poor miss finch-第49章

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whether　I　am　really　doomed　to　be　blind　for　life？　Surely；　I　have　not
fancied　it？　Surely；　you　said　the　man　was　coming；　and　the　time　coming？〃
Her　voice　suddenly　rose。　〃The　man　who　may　cure　me！　the　time　when　I　may
see！〃

〃I　said　it；　Lucilla。　I　meant　it；　Lucilla。〃

〃Oscar！　Oscar！！　Oscar！！！〃

I　stepped　forward　to　lead　her　to　him。　Nugent　touched　me；　and　pointed　to
Oscar；　as　I　took　her　hand。　He　was　standing　before　the　glasswith　an
expression　of　despair　which　I　see　again　while　I　write　these　lineshe　was
standing　close　to　the　glass；　looking　in　silence　at　the　hideous　reflection
of　his　face。　In　sheer　pity；　I　hesitated　to　take　her　to　him。　She　stepped
forward；　and；　stretching　out　her　hand；　touched　his　shoulder。　The
reflection　of　_her_　charming　face　appeared　behind　_his_　face　in　the
glass。　She　raised　herself　on　tiptoe；　with　both　hands　on　him；　and　said；
〃The　time　is　coming；　my　darling；　when　I　may　see　You！〃

With　a　cry　of　joy；　she　drew　his　face　to　her；　and　kissed　him　on　the
forehead。　His　head　fell　on　his　breast　when　she　released　it：　he　covered
his　face　with　his　hands；　and　stifled；　for　the　moment；　all　outward
expression　of　the　pang　that　wrung　him。　I　drew　her　rapidly　away；　before
her　quick　sensibilities　had　time　to　warn　her　that　something　was　wrong。
Even　as　it　was；　she　resisted　me。　Even　as　it　was；　she　asked　suspiciously；
〃Why　do　you　take　me　away　from　him？〃

What　excuse　could　I　make？　I　was　at　my　wits'　end。

She　repeated　the　question。　For　once　Fortune　favored　us。　A　timely　knock　at
the　door　stopped　her　just　as　she　was　trying　to　release　herself　from　me。
〃Somebody　coming　in；〃　I　said。　The　servant　entered；　as　I　spoke；　with　a
letter　from　the　rectory。

CHAPTER　THE　TWENTY…NINTH

Parliamentary　Summary

OH；　the　welcome　interruption！　After　the　agitation　that　we　had　suffered；
we　all　stood　equally　in　need　of　some　such　relief　as　this。　It　was
absolutely　a　luxury　to　fall　back　again　into　the　common…place　daily
routine　of　life。　I　asked　to　whom　the　letter　was　addressed？　Nugent
answered；　〃The　letter　is　addressed　to　me；　and　the　writer　is　Mr。　Finch。〃

Having　read　the　letter；　he　turned　to　Lucilla。

〃I　sent　a　message　to　your　father；　asking　him　to　join　us　here；〃　he　said。
〃Mr。　Finch　writes　back　to　say　that　his　duties　keep　him　at　home；　and　to
suggest　that　the　rectory　is　the　fitter　place　for　the　discussion　of　family
matters。　Have　you　any　objection　to　return　to　the　house？　And　do　you　mind
going　on　first　with　Madame　Pratolungo？〃

Lucilla's　quick　suspicion　was　instantly　aroused。

〃Why　not　with　Oscar？〃　she　asked。

〃Your　father's　note　suggests　to　me；〃　replied　Nugent；　〃that　he　is　a　little
hurt　at　the　short　notice　I　gave　him　of　our　discussion　here。　I　thoughtif
you　and　Madame　Pratolungo　went　on　firstthat　you　might　make　our　peace
with　the　rector；　and　assure　him　that　we　meant　no　disrespect；　before　Oscar
and　I　appeared。　Don't　you　think　yourself　you　would　make　it　easier　for　us；
if　you　did　that？〃

Having　contrived　in　this　dexterous　way　to　separate　Oscar　and　Lucilla；　and
to　gain　time　for　composing　and　fortifying　his　brother　before　they　met
again；　Nugent　opened　the　door　for　us　to　go　out。　Lucilla　and　I　left　the
twins　together；　in　the　modest　little　room　which　had　witnessed　a　scene
alike　memorable　to　all　of　us　for　its　interest　at　the　time；　and　for　the
results　which　were　to　come　of　it　in　the　future。

Half　an　hour　later；　we　were　all　assembled　at　the　rectory。

Our　adjourned　debateexcepting　one　small　suggestion　emanating　from
myselfwas　a　debate　which　led　to　nothing。　It　may　be　truly　described　as
resolving　itself　into　the　delivery　of　an　Oration　by　Mr。　Finch。　Subject；
the　assertion　of　Mr。　Finch's　dignity。

On　this　occasion　（having　matters　of　more　importance　on　hand）　I　take　the
liberty　of　cutting　the　reverend　gentleman's　speech　by　the　pattern　of　the
reverend　gentleman's　stature。　Short　in　figure；　the　rector　shall　be　here；
for　the　first　time　in　his　life；　short　in　language　too。

Reverend　Finch　rose；　and　saidhe　objected　to　everything。　To　receiving　a
message　on　a　card　instead　of　a　proper　note。　To　being　expected　to　present
himself　at　Browndown　at　a　moment's　notice。　To　being　the　last　person
informed　（instead　of　the　first）　of　Mr。　Nugent　Dubourg's　exaggerated　and
absurd　view　of　the　case　of　his　afflicted　child。　To　the　German　surgeon；　as
being　certainly　a　foreigner　and　a　stranger；　and　possibly　a　quack。　To　the
slur　implied　on　British　Surgery　by　bringing　the　foreigner　to　Dimchurch。
To　the　expense　involved　in　the　same　proceeding。　Finally　to　the　whole
scope　and　object　of　Mr。　Nugent　Dubourg's　proposal；　which　had　for　its
origin　rebellion　against　the　decrees　of　an　all…wise　Providence；　and　for
its　result　the　disturbance　of　his　daughter's　mind〃under　My　influence；
sir；　a　mind　in　a　state　of　Christian　resignation：　under　Your　influence；　a
mind　in　a　state　of　infidel　revolt。〃　With　those　concluding　remarks；　the
reverend　gentleman　sat　downand　paused　for　a　reply。

A　remarkable　result　followed；　which　might　be　profitably　permitted　to　take
place　in　some　other　Parliaments。　Nobody　replied。

Mr。　Nugent　Dubourg　roseno！　satand　said；　he　declined　to　take　any　part
in　the　proceedings。　He　was　quite　ready　to　wait；　until　the　end　justified
the　means　which　he　proposed　to　employ。　For　the　rest；　his　conscience　was
at　ease；　and　he　was　entirely　at　Miss　Finch's　service。

Mr。　Oscar　Dubourg；　sitting　hidden　from　notice　behind　his　brother；
followed　his　brother's　example。　The　decision　in　the　matter　under
discussion　rested　with　Miss　Finch　alone。　He　had　no　opinion　of　his　own　to
offer　on　it。

Miss　Finch　herself；　appealed　to　next：Had　but　one　reply　to　give。　With
all　possible　respect　for　her　father；　she　ventured　to　think　that　neither
he　nor　any　one；　possessing　the　sense　of　vision；　could　quite　enter　into
her　feelings　as　the　circumstances　then　were。　If　there　really　was　any
chance　of　her　recovering　her　sight；　the　least　she　could　do　would　be　to
give　that　chance　a　fair　trial。　She　entreated　Mr。　Nugent　Dubourg　not　to
lose　one　unnecessary　moment　in　bringing　the　German　surgeon　to　Dimchurch。

Mrs。　Finch；　called　upon　next。　Spoke　after　some　little　delay；　caused　by
the　loss　of　her　pocket…handkerchief。　Would　not　presume　to　differ　in
opinion　with　her　husband；　whom　she　had　never　yet　known　to　be　otherwise
than　perfectly　right　about　everything。　But；　if　the　German　surgeon　_did_
come；　and　if　Mr。　Finch　saw　no　objection　to　it；　she　would　much　like　to
consult　him　（gratis；　if　possible）　on　the　subject　of　〃baby's　eyes。〃　Mrs。
Finch　was　proceeding　to　explain　that　there　was　happily　nothing　the
matter；　that　she　could　see；　with　the　infant's　eyes　at　that　particular
moment；　and　that　she　merely　wished　to　take　a　skilled　medical　opinion；　in
the　event　of　something　happening　on　some　future　occasionwhen　she　was
called　to　order　by　Mr。　Finch。　The　reverend　gentleman；　at　the　same　time；
appealed　to　Madame　Pratolungo　to　close　the　debate　by　giving　frank
expression　to　her　own　opinion。

Madame　Pratolungo；　speaking　in　conclusion；　remarked：

That　the　question　of　consulting　the　German　surgeon　appeared　（after　what
had　fallen　from　Miss　Finch）　to　be　a　question　which　had　passed　beyond　the
range　of　any　expression　of　feeling　on　the　part　of　other　persons。　That　she
proposed；　accordingly；　to　look；　beyond　the　consultation；　at　the　results
which　might　follow　it。　That；　contemplating　these　possible　results；　she
held　very　strong　views　of　her　own；　and　would　proceed　to　give　frank
expression　to　them　as　follows。　That　in　her　opinion；　the　proposed
investigation　of　the　chances　which　might　exist　of　restoring　Miss　Finch's
sight；　involved　consequences　far　too　serious　to　be　trusted　to　the
decision　of　any　one　man；　no　matter　how　skillful　or　how　famous　he　might
be。　That；　in　pursuance　of　this　view；　she　begged　to　suggest　（1）　the
association　of　an　eminent　English　oculist　with　the　eminent　German
oculist；　（2）　an　examination　of　Miss　Finch's　case　by　both　the　professional
gentlemen；　consulting　on　it　together；　and　（3）　a　full　statement　of　the
opinions　at　which　they　might　respectively　arrive；　to　be　laid　before　the
meeting　now　assembled；　and　to　become　the　subject　of　a　renewed　discussion
before　any　decisive　measures　were　taken。

Lastly；　that　this　proposal　be　now　submitted；　in　the　form　of　a　resolution；
and　forthwit