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Instead of answering him； I put a question on my side。 My heart was
beginning to beat rapidlywithout my knowing why。
〃Mr。 Nugent Dubourg；〃 I said； 〃what have you got in your mind about
Lucilla？〃
〃Madame Pratolungo；〃 he replied； 〃I have got something in my mind which
was put into it by a friend of mine whom I met in America。〃
〃The friend you mentioned in your letter to your brother？〃
〃The same。〃
〃The German gentleman whom you propose to introduce to Oscar and
Lucilla？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃May I ask who he is？〃
Nugent Dubourg looked at me attentively； considered with himself for the
second time； and answered in these words：
〃He is the greatest living authority； and the greatest living operator；
in diseases of the eye。〃
The idea in his mind burst its way into my mind in a moment。
〃Gracious God！〃 I exclaimed； 〃are you mad enough to suppose that
Lucilla's sight can be restored； after a blindness of one…and…twenty
years？〃
He suddenly held up his hand； in sign to me to be silent。
At the same moment the door opened； and Lucilla （followed by Oscar）
entered the room。
CHAPTER THE TWENTY…FOURTH
He sees Lucilla
THE first impression which poor Miss Finch produced on Nugent Dubourg；
was precisely the same as the first impression which she had produced on
me。
〃Good Heavens！〃 he cried。 〃The Dresden Madonna！ The Virgin of San Sisto！〃
Lucilla had already heard from me of her extraordinary resemblance to the
chief figure in Raphael's renowned picture。 Nugent's blunt outburst of
recognition passed unnoticed by her。 She stopped short； in the middle of
the roomstartled； the instant he spoke； by the extraordinary similarity
of his tone and accent to the tone and accent of his brother's voice。
〃Oscar；〃 she asked nervously； 〃are you behind me？ or in front of me？〃
Oscar laughed； and answered 〃Here！〃speaking behind her。 She turned her
head towards the place in front of her； from which Nugent had spoken。
〃Your voice is wonderfully like Oscar's；〃 she said； addressing him
timidly。 〃Is your face exactly like his face； too？ May I judge for myself
of the likeness between you？ I can only do it in one wayby my touch。〃
Oscar advanced； and placed a chair for his brother by Lucilla's side。
〃She has eyes in the tips of her fingers；〃 he said。 〃Sit down； Nugent；
and let her pass her hand over your face。〃
Nugent obeyed him in silence。 Now that the first impression of surprise
had passed away； I observed that a marked change was beginning to assert
itself in his manner。
Little by little； an unnatural constraint got possession of him。 His
fluent tongue found nothing to talk about。 His easy movements altered in
the strangest way； until they almost became the movements of a slow
awkward man。 He was more like his brother than ever； as he sat down in
the chair to submit himself to Lucilla's investigation。 She had produced；
at first sightas well as I could judgesome impression on him for
which he had not been prepared； causing some mental disturbance in him
which he was for the moment quite unable to control。 His eyes looked up
at her； spell…bound； his color came and went； his breath quickened
audibly when her fingers touched his face。
〃What's the matter？〃 said Oscar； looking at him in surprise。
〃Nothing is the matter；〃 he answered； in the low absent tone of a man
whose mind was secretly pursuing its own train of thought。
Oscar said no more。 Once； twice； three times； Lucilla's hand passed
slowly over Nugent's face。 He submitted to it； silently； gravely；
immovablya perfect contrast to the talkative； lively young man of half
an hour since。 Lucilla employed a much longer time in examining him than
she had occupied in examining me。
While the investigation was proceeding； I had leisure to think again over
what had passed between Nugent and me on the subject of Lucilla's
blindness； before she entered the room。 My mind had by this time
recovered its balance。 I was able to ask myself what this young fellow's
daring idea was really worth。 Was it within the range of possibility that
a sense so delicate as the sense of sight； lost for one…and…twenty years；
could be restored by any means short of a miracle？ It was monstrous to
suppose it： the thing could not be。 If there had been the faintest chance
of giving my poor dear back the blessing of sight； that chance would have
been tried by competent persons years and years since。 I was ashamed of
myself for having been violently excited at the moment by the new thought
which Nugent had started in my mind； I was honestly indignant at his
uselessly disturbing me with the vainest of all vain hopes。 The one wise
thing to do in the future； was to caution this flighty and inconsequent
young man to keep his mad notion about Lucilla to himselfand to dismiss
it from my own thoughts； at once and for ever。
Just as I arrived at that sensible resolution； I was recalled to what was
going on in the room； by Lucilla's voice； addressing me by my name。
〃The likeness is wonderful；〃 she said。 〃Still； I think I can find a
difference between them。〃
（The only difference between them was in the contrast of complexion and
in the contrast of mannerboth these being dissimilarities which
appealed more or less directly to the eye。）
〃What difference do you find？〃 I asked。
She slowly came towards me； with an anxious perplexed face； pondering as
she advanced。
〃I can't explain it；〃 she answeredafter a long silence。
When Lucilla left him； Nugent rose from his chair。 He abruptlyalmost
roughlytook his brother's hand。 He spoke to his brother in a strangely
excited； feverish； headlong way。
〃My dear fellow； now I have seen her； I congratulate you more heartily
than ever。 She is charming； she is unique。 Oscar！ I could almost envy
you； if you were anyone else！〃
Oscar was radiant with delight。 His brother's opinion ranked above all
human opinions in his estimation。 Before he could say a word in return；
Nugent left him as abruptly as he had approached him； walking away by
himself to the windowand standing there； looking out。
Lucilla had not heard him。 She was still pondering； with the same
perplexed face。 The likeness between the twins was apparently weighing on
her mindan unsolved problem that vexed and irritated it。 Without
anything said by me to lead to resuming the subject； she returned
obstinately to the assertion that she had just made。
〃I tell you again I am sensible of a difference between them；〃 she
repeated〃though you don't seem to believe me。〃
I interpreted this uneasy reiteration as meaning that she was rather
trying to convince herself than to convince me。 In her blind condition；
it was doubly and trebly embarrassing not to know one brother from the
other。 I understood her unwillingness to acknowledge thisI felt （in her
position） how it would have irritated me。 She was waitingimpatiently
waitingfor me to say something on my side。 I am； as you know already；
an indiscreet woman。 I innocently said one of my rash things。
〃I believe whatever you tell me； my dear；〃 I answered。 〃You can find out
a difference between them； I have no doubt。 Still； I own I should like to
see it put to the proof。〃
Her color rose。 〃How？〃 she asked abruptly。
〃Try your touch alternately on both their faces；〃 I suggested； 〃without
knowing beforehand which position they each of them occupy。 Make three
trialsleaving them to change their places or not； between each trial；
just as they please。 If you guess which is which correctly three times
following； there will be the proof that you can really lay your hand on a
difference between them。〃
Lucilla shrank from accepting the challenge。 She drew back a step； and
silently shook her head。 Nugent； who had overheard me； turned round
suddenly from the window； and supported my proposal。
〃A capital notion！〃 he burst out。 〃Let's try it！ You don't object；
Oscardo you？〃
〃_I_ object？〃 cried Oscaramazed at the bare idea of his opposing any
assertion of his will to the assertion of his brother's will。 〃If Lucilla
is willing； I say Yes； with all my heart。〃
The two brothers approached us； arm in arm。 Lucilla； very reluctantly；
allowed herself to be persuaded into trying the experiment。 Two chairs；
exactly alike； were placed in front of her。 At a sign from Nugent； Oscar
silently took the chair on her right。 By this arrangement； the hand which
she had used in touching Nugent's face； would be now the hand that she
would employ in touching Oscar's face。 When they were both seated； I
announced that we were ready。 Lucilla placed her hands on their faces；
right and left； without the faintest idea in her mind of the positions
which the two relatively occupied。
After first touching them with both hands； and both together； she tried
them separately next； beginning with Oscar； and using her right hand
only。 She left him for Nugent； again using her right handthen came back
to him againthen returned to Nugenthesitated…decidedtapped Nugent
lightly on the head。
〃Oscar！〃 she said。
Nugent burst out laughing。 The laugh told her； before any of us could
speak； that she had made a mistake at the first attempt。
〃Try again； Lucilla；〃 said Oscar kindly。
〃Never！〃 she ans