poor miss finch-第53章

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more　and　more　rapidly。　I　whispered　to　her　to　compose　herself。　〃One　of
them；　at　any　rate；〃　I　said；　〃thinks　you　will　recover　your　sight。〃　She
understood　me；　and　became　quieter　directly。　Nugent　went　on　with　his
questions；　addressed　to　the　two　oculists。

〃What　do　you　differ　about？〃　he　asked。　〃Will　you　let　us　hear　your
opinions？〃

The　wearisome　contest　of　courtesy　was　renewed　between　our　medical
advisers。　Mr。　Sebright　bowed　to　Herr　Grosse：

〃You　first。〃　Herr　Grosse　bowed　to　Mr。　Sebright：　〃Noyou！〃　My　impatience
broke　through　this　cruel　and　ridiculous　professional　restraint。　〃Speak
both　together；　gentlemen；　if　you　like！〃　I　said　sharply。　〃Do　anything；　for
God's　sake；　but　keep　us　in　suspense。　Is　it；　or　is　it　not；　possible　to
restore　her　sight？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Herr　Grosse。

Lucilla　sprang　to　her　feet；　with　a　cry　of　joy。

〃No；〃　said　Mr。　Sebright。

Lucilla　dropped　back　again　into　her　chair；　and　silently　laid　her　head　on
my　shoulder。

〃Are　you　agreed　about　the　cause　of　her　blindness？〃　asked　Nugent。

〃Cataracts　is　the　cause；〃　answered　Herr　Grosse。

〃So　far；　I　agree；〃　said　Mr。　Sebright。　〃Cataract　is　the　cause。

〃Cataracts　is　curable；〃　pursued　the　German。

〃I　agree　again；〃　continued　the　Englishman〃with　a　reservation。　Cataract
is　_sometimes_　curable。〃

〃This　cataracts　is　curable！〃　cried　Herr　Grosse。

〃With　all　possible　deference；〃　said　Mr。　Sebright；　〃I　dispute　that
conclusion。　The　cataract；　in　Miss　Finch's　case；　is　_not_　curable。〃

〃Can　you　give　us　your　reasons；　sir；　for　saying　that？〃　I　inquired。

〃My　reasons　are　based　on　surgical　considerations　which　it　requires　a
professional　training　to　understand；〃　Mr。　Sebright　replied。　〃I　can　only
tell　you　that　I　am　convincedafter　the　most　minute　and　careful
examinationthat　Miss　Finch's　sight　is　irrevocably　gone。　Any　attempt　to
restore　it　by　an　operation；　would　be；　in　my　opinion；　an　unwarrantable
proceeding。　The　young　lady　would　not　only　have　the　operation　to　undergo；
she　would　be　kept　secluded　afterwards；　for　at　least　six　weeks　or　two
months；　in　a　darkened　room。　During　that　time；　it　is　needless　for　me　to
remind　you　that　she　would　inevitably　form　the　most　confident　hope　of　her
restoration　to　sight。　Remembering　this；　and　believing　as　I　do　that　the
sacrifice　demanded　of　her　would　end　in　failure；　I　think　it　most
undesirable　to　expose　our　patient　to　the　moral　consequences　of　a
disappointment　which　must　seriously　try　her。　She　has　been　resigned　from
childhood　to　her　blindness。　As　an　honest　man；　who　feels　bound　to　speak
out　and　to　speak　strongly；　I　advise　you　not　further　to　disturb　that
resignation。　I　declare　it　to　be；　in　my　opinion；　certainly　useless；　and
possibly　dangerous；　to　allow　her　to　be　operated　on　for　the　restoration　of
her　sight。〃

In　those　uncompromising　words；　the　Englishman　delivered　his　opinion。

Lucilla's　hand　closed　fast　on　mine。　〃Cruel！　cruel！〃　she　whispered　to
herself　angrily。　I　gave　her　a　little　squeeze；　recommending　patienceand
looked　in　silent　expectation　（just　as　Nugent　was　looking　too）　at　Herr
Grosse。　The　German　rose　deliberately　to　his　feet；　and　waddled　to　the
place　in　which　Lucilla　and　I　were　sitting　together。

〃Has　goot　Mr。　Sebrights　done？〃　he　asked。

Mr。　Sebright　only　replied　by　his　everlasting　never…changing　bow。

〃Goot！　I　have　now　my　own　word　to　put　in；〃　said　Herr　Grosse。　〃It　shall　be
one　little　wordno　more。　With　my　best　compliments　to　Mr。　Sebrights；　I
set　up　against　what　he　only　thinks；　what　IGrossewith　these　hands　of
mine　have　done。　The　cataracts　of　Miss　there；　is　a　cataracts　that　I　have
cut　into　before；　a　cataracts　that　I　have　cured　before。　Now　look！〃　He
suddenly　wheeled　round　to　Lucilla；　tucked　up　his　cuffs；　laid　a　forefinger
of　each　hand　on　either　side　of　her　forehead；　and　softly　turned　down　her
eyelids　with　his　two　big　thumbs。　〃I　pledge　you　my　word　as　surgeon…optic；〃
he　resumed；　〃my　knife　shall　let　the　light　in　here。　This　lofable…nice
girls　shall　be　more　lofable…nicer　than　ever。　My　pretty　Feench　must　be
first　in　her　best　goot　health。　She　must　next　gif　me　my　own　ways　with
herand　then　one；　two；　threeping！　my　pretty　Feench　shall　see！〃　He
lifted　Lucilla's　eyelids　again　as　he　said　the　last　wordglared　fiercely
at　her　through　his　spectaclesgave　her　the　loudest　kiss；　on　the
forehead；　that　I　ever　heard　given　in　my　lifelaughed　till　the　room　rang
againand　returned　to　his　post　as　sentinel　on　guard　over　the　Mayonnaise。
〃Now；〃　cried　Herr　Grosse　cheerfully；　〃the　talkings　is　all　done。　Gott　be
thanked；　the　eatings　may　begin！〃

Lucilla　left　her　chair　for　the　second　time。

〃Herr　Grosse；〃　she　said；　〃where　are　you？〃

〃Here；　my　dears！〃

She　crossed　the　room　to　the　table　at　which　he　was　sitting；　already
occupied　in　carving　his　favorite　dish。

〃Did　you　say　you　must　use　a　knife　to　make　me　see？〃　she　asked　quite
calmly。

〃Yes；　yes。　Don't　you　be　frightened　of　that。　Not　much　pains　to　bearnot
much　pains。〃

She　tapped　him　smartly　on　the　shoulder　with　her　hand。

〃Get　up；　Herr　Grosse；〃　she　said。　〃If　you　have　your　knife　about　you；　here
am　Ido　it　at　once！〃

Nugent　started。　Mr。　Sebright　started。　Her　daring　amazed　them　both。　As　for
me；　I　am　the　greatest　coward　living；　in　the　matter　of　surgical　operations
performed　on　myself　or　on　others。　Lucilla　terrified　me。　I　ran　headlong
across　the　room　to　her。　I　was　even　fool　enough　to　scream。

Before　I　could　reach　her；　Herr　Grosse　had　risen；　obedient　to　command；
with　a　choice　morsel　of　chicken　on　the　end　of　his　fork。　〃You　charming
little　fools；〃　he　said；　〃I　don't　cut　into　cataracts　in　such　a　hurry　as
that。　I　perform　but　one　operations　on　you　to…day。　It　is　this！〃　He
unceremoniously　popped　the　morsel　of　chicken　into　Lucilla's　mouth。　〃Aha！
Bite　him　well。　He　is　nice…goot！　Now　then！　Sit　down　all　of　you。　Lonch！
lonch！〃

He　was　irresistible。　We　all　sat　down　at　table。

The　rest　of　us　ate。　Herr　Grosse　gobbled。　From　Mayonnaise　to　marmalade
tart。　From　marmalade　tart　back　again　to　Mayonnaise。　From　Mayonnaise；
forward　again　to　ham　sandwiches　and　blancmange；　and　then　back　once　more
（on　the　word　of　an　honest　woman）　to　Mayonnaise！　His　drinking　was　on　the
same　scale　as　his　eating。　Beer；　wine；　brandynothing　came　amiss　to　him；
he　mixed　them　all。　As　for　the　lighter　elements　in　the　feastthe　almonds
and　raisins；　the　preserved　ginger　and　the　crystallized　fruits；　he　ate
them　as　accompaniments　to　everything。　A　dish　of　olives　especially　won　his
favor。　He　plunged　both　hands　into　it；　and　deposited　his　fists…full　of
olives　in　the　pockets　of　his　trousers。　〃In　this　ways；〃　he　explained；　〃I
shall　trouble　nobody　to　pass　the　dishI　shall　have　by　me　continually　all
the　olives　that　I　want。〃　When　he　could　eat　and　drink　no　more；　he　rolled
up　his　napkin　into　a　ball；　and　became　devoutly　thankful。　〃How　goot　of
Gott；〃　he　remarked；　〃when　he　invented　the　worlds　to　invent　eatings　and
drinkings　too！　Ah！〃　sighed　Herr　Grosse；　gently　laying　his　outspread
fingers　on　the　pit　of　his　stomach；　〃what　immense　happiness　there　is　in
This！〃

Mr。　Sebright　looked　at　his　watch。

〃If　there　is　anything　more　to　be　said　on　the　question　of　the　operation；〃
he　announced；　〃it　must　be　said　at　once。　We　have　barely　five　minutes　more
to　spare。　You　have　heard　my　opinion。　I　hold　to　it。〃

Herr　Grosse　took　a　pinch　of　snuff。　〃I　also；〃　he　said；　〃hold　to　mine。〃

Lucilla　turned　towards　the　place　from　which　Mr。　Sebright　had　spoken。

〃I　am　obliged　to　you；　sir；　for　your　opinion；〃　she　said；　very　quietly　and
firmly。　〃I　am　determined　to　try　the　operation。　If　it　does　fail；　it　will
only　leave　me　what　I　am　now。　If　it　succeeds；　it　gives　me　a　new　life。　I
will　bear　anything；　and　risk　anything；　on　the　chance　that　I　may　see。〃

So；　she　announced　her　decision。　In　those　memorable　words；　she　cleared　the
way　for　the　coming　Event　in　her　life　and　in　our　lives；　which　it　is　the
purpose　of　these　pages　to　record。

Mr。　Sebright　answered　her；　in　Mr。　Sebright's　discreet　way。

〃I　cannot　affect　to　be　surprised　at　your　decision；〃　he　said。　〃However
sincerely　I　may　regret　it；　I　admit　that　it　is　the　natural　decision；　in
your　case。〃

Lucilla　addressed　herself　next　to　Herr　Grosse。

〃Choose　your　own　day；〃　she　said。　〃The　sooner；　the　better。　To…morrow；　if
you　can。〃

〃Answer　me　one　little　thing；　Miss；〃　rejoined　the　German；　with　a　sud