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that you have been false to me？ You； a villain who has tried to rob poor
Me of the only woman in the world who cares for me！ You； so handsome and
so popular； who may marry any woman you like！ It can't be。 You have
drifted innocently into some false position without knowing it。 Defend
yourself。 No。 Let me defend you。 You shan't humble yourself to anybody。
Tell me how you have really acted towards Lucilla； and towards meand
leave it to your brother to set you right with everybody。 Come； Nugent！
lift up your headand tell me what I shall say。〃
Nugent lifted his head； and looked at Oscar。
Ghastly as his face was； I saw something in his eyes； when he first fixed
them on his brother； which again reminded me of past daysthe days when
he had joined us at Dimchurch； and when he used to talk of 〃poor Oscar〃
in the tender； light…hearted way that first won me。 I thought once more
of the memorable night…interview between us at Browndown； when Oscar had
left England。 Again； I called to mind the signs which had told of the
nobler nature of the man pleading with him。 Again； I remembered the
remorse which had moved him to tearsthe effort he had made in my
presence to atone for past misdoing； and to struggle for the last time
against the guilty passion that possessed him。 Was the nature which could
feel that remorse utterly depraved？ Was the man who had made that
effortthe last of many that had gone before itirredeemably bad？
〃Wait！〃 I whispered to Lucilla； trembling and weeping in my arms。 〃He
will deserve our sympathy； he will win our pardon and our pity yet！〃
〃Come！〃 Oscar repeated。 〃Tell me what I shall say。〃
Nugent drew from his pocket a sheet of paper with writing on it。
〃Say；〃 he answered； 〃that I gave notice of your marriage at the church
here…and that I went to London and got you _this。_〃
He handed the sheet of paper to his brother。 It was the Marriage License；
taken out in his brother's name。
〃Be happy； Oscar；〃 he added。 〃_You_ deserve it。〃
He threw one arm in his old easy protecting way round his brother。 His
hand； as he did this； touched the breast…pocket of Oscar's coat。 Before
it was possible to stop him； his dexterous fingers had opened the pocket；
and had taken from it a little toy…pistol with a chased silver handle of
Oscar's own workmanship。
〃Was this for me？〃 he asked； with a faint smile。 〃My poor boy！ you could
never have done it； could you？〃 He kissed Oscar's dark cheek； and put the
pistol into his own pocket。 〃The handle is your work；〃 he said。 〃I shall
take it as your present to me。 Return to Browndown when you are married。
I am going to travel again。 You shall hear from me before I leave
England。 God bless you； Oscar。 Good…bye。〃
He put his brother back from him with a firm and gentle hand。 I attempted
to advance with Lucilla； and speak to him。 Something in his facelooking
at me out of his mournful eyes； calm； stern； and superhuman； like a look
of doomwarned me back from him； and filled me with the foreboding that
I should see him no more。 He walked to the door； and opened
itturnedand； fixing his farewell look on Lucilla； saluted us silently
with a bend of his head。 The door closed on him softly。 In a few minutes
only from the time when he had entered the room； he had left us
againand left us for ever。
We waited； spell…boundwe could not speak。 The void that he left behind
him was dreary and dreadful。 I was the first who moved。 In silence； I led
Lucilla back to our seat on the sofa； and beckoned to Oscar to go to her
in my place。
This done； I left themand went out to meet Lucilla's father； on his
return to the hotel。 I wished to prevent him from disturbing them。 After
what had happened； it was good for those two to be alone。
EPILOGUE
Madame Pratolungo's Last Words
TWELVE years have passed since the events occurred which it has been the
business of these pages to relate。 I am at my desk； looking idly at all
the leaves of writing which my pen has filled； and asking myself if there
is more yet to add； before I have done。
There is morenot much。
Oscar and Lucilla claim me first。 Two days after they were restored to
each other at Sydenham； they were married at the church in that place。 It
was a dull wedding。 Nobody was in spirits but Mr。 Finch。 We parted in
London。 The bride and bridegroom returned to Browndown。 The rector
remained in town for a day or two visiting some friends。 I went back to
my father； to accompany him； as I had promised； on his journey from
Marseilles to Paris。
As well as I remember； I remained a fortnight abroad。 In the course of
that time； I received kind letters from Browndown。 One of them announced
that Oscar had heard from his brother。
Nugent's letter was not a long one。 It was dated at Liverpool； and it
announced his embarkation for America in two hours' time。 He had heard of
a new expedition to the Arctic regionsthen fitting out in the United
Stateswith the object of discovering the open Polar sea； supposed to be
situated between Spitzbergen and Nova Zembla。 It had instantly struck him
that this expedition offered an entirely new field of study to a
landscape painter in search of the sublimest aspects of Nature。 He had
decided on volunteering to join the Arctic explorersand he had already
raised the necessary money for his outfit by the sale of the only
valuables he possessedhis jewelry and his books。 If he wanted more； he
engaged to apply to Oscar。 In any case； he promised to write again；
before the expedition sailed。 And so； for the present only； he would bid
his brother and sister affectionately farewell。When I afterwards looked
at the letter myself； I found nothing in it which referred in the
slightest degree to the past； or which hinted at the state of the
writer's own health and spirits。
I returned to our remote Southdown village； and occupied the room which
Lucilla had herself prepared for me at Browndown。
I found the married pair as tranquil and as happy in their union as a man
and woman could be。 The absent Nugent dwelt a little sadly in their minds
at times； I suspect； as well as in mine。 It was perhaps on this account；
that Lucilla appeared to me to be quieter than she used to be in her
maiden days。 However； my presence did something towards restoring her to
her old spiritsand Grosse's speedy arrival exerted its enlivening
influence in support of mine。
As soon as the gout would let him get on his feet； he presented himself
with his instruments； at Browndown； eager for another experiment on
Lucilla's eyes。
〃If my operations had failed；〃 he said； 〃I should not have plagued you no
more。 But my operations has not failed： it is you who have failed to take
care of your nice new eyes when I gave them to you。〃
In those terms he endeavored to persuade her to let him attempt another
operation。 She steadily refused to submit to itand the discussion that
followed roused her famously。
More than once afterwards Grosse tried to make her change her mind。 He
tried in vain。 The disputes between the two made the house ring again。
Lucilla found all her old gaiety； in refuting the grotesque arguments and
persuasions of our worthy German。 To mewhen I once or twice attempted
to shake her resolutionshe replied in another way； merely repeating the
words she had said to me at Sydenham： 〃My life lives in my love。 And my
love lives in my blindness。〃 It is only right to add that Mr。 Sebright；
and another competent authority consulted with him； declared
unhesitatingly that she was right。 Under the circumstances； Mr。 Sebright
was of opinion that the success of Grosse's operation could never have
been more than temporary。 His colleague； after examining Lucilla's eyes；
at a later period； entirely agreed with him。 Which was in the
rightthese two or Grossewho can say？ As blind Lucilla； you first knew
her。 As blind Lucilla； you see the last of her now。 If you feel inclined
to regret this； remember that the one thing essential was the thing she
possessed。 Her life was a happy one。 Bear this in mindand don't forget
that your conditions of happiness need not necessarily be her conditions
also。
In the time I am now writing of； the second letter from Nugent arrived。
It was written the evening before he sailed for the Polar seas。 One line
in it touched us deeply。 〃Who knows whether I shall ever see England
again！ If a boy is born to you； Oscar； call him by my namefor my sake。〃
Enclosed in this letter was a private communication from Nugent；
addressed to me。 It was the confession to which I have alluded in my
notes attached to Lucilla's Journal。 These words only were added at the
end： 〃You now know everything。 Forgive meif you can。 I have not escaped
without suffering； remember that。〃 After making use of the narrative； as
you already know； I have burnt it all； except those last lines。
At distant intervals； we heard twice of the exploring ship； from whaling
vessels。 Then； there was a long dreary interval； without news of any
sort。 Then； a dreadful report that the expedition was lost。 Then； the
confirmation of the reporta lapse of a whole year； and no tidings of
the missing men。
They were well provided with supplies of all kinds； and there was a
gene