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〃Perfectly。 He promised to be careful。 But； at the same time； he gruffly
forbade us to involve him in any more of our family troubles。 He said he
was determined to preserve his professional freedom of action； without
being hampered by domestic difficulties which might concern _us；_ but
which did not concern _him。_ Is my memory accurate enough to satisfy
you？〃
〃Your memory is wonderful。 You will now understand me when I tell you
that Grosse asserts his professional freedom of action on this occasion。
I had it from his own lips on our way here。 He considers it very
important that Lucilla should not be frightened at the moment when she
tries her sight。 Oscar's face is sure to startle her； if it is the first
face she sees。 Grosse has accordingly requested me to be present （as the
only other young man in the room）； and to place myself so that I shall be
the first person who attracts her notice。 Ask him yourself； Madame
Pratolungo； if you don't believe me。〃
〃Of course I believe you！〃 I answered。 〃It is useless to dispute the
surgeon's orders at such a time as this。〃
With that； I left him； showing just as much annoyance as an unsuspecting
woman； in my position； might have naturally betrayedand no more。
Knowing； as I did； what was going on under the surface； I understood only
too plainly what had happened。 Nugent had caught at the opportunity which
the surgeon had innocently offered to him； as a means of misleading
Lucilla at the moment； and （possibly） of taking some base advantage of
her afterwards。 I trembled inwardly with rage and fear； as I turned my
back on him。 Our one chance was to make sure of his absence； at the
critical momentand； cudgel my brains as I might； how to reach that end
successfully was more than I could see。
When I returned to the other persons in the room； Oscar and Lucilla were
still occupying the same positions。 Mr。 Finch had presented himself （at
full length） to Herr Grosse。 And Jicks was established on a stool in a
corner： devouring a rampant horse； carved in bilious…yellow German
gingerbread； with a voracious relish wonderful and terrible to see。
〃Ah； my goot Madame Pratolungo！〃 said Herr Grosse； stopping on his way to
Lucilla to shake hands with me。 〃Have you made anodder lofely Mayonnaise？
I have come on purpose with an empty…stomachs； and a wolf's…appetite in
fine order。 Look at that little Imps；〃 he went on； pointing to Jicks。
〃Ach Gott！ I believe I am in lofe with her。 I have sent all the ways to
Germany for gingerbreads for Jick。 Aha； you Jick！ does it stick in your
tooths？ Is it nice…clammy…sweet？〃 He glared benevolently at the child
through his spectacles； and tucked my hand sentimentally into the breast
of his waistcoat。 〃Promise me a child like adorable Jick；〃 he said
solemnly； 〃I will marry the first wife you bring menice womans； nasty
womans； I don't care which。 Soh！ there is my domestic sentiments laid
bare before you。 Enough of that。 Now for my pretty…Feench！
Come…begin…begin！〃
He crossed the room to Lucilla； and called to Nugent to follow him。
〃Open the shutters；〃 he said。 〃Light…light…light； and plenty of him； for
my lofely Feench！〃
Nugent opened the shutters； beginning with the lower window； and ending
with the window at which Lucilla was sitting。 Acting on this plan； he had
only to wait where he was； to place himself close by herto be the first
object she saw。 He did it。 The villain did it。 I stepped forward；
determined to interfereand stopped； not knowing what to say or do。 I
could have beaten my own stupid brains out against the wall。 There stood
Nugent right before her； as the surgeon turned his patient towards the
window。 And not the ghost of an idea came to me！
The German stretched out his hairy hands； and took hold of the knot of
the bandage to undo it。
Lucilla trembled from head to foot。
Herr Grosse hesitatedlooked at herlet go of the bandage…and lifting
one of her hands； laid his fingers on her pulse。
In the moment of silence that followed； I had one of my inspirations。 The
missing idea turned up in my brains at last。
〃Soh！〃 cried Grosse； dropping her hand with a sudden outbreak of
annoyance and surprise。 Who has been frightening my pretty Feench？ Why
these cold trembles？ these sinking pulses？ Some of you tell mewhat does
it mean？〃
Here was my opportunity！ I tried my idea on the spot。
〃It means；〃 I said； 〃that there are too many people in this room。 We
confuse her； and frighten her。 Take her into her bedroom； Herr Grosse；
and only let the rest of us in； when you think rightone at a time。〃
Our excellent surgeon instantly seized on my idea； and made it his own。
〃You are a phenix among womens；〃 he said； paternally patting me on the
shoulder。 〃Which is most perfectest； your advice or your Mayonnaise； I am
at a loss to know。〃 He turned to Lucilla； and raised her gently from her
chair。 〃Come into your own rooms with me； my poor little Feench。 I shall
see if I dare take off your bandages to…day。〃
Lucilla clasped her hands entreatingly。
〃You promised！〃 she said。 〃Oh； Herr Grosse； you promised to let me use my
eyes to…day！〃
〃Answer me this！〃 retorted the German。 〃Did I know； when I promised； that
I should find you all shaky…pale； as white as my shirts when he comes
back from the wash？〃
〃I am quite myself again；〃 she pleaded faintly。 〃I am quite fit to have
the bandage taken off。〃
〃What！ you know better than I do？ Which of us is surgeon…opticyou or
me？ No more of this。 Come under my arms！ Come into the odder rooms！〃
He put her arm in his； and walked with her to the door。 There； her
variable humour suddenly changed。 She rallied on the instant。 Her face
flushed； her courage came back。 To my horror； she snatched her arm away
from the surgeon； and refused to leave the room。
〃No！〃 she said。 〃I am quite composed again； I claim your promise。 Examine
me here。 I must and will have my first look at Oscar in this room。〃
（I was afraidliterally afraidto turn my eyes Oscar's way。 I glanced
at Nugent instead。 There was a devilish smile on his face that it nearly
drove me mad to see。）
〃You must and weel？〃 repeated Grosse。 〃Now； mind！〃 He took out his watch。
〃I give you one little minutes； to think in。 If you don't come with me in
that time； you shall find it is I who must and weel。 Now！〃
〃Why do you object to go into your room？〃 I asked。
〃Because I want everybody to see me；〃 she answered。 〃How many of you are
there here？〃
〃There are five of us。 Mr。 and Mrs。 Finch； Mr。 Nugent Dubourg； Oscar； and
myself。〃
〃I wish there were five hundred of you； instead of five？〃 she burst out。
〃Why？〃
〃Because you would see me pick out Oscar from all the rest； the instant
the bandage was off my eyes！〃
Still holding to her own fatal conviction that the image in her mind of
Oscar was the right one！ For the second time； though I felt the longing
in me to look at him； I shrank from doing it。
Herr Grosse put his watch back in his pocket。
〃The minutes is passed；〃 he said。 〃Will you come into the odder rooms？
Will you understand that I cannot properly examine you before all these
peoples？ Say； my lofely FeenchYes？ or No？〃
〃No！〃 she cried obstinately； with a childish stamp of her foot。 〃I insist
on showing everybody that I can pick out Oscar； the moment I open my
eyes。〃
Herr Grosse buttoned his coat； settled his owlish spectacles firmly on
his nose； and took up his hat。 〃Goot morning；〃 he said。 〃I have nothing
more to do with you or your eyes。 Cure yourself； you
little…spitfire…Feench。 I am going back to London。〃
He opened the door。 Even Lucilla was obliged to yield； when the surgeon
in attendance on her threatened to throw up the case。
〃You brute！〃 she said indignantlyand took his arm again。
Grosse indulged himself in his diabolical grin。 〃Wait till you are able
to use your eyes； my lofe。 Then you will see what a brutes I am！〃 With
those words he took her out。
We were left in the sitting…room； to wait until the surgeon had decided
whether he would； or would not； let Lucilla try her sight on that day。
While the others were； in their various ways； all suffering the same
uneasy sense of expectation； I was as quiet in my mind as the baby now
sleeping in his mother's arms。 Thanks to Grosse's resolution to act on
the hint that I had given to him； I had now made it impossibleeven if
the bandage was removed on that dayfor Nugent to catch Lucilla's first
look when she opened her eyes。 Her betrothed husband might certainly； on
such a special occasion as this； be admitted into her bed…chamber； in
company with her father or with me。 But the commonest sense of propriety
would dictate the closing of the door on Nugent。 In the sitting…room he
must wait （if he still persisted in remaining at the rectory） until she
was allowed to join him there。 I privately resolved； having the control
of the matter in my own hands； that this should not happen until Lucilla
knew which of the twins was Nugent； and which was Oscar。 A delicious
inward glow of triumph diffused itself all through me。 I resisted the
strong temptation that I felt to discover how Nugent bore his defeat。 If
I had yielded to it； he would have seen in my face that I gloried in
h