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until the next day； on the chance of finding it。 If she failed she must
try Poste…Restante； at the suggestion （not of Mr。 Finchthere I was
wrong）at the suggestion of Zillah； who had relatives in foreign parts；
and had tried Poste…Restante in her case too。 So Mrs。 Finch driveled
mildly on； in her large loose untidy handwriting； to the bottom of the
third page。
I turned over。 The handwriting suddenly grew untidier than ever； two
great blots defaced the paper； the style became feebly hysterical。 Good
Heavens！ what did I read when I made it out at last！ See for yourselves；
here are the words： 〃Some hours have passedit is just tea…time…oh； my
dear friend； I can hardly hold the pen； I tremble sowould you believe
it； Miss Batchford has arrived at the rectoryshe brings the dreadful
news that Lucilla has eloped with Oscarwe don't know whywe don't know
where； except that they have gone away together privatelya letter from
Oscar tells Miss Batchford as much as that； and no moreoh； pray come
back as soon as you canMr。 Finch washes his hands of itand Miss
Batchford has left the house again in a fury with himI am in dreadful
agitation； and I have given it Mr。 Finch says to baby； who is screaming
black in the face。 Yours affectionately；
〃AMELIA FINCH。〃
All the rages I had ever been in before in my life were as nothing
compared with the rage that devoured me when I had read that fourth page
of Mrs。 Finch's letter。 Nugent had got the better of me and my
precautions！ Nugent had robbed his brother of Lucilla； in the vilest
manner； with perfect impunity！ I cast all feminine restraints to the
winds。 I sat down with my legs anyhow； like a man。 I rammed my hands into
the pockets of my dressing…gown。 Did I cry？ A word in your earand let
it go no farther。 I swore。
How long the fit lasted； I don't know。 I only remember that I was
disturbed by a knock at my door。
I flung open the door in a furyand confronted Oscar on the threshold。
There was a look in his face that instantly quieted me。 There was a tone
in his voice that brought the tears suddenly into my eyes。
〃I must leave for England in two hours；〃 he said。 〃Will you forgive me；
Madame Pratolungo； before I go？〃
Only those words！ And yetif you had seen him； if you had heard him； as
he spoke themyou would have been ready as I wasnot only to forgive
himbut to go to the ends of the earth with him； and you would have told
him so； as I did。
In two hours more； we were in the train； on our way to England。
CHAPTER THE FORTY…SEVENTH
On the Way to the End。 First Stage
You will perhaps expect me to give some account of how Oscar bore the
discovery of his brother's conduct。
I find it by no means easy to do this。 Oscar baffled me。
The first words of any importance which he addressed to me were spoken on
our way to the station。 Rousing himself from his own thoughts； he said
very earnestly
〃I want to know what conclusion you have drawn from Mrs。 Finch's letter。〃
Naturally enough； under the circumstances； I tried to avoid answering
him。 He was not to be put off in that way。
〃You will do me a favor；〃 he went on； 〃if you will reply to my question。
The letter has bred in me such a vile suspicion of my dear good brother；
who never deceived me in his life； that I would rather believe I am out
of my mind than believe in my own interpretation of it。 Do _you_ infer
from what Mrs。 Finch writes； that Nugent has presented himself to Lucilla
under my name？ Do _you_ believe that he has persuaded her to leave her
friends； under the impression that she has yielded to My entreaties； and
trusted herself to My care？〃
I answered in the fewest and plainest words； 〃That is what your brother
has done。〃
A sudden change passed over him。 My reply seemed to have set his last
doubts at rest in an instant。
〃That is what my brother has done；〃 he repeated。 〃After all that I
sacrificed to himafter all that I trusted to his honorwhen I left
England。〃 He paused； and considered a little。 〃What does such a man
deserve？〃 he went on； speaking to himself； in a low threatening tone that
startled me。
〃He deserves；〃 I said； 〃what he will get when we reach England。 You have
only to show yourself to make him repent his wickedness to the last day
of his life。 Are exposure and defeat not punishment enough for such a man
as Nugent？〃 I stopped； and waited for his answer。
He turned his face away from me； and said no more until we arrived at the
station。 There； he drew me aside for a moment out of hearing of the
strangers about us。
〃Why should I take you away from your father？〃 he asked abruptly。 〃I am
behaving very selfishlyand I only see it now。〃
〃Make your mind easy；〃 I said。 〃If I had not met you to…day； I should
have gone to England to…morrow for Lucilla's sake。〃
〃But now you _have_ met me；〃 he persisted； 〃why shouldn't I spare you the
journey？ I could write and tell you every thingwithout putting you to
this fatigue and expense。〃
〃If you say a word more；〃 I answered； 〃I shall think you have some reason
of your own for wishing to go to England by yourself。〃
He cast one quick suspicious look at meand led the way back to the
booking…office without uttering another word。 I was not at all satisfied
with him。 I thought his conduct very strange。
In silence we took our tickets； in silence； we got into the
railway…carriage。 I attempted to say something encouraging； when we
started。 〃Don't notice me；〃 was all he replied。 〃You will be doing me a
kindness； if you will let me bear it by myself。〃 In my former experience
of him； he had talked his way out of all his other troubleshe had
clamorously demanded the expression of my sympathy with him。 In this
greatest trouble； he was like another being； I hardly knew him again！
Were the hidden reserves in his nature （stirred up by another serious
call on them） showing themselves once more on the surface as they had
shown themselves already； on the fatal first day when Lucilla tried her
sight？ In that way I accounted for the mere superficial change in him； at
the time。 What was actually going on below the surface it defied my
ingenuity even to guess。 Perhaps I shall best describe the sort of vague
apprehension which he aroused in meafter what had passed between us at
the stationby saying that I would not for worlds have allowed him to go
to England by himself。
Left as I now was to my own resources； I occupied the first hours of the
journey； in considering what course it would be safest and best for us to
take； on reaching England。
I decided； in the first place； that we ought to go straight to Dimchurch。
If any tidings had been obtained of Lucilla； they would be sure to have
received them at the rectory。 Our route； after reaching Paris； must be
therefore by way of Dieppe； thence across the Channel to Newhaven； near
Brightonand so to Dimchurch。
In the second placeassuming it to be always possible that we might see
Lucilla at the rectorythe risk of abruptly presenting Oscar to her in
his own proper person might； for all I knew to the contrary； be a very
serious one。 It would relieve us； as I thought； of a grave
responsibility； if we warned Grosse of our arrival； and so enabled him to
be present； if he thought it necessary； in the interests of Lucilla's
health。 I put this view （as also my plan for returning by way of Dieppe）
to Oscar。 He briefly consented to everythinghe ungraciously left it all
to me。
Accordingly； on our arrival at Lyons； having some time for refreshment at
our disposal before we went on； I telegraphed to Mr。 Finch at the
rectory； and to Grosse in London； informing them （as well as I could
calculate it） that； if we were lucky in catching trains and steamboats；
Oscar and I might be in Dimchurch in good time； on the next nightthat
is to say； on the night of the eighteenth。 In any case； they were to
expect us at the earliest possible moment。
These difficulties disposed of； and a little store of refreshment for the
night packed in my basket； we re…entered the train； for our long journey
to Paris。
Among the new passengers who joined us at Lyons was a gentleman whose
face was English； and whose dress was the dress of a clergyman。 For the
first time in my life； I hailed the appearance of a priest with a feeling
of relief。 The reason was this。 From the moment when I had read Mrs。
Finch's letter until now； a horrid doubt； which a priest was just the man
to solve； had laid its leaden weight on my mindand； I firmly believe；
on Oscar's mind as well。 Had time enough passed； since Lucilla had left
Ramsgate； to allow of Nugent's marrying her； under his brother's name？
As the train rolled out of the station； I； the enemy of priests； began to
make myself agreeable to _this_ priest。 He was young and shybut I
conquered him。 Just as the other travelers were beginning （with the
exception of Oscar） to compose themselves to sleep； I put my case to the
clergyman。 〃A and B； sir； lady and gentleman； both of age； leave one
place in England； and go to live in another place； on the fifth of this
monthhow soon； if you please； can they be lawfully married after that？〃
〃I presume you mean in church？〃 said the young clergyman。
〃In church；