按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
an alkaline draught； Mrs。 Finch； to be taken after meals。 Don't speak；
don't move！ Give me your pulse。 I hold Miss Batchford accountable； Madame
Pratolungo； for whatever happensmy daughter is a mere instrument in the
hands of my first wife's family。 Give me your pulse； Mrs。 Finch。 I don't
like your pulse。 Come up…stairs directly。 A recumbent position； and
another warm bathunder Providence； Madame Pratolungo！may parry the
Blow。 Would you kindly open the door； and pick up Mrs。 Finch's
handkerchief？ Never mind the novelthe handkerchief。〃
I seized my first opportunity of speaking again； while Mr。 Finch was
conducting his wife （with his arm round her waist） to the doorputting
the question which I had been waiting to ask； in this cautious form：
〃Do you propose to communicate； sir； either with your daughter or with
Miss Batchford； while Lucilla is away from the rectory？ My object in
venturing to ask〃
Before I could state my object； Mr。 Finch turned round （turning Mrs。
Finch with him） and surveyed me from head to foot with a look of
indignant astonishment。
〃Is it possible you can see this double Wreck；〃 said Mr。 Finch；
indicating his wife and child； 〃and suppose that I would communicate or
sanction communication of any sort； with the persons who are responsible
for it？My dear！ Can you account for Madame Pratolungo's extraordinary
question？ Am I to understand （do _you_ understand） that Madame Pratolungo
is insulting me？〃
It was useless to try to explain myself。 It was useless for Mrs。 Finch
（who had made several abortive efforts to put in a word or two； on her
own part） to attempt to pacify her husband。 All the poor damp lady could
do was to beg me to write to her from foreign parts。 〃I'm sorry you're in
trouble； and I should really be glad to hear from you。〃 Mrs。 Finch had
barely time to say those kind wordsbefore the rector； in a voice of
thunder； desired me to look at 〃that double Wreck； and respect it if I
did not respect _him_〃and with that walked himself； his wife； and his
baby out of the room。
Having gained the object which had brought me into the study； I made no
attempt to detain him。 The little sense the man possessed at the best of
times； was completely upset by the shock which Lucilla's abrupt departure
had inflicted on his high opinion of his own importance。 That he would
end in being reconciled to his daughterbefore her next subscription to
the household expenses fell duewas a matter of downright certainty。
But； until that time came； I felt equally sure that he would vindicate
his outraged dignity by declining to hold any communication； in person or
in writing； with Ramsgate。 During the short term of my absence from
England； Miss Batchford would be left as ignorant of her niece's perilous
position between the twin…brothers； as Lucilla herself。 To know this was
to have gained the information that I wanted。 Nothing was left but to set
my brains to work at once； and act on it。
How was I to act on it？
On the spur of the moment； I could see but one way。 If Grosse pronounced
Lucilla's recovery to be complete； before I returned from abroad； the
best thing I could do would be to put Miss Batchford in a position to
reveal the truth in my placewithout running any risk of a premature
discovery。 In other words； without letting the old lady into the secret；
before the time arrived at which it could be safely divulged。
This apparently intricate difficulty was easily overcome； by writing two
letters （before I went away） instead of one。
The first letter I addressed to Lucilla。 Without any reference to her
behavior to me； I stated； in the fullest detail and with all needful
delicacy； her position between Oscar and Nugent： and referred her for
proof of the truth of my assertions to her relatives at the rectory。 〃I
leave it entirely to your discretion〃 （I added） 〃to write me an answer or
not。 Put the warning which I now give you to the proof； and if you wonder
why it has been so long delayed； apply to Herr Grosse on whom the whole
responsibility rests。〃 There I ended； being resolved； after the wrong
that Lucilla had inflicted on me； to leave my justification to facts。 I
confess I was too deeply wounded by her conductthough I _did_ lay all
the blame of it on Nugentto care to say a word in my own defence。
This letter sealed； I wrote next to Lucilla's aunt。
It was not an easy matter to address Miss Batchford。 The contempt with
which she regarded Mr。 Finch's opinions in politics and religion； was
more than matched by the strong aversion which she felt for my republican
opinions。 I have already mentioned； far back in these pages； that a
dispute on politics between the Tory old lady and myself ended in a
quarrel between us； which closed the doors of her house on me from that
time forth。 Knowing this； I ventured on writing to her nevertheless；
because I also knew Miss Batchford to be （apart from her furious
prejudices） a gentlewoman in the best sense of the word； devotedly
attached to her niece； and quite as capable； when that devotion was
appealed to； of doing justice to me （apart from _my_ furious prejudices）
as I was of doing justice to her。 Writing in a tone of unaffected
respect； and appealing to her forbearance to encourage mine； I requested
her to hand my letter to Lucilla on the day when the surgeon reported
that all further necessity for his attendance had ceased。 In the interval
before this happened； I entreated Miss Batchford； in her niece's
interests； to consider my letter as a strictly private communication；
adding； that my sufficient reason for venturing to make this condition
would be found in my letter to Lucillawhich I authorized her aunt to
read as soon as the time had arrived for opening it。
By this means I had； as I firmly believed； taken the only possible way of
preventing Nugent Dubourg from doing any serious mischief in my absence。
Whatever his uncontrolled infatuation for Lucilla might lead him to do
next； he could proceed to no serious extremities until Grosse pronounced
her recovery to be complete。 On the day when Grosse did that； she would
receive my letter； and would discover for herself the abominable
deception which had been practiced on her。 As to attempting to find
Nugent； no idea of doing this entered my mind。 Wherever he might be； at
home or abroad； it would be equally useless to appeal to his honor again。
It would be degrading myself to speak to him or to trust him。 To expose
him to Lucilla the moment it became possible was the one thing to be
done。 I was ready with my letters； one enclosed in the other； when good
Mr。 Gootheridge （with whom I had arranged previously） called to drive me
to Brighton in his light cart。 The chaise which he had for hire had been
already used to make the same journey by Lucilla and the nurse； and had
not yet been returned to the inn。 I reached my train before the hour of
starting； and arrived in London with a sufficient margin of time to
spare。
Resolved to make sure that no possible mischance could occur； I drove to
Miss Batchford's house； and saw the cabman give my letter into the
servant's hands。
It was a bitter moment when I found myself pulling down my veil； in the
fear that Lucilla might be at the window and see me！ Nobody was visible
but the man who answered the door。 If pen； ink； and paper had been within
my reach at the moment； I think I should have written to her on my own
account； after all！ As it was； I could only forgive her the injury she
had done me。 From the bottom of my heart； I forgave her； and longed for
the blessed time which should unite us again。 In the meanwhile； having
done everything that I could to guard and help her； I was now free to
give to Oscar all the thoughts that I could spare from my poor misguided
father。
Being bound for the Continent； I determined （though the chances were a
hundred to one against me） to do all that I could； in my painful
position； to discover the place of Oscar's retreat。 The weary hours of
suspense at my father's bedside would be lightened to me； if I could feel
that the search for the lost man was being carried on at my instigation；
and that from day to day there was a bare possibility of my hearing of
him； if there was no more。
The office of the lawyer whom I had consulted during my previous visit to
London； lay in my way to the terminus。 I drove there next； and was
fortunate enough to find him still at business。
No tidings had yet been heard of Oscar。 The lawyer； however； proved to be
useful by giving me a letter of introduction to a person at Marseilles；
accustomed to conduct difficult confidential inquiries； and having agents
whom he could employ in all the great cities of Europe。 A man of Oscar's
startling personal appearance would be surely more or less easy to trace；
if the right machinery to do it could only be set at work。 My savings
would suffice for this purpose to a certain extentand to that extent I
resolved that they should be used when I reached my journey's end。
It was a troubled sea on the channel passage that night。 I remained on
deck； accepting any inconvenience rather than descend into the atmosphere
of the cabin。 As I looked out to sea on one side a