poor miss finch-第6部分

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known　of　this　man。　Now　you　mean　by　thatnothing　which　satisfies　_you。_
He　has　not　dropped　down　from　Heaven；　I　suppose？　The　time　when　he　came
here；　must　be　known。　Also；　whether　he　came　alone；　or　not。　Also；　how　and
where　he　has　found　a　lodging　in　the　village。　Before　I　admit　that　my　guess
is　completely　wrong；　I　want　to　hear　what　general　observation　in　Dimchurch
has　discovered　on　the　subject　of　this　gentleman。　How　long　has　he　been
here？〃

Lucilla　did　not；　at　first；　appear　to　be　much　interested　in　the　purely
practical　view　of　the　question　which　I　had　just　placed　before　her。

〃He　has　been　here　a　week；〃　she　answered　carelessly。

〃Did　he　come；　as　I　came；　over　the　hills？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃With　a　guide；　of　course？〃

Lucilla　suddenly　sat　up　in　her　chair。

〃With　his　brother；〃　she　said。　〃His　_twin_　brother；　Madame　Pratolungo。〃

_I_　sat　up　in　_my_　chair。　The　appearance　of　his　twin…brother　in　the　story
was　a　complication　in　itself。　Two　criminals　escaped　from　the　Assizes；
instead　of　one！

〃How　did　they　find　their　way　here？〃　I　asked　next。

〃Nobody　knows。〃

〃Where　did　they　go　to；　when　they　got　here？〃

〃To　the　Cross…Handsthe　little　public…house　in　the　village。　The　landlord
told　Zillah　he　was　perfectly　astonished　at　the　resemblance　between　them。
It　was　impossible　to　know　which　was　whichit　was　wonderful；　even　for
twins。　They　arrived　early　in　the　day；　when　the　tap…room　was　empty；　and
they　had　a　long　talk　together　in　private。　At　the　end　of　it；　they　rang　for
the　landlord；　and　asked　if　he　had　a　bed…room　to　let　in　the　house。　You
must　have　seen　for　yourself　that　The　Cross…Hands　is　a　mere　beer…shop。　The
landlord　had　a　room　that　he　could　sparea　wretched　place；　not　fit　for　a
gentleman　to　sleep　in。　One　of　the　brothers　took　the　room　for　all　that。〃

〃What　became　of　the　other　brother？〃

〃He　went　away　the　same　dayvery　unwillingly。　The　parting　between　them
was　most　affecting。　The　brother　who　spoke　to　us　to…night　insisted　on
itor　the　other　would　have　refused　to　leave　him。　They　both　shed
tears〃

〃They　did　worse　than　that；〃　said　old　Zillah；　re…entering　the　room　at　the
moment。　〃I　have　made　all　the　doors　and　windows　fast；　downstairs；　he　can't
get　in　now；　my　dear；　if　he　tries。〃

〃What　did　they　do　that　was　worse　than　crying？〃　I　inquired。

〃Kissed　each　other！〃　said　Zillah；　with　a　look　of　profound　disgust。　〃Two
men！　Foreigners；　of　course。〃

〃Our　man　is　no　foreigner；〃　I　said。　〃Did　they　give　themselves　a　name？〃

〃The　landlord　asked　the　one　who　stayed　behind　for　his　name；〃　replied
Lucilla。　〃He　said　it　was　'Dubourg。'　〃

This　confirmed　me　in　my　belief　that　I　had　guessed　right。　〃Dubourg〃　is　as
common　a　name　in　my　country　as　〃Jones〃　or　〃Thompson〃　is　in　Englandjust
the　sort　of　feigned　name　that　a　man　in　difficulties　would　give　among
_us。_　Was　he　a　criminal　countryman　of　mine？　No！　There　had　been　nothing
foreign　in　his　accent　when　he　spoke。　Pure　Englishthere　could　be　no
doubt　of　that。　And　yet　he　had　given　a　French　name。　Had　he　deliberately
insulted　my　nation？　Yes！　Not　content　with　being　stained　by　innumerable
crimes；　he　had　added　to　the　list　of　his　atrocitieshe　had　insulted　my
nation！

〃Well？〃　I　resumed。　〃We　have　left　this　undetected　ruffian　deserted　in　the
public…house。　Is　he　there　still？〃

〃Bless　your　heart！〃　cried　the　old　nurse；　〃he　is　settled　in　the
neighborhood。　He　has　taken　Browndown。〃

I　turned　to　Lucilla。　〃Browndown　belongs　to　Somebody；〃　I　said　hazarding
another　guess。　〃Did　Somebody　let　it　without　a　reference？〃

〃Browndown　belongs　to　a　gentleman　at　Brighton；〃　answered　Lucilla。　〃And
the　gentleman　was　referred　to　a　well…known　name　in　Londonone　of　the
great　City　merchants。　Here　is　the　most　provoking　part　of　the　whole
mystery。　The　merchant　said；　'I　have　known　Mr。　Dubourg　from　his　childhood。
He　has　reasons　for　wishing　to　live　in　the　strictest　retirement。　I　answer
for　his　being　an　honorable　man；　to　whom　you　can　safely　let　your　house。
More　than　this　I　am　not　authorized　to　tell　you。'　My　father　knows　the
landlord　of　Browndown；　and　that　is　what　the　reference　said　to　him；　word
for　word。　Isn't　it　provoking？　The　house　was　let　for　six　months　certain；
the　next　day。　It　is　wretchedly　furnished。　Mr。　Dubourg　has　had　several
things　that　he　wanted　sent　from　Brighton。　Besides　the　furniture；　a
packing…case　from　London　arrived　at　the　house　to…day。　It　was　so　strongly
nailed　up　that　the　carpenter　had　to　be　sent　for　to　open　it。　He　reports
that　the　case　was　full　of　thin　plates　of　gold　and　silver；　and　it　was
accompanied　by　a　box　of　extraordinary　tools；　the　use　of　which　was　a
mystery　to　the　carpenter　himself。　Mr。　Dubourg　locked　up　these　things　in　a
room　at　the　back　of　the　house；　and　put　the　key　in　his　pocket。　He　seemed
to　be　pleasedhe　whistled　a　tune；　and　said；　'Now　we　shall　do！'　The
landlady　at　the　Cross…Hands　is　our　authority　for　this。　She　does　what
little　cooking　he　requires；　and　her　daughter　makes　his　bed；　and　so　on。
They　go　to　him　in　the　morning；　and　return　to　the　inn　in　the　evening。　He
has　no　servant　with　him。　He　is　all　by　himself　at　night。　Isn't　it
interesting？　A　mystery　in　real　life。　It　baffles　everybody。〃

〃You　must　be　very　strange　people；　my　dear；〃　I　said；　〃to　make　a　mystery　of
such　a　plain　case　as　this。〃

〃Plain？〃　repeated　Lucilla；　in　amazement。

〃Certainly！　The　gold　and　silver　plates；　and　the　strange　tools；　and　the
living　in　retirement；　and　the　sending　the　servants　away　at　nightall
point　to　the　same　conclusion。　My　guess　is　the　right　one。　The　man　is　an
escaped　criminal；　and　his　form　of　crime　is　coining　false　money。　He　has
been　discovered　at　Exeterhe　has　escaped　the　officers　of　justiceand　he
is　now　going　to　begin　again　here。　You　can　do　as　you　please。　If　_I_　happen
to　want　change；　I　won't　get　it　in　this　neighborhood。〃

Lucilla　laid　herself　back　in　her　chair　again。　I　could　see　that　she　gave
me　up；　in　the　matter　of　Mr。　Dubourg；　as　a　person　willfully　and
incorrigibly　wrong。

〃A　coiner　of　false　money；　recommended　as　an　honorable　man　by　one　of　the
first　merchants　in　London！〃　she　exclaimed。　〃We　do　some　very　eccentric
things　in　England；　occasionallybut　there　is　a　limit　to　our　national
madness；　Madame　Pratolungo；　and　you　have　reached　it。　Shall　we　have　some
music？〃

She　spoke　a　little　sharply。　Mr。　Dubourg　was　the　hero　of　her　romance。　She
resentedseriously　resentedany　attempt　on　my　part　to　lower　him　in　her
estimation。

I　persisted　in　my　unfavorable　opinion　of　him；　nevertheless。　The　question
between　us　（as　I　might　have　told　her）　was　a　question　of　believing；　or　not
believing；　in　the　merchant　of　London。　To　her　mind；　it　was　a　sufficient
guarantee　of　his　integrity　that　he　was　a　rich　man。　To　my　mind　（speaking
as　a　good　Socialist）；　that　very　circumstance　told　dead　against　him。　A
capitalist　is　a　robber　of　one　sort；　and　a　coiner　is　a　robber　of　another
sort。　Whether　the　capitalist　recommends　the　coiner；　or　the　coiner　the
capitalist；　is　all　one　to　me。　In　either　case　（to　quote　the　language　of　an
excellent　English　play）　the　honest　people　are　the　soft　easy　cushions　on
which　these　knaves　repose　and　fatten。　It　was　on　the　tip　of　my　tongue　to
put　this　large　and　liberal　view　of　the　subject　to　Lucilla。　But　（alas！）　it
was　easy　to　see　that　the　poor　child　was　infected　by　the　narrow　prejudices
of　the　class　amid　which　she　lived。　How　could　I　find　it　in　my　heart　to　run
the　risk　of　a　disagreement　between　us　on　the　first　day？　Noit　was　not　to
be　done。　I　gave　the　nice　pretty　blind　girl　a　kiss。　And　we　went　to　the
piano　together。　And　I　put　off　making　a　good　Socialist　of　Lucilla　till　a
more　convenient　opportunity。

We　might　as　well　have　left　the　piano　unopened。　The　music　was　a　failure。

I　played　my　best。　From　Mozart　to　Beethoven。　From　Beethoven　to　Schubert。
From　Schubert　to　Chopin。　She　listened　with　all　the　will　in　the　world　to
be　pleased。　She　thanked　me　again　and　again。　She　tried；　at　my　invitation；
to　play　herself；　choosing　the　familiar　compositions　which　she　knew　by
ear。　No！　The　abominable　Dubourg；　having　got　the　uppermost　place　in　her
mind；　kept　it。　She　tried；　and　tried；　and　triedand　could　do　nothing。　His
voice　was　still　in　her　earsthe　only　music　which　could　possess　itself　of
her　attention　that　night。　I　took　her　place；　and　began　to　play　again。　She
suddenly　snatched　my　hands　off　the　keys。　〃Is　Zillah　here？〃　she　whispered。
I　told　her　Zillah　had　left　the　room。　She　laid　her　charming　head　on　my
shoulder；　and　sighed　hysterically。　〃I　can't　help　thinking　of　him；〃　she
burst　out。　〃I　am　miserable　for　the　first　time　in　my　lifeno！　I　am　happy
for　the　first　time　in　my　life。　Oh；　what　must　you　think　of　me！　I　don't
know　what　I　am　talking　about。　Why　did　you　encourage　him　to　speak　to　us？　I
might　never　have　heard　his　voice　but　for　you。〃　She　lifted　her　head　again
with　a　little　shiver；　and　composed　herself。　One　of　her　hands　wandered
here　and　there　over　the　keys　of　the　piano；　playing　softly。　〃His　charming
voice！〃　she　whispered　dreamily　while　she　played。　〃Oh；　his　charming
voice！〃　She　paused　again。　Her　hand　dropped　from　the　piano；　and　took　mine。
〃Is　this　love？〃　she　said；　half　to　herself；　half　to　me。

My　duty　as　a　respectable　woman　lay　clearly　before　memy　duty　was　to　tell
her　a　lie。

〃It　is　nothing；　my　dear；　but　too　much　excitement　and　too　much　fatigue；〃　I
said。　〃To…morrow　you　shall　be　my　young　lady　again。　To…night　you　must　be
only　my　child。　Come；　and　let　me　put　you　to　bed。〃

She　yielded　with　a　weary　sigh。　Ah；　how　lovely　she　looked　in　her　pretty
night…dress；　on　her　knees　at　the　bed…sidethe　innocent；　afflicted
creaturesaying　her　prayers！

I　am；　let　me　own；　an　equally　headlong　woman　at　loving　and　hating。　When　I
had　left　her　for　the　night；　I　could　hardly　have　felt　more　tenderly
interested　in　her　if　she　had　been　really　a　child　of　my　own。　You　have　met
with　people　of　my　sortunless　you　are　a　very　forbidding　person
indeedwho　have　talked　to　you　in　the　most　confidential　manner　of　all
their　private　affairs；　on　meeting　you　in　a　railway　carriage；　or　sitting
next　to　you　at　a　table…d'ho^te。　For　myself；　I　believe　I　shall　go　on
running　up　sudden　friendships　with　strangers　to　my　dying　day。　Infamous
Dubourg！　If　I　could　have　got　into　Browndown　that　night；　I　should　have
liked　to　have　done　to　him　what　a　Mexican　maid　of　mine　（at　the　Central
American　period　of　my　career）　did　to　her　drunken　husbandwho　was　a　kind
of