poor miss finch-第41章

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understanding　the　case。〃

〃What　is　your　difficulty？〃

〃This。　So　far　as　I　can　see；　she　fails　to　discover　intuitively　the
presence　of　dark　people　in　a　room；　or　of　dark　colors　in　the　ornaments　of
a　room。　It　is　only　when　_she　is　told_　that　such　persons　or　such　things
are　present　that　her　prejudice　declares　itself。　In　what　state　of　mind
does　such　a　strange　feeling　as　this　take　its　rise？　It　seems　impossible
that　she　can　have　any　conscious　associations　with　colors；　pleasant　or
painfulif　it　is　true　that　she　was　blind　at　a　year　old。　How　do　you
account　for　it？　Can　there　be　such　a　thing　as　a　purely　instinctive
antipathy；　remaining　passive　until　external　influences　rouse　it；　and
resting　on　no　sort　of　practical　experience　whatever？〃

〃I　think　there　may　be；〃　I　replied。　〃Why；　when　I　was　a　child　just　able　to
walk；　did　I　shrink　away　from　the　first　dog　I　saw　who　barked　at　me？　I
could　not　have　known；　at　that　age；　either　by　experience　or　teaching；　that
a　dog's　bark　is　sometimes　the　prelude　to　a　dog's　bite。　My　terror；　on　that
occasion；　was　purely　instinctive　surely？〃

〃Ingeniously　put；〃　he　said。　〃But　I　am　not　satisfied　yet。〃

〃You　must　also　remember；〃　I　continued；　〃that　she　has　a　positively　painful
association　with　dark　colors；　on　certain　occasions。　They　sometimes
produce　a　disagreeable　impression　on　her　nerves；　through　her　sense　of
touch。　She　discovered；　in　that　way；　that　I　had　a　dark　gown　on；　on　the　day
when　I　first　saw　her。〃

〃And　yet；　she　touches　my　brother's　face；　and　fails　to　discover　any
alteration　in　it。〃

I　met　that　objection　alsoto　my　own　satisfaction；　though　not　to　his。

〃I　am　far　from　sure　that　she　might　not　have　made　the　discovery；〃　I　said；
〃if　she　had　touched　him　for　the　first　time；　since　the　discoloration　of
his　face。　But　she　examines　him　now　with　a　settled　impression　in　her　mind；
derived　from　previous　experience　of　what　she　has　felt　in　touching　his
skin。　Allow　for　the　modifying　influence　of　that　impression　on　her　sense
of　touchand　remember　at　the　same　time；　that　it　is　the　color　and　not　the
texture　of　the　skin　that　is　changedand　his　escape　from　discovery
becomes；　to　my　mind；　intelligible。〃

He　shook　his　head；　he　owned　he　could　not　dispute　my　view。　But　he　was　not
content　for　all　that。

〃Have　you　made　any　inquiries；〃　he　asked；　〃about　the　period　of　her　infancy
before　she　was　blind？　She　may　be　still　feeling；　indirectly　and
unconsciously；　the　effect　of　some　shock　to　her　nervous　system　in　the　time
when　she　could　see。〃

〃I　have　never　thought　of　making　inquiries。〃

〃Is　there　anybody　within　our　reach；　who　was　familiarly　associated　with
her　in　the　first　year　of　her　life？　It　is　hardly　likely；　I　am　afraid；　at
this　distance　of　time？〃

〃There　is　a　person　now　in　the　house；〃　I　said。　〃Her　old　nurse　is　still
living。〃

〃Send　for　her　directly。〃

Zillah　appeared。　After　first　explaining　what　he　wanted　with　her；　Nugent
went　straight　to　the　inquiry　which　he　had　in　view。

〃Was　your　young　lady　ever　frightened　when　she　was　a　baby　by　any　dark
person；　or　any　dark　thing；　suddenly　appearing　before　her？〃

〃Never；　sir！　I　took　good　care　to　let　nothing　come　near　her　that　could
frighten　herso　long；　poor　little　thing；　as　she　could　see。〃

〃Are　you　quite　sure　you　can　depend　on　your　memory？〃

〃Quite　sure；　sirwhen　it's　a　long　time　ago。〃

Zillah　was　dismissed。　Nugentthus　far；　unusually　grave；　and　unusually
anxiousturned　to　me　with　an　air　of　relief。

〃When　you　proposed　to　me　to　join　you　in　forcing　Oscar　to　speak　out；〃　he
said；　〃I　was　not　quite　easy　in　my　mind　about　the　consequences。　After　what
I　have　just　heard；　my　fear　is　removed。〃

〃What　fear？〃　I　asked。

〃The　fear　of　Oscar's　confession　producing　an　estrangement　between　them
which　might　delay　the　marriage。　I　am　against　all　delays。　I　am　especially
anxious　that　Oscar's　marriage　should　not　be　put　off。　When　we　began　our
conversation；　I　own　to　you　I　was　of　Oscar's　opinion　that　he　would　do
wisely　to　let　marriage　make　him　sure　of　his　position　in　her　affections；
before　he　risked　the　disclosure。　Nowafter　what　the　nurse　has　told　usI
see　no　risk　worth　considering。〃

〃In　short；〃　I　said；　〃you　agree　with　me？〃

〃I　agree　with　youthough　I　_am_　the　most　opinionated　man　living。　The
chances　now　seem　to　me　to　be　all　in　Oscar's　favor；　Lucilla's　antipathy　is
not　what　I　feared　it　wasan　antipathy　firmly　rooted　in　a　constitutional
malady。　It　is　nothing　more　serious；〃　said　Nugent；　deciding　the　question；
at　once　and　for　ever；　with　the　air　of　a　man　profoundly　versed　in
physiology〃it　is　nothing　more　serious　than　a　fanciful　growth；　a　morbid
accident；　of　her　blindness。　She　may　live　to　get　over　itshe　would；　I
believe；　certainly　get　over　it；　if　she　could　see。　In　two　words；　after
what　I　have　found　out　this　morning；　I　say　as　you　sayOscar　is　making　a
mountain　out　of　a　molehill。　He　ought　to　have　put　himself　right　with
Lucilla　long　since。　I　have　unbounded　influence　over　him。　It　shall　back
your　influence。　Oscar　shall　make　a　clean　breast　of　it；　before　the　week　is
out。〃

We　shook　hands　on　that　bargain。　As　I　looked　at　himbright　and　dashing
and　resolute；　Oscar；　as　I　had　always　wished　Oscar　to　beI　own　to　my
shame　I　privately　regretted　that　we　had　not　met　Nugent　in　the　twilight；
on　that　evening　of　ours　which　had　opened　to　Lucilla　the　gates　of　a　new
life。

Having　said　to　each　other　all　that　we　had　to　sayour　two　lovers　being
away　together　at　the　time；　for　a　walk　on　the　hillswe　separated；　as　I
then　supposed；　for　the　rest　of　the　day。　Nugent　went　to　the　inn；　to　look
at　a　stable　which　he　proposed　converting　into　a　studio：　no　room　at
Browndown　being　half　large　enough；　for　the　first　prodigious　picture　with
which　the　〃Grand　Consoler〃　in　Art　proposed　to　astonish　the　world。　As　for
me；　having　nothing　particular　to　do；　I　went　out　to　see　if　I　could　meet
Oscar　and　Lucilla　on　their　return　from　their　walk。

Failing　to　find　them；　I　strolled　back　by　way　of　Browndown。　Nugent　was
sitting　alone　on　the　low　wall　in　front　of　the　house；　smoking　a　cigar。　He
rose　and　came　to　meet　me；　with　his　finger　placed　mysteriously　on　his
lips。

〃You　mustn't　come　in；〃　he　said；　〃you　mustn't　speak　loud　enough　to　be
heard。〃　He　pointed　round　the　corner　of　the　house　to　the　little　room　at
the　side；　already　familiar　to　you　in　these　pages。　〃Oscar　and　Lucilla　are
shut　up　together　there。　And　Oscar　is　making　his　confession　to　her　at　this
moment！〃

I　lifted　my　hands　and　eyes　in　astonishment。　Nugent　went　on。

〃I　see　you　want　to　know　how　it　has　all　come　about。　You　shall　know。While
I　was　looking　at　the　stable　（it　isn't　half　big　enough　for　a　studio　for
Me！）；　Oscar's　servant　brought　me　a　little　pencil　note；　entreating　me；　in
Oscar's　name；　to　go　to　him　directly　at　Browndown。　I　found　him　waiting　out
here；　dreadfully　agitated。　He　cautioned　me　（just　as　I　have　cautioned　you）
not　to　speak　loud。　For　the　same　reason　too。　Lucilla　was　in　the　house〃

〃I　thought　they　had　gone　out　for　a　walk；〃　I　interposed。

〃They　did　go　out　for　a　walk。　But　Lucilla　complained　of　fatigue；　and　Oscar
brought　her　back　to　Browndown　to　rest。　Well！　I　inquired　what　was　the
matter。　The　answer　informed　me　that　the　secret　of　Oscar's　complexion　had
forced　its　way　out　for　the　second　time；　in　Lucilla's　hearing。〃

〃Jicks　again！〃　I　exclaimed。

〃Nonot　Jicks。　Oscar's　own　man…servant；　this　time。〃

〃How　did　it　happen？〃

〃It　happened　through　one　of　the　boys　in　the　village。　Oscar　and　Lucilla
found　the　little　imp　howling　outside　the　house。　They　asked　what　was　the
matter。　The　imp　told　them　that　the　servant　at　Browndown　had　beaten　him。
Lucilla　was　indignant。　She　insisted　on　having　the　thing　inquired　into。
Oscar　left　her　in　the　drawing…room　（unluckily；　as　it　turned　out；　without
shutting　the　door）；　called　the　man　up　into　the　passage；　and　asked　what　he
meant　by　ill…using　the　boy。　The　man　answered；　'I　boxed　his　ears；　sir；　as
an　example　to　the　rest　of　them。'　'What　did　he　do？'　'Rapped　at　the　door；
sir；　with　a　stick　（he　is　not　the　first　who　has　done　it　when　you　are　out）；
and　asked　if　Blue　Face　was　at　home。'　Lucilla　heard　every　word　of　it；
through　the　open　door。　Need　I　tell　you　what　happened　next？〃

It　was　quite　needless　to　relate　that　part　of　the　story。　I　remembered　too
well　what　had　happened　on　the　former　occasion；　in　the　garde