poor miss finch-第79章

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saucer　and　a　book。　〃Which　is　round？　and　which　is　square　of　these？〃　he
asked；　holding　them　up　before　her。

She　looked　first　at　one；　and　then　at　the　otherplainly　incapable　（with
only　her　eyes　to　help　her）　of　answering　the　question。

〃I　put　you　outdon't　I？〃　said　Grosse。　〃You　can't　shut　your　eyes；　my
lofely　Feench；　while　I　am　lookingcan　you？〃

She　turned　redthen　pale　again。　I　began　to　be　afraid　she　would　burst　out
crying。　Grosse　managed　her　to　perfection。　The　tact　of　this　rough；　ugly；
eccentric　old　man　was　the　most　perfect　tact　I　have　ever　met　with。

〃Shut　your　eyes；〃　he　said　soothingly。　〃It　is　the　right　ways　to　learn。
Shut　your　eyes；　and　take　them　in　your　hands；　and　tell　me　which　is　round
and　which　is　square　in　that　way　first。〃

She　told　him　directly。

〃Goot！　now　open　your　eyes；　and　see　for　yourself　it　is　the　saucers　you
have　got　in　your　right　hand；　and　the　books　you　have　got　in　your　left。　You
see？　Goot　again！　Put　them　back　on　the　table　now。　What　shall　we　do　next？〃

〃May　I　try　if　I　can　write？〃　she　asked　eagerly。　〃I　do　so　want　to　see　if　I
can　write　with　my　eyes　instead　of　my　finger。〃

〃No！　Ten　thausand　times　no！　I　forbid　reading；　I　forbid　writing；　yet。　Come
with　me　to　the　window。　How　do　these　most　troublesome　eyes　of　yours　do　at
a　distance？〃

While　we　had　been　trying　our　experiment　with　Lucilla；　the　weather　had
brightened　again。　The　clouds　were　parting；　the　sun　was　coming　out；　the
bright　gaps　of　blue　in　the　sky　were　widening　every　moment；　the　shadows
were　traveling　grandly　over　the　windy　slopes　of　the　hills。　Lucilla　lifted
her　hands　in　speechless　admiration　as　the　German　threw　open　the　window；
and　placed　her　face　to　face　with　the　view。

〃Oh！〃　she　exclaimed；　〃don't　speak　to　me！　don't　touch　me！let　me　enjoy
it！　There　is　no　disappointment　_here。_　I　have　never　thought；　I　have　never
dreamed；　of　anything　half　so　beautiful　as　_this！_〃

Grosse　looked　at　me；　and　silently　pointed　to　her。　She　had　turned
paleshe　was　trembling　in　every　limb；　overwhelmed　by　her　own　ecstatic
sense　of　the　glory　of　the　sky　and　the　beauty　of　the　earth；　as　they　now
met　her　view　for　the　first　time。　I　penetrated　the　surgeon's　object　in
directing　my　attention　to　her。　〃See〃　（he　meant　to　say）；　〃what　a
delicately…organized　creature　we　have　to　deal　with！　Is　it　possible　to　be
too　careful　in　handling　such　a　sensitive　temperament　as　that？〃
Understanding　him　only　too　well；　I　also　trembled　when　I　thought　of　the
future。　Everything　now　depended　on　Nugent。　And　Nugent's　own　lips　had　told
me　that　he　could　not　depend　on　himself！

It　was　a　relief　to　me　when　Grosse　interrupted　her。

She　pleaded　hard　to　be　allowed　to　stay　at　the　window　a　little　longer。　He
refused　to　allow　it。　Upon　that　she　flew　instantly　into　the　opposite
extreme。　〃I　am　in　my　own　room；　and　I　am　my　own　mistress；〃　she　said
angrily。　〃I　insist　on　having　my　own　way。〃　Grosse　was　ready　with　his
answer。

〃Take　your　own　ways；　fatigue　those　weak　new　eyes　of　yoursand　to…morrow；
when　you　try　to　look　out　of　window；　you　will　not　be　able　to　see　at　all。〃
This　reply　terrified　her　into　instant　submission。　She　assisted　in
replacing　the　bandage　with　her　own　hands。　〃May　I　go　away　to　my　own　room？〃
she　asked；　with　the　simplicity　of　a　child。　〃I　have　seen　such　beautiful
sightsand　I　do　so　want　to　think　of　them　by　myself。〃

The　medical　adviser　instantly　granted　the　patient's　request。　Any
proceeding　which　tended　to　compose　her；　was　a　proceeding　of　which　he
highly　approved。

〃If　Oscar　comes；〃　she　whispered；　as　she　passed　me　on　her　way　to　the　door；
〃mind　I　hear　of　it！　and　mind　you　don't　tell　him　of　the　mistakes　I　have
made！〃　She　paused　for　a　moment；　thinking。　〃I　don't　understand　myself；〃
she　said。　〃I　never　was　so　happy　in　my　life。　And　yet　I　feel　almost　ready
to　cry！〃　She　turned　towards　Grosse。　〃Come　here；　papa。　You　have　been　very
good　to　me　to…day。　I　will　give　you　a　kiss。〃　She　laid　her　hands　lightly　on
his　shoulders；　kissed　his　lined　and　wrinkled　cheek；　gave　me　a　little
squeeze　round　the　waistand　left　us。　Grosse　turned　sharply　to　the
window；　and　used　his　huge　silk　handkerchief　for　a　purpose　to　which　（I
suspect）　it　had　not　been　put　for　many　a　long　year　past。



CHAPTER　THE　FORTIETH

Traces　of　Nugent

〃MADAME　PRATOLUNGO！〃

〃Herr　Grosse？〃

He　put　his　handkerchief　back　into　his　pocket；　and　turned　round　to　me　from
the　window　with　his　face　composed　again；　and　his　tea…caddy　snuff…box　in
his　hand。

〃Now　you　have　seen　for　your　own　self；〃　he　said；　with　an　emphatic　rap　on
the　box；　〃do　you　dare　tell　that　sweet　girls　which　of　them　it　is　that　has
gone　his　ways　and　left　her　for　ever？〃

It　is　not　easy　to　find　a　limit　to　the　obstinacy　of　womenwhen　men　expect
them　to　acknowledge　themselves　to　have　been　wrong。　After　what　I　had　seen；
I　no　more　dared　tell　her　than　he　did。　I　was　only　too　obstinate　to
acknowledge　it　to　himjust　yet。

〃Mind　this！〃　he　went　on。　Whether　you　shake　her　with　frights；　or　whether
you　heat　her　with　rages；　or　whether　you　wound　her　with　griefsit　all

goes　straight　the　same　to　those　weak　new　eyes　of　hers。　They　are　so　weak
and　so　new；　that　I　must　ask　once　more　for　my　beds　here　to…night；　for　to
see　to…morrow　if　I　have　not　already　tried　them　too　much。　Now；　for　the
last　time　of　asking；　have　you　got　the　abominable　courage　in　you　to　tell
her　the　truth？〃

He　had　found　my　limit　at　last。　I　was　obliged　to　own　（heartily　as　I
disliked　doing　it）　that　there　was；　for　the　present；　no　choice　left　but
mercifully　to　conceal　the　truth。　Having　gone　this　length　I　next　attempted
to　consult　him　as　to　the　safest　manner　in　which　I　could　account　to
Lucilla　for　Oscar's　absence。　He　refused　（as　a　man）　to　recognize　the
slightest　necessity　for　giving　me　（as　a　woman）　any　advice　on　a　question
of　evasions　and　excuses。　〃I　have　not　lived　all　my　years　in　the　world；
without　learning　something；〃　he　said。　〃When　it　comes　to　walking　upon
eggshells　and　telling　fips；　the　womens　have　nothing　to　learn　from　the
mens。Will　you　take　a　little　stroll…walk　with　me　in　the　garden？　I　have
one　odder　thing　to　say　to　you：　and　I　am　hungry　and　thirsty　both
togedderfor　This。〃

He　produced　〃This；〃　in　the　form　of　his　pipe。　We　left　the　room　at　once　for
our　stroll　in　the　garden。

Having　solaced　himself　with　his　first　mouthful　of　tobacco…smoke；　he
startled　me　by　announcing　that　he　meant　to　remove　Lucilla　forthwith　from
Dimchurch　to　the　sea…side。　In　doing　this；　he　was　actuated　by　two
motivesfirst；　the　medical　motive　of　strengthening　her　constitution：
second；　the　personal　motive　of　preserving　her　from　making　painful
discoveries　by　placing　her　out　of　reach　of　the　gossip　of　the　rectory　and
the　village。　Grosse　had　the　lowest　opinion　of　Mr。　Finch　and　his
household。　His　dislike　and　distrust　of　the　rector；　in　particular；　knew　no
bounds：　he　characterized　the　Pope　of　Dimchurch　as　an　Ape　with　a　long
tongue；　and　a　man…and…monkey　capacity　for　doing　mischief。　Ramsgate　was
the　watering…place　which　he　had　fixed　on。　It　was　at　a　safe　distance　from
Dimchurch；　and　it　was　near　enough　to　London　to　enable　him　to　visit
Lucilla　frequently。　The　one　thing　needed　was　my　co…operation　in　the　new
plan。　If　I　was　at　liberty　to　take　charge　of　Lucilla；　he　would　speak　to
the　Ape　with　the　long　tongue；　and　we　might　start　for　Ramsgate　before　the
end　of　the　week。

Was　there　anything　to　prevent　me　from　carrying　out　the　arrangement
proposed？

There　was　nothing　to　prevent　me。　My　one　other　anxiety　apart　from
Lucillaanxiety　about　good　Papahad　now；　for　some　time；　been　happily
set　at　rest。　Letter　after　letter　from　my　sisters　in　France；　brought　me
always　the　same　cheering　news。　My　evergreen　parent　had　at　last　discovered
that　he　was　no　longer　in　the　first　bloom　of　his　youth。　He　had　resigned　to
his　juniors；　with　pathetic　expressions　of　regret；　the　making　of　love　and
the　fighting　of　duels。　Ravaged　by　past　passions；　this　dear　innocent　had
now　found　a　refuge　from　swords；　pistols；　and　the　sex；　in　collecting
butterflies　and　playing　on　the　guitar。　I　was　free　wholly　to　devote　myself
to　Lucilla；　and　I　honestly　rejoiced　in　the　prospect　before　me。　Alone　with
her；　and　away　from　the　rectory　（where　there　was　always　danger　off　gossip
reaching　her　ears）　I　could　rely　on　myself　to　protect　her　from　harm　in　the
present；　and　to　preserve