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to communicate with Lucilla than it is already。〃
There was a moment's silence。 Both the men felt that my objections were
not easy to answer。 Once more； Oscar took the lead。
〃Do you propose to go？〃 he asked。
〃No；〃 I answered。 〃I propose to send a letter to Lucilla。 A letter will
find its way to her。〃
This again was unanswerable。 Oscar inquired next what the purport of the
letter was to be。 I replied that I proposed to ask her to grant me a
private interviewnothing more。
〃Suppose Lucilla refuses？〃 said Mr。 Finch。
〃She will not refuse；〃 I rejoined。 〃There was a little misunderstanding
between usI admitat the time when I went abroad。 I mean to refer
frankly to that misunderstanding as my reason for writing。 I shall put
your daughter on her honor to give me an opportunity of setting things
right between us。 If I summon Lucilla to do an act of justice； I believe
she will not refuse me。〃
（This； let me add in parenthesis； was the plan of action which I had
formed on the way to Sydenham。 I had only waited to mention it； until I
heard what the two men proposed to do first。）
Oscar； standing hat in hand； glanced at Mr。 Finch （also hat in hand）
keeping obstinately near the door。 If he persisted in carrying out his
purpose of going alone to his cousin's house； the rector's face and
manner expressed； with the politest plainness； the intention of following
him。 Oscar was placed between a clergyman and a woman； both equally
determined to have their own way。 Under those circumstances； there was no
alternativeunless he wished to produce a public scandalbut to yield；
or appear to yield； to one or the other of us。 He selected me。
〃If you succeed in seeing her；〃 he asked； 〃what do you mean to do？〃
〃I mean either to bring her back with me here to her father and to you；
or to make an appointment with her to see you both where she is now
living；〃 I replied。
Oscarafter another look at the immovable rectorrang the bell； and
ordered writing materials。
〃One more question；〃 he said。 〃Assuming that Lucilla receives you at the
house； do you intend to see？〃 He stopped； his eyes shrank from
meeting mine。 〃Do you intend to see anybody else？〃 he resumed： still
evading the plain utterance of his brother's name。
〃I intend to see nobody but Lucilla；〃 I answered。 〃It is no business of
mine to interfere between you and your brother。〃 （Heaven forgive me for
speaking in that way to him； while I had the firm resolution to interfere
between them in my mind all the time！）
〃Write your letter；〃 he said； 〃on condition that I see the reply。〃
〃It is needless； I presume； for me to make the same stipulation？〃 added
the rector。 〃In my parental capacity
I recognized his parental capacity； before he could say any more。 〃You
shall both see the reply；〃 I saidand sat down to my letter； writing
merely what I had told them I should write： 〃Dear Lucilla； I have just
returned from the Continent。 For the sake of justice； and for the sake of
old times； let me see you immediatelywithout mentioning our appointment
to anybody。 I pledge myself to satisfy you； in five minutes； that I have
never been unworthy of your affection and your confidence。 The bearer
waits for your reply。〃
I handed those lines to the two gentlemen to read。 Mr。 Finch made no
remarkhe was palpably dissatisfied at the secondary position which he
occupied。 Oscar said； 〃I see no objection to the letter。 I will do
nothing until I have read the answer。〃 With those words； he dictated to
me his cousin's address。 I gave the letter myself to one of the servants
at the hotel。
〃Is it far from here？〃 I asked。
〃Barely ten minutes' walk； ma'am。〃
〃You understand that you are to wait for an answer？〃
〃Yes； ma'am。〃
He went out。 As well as I can remember； an interval of at least half an
hour passed before his return。 You will form some idea of the terrible
oppression of suspense that now laid its slowly…torturing weight on all
three of us； when I tell you that not one word was spoken in the room
from the time when the servant went out； to the time when the servant
came in again。
When the man returned he had a letter in his hand！
My fingers shook so that I could hardly open it。 Before I had read a
word； the sight of the writing struck a sudden chill through me。 The body
of the note was written by the hand of a stranger！ And the signature at
the end was traced in the large straggling childish characters which I
remembered so well； when Lucilla had written her first letter to Oscar in
the days when she was blind！
The note was expressed in these strange words：〃I cannot receive you
here； but I can； and will； come to you at your hotel if you will wait for
me。 I am not able to appoint a time。 I can only promise to watch for my
first opportunity； and to take advantage of it instantlyfor your sake
and for mine。〃
But one interpretation could be placed on such language as this。 Lucilla
was not a free agent。 Both Oscar and the rector were now obliged to
acknowledge that my view of the case had been the correct one。 If it was
impossible for me to be received into the house； how doubly impossible
would it be for the men to gain admission！ Oscar； after reading the note；
withdrew to the further end of the room； keeping his thoughts to himself。
Mr。 Finch decided on stepping out of his secondary position by forthwith
taking a course of his own。
〃Am I to infer；〃 he began； 〃that it is really useless for me to attempt
to see my own child？〃
〃Her letter speaks for itself；〃 I replied。 〃If you attempt to see her；
you will probably be the means of preventing your daughter from coming
here。〃
〃In my parental capacity；〃 continued Mr。 Finch； 〃it is impossible for me
to remain passive。 As a brother…clergyman； I have； I conceive； a claim on
the rector of the parish。 It is quite likely that notice may have been
already given of this fraudulent marriage。 In that case； it is not only
my duty to myself and my childit is my duty to the Church； to confer
with my reverend colleague。 I go to confer with him。〃 He strutted to the
door； and added； 〃If Lucilla arrives in my absence； I invest you with my
authority； Madame Pratolungo； to detain her until my return。〃 With that
parting charge to me； he walked out。
I looked at Oscar。 He came slowly towards me from the other end of the
room。
〃You will wait here； of course？〃 he said。
〃Of course。 And you？〃
〃I shall go out for a little while。〃
〃For any particular purpose？〃
〃No。 To get through the time。 I am weary of waiting。〃
I felt positively assured； from the manner in which he answered me； that
he was goingnow he had got rid of Mr。 Finchstraight to his cousin's
house。
〃You forget；〃 I said； 〃that Lucilla may come here while you are out。 Your
presence in the room； or in the room next to this； may be of the greatest
importance； when I tell her what your brother has done。 Suppose she
refuses to believe me？ What am I to do if I have not got you to appeal
to？ In your own interests； as well as in Lucilla's； I request you to
remain here with me till she comes。〃
Putting it on that ground only； I waited to see what he would do。 After a
certain hesitation； he answered with a sullen assumption of indifference；
〃Just as you please！〃and walked away again towards the other end of the
room。 As he turned his back on me； I heard him say to himself； 〃It's only
waiting a little longer！〃
〃Waiting for what？〃 I asked。
He looked round at me over his shoulder。
〃Patience for the present！〃 he answered。 〃You will hear soon enough。〃 For
the moment； I said no more to him。 The tone in which he had replied
warned me that it would be useless。
After an intervalhow long an interval I cannot well sayI heard the
sound of women's dresses in the passage outside。
The instant after； there was a knock at the door。
I signed to Oscar to open a second door； close by him at the lower end of
the room； and （for the moment at least） to keep out of sight。 Then I
answered the knock； and said as steadily as I could； 〃Come in。〃
A woman unknown to me entered； dressed like a respectable servant。 She
came in leading Lucilla by the hand。 My first look at my darling told me
the horrible truth。 As I had seen her in the corridor at the rectory on
the first day we met； so I now saw her once more。 Again； the sightless
eyes turned on me； insensibly reflecting the light that fell on them。
Blind！ Oh； God； after a few brief weeks of sight； blind again！
In that miserable discovery； I forgot everything else。 I flew to her； and
caught her in my arms。 I cast one look at her pale； wasted faceand
burst out crying on her bosom。
She held my head gently with one hand； and waited with the patience of an
angel until that first outbreak of my grief had exhausted itself。 〃Don't
cry about my blindness；〃 said the soft； sweet voice that I knew so well。
〃The days when I had my sight have been the unhappiest days of my life。
If I look as if I had been fretting； don't think it is about my eyes。〃
She paused； and sighed bitterly。 〃I may tell _you；_〃 she went on in a
whisper。 〃It's a relief； it's a consolation； to tell _you。_ I am fretting
about my marriage。〃
Those words roused me。 I lifted my hea