poor miss finch-第64章

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paternal　emotion；　〃Bless　you；　my　child！〃

At　the　sound　of　her　husband's　magnificent　voice；　Mrs。　Finch　became
herself　again。　She　said　meekly；　〃How　d'ye　do；　Lucilla？〃and　sat　down　in
a　corner；　and　suckled　the　baby。

Mr。　Finch　set　in　for　one　of　his　harangues。

〃My　advice　has　been　neglected；　Lucilla。　My　paternal　influence　has　been
repudiated。　My　Moral　Weight　has　been；　so　to　speak；　set　aside。　I　don't
complain。　Understand　me_I_　simply　state　sad　facts。〃　（Here　he　became
aware　of　my　existence。）　〃Good　morning；　Madame　Pratolungo；　I　hope　I　see
you　well？There　has　been　variance　between　us；　Lucilla。　I　come；　my　child；
with　healing　on　my　wings　（healing　being　understood；　for　present　purposes；
as　reconciliation）I　come；　and　bring　Mrs。　Finch　with　medon't　speak；
Mrs。　Finch！to　offer　my　heartfelt　wishes；　my　fervent　prayers；　on　this
the　most　eventful　day　in　my　daughter's　life。　No　vulgar　curiosity　has
turned　my　steps　this　way。　No　hint　shall　escape　my　lips；　touching　any
misgivings　which　I　may　still　feel　as　to　this　purely　worldly　interference
with　the　ways　of　an　inscrutable　Providence。　I　am　here　as　parent　and
peacemaker。　My　wife　accompanies　medon't　speak；　Mrs。　Finch！as
step…parent　and　step…peacemaker。　（You　understand　the　distinction；　Madame
Pratolungo？　Thank　you。　Good　creature。）　Shall　I　preach　forgiveness　of
injuries　from　the　pulpit；　and　not　practice　that　forgiveness　at　home？　Can
I　remain；　on　this　momentous　occasion；　at　variance　with　my　child？　Lucilla！
I　forgive　you。　With　full　heart　and　tearful　eyes；　I　forgive　you。　（You　have
never　had　any　children；　I　believe；　Madame　Pratolungo？　Ah！　you　cannot
possibly　understand　this。　Not　your　fault。　Good　creature。　Not　your　fault。）
The　kiss　of　peace；　my　child；　the　kiss　of　peace。〃　He　solemnly　bent　his
bristly　head；　and　deposited　the　kiss　of　peace　on　Lucilla's　forehead。　He
sighed　superbly；　and　in　a　burst　of　magnanimity；　held　out　his　hand　next　to
me。　〃My　Hand；　Madame　Pratolungo。　Compose　yourself。　Don't　cry。　God　bless
you。　Mrs。　Finch；　deeply　affected　by　her　husband's　noble　conduct；　began　to
sob　hysterically。　The　baby；　disarranged　in　his　proceedings　by　the
emotions　of　his　mama；　set　up　a　sympathetic　scream。　Mr。　Finch　crossed　the
room　to　them；　with　domestic　healing　on　his　wings。　〃This　does　you　credit；
Mrs。　Finch；　but；　under　the　circumstances；　it　must　not　be　continued。
Control　yourself；　in　consideration　of　the　infant。　Mysterious　mechanism　of
Nature！〃　cried　the　rector；　raising　his　prodigious　voice　over　the　louder
and　louder　screeching　of　the　baby。　〃Marvelous　and　beautiful　sympathy
which　makes　the　maternal　sustenance　the　conducting　medium；　as　it　were；　of
disturbance　between　the　mother　and　child。　What　problems　confront　us；　what
forces　environ　us；　even　in　this　mortal　life！　Nature！　Maternity！
Inscrutable　Providence！〃

〃Inscrutable　Providence〃　was　the　rector's　fatal　phraseit　always　brought
with　it　an　interruption；　and　it　brought　one　now。　Before　Mr。　Finch
（brimful　of　pathetic　apostrophes）　could　burst　into　more　exclamations；　the
door　opened；　and　Oscar　walked　into　the　room。

Lucilla　instantly　recognized　his　footstep。

〃Any　signs；　Oscar；　of　Herr　Grosse？〃　she　asked。

〃Yes。　His　chaise　has　been　seen　on　the　road。　He　will　be　here　directly。〃

Giving　that　answer；　and　passing　by　my　chair　to　place　himself　on　the　other
side　of　Lucilla；　Oscar　cast　at　me　one　imploring　looka　look　which　said
plainly；　〃Don't　desert　me　when　the　time　comes！〃　I　nodded　my　head　to　show
that　I　understood　him　and　felt　for　him。　He　sat　down　in　the　vacant　chair
by　Lucilla；　and　took　her　hand　in　silence。　It　was　hard　to　say　which　of　the
two　felt　the　position；　at　that　trying　moment；　most　painfully。　I　don't
think　I　ever　saw　any　sight　so　simply　and　irresistibly　touching　as　the
sight　of　those　two　poor　young　creatures　sitting　hand　in　hand；　waiting　the
event　which　was　to　make　the　happiness　or　the　misery　of　their　future
lives。

〃Have　you　seen　anything　of　your　brother？〃　I　asked；　putting　the　question
in　as　careless　a　tone　as　my　devouring　anxiety　would　allow　me　to　assume。

〃Nugent　has　gone　to　meet　Herr　Grosse。〃

Oscar's　eyes　once　more　encountered　mine；　as　he　replied　in　those　terms；　I
saw　again　the　imploring　look　more　marked　in　them　than　ever。　It　was　plain
to　him；　as　it　was　plain　to　me；　that　Nugent　had　gone　to　meet　the　German；
with　the　purpose　of　making　Herr　Grosse　the　innocent　means　of　bringing　him
into　the　house。

Before　I　could　speak　again；　Mr。　Finch；　recovering　himself　after　the
interruption　which　had　silenced　him；　saw　his　opportunity　of　setting　in
for　another　harangue。　Mrs。　Finch　had　left　off　sobbing；　the　baby　had　left
off　screaming；　the　rest　of　us　were　silent　and　nervous。　In　a　word；　Mr。
Finch's　domestic　congregation　was　entirely　at　Mr。　Finch's　mercy。　He
strutted　up　to　Oscar's　chair。　Was　he　going　to　propose　to　read　_Hamlet？_
No！　He　was　going　to　invoke　a　blessing　on　Oscar's　head。

〃On　this　interesting　occasion；〃　began　the　rector　in　his　pulpit　tones；
〃now　that　we　are　all　united　in　the　same　room；　all　animated　by　the　same
hopeI　could　wish；　as　pastor　and　parent　（God　bless　you；　Oscar：　I　look　on
you　as　a　son。　Mrs。　Finch；　follow　my　example；　look　on　him　as　a　son！）I
could　wish；　as　pastor　and　parent；　to　say　a　few　pious　and　consoling
words〃

The　doorthe　friendly；　admirable；　judicious　doorstopped　the　coming
sermon；　in　the　nick　of　time；　by　opening　again。　Herr　Grosse's　squat　figure
and　owlish　spectacles　appeared　on　the　threshold。　And　behind　him　（exactly
as　I　had　anticipated）　stood　Nugent　Dubourg。

Lucilla　turned　deadly　pale：　she　had　heard　the　door　open；　she　knew　by
instinct　that　the　surgeon　had　come。　Oscar　got　up；　stole　behind　my　chair；
and　whispered　to　me；　〃For　God's　sake；　get　Nugent　out　of　the　room！〃　I　gave
him　a　reassuring　squeeze　of　the　hand；　and；　putting　Jicks　down　on　the
floor；　rose　to　welcome　our　good　Grosse。

The　child；　as　it　happened；　was　beforehand　with　me。　She　and　the
illustrious　oculist　had　met　in　the　garden　at　one　of　the　German's
professional　visits　to　Lucilla；　and　had　taken　an　amazing　fancy　to　each
other。　Herr　Grosse　never　afterwards　appeared　at　the　rectory　without　some
unwholesome　eatable　thing　in　his　pocket　for　Jicks；　who　gave　him　in　return
as　many　kisses　as　he　might　ask　for；　and　further　distinguished　him　as　the
only　living　creature　whom　she　permitted　to　nurse　the　disreputable　doll。
Grasping　this　same　doll　now；　with　both　hands；　and　using　it　head…foremost；
as　a　kind　of　battering…ram；　Jicks　plunged　in　front　of　me；　and　butted　with
all　her　might　at　the　surgeon's　bandy　legs；　insisting　on　a　monopoly　of　his
attention　before　he　presumed　to　speak　to　any　other　person　in　the　room。
While　he　was　lifting　her　to　a　level　with　his　face；　and　talking　to　her　in
his　wonderful　broken　Englishwhile　the　rector　and　Mrs。　Finch　were　making
the　necessary　apologies　for　the　child's　conductNugent　came　round　from
behind　Herr　Grosse；　and　drew　me　mysteriously　into　a　corner　of　the　room。
As　I　followed　him；　I　saw　the　silent　torture　of　anxiety　expressed　in
Oscar's　face　as　he　stood　by　Lucilla's　chair。　It　did　me　good；　it　strung　up
my　resolution　to　the　right　pitch；　it　made　me　feel　myself　a　match；　and
more　than　a　match；　for　Nugent　Dubourg。

〃I　am　afraid　I　behaved　in　a　very　odd　manner；　when　we　met　in　the　village？〃
he　said。　〃The　fact　is；　I　am　not　at　all　well。　I　have　been　in　a　strange
feverish　state　lately。　I　don't　think　the　air　of　this　place　suits　me。〃
There　he　stopped；　keeping　his　eyes　steadily　fixed　on　mine；　trying　to　read
my　mind　in　my　face。

〃I　am　not　surprised　to　hear　you　say　that；〃　I　answered。　〃I　have　noticed
that　you　have　not　been　looking　well　lately。〃

My　tone　and　manner　（otherwise　perfectly　composed）　expressed　polite
sympathyand　nothing　more。　I　saw　I　puzzled　him。　He　tried　again。

〃I　hope　I　didn't　say　or　do　anything　rude？〃　he　went　on。

〃Oh；　no！〃

〃I　was　excitedpainfully　excited。　You　are　too　kind　to　admit　it；　I　am
sure　I　owe　you　my　apologies？〃

〃No；　indeed！　you　were　certainly　excited；　as　you　say。　But　we　are　all　in
the　same　state　to…day。　The　occasion；　Mr。　Nugent；　is　your　sufficient
apology。〃

Not　the　slightest　sign　in　my　face　of　any　sort　of　suspicion　of　him
rewarded　the　close　and　continued　scrutiny　with　which　he　regarded　me。　I
saw　in　his　perplexed　expression；　the　certain　assurance　that　I