poor miss finch-第39章

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a　difference　between　them；　I　have　no　doubt。　Still；　I　own　I　should　like　to
see　it　put　to　the　proof。〃

Her　color　rose。　〃How？〃　she　asked　abruptly。

〃Try　your　touch　alternately　on　both　their　faces；〃　I　suggested；　〃without
knowing　beforehand　which　position　they　each　of　them　occupy。　Make　three
trialsleaving　them　to　change　their　places　or　not；　between　each　trial；
just　as　they　please。　If　you　guess　which　is　which　correctly　three　times
following；　there　will　be　the　proof　that　you　can　really　lay　your　hand　on　a
difference　between　them。〃

Lucilla　shrank　from　accepting　the　challenge。　She　drew　back　a　step；　and
silently　shook　her　head。　Nugent；　who　had　overheard　me；　turned　round
suddenly　from　the　window；　and　supported　my　proposal。

〃A　capital　notion！〃　he　burst　out。　〃Let's　try　it！　You　don't　object；
Oscardo　you？〃

〃_I_　object？〃　cried　Oscaramazed　at　the　bare　idea　of　his　opposing　any
assertion　of　his　will　to　the　assertion　of　his　brother's　will。　〃If　Lucilla
is　willing；　I　say　Yes；　with　all　my　heart。〃

The　two　brothers　approached　us；　arm　in　arm。　Lucilla；　very　reluctantly；
allowed　herself　to　be　persuaded　into　trying　the　experiment。　Two　chairs；
exactly　alike；　were　placed　in　front　of　her。　At　a　sign　from　Nugent；　Oscar
silently　took　the　chair　on　her　right。　By　this　arrangement；　the　hand　which
she　had　used　in　touching　Nugent's　face；　would　be　now　the　hand　that　she
would　employ　in　touching　Oscar's　face。　When　they　were　both　seated；　I
announced　that　we　were　ready。　Lucilla　placed　her　hands　on　their　faces；
right　and　left；　without　the　faintest　idea　in　her　mind　of　the　positions
which　the　two　relatively　occupied。

After　first　touching　them　with　both　hands；　and　both　together；　she　tried
them　separately　next；　beginning　with　Oscar；　and　using　her　right　hand
only。　She　left　him　for　Nugent；　again　using　her　right　handthen　came　back
to　him　againthen　returned　to　Nugenthesitated…decidedtapped　Nugent
lightly　on　the　head。

〃Oscar！〃　she　said。

Nugent　burst　out　laughing。　The　laugh　told　her；　before　any　of　us　could
speak；　that　she　had　made　a　mistake　at　the　first　attempt。

〃Try　again；　Lucilla；〃　said　Oscar　kindly。

〃Never！〃　she　answered；　angrily　stepping　back　from　both　of　them。　〃One
mystification　is　enough。〃

Nugent　tried　next　to　persuade　her　to　renew　the　experiment。　She　checked
him　sternly　at　the　first　word。

〃Do　you　think　if　I　won't　do　it　for　Oscar；〃　she　said；　〃that　I　would　do　it
for　you？　You　laughed　at　me。　What　was　there　to　laugh　at？　Your　brother's
features　are　your　features；　your　brother's　hair　is　your　hair；　your
brother's　height　is　your　height。　What　is　there　so　very　ridiculouswith
such　a　resemblance　as　thatin　a　poor　blind　girl　like　me　mistaking　you
one　for　the　other？　I　wish　to　preserve　a　good　opinion　of　you；　for　Oscar's
sake。　Don't　turn　me　into　ridicule　againor　I　shall　be　forced　to　think
that　your　brother's　good　heart　is　not　yours　also！〃

Nugent　and　Oscar　looked　at　each　other；　petrified　by　this　sudden　outbreak；
Nugent；　of　the　two；　being　the　most　completely　overwhelmed　by　it。

I　attempted　to　interfere　and　put　things　right。　My　easy　philosophy　and　my
volatile　French　nature；　failed　to　see　any　adequate　cause　for　this
vehement　exhibition　of　resentment　on　Lucilla's　part。　Something　in　my
tone；　as　I　suppose；　only　added　to　her　irritation。　I；　in　my　turn；　was
checked　sternly　at　the　first　word。　〃You　proposed　it；〃　she　said；　〃You　are
the　most　to　blame。〃　I　hastened　to　make　my　apologies　（inwardly　remarking
that　the　habit　of　raising　a　storm　in　a　tea…cup　is　a　growing　habit　with
the　rising　generation　in　England）。　Nugent　followed　me　with　more　apologies
on　his　side。　Oscar　supported　us　with　his　superior　influence。　He　took
Lucilla's　handkissed　itand　whispered　something　in　her　ear。　The　kiss
and　the　whisper　acted　like　a　charm。　She　held　out　her　hand　to　Nugent；　she
put　her　arm　round　my　neck　and　embraced　me；　with　all　her　own　grace　and
sweetness。　〃Forgive　me；〃　she　said　to　us　gently。　〃I　wish　I　could　learn　to
be　patient。　But；　oh；　Mr。　Nugent；　it　is　sometimes　so　hard　to　be　blind！〃　I
can　repeat　the　words；　but　I　can　give　no　idea　of　the　touching　simplicity
with　which　they　were　spokenof　her　innocently　earnest　anxiety　to　win　her
pardon。　She　so　affected　Nugent　that　he　tooafter　a　look　at　Oscar　which
said；　〃May　I？〃kissed　the　hand　that　she　offered　to　him。　As　his　lips
touched　her；　she　started。　The　bright　flush　which　always　indicated　the
sudden　rising　of　a　thought　in　her　mind；　flew　over　her　face。　She
unconsciously　held　Nugent's　hand　in　her　own；　absorbed　in　the　interest　of
realizing　the　new　thought。　For　a　moment；　she　stood；　still　as　a　statue；
consulting　with　herself。　The　moment　passed；　she　dropped　Nugent's　hand；
and　turned　gaily　to　me。

〃Will　you　think　me　very　obstinate？〃　she　asked。

〃Why；　my　love？〃

〃I　am　not　satisfied　yet。　I　want　to　try　again。〃

〃No！　no！　At　any　rate　not　to…day。〃

〃I　want　to　try　again；〃　she　repeated。　〃Not　in　your　way。　In　a　way　of　my　own
that　has　just　come　into　my　head。〃　She　turned　to　Oscar。　〃Will　you　humour
me　in　this？〃　It　is　needless　to　set　down　Oscar's　reply。　She　turned　to
Nugent。　〃Will　you？〃

〃Only　say　what　you　wish　me　to　do！〃　he　answered。

〃Go　with　your　brother；〃　she　said；　〃to　the　other　end　of　the　room。　I　know
where　you　are　each　of　you　standing；　at　this　end。　Madame　Pratolungo　will
lead　me　to　the　place；　and　will　put　me　just　within　reach　of　both　your
hands。　I　want　each　of　you　in　turn　（arrange　by　a　sign　between　yourselves
which　is　to　begin）　to　take　my　hand；　and　hold　it　for　a　moment；　and　then
drop　it。　I　have　an　idea　that　I　can　distinguish　between　you；　in　that
wayand　I　want　very　much　to　try　it。〃

The　brothers　went　silently　to　the　other　end　of　the　room。　I　led　Lucilla；
after　them；　to　the　place　in　which　they　stood。　At　my　suggestion；　Nugent
was　the　first　to　take　her　hand；　as　she　had　requested；　to　hold　it　for　a
moment；　and　then　to　drop　it。

〃Nugent！〃　she　said；　without　the　slightest　hesitation。

〃Quite　right；〃　I　answered。

She　laughed　gaily。　〃Go　on！　Puzzle　me　if　you　possibly　can。

The　brothers　noiselessly　changed　places。　Oscar　took　her　hand；　standing
exactly　where　Nugent　had　stood。

〃Oscar！〃　she　said。

〃Right　again；〃　I　told　her。

At　a　sign　from　Nugent；　Oscar　took　her　hand　for　the　second　time。　She
repeated　his　name。　At　a　sign　from　me；　the　brothers　noiselessly　placed
themselves；　one　on　either　side　of　herOscar　on　the　left；　Nugent　on　the
right。　I　gave　them　the　signal；　and　they　each　took　one　of　her　hands　at　the
same　moment。　This　time；　she　waited　a　little　longer　before　she　spoke。　When
she　did　speak；　she　was　right　once　more。　She　turned　smiling；　towards　the
left　side；　pointed　to　him　as　he　stood　by　her；　and　said；　〃Oscar！〃

We　were　all　three　equally　surprised。　I　examined　Oscar's　hand　and　Nugent's
hand　alternately。　Except　the　fatal　difference　in　the　color；　they　were；　to
all　intents　and　purposes；　the　same　handsthe　same　size；　the　same　shape；
the　same　texture　of　skin；　no　scar　or　mark　on　the　hand　of　one　to
distinguish　it　from　the　hand　of　the　other。　By　what　mysterious　process　of
divination　had　she　succeeded　in　discovering　which　was　which？

She　was　unwilling；　or　unable；　to　reply　to　that　question　plainly。

〃Something　in　me　answers　to　one　of　them　and　not　to　the　other；〃　she　said。

〃What　is　it？〃　I　asked。

〃I　don't　know。　It　answers　to　Oscar。　It　doesn't　answer　to　Nugentthat's
all。〃

She　stopped　any　further　inquiries　by　proposing　that　we　should　finish　the
evening　with　some　music；　in　her　own　sitting…room；　on　the　other　side　of
the　house。　When　we　were　seated　together　at　the　pianofortewith　the
twin…brothers　established　as　our　audience　at　the　other　end　of　the
roomshe　whispered　in　my　ear：

〃I'll　tell　_you！_〃

〃Tell　me　what？〃

〃How　I　know　which　is　which　when　they　both　of　them　take　my　hand。　When
Oscar　takes　it；　a　delicious　tingle　runs　from　his　hand　into　mine；　and
steals　all　over　me。　I　can't　describe　it　any　better　than　that。〃

〃I　understand。　And　when　Nugent　takes　your　hand；　what　do　you　feel？〃

〃Nothing！〃

〃And　that　is　how　you　found　out　the　difference　between　them　down…stairs？〃

〃That　is　how　I　shall　always　find　out　the　difference　between　them。　If
Oscar's　brother　ever　attempts　to　play　tricks　upon　my　blindness　（he　is
quite　capable　of　ithe　laughed　at　my　blindness！）；　that　is　how　I　shall
f