not　caught；　and　that　the　assault　and　robbery　at
Oscar's　house　may　be　added　to　the　long　list　of　crimes　cleverly　enough
committed　to　defy　the　vengeance　of　the　law。

For　ourselves；　we　all　agreedled　by　Lucillato　indulge　in　no　useless
lamentations；　and　to　be　grateful　that　Oscar　had　escaped　without　serious
injury。　The　mischief　was　done；　and　there　was　an　end　of　it。

In　this　philosophical　spirit；　we　looked　at　the　affair　while　our　invalid
was　recovering。　We　all　plumed　ourselves　on　our　excellent　good　senseand
（ah；　poor　stupid　human　wretches！）　we　were　all　fatally　wrong。　So　far　from
the　mischief　being　at　an　end；　the　mischief　had　only　begun。　The　true
results　of　the　robbery　at　Browndown　were　yet　to　show　themselves；　and　were
yet　to　be　felt　in　the　strangest　and　the　saddest　way　by　every　member　of
the　little　circle　assembled　at　Dimchurch。

CHAPTER　THE　SIXTEENTH

First　Result　of　the　Robbery

BETWEEN　five　and　six　weeks　passed。　Oscar　was　out　of　his　bed…room；　and　was
well　of　his　wound。

During　this　lapse　of　time；　Lucilla　steadily　pursued　that　process　of　her
own　of　curing　him；　which　was　to　end　in　marrying　him。　Never　had　I　seen
such　nursing　beforenever　do　I　expect　to　see　such　nursing　again。　From
morning　to　night；　she　interested　him；　and　kept　him　in　good　spirits。　The
charming　creature　actually　made　her　blindness　a　means　of　lightening　the
weary　hours　of　the　man　she　loved。

Sometimes；　she　would　sit　before　Oscar's　looking…glass；　and　imitate　all
the　innumerable　tricks；　artifices；　and　vanities　of　a　coquette　arraying
herself　for　conquestwith　such　wonderful　truth　and　humour　of　mimicry；
that　you　would　have　sworn　she　possessed　the　use　of　her　eyes。　Sometimes；
she　would　show　him　her　extraordinary　power　of　calculating　by　the　sound　of
a　person's　voice；　the　exact　position　which　that　person　occupied　towards
her　in　a　room。　Selecting　me　as　the　victim；　she　would　first　provide
herself　with　one　of　the　nosegays　always　placed　by　her　own　hands　at
Oscar's　bedside；　and　would　then　tell　me　to　take　up　my　position
noiselessly　in　any　part　of　the　room　that　I　pleased；　and　to　say　〃Lucilla。〃
The　instant　the　words　were　out　of　my　mouth；　the　nosegay　flew　from　her
hand；　and　hit　me　on　the　face。　She　never　once　missed　her　aim；　on　any　one
of　the　occasions　when　this　experiment　was　triedand　she　never　once
flagged　in　her　childish　enjoyment　of　the　exhibition　of　her　own　skill。

Nobody　was　allowed　to　pour　out　Oscar's　medicine　but　herself。　She　knew
when　the　spoon　into　which　it　was　to　be　measured　was　full；　by　the　sound
which　the　liquid　made　in　falling　into　it。　When　he　was　able　to　sit　up　in
his　bed；　and　when　she　was　standing　at　the　pillow…side；　she　could　tell　him
how　near　his　head　was　to　hers；　by　the　change　which　he　produced；　when　he
bent　forward　or　when　he　drew　back；　in　the　action　of　the　air　on　her　face。
In　the　same　way；　she　knew　as　well　as　he　knew；　when　the　sun　was　out　and
when　it　was　behind　a　cloudjudging　by　the　differing　effect　of　the　air；
at　such　times；　on　her　forehead　and　on　her　cheeks。

All　the　litter　of　little　objects　accumulating　in　a　sick…room；　she　kept　in
perfect　order　on　a　system　of　her　own。　She　delighted　in　putting　the　room
tidy　late　in　the　evening；　when　we　helpless　people　who　could　see　were
beginning　to　think　of　lighting　the　candles。　The　time　when　we　could　just
discern　her；　flitting　to　and　fro　in　the　dusk；　in　her　bright　summer
dressnow　visible　as　she　passed　the　window；　now　lost　in　the　shadows　at
the　end　of　the　roomwas　the　time　when　she　began　to　clear　the　tables　of
the　things　that　had　been　wanted　in　the　day；　and　to　replace　them　by　the
things　which　would　be　wanted　at　night。　We　were　only　allowed　to　light　the
candles　when　they　showed　us　the　room　magically　put　in　order　during　the
darkness　as　if　the　fairies　had　done　it。　She　laughed　scornfully　at　our
surprise；　and　said　she　sincerely　pitied　the　poor　useless　people　who　could
only　see！

The　same　pleasure　which　she　had　in　arranging　the　room　in　the　dark　she
also　felt　in　wandering　all　over　the　house　in　the　dark；　and　in　making
herself　thoroughly　acquainted　with　every　inch　of　it　from　top　to　bottom。
As　soon　as　Oscar　was　well　enough　to　go　down…stairs；　she　insisted　on
leading　him。

〃You　have　been　so　long　up　in　your　bedroom；〃　she　said；　〃that　you　must　have
forgotten　the　rest　of　the　house。　Take　my　armand　come　along。　Now　we　are
out　in　the　passage。　Mind！　there　is　a　step　down；　just　at　this　place。　And
now　a　step　up　again。　Here　is　a　sharp　corner　to　turn　at　the　top　of　the
staircase。　And　there　is　a　rod　out　of　the　stair…carpet；　and　an　awkward
fold　in　it　that　might　throw　you　down。〃　So　she　took　him　into　his　own
drawing…room；　as　if　it　was　he　that　was　blind；　and　she　who　had　the　use　of
her　eyes。　Who　could　resist　such　a　nurse　as　this？　Is　it　wonderful　that　I
heard　a　sound　suspiciously　like　the　sound　of　a　kiss；　on　that　first　day　of
convalescence；　when　I　happened　for　a　moment　to　be　out　of　the　room？　I
strongly　suspected　her　of　leading　the　way　in　that　also。　She　was　so
wonderfully　composed　when　I　came　backand　he　was　so　wonderfully
flurried。

In　a　week　from　his　convalescence；　Lucilla　completed　the　cure　of　the
patient。　In　other　words；　she　received　from　Oscar　an　offer　of　marriage。　I
have　not　the　slightest　doubt；　in　my　own　mind；　that　he　required　assistance
in　bringing　this　delicate　matter　to　a　climaxand　that　Lucilla　helped
him。

I　may　be　right　or　I　may　be　wrong　about　this。　But　I　can　at　least　certify
that　Lucilla　was　in　such　mad　high　spirits　when　she　told　me　the　news　out
in　the　garden；　on　a　lovely　autumn　morning；　that　she　actually　danced　for
joyand；　more　improper　still；　she　made　me；　at　my　discreet　time　of　life；
dance　too。　She　took　me　round　the　waist；　and　we　waltzed　on　the　grassMrs。
Finch　standing　by　in　the　condemned　blue　merino　jacket　（with　the　baby　in
one　hand　and　the　novel　in　the　other）；　and　warning　us　both　that　if　we　lost
half　an　hour　out　of　our　day；　in　whirling　each　other　round　the　lawn；　we
should　never　succeed　in　picking　it　up　again　in　that　house。　We　went　on
whirling；　for　all　that；　until　we　were　both　out　of　breath。　Nothing　short
of　downright　exhaustion　could　tame　Lucilla。　As　for　me；　I　am；　I　sincerely
believe；　the　rashest　person　of　my　age　now　in　existence。　（What　is　my　age？
Ah；　I　am　always　discreet　about　that；　it　is　the　one　exception。）　Set　down
my　rashness　to　my　French　nationality；　my　easy　conscience；　and　my
excellent　stomachand　let　us　go　on　with　our　story。

There　was　a　private　interview　at　Browndown；　later　on　that　day；　betw