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the garden； all by herself； evidently on the watch for her next
opportunity of escaping from the house。 This curious little creature
cared nothing for the society of the other children。 Indoors； she sat
gravely retired in corners； taking her meals （whenever she could） on the
floor。 Out of doors； she roamed till she could walk no longer； and then
lay down anywhere； like a little animal； to sleep。 She happened to look
up as I stood at the window。 Seeing me； she waved her hand indicatively
in the direction of the rectory gate。 〃What is it？〃 I asked。 The Arab
answered； 〃Jicks wants to get out。〃
At the same moment； the screaming of a baby below； informed me that I was
in the near neighborhood of Mrs。 Finch。
I advanced towards the noise； and found myself standing before the open
door of a large store…room at the extreme end of the passage。 In the
middle of the room （issuing household commodities to the cook） sat Mrs。
Finch。 She was robed this time in a petticoat and a shawl； and she had
the baby and the novel laid together flat on their backs in her lap。
〃Eight pounds of soap？ Where does it all go to I wonder！〃 groaned Mrs。
Finch to the accompaniment of the baby's screams。 〃Five pounds of soda
for the laundry？ One would think we did the washing for the whole
village。 Six pounds of candles？ You must eat candles； like the Russians：
who ever heard of burning six pounds of candles in a week？ Ten pounds of
sugar？ Who gets it all？ I never taste sugar from one year's end to
another。 Waste； nothing but waste。〃 Here Mrs。 Finch looked my way； and
saw me at the door。 〃Oh？ Madame Pratolungo？ How d'ye do？ Don't go
awayI've just done。 A bottle of blacking？ My shoes are a disgrace to
the house。 Five pounds of rice？ If I had Indian servants； five pounds of
rice would last them for a year。 There！ take the things away into the
kitchen。 Excuse my dress； Madame Pratolungo。 How _am_ I to dress； with
all I have got to do？ What do you say？ My time must indeed be fully
occupied？ Ah； that's just where it is！ When you have lost half an hour in
the morning； and can't pick it up againto say nothing of having the
store…room on your mind； and the children's dinner late； and the baby
fractiousone slips on a petticoat and a shawl； and gives it up in
despair。 What _can_ I have done with my handkerchief？ Would you mind
looking among those bottles behind you？ Oh； here it is； under the baby。
Might I trouble you to hold my book for one moment？ I think the baby will
be quieter if I put him the other way。〃 Here Mrs。 Finch turned the baby
over on his stomach； and patted him briskly on the back。 At this change
in his circumstances； the unappeasable infant only roared louder than
ever。 His mother appeared to be perfectly unaffected by the noise。 This
resigned domestic martyr looked placidly up at me； as I stood before her；
bewildered； with the novel in my hand。 〃Ah； that's a very interesting
story；〃 she went on。 〃Plenty of love in it； you know。 You have come for
it； haven't you？ I remember I promised to lend it to you yesterday。〃
Before I could answer the cook appeared again； in search of more
household commodities。 Mrs。 Finch repeated the woman's demands； one by
one as she made them； in tones of despair。 〃Another bottle of vinegar？ I
believe you water the garden with vinegar！ More starch？ The Queen's
washing； I'm firmly persuaded； doesn't come to so much as ours。
Sandpaper？ Sandpaper means wastepaper in this profligate house。 I shall
tell your master。 I really _can_ NOT make the housekeeping money last at
this rate。 Don't go； Madame Pratolungo！ I shall have done directly。 What！
You must go！ Oh； then； put the book back on my lap； pleaseand look
behind that sack of flour。 The first volume slipped down there this
morning； and I haven't had time to pick it up since。 （Sandpaper！ Do you
think I'm made of sandpaper！） Have you found the first volume？ Ah； that's
it。 All over flour！ there's a hole in the sack I suppose。 Twelve sheets
of sandpaper used in a week！ What for？ I defy any of you to tell me what
for。 Waste！ waste！ shameful sinful waste！〃 At this point in Mrs。 Finch's
lamentations； I made my escape with the book； and left the subject of
Oscar Dubourg to be introduced at a fitter opportunity。 The last words I
heard； through the screams of the baby； as I ascended the stairs； were
words still relating to the week's prodigal consumption of sandpaper。 Let
us drop a tear； if you please； over the woes of Mrs。 Finch； and leave the
British matron apostrophizing domestic economy in the odorous seclusion
of her own storeroom。
I had just related to Lucilla the failure of my expedition to the other
side of the house； when the groom returned； bringing with him the gold
vase； and a letter。
Oscar's answer was judiciously modeled to imitate the brevity of
Lucilla's note。 〃You have made me a happy man again。 When may I follow
the vase？〃 There； in two sentences； was the whole letter。
I had another discussion with Lucilla； relating to the propriety of our
receiving Oscar in Reverend Finch's absence。 It was only possible to
persuade her to wait until she had at least heard from her father； by
consenting to take another walk towards Browndown the next morning。 This
new concession satisfied her。 She had received his present； she had
exchanged letters with himthat was enough to content her for the time。
〃Do you think he is getting fond of me？〃 she asked； the last thing at
night； taking her gold vase to bed with her； poor dearexactly as she
might have taken a new toy to bed with her when she was a child。 〃Give
him time； my love；〃 I answered。 〃It isn't everybody who can travel at
your pace in such a serious matter as this。〃 My banter had no effect upon
her。 〃Go away with your candle；〃 she said。 〃The darkness makes no
difference to _me。_ I can see him in my thoughts。〃 She nestled her head
comfortably on the pillows； and tapped me saucily on the cheek； as I bent
over her。 〃Own the advantage I have over you now；〃 she said。 〃_You_ can't
see at night without your candle。 _I_ could go all over the house； at
this moment； without making a false step anywhere。〃
When I left her that night； I sincerely believe 〃poor Miss Finch〃 was the
happiest woman in England。
CHAPTER THE TWELFTH
Mr。 Finch smells Money
A DOMESTIC alarm deferred for some hours our proposed walk to Browndown。
The old nurse； Zillah； was taken ill in the night。 She was so little
relieved by such remedies as we were able to apply； that it became
necessary to summon the doctor in the morning。 He lived at some distance
from Dimchurch； and he had to send back to his own house for the
medicines required。 As a necessary result of these delays； it was close
on one o'clock in the afternoon before the medical remedies had their
effect； and the nurse was sufficiently recovered to permit of our leaving
her in the servant's care。
We had dressed for our walk （Lucilla being ready long before I was）； and
had got as far as the garden gate on our way to Browndownwhen we heard；
on the other side of the wall； a man's voice； pitched in superbly deep
bass tones； pronouncing these words：
〃Believe me； my dear sir； there is not the least difficulty。 I have only
to send the cheque to my bankers at Brighton。〃
Lucilla started； and caught hold of me by the arm。
〃My father！〃 she exclaimed in the utmost astonishment。 〃Who is he talking
to？〃
The key of the gate was in my possession。 〃What a grand voice your father
has got！〃 I said； as I took the key out of my pocket。 I opened the gate。
There； confronting us on the threshold； arm in arm； as if they had known
each other from childhood； stood Lucilla's father； andOscar Dubourg！
Reverend Finch opened the proceedings by folding his daughter
affectionately in his arms。
〃My dear child！〃 he said； 〃I received your letteryour most interesting
letterthis morning。 The moment I read it I felt that I owed a duty to
Mr。 Dubourg。 As pastor of Dimchurch； it was clearly incumbent on me to
comfort a brother in affliction。 I really felt； so to speak； a longing to
hold out the right hand of friendship to this sorely…tried man。 I
borrowed my friend's carriage； and drove straight to Browndown。 We have
had a long and cordial talk。 I have brought Mr。 Dubourg home with me。 He
must be one of us。 My dear child； Mr。 Dubourg must be one of us。 Let me
introduce you。 My eldest daughterMr。 Dubourg。〃
He performed the ceremony of presentation； with the most impenetrable
gravity； as if he really believed that Oscar and his daughter now met
each other for the first time！
Never had I set my eyes on a meaner…looking man than this rector。 In
height he barely reached up to my shoulder。 In substance； he was so
miserably lean that he looked the living picture of starvation。 He would
have made his fortune in the streets of London； if he had only gone out
and shown himself to the public in ragged clothes。 His face was deeply
pitted with the small…pox。 His short grisly hair stood up stiff and
straight on his head like hair fixed in a broom。 His small whitish…grey
eyes had a restless； inquisitive； hungry look in them； indescribably
irritating and uncomfortable to see。 The one personal distinction he
possess