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paternal emotion； 〃Bless you； my child！〃
At the sound of her husband's magnificent voice； Mrs。 Finch became
herself again。 She said meekly； 〃How d'ye do； Lucilla？〃and sat down in
a corner； and suckled the baby。
Mr。 Finch set in for one of his harangues。
〃My advice has been neglected； Lucilla。 My paternal influence has been
repudiated。 My Moral Weight has been； so to speak； set aside。 I don't
complain。 Understand me_I_ simply state sad facts。〃 （Here he became
aware of my existence。） 〃Good morning； Madame Pratolungo； I hope I see
you well？There has been variance between us； Lucilla。 I come； my child；
with healing on my wings （healing being understood； for present purposes；
as reconciliation）I come； and bring Mrs。 Finch with medon't speak；
Mrs。 Finch！to offer my heartfelt wishes； my fervent prayers； on this
the most eventful day in my daughter's life。 No vulgar curiosity has
turned my steps this way。 No hint shall escape my lips； touching any
misgivings which I may still feel as to this purely worldly interference
with the ways of an inscrutable Providence。 I am here as parent and
peacemaker。 My wife accompanies medon't speak； Mrs。 Finch！as
step…parent and step…peacemaker。 （You understand the distinction； Madame
Pratolungo？ Thank you。 Good creature。） Shall I preach forgiveness of
injuries from the pulpit； and not practice that forgiveness at home？ Can
I remain； on this momentous occasion； at variance with my child？ Lucilla！
I forgive you。 With full heart and tearful eyes； I forgive you。 （You have
never had any children； I believe； Madame Pratolungo？ Ah！ you cannot
possibly understand this。 Not your fault。 Good creature。 Not your fault。）
The kiss of peace； my child； the kiss of peace。〃 He solemnly bent his
bristly head； and deposited the kiss of peace on Lucilla's forehead。 He
sighed superbly； and in a burst of magnanimity； held out his hand next to
me。 〃My Hand； Madame Pratolungo。 Compose yourself。 Don't cry。 God bless
you。 Mrs。 Finch； deeply affected by her husband's noble conduct； began to
sob hysterically。 The baby； disarranged in his proceedings by the
emotions of his mama； set up a sympathetic scream。 Mr。 Finch crossed the
room to them； with domestic healing on his wings。 〃This does you credit；
Mrs。 Finch； but； under the circumstances； it must not be continued。
Control yourself； in consideration of the infant。 Mysterious mechanism of
Nature！〃 cried the rector； raising his prodigious voice over the louder
and louder screeching of the baby。 〃Marvelous and beautiful sympathy
which makes the maternal sustenance the conducting medium； as it were； of
disturbance between the mother and child。 What problems confront us； what
forces environ us； even in this mortal life！ Nature！ Maternity！
Inscrutable Providence！〃
〃Inscrutable Providence〃 was the rector's fatal phraseit always brought
with it an interruption； and it brought one now。 Before Mr。 Finch
（brimful of pathetic apostrophes） could burst into more exclamations； the
door opened； and Oscar walked into the room。
Lucilla instantly recognized his footstep。
〃Any signs； Oscar； of Herr Grosse？〃 she asked。
〃Yes。 His chaise has been seen on the road。 He will be here directly。〃
Giving that answer； and passing by my chair to place himself on the other
side of Lucilla； Oscar cast at me one imploring looka look which said
plainly； 〃Don't desert me when the time comes！〃 I nodded my head to show
that I understood him and felt for him。 He sat down in the vacant chair
by Lucilla； and took her hand in silence。 It was hard to say which of the
two felt the position； at that trying moment； most painfully。 I don't
think I ever saw any sight so simply and irresistibly touching as the
sight of those two poor young creatures sitting hand in hand； waiting the
event which was to make the happiness or the misery of their future
lives。
〃Have you seen anything of your brother？〃 I asked； putting the question
in as careless a tone as my devouring anxiety would allow me to assume。
〃Nugent has gone to meet Herr Grosse。〃
Oscar's eyes once more encountered mine； as he replied in those terms； I
saw again the imploring look more marked in them than ever。 It was plain
to him； as it was plain to me； that Nugent had gone to meet the German；
with the purpose of making Herr Grosse the innocent means of bringing him
into the house。
Before I could speak again； Mr。 Finch； recovering himself after the
interruption which had silenced him； saw his opportunity of setting in
for another harangue。 Mrs。 Finch had left off sobbing； the baby had left
off screaming； the rest of us were silent and nervous。 In a word； Mr。
Finch's domestic congregation was entirely at Mr。 Finch's mercy。 He
strutted up to Oscar's chair。 Was he going to propose to read _Hamlet？_
No！ He was going to invoke a blessing on Oscar's head。
〃On this interesting occasion；〃 began the rector in his pulpit tones；
〃now that we are all united in the same room； all animated by the same
hopeI could wish； as pastor and parent （God bless you； Oscar： I look on
you as a son。 Mrs。 Finch； follow my example； look on him as a son！）I
could wish； as pastor and parent； to say a few pious and consoling
words〃
The doorthe friendly； admirable； judicious doorstopped the coming
sermon； in the nick of time； by opening again。 Herr Grosse's squat figure
and owlish spectacles appeared on the threshold。 And behind him （exactly
as I had anticipated） stood Nugent Dubourg。
Lucilla turned deadly pale： she had heard the door open； she knew by
instinct that the surgeon had come。 Oscar got up； stole behind my chair；
and whispered to me； 〃For God's sake； get Nugent out of the room！〃 I gave
him a reassuring squeeze of the hand； and； putting Jicks down on the
floor； rose to welcome our good Grosse。
The child； as it happened； was beforehand with me。 She and the
illustrious oculist had met in the garden at one of the German's
professional visits to Lucilla； and had taken an amazing fancy to each
other。 Herr Grosse never afterwards appeared at the rectory without some
unwholesome eatable thing in his pocket for Jicks； who gave him in return
as many kisses as he might ask for； and further distinguished him as the
only living creature whom she permitted to nurse the disreputable doll。
Grasping this same doll now； with both hands； and using it head…foremost；
as a kind of battering…ram； Jicks plunged in front of me； and butted with
all her might at the surgeon's bandy legs； insisting on a monopoly of his
attention before he presumed to speak to any other person in the room。
While he was lifting her to a level with his face； and talking to her in
his wonderful broken Englishwhile the rector and Mrs。 Finch were making
the necessary apologies for the child's conductNugent came round from
behind Herr Grosse； and drew me mysteriously into a corner of the room。
As I followed him； I saw the silent torture of anxiety expressed in
Oscar's face as he stood by Lucilla's chair。 It did me good； it strung up
my resolution to the right pitch； it made me feel myself a match； and
more than a match； for Nugent Dubourg。
〃I am afraid I behaved in a very odd manner； when we met in the village？〃
he said。 〃The fact is； I am not at all well。 I have been in a strange
feverish state lately。 I don't think the air of this place suits me。〃
There he stopped； keeping his eyes steadily fixed on mine； trying to read
my mind in my face。
〃I am not surprised to hear you say that；〃 I answered。 〃I have noticed
that you have not been looking well lately。〃
My tone and manner （otherwise perfectly composed） expressed polite
sympathyand nothing more。 I saw I puzzled him。 He tried again。
〃I hope I didn't say or do anything rude？〃 he went on。
〃Oh； no！〃
〃I was excitedpainfully excited。 You are too kind to admit it； I am
sure I owe you my apologies？〃
〃No； indeed！ you were certainly excited； as you say。 But we are all in
the same state to…day。 The occasion； Mr。 Nugent； is your sufficient
apology。〃
Not the slightest sign in my face of any sort of suspicion of him
rewarded the close and continued scrutiny with which he regarded me。 I
saw in his perplexed expression； the certain assurance that I was beating
him at his own weapons。 He made a last effort to entrap me into revealing
that I suspected his secrethe attempted； by irritating my quick temper；
to take me by surprise。
〃You are no doubt astonished at seeing me here；〃 he resumed。 〃I have not
forgotten that I promised to remain at Browndown instead of coming to the
rectory。 Don't be angry with me： I am under medical orders which forbid
me to keep my promise。〃
〃I don't understand you；〃 I said just as coolly as ever。
〃I will explain myself；〃 he rejoined。 〃You remember that we long since
took Grosse into our confidence； on the subject of Oscar's position
towards Lucilla？〃
〃I am not likely to have forgotten it；〃 I answered； 〃considering that it
was I who first warned your brother that Herr Grosse might do terrible
mischief by innocently letting out the truth。〃
〃Do you recollect how Grosse took the warning when we gave it to him？〃
〃Perfectly。 He promised to be careful。 But； at the same time； he gruffly
forbade us to involve