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〃This has just come； sir；〃 said the man； 〃by the afternoon post。 It is
marked 'Immediate。' I thought I had better bring it to you here。〃
Oscar took the letter； and looked at the address。 〃My brother's writing！〃
he exclaimed。 〃A letter from Nugent！〃
He opened the letterand burst out with a cry of joy which brought
Lucilla instantly to his side。
〃What is it？〃 she asked eagerly。
〃Nugent is coming back！ Nugent will be here in a week！ Oh； Lucilla！ my
brother is coming to stay with me at Browndown！〃
He caught her in his arms； and kissed her； in the first rapture of
receiving that welcome news。 She forced herself away from him without
answering a word。 She turned her poor blind face round and round； in the
search for me。
〃Here I am！〃 I said。
She roughly and angrily put her arm in mine。 I saw the jealous misery in
her face as she dragged me away with here to the house。 Never yet had
Oscar's voice； in _her_ experience of him； sounded the note of happiness
that she heard in it now！ Never yet had she felt Oscar's heart on Oscar's
lips； as she felt it when he kissed her in the first joy of anticipating
Nugent's return！
〃Can he hear me？〃 she whispered； when we had left the lawn； and she felt
the gravel under her feet。
〃No。 What is it？〃
〃I hate his brother！〃
CHAPTER THE TWENTY…SECOND
The Twin…Brother's Letter
LITTLE thinking what a storm he had raised； poor innocent
Oscarpaternally escorted by the rectorfollowed us into the house；
with his open letter in his hand。
Judging by certain signs visible in my reverend friend； I concluded that
the announcement of Nugent Dubourg's coming visit to Dimchurchregarded
by the rest of us as heralding the appearance of a twin…brotherwas
regarded by Mr。 Finch as promising the arrival of a twin…fortune。 Oscar
and Nugent shared the comfortable paternal inheritance。 Finch smelt
money。
〃Compose yourself；〃 I whispered to Lucilla as the two gentlemen followed
us into the sitting…room。 〃Your jealousy of his brother is a childish
jealousy。 There is room enough in his heart for his brother as well as
for you。〃
She only repeated obstinately； with a vicious pinch on my arm； 〃I hate
his brother！〃
〃Come and sit down by me；〃 said Oscar； approaching her on the other side。
〃I want to run over Nugent's letter。 It's so interesting！ There is a
message in it to you。〃 Too deeply absorbed in his subject to notice the
sullen submission with which she listened to him； he placed her on a
chair； and began reading。 〃The first lines；〃 he explained； 〃relate to
Nugent's return to England； and to his delightful idea of coming to stay
with me at Browndown。 Then he goes on： 'I found all your letters waiting
for me on my return to New York。 Need I tell you； my dearest brother'
〃
Lucilla stopped him at those words by rising abruptly from her seat。
〃What is the matter？〃 he asked。
〃I don't like this chair！〃
Oscar got her anotheran easy…chair this timeand returned to the
letter。
〃 'Need I tell you； my dearest brother； how deeply you have interested me
by the announcement of your contemplated marriage？ Your happiness is my
happiness。 I feel with you； I congratulate you； I long to see my future
sister…in…law' 〃
Lucilla got up again。 Oscar； in astonishment； asked what was wrong now？
〃I am not comfortable at this end of the room。〃
She walked to the other end of the room。 Patient Oscar walked after her；
with his precious letter in his hand。 He offered her a third chair。 She
petulantly declined to take it； and selected another chair for herself。
Oscar returned to the letter：
〃 'How melancholy； and yet how interesting it is； to hear that she is
blind！ My sketches of American scenery happened to be lying about in the
room when I read your letter。 The first thought that came to me； on
hearing of Miss Finch's affliction； was suggested by my sketches。 I said
to myself； 〃Sad！ sad！ my sister…in…law will never see my Works。〃 The true
artist； Oscar； is always thinking of his Works。 I shall bring back； let
me tell you； some very remarkable studies for future pictures。 They will
not be so numerous； perhaps； as you may expect。 I prefer to trust to my
intellectual perception of beauty； rather than to mere laborious
transcripts from Nature。 In certain moods of mine （speaking as an artist）
Nature puts me out。' 〃 There Oscar paused； and appealed to me。 〃What
writing！eh？ I always told you； Madame Pratolungo； that Nugent was a
genius。 You see it now。 Don't get up； Lucilla。 I am going on。 There is a
message to you in this part of the letter。 So neatly expressed！〃
Lucilla persisted in getting up； the announcement of the neatly…expressed
message to be read next； produced no effect on her。 She walked to the
window； and trifled impatiently with the flowers placed in it。 Oscar
looked in mild astonishment； first at methen at the rector。 Reverend
Finchlistening thus far with the complimentary attention due to the
correspondence of one young man of fortune with another young man of
fortuneinterfered in Oscar's interests； to secure him a patient
hearing。
〃My dear Lucilla； endeavor to control your restlessness。 You interfere
with our enjoyment of this interesting letter。 I could wish to see fewer
changes of place； my child； and a more undivided attention to what Oscar
is reading to you。〃
〃I am not interested in what he is reading to me。〃 In the nervous
irritation which produced this ungracious answer； she overthrew one of
the flower…pots。 Oscar set it up again for her with undiminished
good…temper。
〃Not interested！〃 he exclaimed。 〃Wait a little。 You haven't heard
Nugent's message yet。 Listen to this！ 'Present my best and kindest
regards to the future Mrs。 Oscar' （dear fellow！）； 'and say that she has
given me a new interest in hastening my return to England。' There！ Isn't
that prettily put？ Come Lucilla！ own that Nugent is worth listening to
when he writes about _you！_〃
She turned towards him for the first time。 The charm of the tone in which
he spoke those words subdued her； in spite of herself。
〃I am much obliged to your brother；〃 she answered gently； 〃and very much
ashamed of myself for what I said just now。〃 She stole her hand into his；
and whispered； 〃You are so fond of NugentI begin to be almost afraid
there will be no love left for me。〃
Oscar was enchanted。 〃Wait till you see him； and you will be as fond of
him as I am；〃 he said。 〃Nugent is not like me。 He fascinates people the
moment they come in contact with him。 Nobody can resist Nugent。〃
She still held his hand； with a perplexed and saddened face。 The
admirable absence of any jealousy on his sidehis large and generous
confidence in _her_ love for _himwas just the rebuke to her that she
could feel； just the rebuke also （in my opinion） that she had deserved。
〃Go on； Oscar；〃 said the rector； in his deepest notes of encouragement。
〃What next； dear boy？ what next？〃
〃Another interesting bit； of quite a new kind；〃 Oscar replied。 〃There is
a little mystery to stir us up on the last page of the letter。 Nugent
says：'I have become acquainted （here； in New York） with a very
remarkable man； a German who has made a great deal of money in the United
States。 He proposes visiting England early in the present year； and he
will write and let me know when he has arrived。 I shall feel particular
pleasure in presenting him to you and your future wife。 It is quite
possible that you may have special reason to congratulate yourselves on
making his acquaintance。 For the present； no more of my new friend until
we meet at Browndown。''Special reason to congratulate ourselves on
making his acquaintance。' 〃 repeated Oscar； folding up the letter。
〃Nugent never writes in that way without a reason for it。 Who can the
German gentleman be？〃
Mr。 Finch suddenly lifted his head； and looked at Oscar with a certain
appearance of alarm。
〃Your brother mentions that he has made his fortune in America；〃 said the
Reverend gentleman。 〃I hope he is not connected with the money…market。 He
might infect Mr。 Nugent with the spirit of reckless speculation which is；
so to speak； the national sin of the United States。 Your brother； having
no doubt the same generous disposition as yours〃
〃A far finer disposition than mine； Mr。 Finch；〃 interposed Oscar。
〃Possessed； like you； of the gifts of fortune；〃 proceeded the rector；
with mounting enthusiasm。
〃Once possessed of them；〃 said Oscar。 〃Far from being overburdened with
the gifts of fortune； now！〃
〃What！！！〃 cried Mr。 Finch； with a start of consternation。
〃Nugent has run through his fortune；〃 proceeded Oscar； quite composedly。
〃I lent him the money to go to America。 My brother is a genius； Mr。
Finch。 When did you ever hear of a genius who could keep within limits？
Nugent is not content to live in my humble way。 He has the tastes of a
princemoney is nothing to him。 It doesn't matter。 He will make a new
fortune Out of his pictures； and； in the meantime； you know； I can always
lend him something to go on with。〃
Mr。 Finch rose from his seat； with the air of a man whose just
anticipations have not been realizedwhose innocent confidence has been
scandalously betrayed。 Here was a prospect！ Another person in