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（to that small extent） a profit out of our calamity to set against the
loss。 Do what one may in the detestable system of modern society； the
pivot on which it all turns is Money。 Money； when you are saving Freedom！
Money； when you are saving Papa！ Is there no remedy for this？ A word in
your ear。 Wait till the next revolution！
During the time of my absence； I had of course corresponded with Lucilla。
Her letters to mevery sad and very shortreported a melancholy state
of things at Dimchurch。 While I had been away； the dreadful epileptic
seizures had attacked Oscar with increasing frequency and increasing
severity。 The moment I could see my way to getting back to England； I
wrote to Lucilla to cheer her with the intimation of my return。 Two days
only before my departure from Paris； I received another letter from her。
I was weak enough to be almost afraid to open it。 Her writing to me
again； when she knew that we should be re…united at such an early date；
suggested that she must have some very startling news to communicate。 My
mind misgave me that it would prove to be news of the worst sort。
I summoned courage to open the envelope。 Ah； what fools we are！ For once
that our presentments come right； they prove a hundred times to be wrong。
Instead of distressing me； the letter delighted me。 Our gloomy prospect
was brightening at last。
Thusfeeling her way over the paper； in her large childish
charactersLucilla wrote：
〃DEAREST FRIEND AND SISTER；I cannot wait until we meet； to tell you my
good news。 The Brighton doctor has been dismissed； and a doctor from
London has been tried instead。 My dear！ for intellect there is nothing
like London。 The new man sees； thinks； and makes up his mind on the spot。
He has a way of his own of treating Oscar's case； and he answers for
curing him of the horrible fits。 There is news for you！ Come back； and
let us jump for joy together。 How wrong I was to doubt the future！ Never；
never； never will I doubt it again。 This is the longest letter I have
ever written。
〃Your affectionate；
〃LUCILLA。〃
To this； a postscript was added； in Oscar's handwriting； as follows：
〃Lucilla has told you that there is some hope for me at last。 What I
write in this place is written without her knowledgefor your private
ear only。 Take the first opportunity you can find of coming to see me at
Browndown； without allowing Lucilla to hear of it。 I have a great favor
to ask of you。 My happiness depends on your granting it。 You shall know
what it is； when we meet。
〃OSCAR。〃
This postscript puzzled me。
It was not in harmony with the implicit confidence which I had observed
Oscar to place habitually in Lucilla。 It jarred on my experience of his
character； which presented him to me as the reverse of a reserved
secretive man。 His concealment of his identity； when he first came among
us； had been a forced concealmentdue entirely to his horror of being
identified with the hero of the trial。 In all the ordinary relations of
life； he was open and unreserved to a fault。 That he could have a secret
to keep from Lucilla； and to confide to me； was something perfectly
unintelligible to my mind。 It highly excited my curiosity； it gave me a
new reason for longing to get back。
I was able to make all my arrangements； and to bid adieu to my father and
my sisters on the evening of the twenty…third。 Early on the morning of
the twenty…fourth； I left Paris； and reached Dimchurch in time for the
final festivities in celebration of Christmas Eve。
The first hour of Christmas Day had struck on the clock in our own pretty
sitting…room； before I could prevail upon Lucilla to let me rest； after
my journey； in bed。 She was now once more the joyous light…hearted
creature of our happier time； and she had so much to say to me； that not
even her father himself （on this occasion） could have talked her down。
The next morning she paid the penalty of exciting herself over…night。
When I went into her room； she was suffering from a nervous head…ache；
and was not able to rise at her usual hour。 She proposed of her own
accord that I should go alone to Browndown to see Oscar on my return。 It
is only doing common justice to myself to say that this was a relief to
me。 If she had had the use of her eyes； my conscience would have been
easy enoughbut I shrank from deceiving my dear blind girl； even in the
slightest things。
So； with Lucilla's knowledge and approval； I went to Oscar alone。
I found him fretful and anxiousready to flame out into one of his
sudden passions； on the smallest provocation。 Not the slightest
reflection of Lucilla's recovered cheerfulness appeared in Lucilla's
lover。
〃Has she said anything to you about the new doctor？〃 were the first words
he addressed to me。
〃She has told me that she feels the greatest faith in him；〃 I answered。
〃She firmly believes that he speaks the truth in saying he can cure you。〃
〃Did she show any curiosity to know _how_ he is curing me？〃
〃Not the slightest curiosity that I could see。 It is enough for her that
you _are_ to be cured。 The rest she leaves to the doctor。〃
My last answer appeared to relieve him。 He sighed； and leaned back in his
chair。 〃That's right！〃 he said to himself。 〃I'm glad to hear that。〃
〃Is the doctor's treatment of you a secret？〃 I asked。
〃It must be a secret from Lucilla；〃 he said； speaking very earnestly。 〃If
she attempts to find it out； she must be keptfor the present； at
leastfrom all knowledge of it。 Nobody has any influence over her but
you。 I look to you to help me。〃
〃Is this the favor you had to ask me？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Am I to know the secret of the medical treatment？〃
〃Certainly！ How can I expect you to help me unless you know what a
serious reason there is for keeping Lucilla in the dark。〃
He laid a strong emphasis on the two words 〃serious reason。 I began to
feel a little uneasy。 I had never yet taken the slightest advantage of my
poor Lucilla's blindness。 And here was her promised husbandof all the
people in the worldproposing to me to keep her in the dark。
〃Is the new doctor's treatment dangerous？〃 I inquired。
〃Not in the least。〃
〃Is it not so certain as he has led Lucilla to believe？〃
〃It is quite certain。
〃Did the other doctors know of it？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Why did they not try it？〃
〃They were afraid。〃
〃Afraid？ What _is_ the treatment？〃
〃Medicine。〃
〃Many medicines？ or one？〃
〃Only one。〃
〃What is the name of it？〃
〃Nitrate of Silver。〃
I started to my feet； looked at him； and dropped back into my chair。
My mind reverted； the instant I recovered myself； to the effect produced
on me when the blue man in Paris first entered my presence。 In informing
me of the effect of the medicine； he had （you will remember） concealed
from me the malady for which he had taken it。 It had been left to Oscar；
of all the people in the world； to enlighten meand that by a reference
to his own case！ I was so shocked that I sat speechless。
With his quick sensibilities； there was no need for me to express myself
in words。 My face revealed to him what was passing in my mind。
〃You have seen a person who has taken Nitrate of Silver！〃 he exclaimed。
〃Have _you？_〃 I asked。
〃I know the price I pay for being cured；〃 he answered quietly。
His composure staggered me。 〃How long have you been taking this horrible
drug？〃 I inquired。
〃A little more than a week。〃
〃I see no change in you yet。〃
〃The doctor tells me there will be no visible change for weeks and weeks
to come。〃
Those words roused a momentary hope in me。 〃There is time to alter your
mind；〃 I said。 〃For heaven's sake reconsider your resolution before it is
too late！〃
He smiled bitterly。 〃Weak as I am；〃 he answered； 〃for once； my mind is
made up。〃
I suppose I took a woman's view of the matter。 I lost my temper when I
looked at his beautiful complexion and thought of the future。
〃Are you in your right senses？〃 I burst out。 〃Do you mean to tell me that
you are deliberately bent on making yourself an object of horror to
everybody who sees you？〃
〃The one person whose opinion I care for；〃 he replied； 〃will never see
me。〃
I understood him at last。 _That_ was the consideration which had
reconciled him to it！
Lucilla's horror of dark people and dark shades of color； of all kinds；
was； it is needless to say； recalled to my memory by the turn the
conversation was taking now。 Had she confessed it to him； as she had
confessed it to me？ No！ I remembered that she had expressly warned me not
to admit him into our confidence in this matter。 At an early period of
their acquaintance； she had asked him which of his parents he resembled。
This led him into telling her that his father had been a dark man。
Lucilla's delicacy had at once taken the alarm。 〃He speaks very tenderly
of his dead father；〃 she said to me。 〃It may hurt him if he finds out the
antipathy I have to dark people。 Let us keep it to ourselves。〃 As things
now were； it was on the tip of my tongue to remind him； that Lucilla
would hear of his disfigurement from other people； and then to warn him
of the unpleasant result that might follow。 On reflection； however； I
thought it wiser to wait a little and sound his