poor miss finch-第58部分

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Dear　old　Grossehe　isn't　half　as　hard　on　me　as　you　and　my　fatherwas
with　us；　all　the　time。　It　has　done　me　so　much　good。　Don't　be　sulky　about
it；　you　darling　Pratolungo！　My　'surgeon　optic'　sanctions　my　imprudence。　I
won't　ask　you　to　go　with　me　to　Browndown　to…morrow；　Oscar　is　coming　to
return　my　visit。〃

Those　last　words　decided　me。　I　had　had　a　weary　time　of　it　since　the
morning；　but　（for　me）　the　day　was　not　at　an　end　yet。　I　said　to　myself；　〃I
will　have　it　out　with　Mr。　Nugent　Dubourg；　before　I　go　to　my　bed
to…night！〃

〃Can　you　spare　me　for　a　little　while？〃　I　asked。　〃I　must　go　to　the　other
side　of　the　house。　Your　father　wishes　to　speak　to　me。

Lucilla　started。　〃About　what？〃　she　inquired　eagerly。

〃About　business　in　London；〃　I　answeredand　left　her；　before　her
curiosity　could　madden　me　（in　the　state　I　was　in　at　that　moment）　with
more　questions。

I　found　the　rector　prepared　to　favor　me　with　his　usual　flow　of　language。
Fifty　Mr。　Finches　could　not　have　possessed　themselves　of　my　attention　in
the　humour　I　was　in　at　that　moment。　To　the　reverend　gentleman's
amazement；　it　was　I　who　beganand　not　he。

〃I　have　just　left　Lucilla；　Mr。　Finch。　I　know　what　has　happened。〃

〃Wait　a　minute；　Madame　Pratolungo！　One　thing　is　of　the　utmost　importance
to　begin　with。　Do　you　thoroughly　understand　that　I　am；　in　no　sense　of　the
word；　to　blame？〃

〃Thoroughly；〃　I　interposed。　〃Of　course；　they　would　not　have　gone　to
Browndown；　if　you　had　consented　to　let　Nugent　Dubourg　into　the　house。〃

〃Stop！〃　said　Mr。　Finch；　elevating　his　right　hand。　〃My　good　creature；　you
are　in　a　state　of　hysterical　precipitation。　I　will　be　heard！　I　did　more
than　refuse　my　consent。　When　the　man　GrosseI　insist　on　your　composing
yourselfwhen　the　man　Grosse　came　and　spoke　to　me　about　it；　I　did　more；
I　say；　infinitely　more；　than　refuse　my　consent。　You　know　my　force　of
languagedon't　be　alarmed！　I　said；　'Sir！　As　pastor　and　parent；　My　Foot
is　down'〃

〃I　understand；　Mr。　Finch。　Whatever　you　said　to　Herr　Grosse　was　quite
useless；　he　entirely　ignored　your　personal　point　of　view。〃

〃Madame　Pratolungo！〃

〃He　found　Lucilla　dangerously　agitated　by　her　separation　from　Oscar：　he
asserted；　what　he　calls；　his　professional　freedom　of　action。〃

〃Madame　Pratolungo！〃

〃You　persisted　in　closing　your　doors　to　Nugent　Dubourg。　_He_　persisted；
on　his　sideand　took　Lucilla　to　Browndown。〃

Mr。　Finch　got　on　his　feet；　and　asserted　himself　at　the　full　pitch　of　his
tremendous　voice。

〃Silence！〃　he　shouted；　with　a　smack　of　his　open　hand　on　the　table　at　his
side。

I　didn't　care。　_I_　shouted。　_I_　came　down；　with　a　smack　of　my　hand；　on
the　opposite　side　of　the　table。

〃One　question；　sir；　before　I　leave　you；〃　I　said。　〃Since　your　daughter
went　to　Browndown；　you　have　had　many　hours　at　your　disposal。　Have　you
seen　Mr。　Nugent　Dubourg？〃

The　Pope　of　Dimchurch　suddenly　collapsed；　in　full　fulmination　of　his
domestic　Bulls。

〃Pardon　me；〃　he　replied；　adopting　his　most　elaborately　polite　manner。
〃This　requires　considerable　explanation。〃

I　declined　to　wait　for　considerable　explanation。　〃You　have　not　seen　him？〃
I　said。

〃I　have　_not_　seen　him；〃　echoed　Mr。　Finch。　〃My　position　towards　Nugent
Dubourg　is　very　remarkable；　Madame　Pratolungo。　In　my　parental　character；
I　should　like　to　wring　his　neck。　In　my　clerical　character；　I　feel　it
incumbent　on　me　to　pauseand　write　to　him。　You　feel　the　responsibility？
You　understand　the　distinction？〃

I　understood　that　he　was　afraid。　Answering　him　by　an　inclination　of　the
head　（I　hate　a　coward！）　I　walked　silently　to　the　door。

Mr。　Finch　returned　my　bow　with　a　look　of　helpless　perplexity。　〃Are　you
going　to　leave　me？〃　he　inquired　blandly。

〃I　am　going　to　Browndown。〃

If　I　had　said　that　I　was　going　to　a　place　which　the　rector　had　frequent
occasion　to　mention　in　the　stronger　passages　of　his　sermons；　Mr。　Finch's
face　could　hardly　have　shown　more　astonishment　and　alarm　than　it
exhibited　when　I　replied　to　him　in　those　terms。　He　lifted　his　persuasive
right　hand；　he　opened　his　eloquent　lips。　Before　the　coming　overflow　of
language　could　reach　me；　I　was　out　of　the　room；　on　my　way　to　Browndown。



CHAPTER　THE　THIRTY…EIGHTH

Is　there　no　Excuse　for　Him？

OSCAR'S　dismissed　servant　（left；　during　the　usual　month　of　warning；　to
take　care　of　the　house）　opened　the　door　to　me　when　I　knocked。　Although
the　hour　was　already　a　late　one　in　primitive　Dimchurch；　the　man　showed　no
signs　of　surprise　at　seeing　me。

〃Is　Mr。　Nugent　Dubourg　at　home？〃

〃Yes；　ma'am。〃　He　lowered　his　voice；　and　added；　〃I　think　Mr。　Nugent
expected　to　see　you　to…night。〃

Whether　he　intended　it；　or　not；　the　servant　had　done　me　a　good　turnhe
had　put　me　on　my　guard。　Nugent　Dubourg　understood　my　character　better
than　I　had　understood　his。　He　had　foreseen　what　would　happen；　when　I
heard　of　Lucilla's　visit　on　my　return　to　the　rectoryand　he　had；　no
doubt；　prepared　himself　accordingly。　I　was　conscious　of　a　certain　nervous
trembling　（I　own）　as　I　followed　the　servant　to　the　sitting…room。　At　the
moment；　however；　when　he　opened　the　door；　this　ignoble　sensation　left　me
as　suddenly　as　it　had　come。　I　felt　myself　Pratolungo's　widow　again；　when
I　entered　the　room。

A　reading…lamp；　with　its　shade　down；　was　the　only　light　on　the　table。
Nugent　Dubourg；　comfortably　reposing　in　an　easychair；　sat　by　the　lamp；
with　a　cigar　in　his　mouth；　and　a　book　in　his　hand。　He　put　down　the　book
on　the　table　as　he　rose　to　receive　me。　Knowing；　by　this　time；　what　sort
of　man　I　had　to　deal　with；　I　was　determined　not　to　let　even　the　merest
trifles　escape　me。　It　might　have　its　use　in　helping　me　to　understand　him；
if　I　knew　how　he　had　been　occupying　his　mind　while　he　was　expecting　me　to
arrive。　I　looked　at　the　book。　It　was　_Rousseau's　Confessions。_

He　advanced　with　his　pleasant　smile；　and　offered　his　hand　as　if　nothing
had　happened　to　disturb　our　ordinary　relations　towards　each　other。　I　drew
back　a　step；　and　looked　at　him。

〃Won't　you　shake　hands　with　me？〃　he　asked。

〃I　will　answer　that　directly；〃　I　said。　〃Where　is　your　brother？〃

〃I　don't　know。〃

〃When　you　_do_　know；　Mr。　Nugent　Dubourg；　and　when　you　have　brought　your
brother　back　to　this　house；　I　will　take　your　handnot　before。〃

He　bowed　resignedly；　with　a　little　satirical　shrug　of　the　shoulders；　and
asked　if　he　might　offer　me　a　chair。

I　took　a　chair　for　myself；　and　placed　it　so　that　I　might　be　opposite　to
him　when　he　resumed　his　seat。　He　checked　himself　in　the　act　of　sitting
down；　and　looked　towards　the　open　window。

〃Shall　I　throw　away　my　cigar？〃　he　said。

〃Not　on　my　account。　I　have　no　objection　to　smoking。〃

〃Thank　you。〃　He　took　his　chairkeeping　his　face　in　the　partial　obscurity
cast　by　the　shade　of　the　lamp。　After　smoking　for　a　moment；　he　spoke
again；　without　turning　to　look　at　me。　〃May　I　ask　what　your　object　is　in
honoring　me　with　this　visit？〃

〃I　have　two　objects。　The　first　is　to　see　that　you　leave　Dimchurch
to…morrow　morning。　The　second　is　to　make　you　restore　your　brother　to　his
promised　wife。〃

He　looked　round　at　me　quickly。　His　experience　of　my　irritable　temper　had
not　prepared　him　for　the　perfect　composure　of　voice　and　manner　with　which
I　answered　his　question。　He　looked　back　again　from　me　to　his　cigar；　and
knocked　off　the　ash　at　the　tip　of　it　（considering　with　himself）　before　he
addressed　his　next　words　to　me。

〃We　will　come　to　the　question　of　my　leaving　Dimchurch　presently；〃　he
said。　〃Have　you　received　a　letter　from　Oscar？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Have　you　read　it？〃

〃I　have　read　it。〃

〃Then　you　know　that　we　understand　each　other？〃

〃I　know　that　your　brother　has　sacrificed　himselfand　that　you　have　taken
a　base　advantage　of　the　sacrifice。〃

He　started；　and　looked　round　at　me　once　more。　I　saw　that　something　in　my
language；　or　in　my　tone　of　speaking；　had　stung　him。

〃You　have　your　privilege　as　a　lady；〃　he　said。　〃Don't　push　it　too　far。
What　Oscar　has　done；　he　has　done　of　his　own　free　will。〃

〃What　Oscar　has　done；〃　I　rejoined；　〃is　lamentably　foolish；　cruelly　wrong。
Still；　perverted　as　it　is；　there　is　something　generous；　something　noble；
in　the　motive　which　has　led　_him。_　As　for　your　conduct　in　this　matter；　I
see　nothing　but　what　is　mean；　nothing　but　what　is　cowardly；　in　the　motive
which　has　led　_you。_〃

He　started　to　his　feet；　and　flung　his　cigar　into　the　empty　fireplace。

〃Madame　Pratolungo；〃　he　said；　〃I　have　not　the　honor　of　knowing　anything
of　your　family。　I　can't　call　a　woman　to　account　for　insulting　me。　Do　you
happen　to　have　any　_man_　related　to　you；　in　or　out　of　England？〃

〃I　happen　to　have　what　will　do　equally　well　on　this　occasion；〃　I　replied。
〃I　have　a　hearty　contempt　for　threats　of　all　sorts；　and　a　steady
resolution　in　me　to　say　what　I　think。〃

He　walked　to　the　door；　and　opened　it。

〃I　decline　to　give　you　the　opportunity　of　saying　anything　more；〃　he
rejoined。　〃I　beg　to　leave　you　in　possession　of　the　room；　and　to　wish　you
good　evening。〃

He　opened　the　door。　I　had　entered　the　house；　armed　in　my　own　mind　with　a
last　desperate　resolve；　only　to　be　communicated　to　him；　or　to　anybody；　in
the　final　emergency　and　at　the　eleventh　hour。　The　time　had　come　for
saying　what　I　had　hoped　with　my　whole　heart　to　have　left　unsaid。

I　rose　on　my　side；　and　stopped　him　as　he　was　leaving　the　room。

〃Return　to　your　chair　and　your　book；〃　I　said。　〃Our　interview　is　at　an
end。　In　leaving　the　house；　I　have　one　last　word　to　say。　You　are　wasting
your　time　in　remaining　at　Dimchurch。〃

〃I　am　the　best　judge　of　that；〃　he　answered；　making　way　for　me　to　go　out。

〃Pardon　me；　you　are　not　in　a　position　to　judge　at　all。　You　don't　know
what　I　mean　to　do　as　soon　as　I　get　back　to　the　rectory。〃

He　instantly　changed　his　position；　placing　himself　in　the　doorway　so　as
to　prevent　me　from　leaving　the　room。

〃What　do　you　mean　to　do？〃　he　asked；　keeping　his　eyes　attentively　fixed　on
mine。

〃I　mean　to　force　you　to　leave　Dimchurch。〃

He　laughed　insolently。　I　went　on　as　quietly　as　before。　〃You　have
personated　your　brother　to　Lucilla　this　morning；〃　I　said。　〃You　have　done
that；　Mr。　Nugent　Dubourg；　for　the　last　time。〃

〃Have　I？　Who　will　prevent　me　from　doing　it　again？〃

〃I　will。〃

This　time　he　took　it　seriously。

〃You？〃　he　said。　〃How　are　_you_　to　control　me；　if　you　please？〃

〃I　can　c