poor miss finch-第6章

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any　questions；　except　at　the　risk　of　making　mischief　in　our　little
household；　on　the　first　day　of　my　joining　it。　I　kept　my　eyes　wide　open；
and　waited　for　events。　I　also　committed　a　blunder　at　startingI　offered
Lucilla　my　hand　to　lead　her。　She　burst　out　laughing。

〃My　dear　Madame　Pratolungo！　I　know　my　way　better　than　you　do。　I　roam　all
over　the　neighborhood；　with　nothing　to　help　me　but　this。〃

She　held　up　a　smart　ivory　walking…cane；　with　a　bright　silk　tassel
attached。　With　her　cane　in　one　hand；　and　her　chemical　bottle　in　the
otherand　her　roguish　little　hat　on　the　top　of　her　headshe　made　the
quaintest　and　prettiest　picture　I　had　seen　for　many　a　long　day。　〃_You_
shall　guide　_me_；　my　dear；〃　I　saidand　took　her　arm。　We　went　on　down　the
village。

Nothing　in　the　least　like　a　mysterious　figure　passed　us　in　the　twilight。
The　few　scattered　laboring　people；　whom　I　had　already　seen；　I　saw
againand　that　was　all。　Lucilla　was　silentsuspiciously　silent　as　I
thought；　after　what　Zillah　had　told　me。　She　had；　as　I　fancied；　the　look
of　a　person　who　was　listening　intently。　Arrived　at　the　cottage　of　the
rheumatic　woman；　she　stopped　and　went　in；　while　I　waited　outside。　The
affair　of　the　embrocation　was　soon　over。　She　was　out　again　in　a
minuteand　this　time；　she　took　my　arm　of　her　own　accord。

〃Shall　we　go　a　little　farther？〃　she　said。　〃It　is　so　nice　and　cool　at　this
hour　of　the　evening。〃

Her　object　in　view；　whatever　it　might　be；　was　evidently　an　object　that
lay　beyond　the　village。　In　the　solemn；　peaceful　twilight　we　followed　the
lonely　windings　of　the　valley　along　which　I　had　passed　in　the　morning。
When　we　came　opposite　the　little　solitary　house；　which　I　had　already
learnt　to　know　as　〃Browndown；〃　I　felt　her　hand　unconsciously　tighten　on
my　arm。　〃Aha！〃　I　said　to　myself。　〃Has　Browndown　anything　to　do　with
this？〃

〃Does　the　view　look　very　lonely　to…night？〃　she　asked；　waving　her　cane
over　the　scene　before　us。

The　true　meaning　of　that　question　I　took　to　be；　〃Do　you　see　anybody
walking　out　to…night？〃　It　was　not　my　business　to　interpret　her　meaning；
before　she　had　thought　fit　to　confide　her　secret　to　me。　〃To　my　mind；　my
dear；〃　was　all　I　said；　〃it　is　a　very　beautiful　view。〃

She　fell　silent　again；　and　absorbed　herself　in　her　own　thoughts。　We
turned　into　a　new　winding　of　the　valleyand　there；　walking　towards　us
from　the　opposite　direction；　was　a　human　figure　at　lastthe　figure　of　a
solitary　man！

As　we　got　nearer　to　each　other　I　perceived　that　he　was　a　gentleman；
dressed　in　a　light　shooting…jacket；　and　wearing　a　felt　hat　of　the　conical
Italian　shape。　A　little　nearerand　I　saw　that　he　was　young。　Nearer
stilland　I　discovered　that　he　was　handsome；　though　in　rather　an
effeminate　way。　At　the　same　moment；　Lucilla　heard　his　footstep。　Her　color
instantly　rose；　and　once　again　I　felt　her　hand　tighten　involuntarily
round　my　arm。　（Good！　Here　was　the　mysterious　object　of　Zillah's　warning
to　me　found　at　last！）

I　have；　and　I　don't　mind　acknowledging　it；　an　eye　for　a　handsome　man。　I
looked　at　him　as　he　passed　us。　Now　I　solemnly　assure　you；　I　am　not　an
ugly　woman。　Nevertheless；　as　our　eyes　met；　I　saw　the　strange　gentleman's
face　suddenly　contract；　with　an　expression　which　told　me　plainly　that　I
had　produced　a　disagreeable　impression　on　him。　With　some　difficultyfor
my　companion　was　holding　my　arm；　and　seemed　to　be　disposed　to　stop
altogetherI　quickened　my　pace　so　as　to　get　by　him　rapidly；　showing　him；
I　dare　say；　that　I　thought　the　change　in　his　face　when　I　looked　at　him；
an　impertinence　on　his　part。　However　that　may　be；　after　a　momentary
interval；　I　heard　his　step　behind。　The　man　had　turned；　and　had　followed
us。

He　came　close　to　me；　on　the　opposite　side　to　Lucilla；　and　took　off　his
hat。

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　ma'am；〃　he　said。　〃You　looked　at　me　just　now。〃

At　the　first　sound　of　his　voice；　I　felt　Lucilla　start。　Her　hand　began　to
tremble　on　my　arm　with　some　sudden　agitation；　inconceivable　to　me。　In　the
double　surprise　of　discovering　this；　and　of　finding　myself　charged　so
abruptly　with　the　offense　of　looking　at　a　gentleman；　I　suffered　the　most
exceptional　of　all　losses　（where　a　woman　is　concerned）the　loss　of　my
tongue。

He　gave　me　no　time　to　recover　myself。　He　proceeded　with　what　he　had　to
sayspeaking；　mind；　in　the　tone　of　a　perfectly　well…bred　man；　with
nothing　wild　in　his　look；　and　nothing　odd　in　his　manner。

〃Excuse　me；　if　I　venture　on　asking　you　a　very　strange　question；〃　he　went
on。　〃Did　you　happen　to　be　at　Exeter；　on　the　third　of　last　month？〃

（I　must　have　been　more　or　less　than　woman；　if　I　had　not　recovered　the　use
of　my　tongue　now！）

〃I　never　was　at　Exeter　in　my　life；　sir；〃　I　answered。　〃May　I　ask；　on　my
side；　why　you　put　the　question　to　me？〃

Instead　of　replying；　he　looked　at　Lucilla。

〃Pardon　me；　once　more。　Perhaps　this　young　lady？〃

He　was　plainly　on　the　point　of　inquiring　next；　whether　Lucilla　had　been
at　Exeterwhen　he　checked　himself。　In　the　breathless　interest　which　she
felt　in　what　was　going　on；　she　had　turned　her　full　face　upon　him。　There
was　still　light　enough　left　for　her　eyes　to　tell　their　own　sad　story；　in
their　own　mute　way。　As　he　read　the　truth　in　them；　the　man's　face　changed
from　the　keen　look　of　scrutiny　which　it　had　worn　thus　far；　to　an
expression　of　compassionI　had　almost　said；　of　distress。　He　again　took
off　his　hat；　and　bowed　to　me　with　the　deepest　respect。

〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　he　said；　very　earnestly。　〃I　beg　the　young　lady's
pardon。　Pray　forgive　me。　My　strange　behavior　has　its　excuseif　I　could
bring　myself　to　explain　it。　You　distressed　me；　when　you　looked　at　me。　I
can't　explain　why。　Good　evening。〃

He　turned　away　hastily；　like　a　man　confused　and　ashamed　of　himselfand
left　us。　I　can　only　repeat　that　there　was　nothing　strange　or　flighty　in
his　manner。　A　perfect　gentleman；　in　full　possession　of　his　sensesthere
is　the　unexaggerated　and　the　just　description　of　him。

I　looked　at　Lucilla。　She　was　standing；　with　her　blind　face　raised　to　the
sky；　lost　in　herself；　like　a　person　wrapped　in　ecstasy。

〃Who　is　that　man？〃　I　asked。

My　question　brought　her　down　suddenly　from　heaven　to　earth。　〃Oh！〃　she
said　reproachfully；　〃I　had　his　voice　still　in　my　earsand　now　I　have
lost　it！　'Who　is　he？'　〃　she　added；　after　a　moment；　repeating　my　question。
〃Nobody　knows。　Tell　mewhat　is　he　like。　Is　he　beautiful？　He　_must_　be
beautiful；　with　that　voice！〃

〃Is　this　the　first　time　you　have　heard　his　voice？〃　I　inquired。

〃Yes。　He　passed　us　yesterday；　when　I　was　out　with　Zillah。　But　he　never
spoke。　What　is　he　like？　Do；　pray　tell　mewhat　is　he　like？〃

There　was　a　passionate　impatience　in　her　tone　which　warned　me　not　to
trifle　with　her。　The　darkness　was　coming。　I　thought　it　wise　to　propose
returning　to　the　house。　She　consented　to　do　anything　I　liked；　as　long　as
I　consented；　on　my　side；　to　describe　the　unknown　man。

All　the　way　back；　I　was　questioned　and　cross…questioned　till　I　felt　like
a　witness　under　skillful　examination　in　a　court　of　law。　Lucilla　appeared
to　be　satisfied；　so　far；　with　the　results。　〃Ah！〃　she　exclaimed；　letting
out　the　secret　which　her　old　nurse　had　confided　to　me。　〃_You_　can　use
your　eyes。　Zillah　could　tell　me　nothing。〃

When　we　got　home　again；　her　curiosity　took　another　turn。　〃Exeter？〃　she
said；　considering　with　herself。　〃He　mentioned　Exeter。　I　am　like　youI
never　was　there。　What　will　books　tell　us　about　Exeter？〃　She　despatched
Zillah　to　the　other　side　of　the　house　for　a　gazetteer。　I　followed　the　old
woman　into　the　corridor；　and　set　her　mind　at　ease；　in　a　whisper。　〃I　have
kept　what　you　told　me　a　secret；〃　I　said。　〃The　man　was　out　in　the
twilight；　as　you　foresaw。　I　have　spoken　to　him；　and　I　am　quite　as　curious
as　the　rest　of　you。　Get　the　book。〃

Lucilla　had　（to　confess　the　truth）　infected　me　with　her　idea；　that　the
gazetteer　might　help　us　in　interpreting　the　stranger's　remarkable
question　relating　to　the　third　of　last　month；　and　his　extraordinary
assertion　that　I　had　distressed　him　when　I　looked　at　him。　With　the　nurse
breathless　on　one　side　of　me；　and　Lucilla　breathless　on　the　other；　I
opened　the　book　at　the　letter　〃E；〃　and　found　the　place；　and　read　aloud
these　lines；　as　follows：

〃EXETER：　A　city　and　seaport　in　Devonshire。　Formerl