poor miss finch-第14部分

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〃My　first　note　to　him　must　be　all　written　by　me；〃　she　said。　〃I　can
writein　my　own　roundabout　way。　It's　long　and　tiresome；　but　still　I　can
do　it。　Come　and　see。〃

She　led　the　way　to　a　writing…table　in　a　corner　of　the　room；　and　sat　for
awhile　with　the　pen　in　her　hand；　thinking。　Her　irresistible　smile　broke
suddenly　like　a　glow　of　light　over　her　〃Ah！〃　she　exclaimed；　〃I　know　how
to　tell　him　what　I　think。〃

Guiding　the　pen　in　her　right　hand　with　the　fingers　of　her　left　she　wrote
slowly；　in　large　childish　characters；　these　words：DEAR　MR。　OSCAR；I
have　heard　all　about　you。　Please　send　the　little　gold　vase。Your　friend；
LUCILLA。〃

She　enclosed　and　directed　the　letter；　and　clapped　her　hands　for　joy。　〃He
will　know　what　_that_　means！〃　she　said　gaily。

It　was　useless　to　attempt　making　a　second　remonstrance。　I　rang　the　bell；
under　protest　（imagine　her　receiving　a　present　from　a　gentleman　to　whom
she　had　spoken　for　the　first　time　that　morning！）and　the　groom　was　sent
off　to　Browndown　with　the　letter。　In　making　this　concession；　I　privately
said　to　myself；　〃I　shall　keep　a　tight　hand　over　Oscar；　he　is　the
manageable　person　of　the　two！〃

The　interval　before　the　return　of　the　groom　was　not　an　easy　interval　to
fill　up。　I　proposed　some　music。　Lucilla　was　still　too　full　of　her　new
interest　to　be　able　to　give　her　attention　to　anything　else。　She　suddenly
remembered　that　her　father　and　her　step…mother　ought　both　to　be　informed
that　Mr。　Dubourg　was　a　perfectly　presentable　person　at　the　rectory：　she
decided　on　writing　to　her　father。

On　this　occasion；　she　made　no　difficulty　about　permitting　me　to　hold　the
pen；　while　she　told　me　what　to　write。　We　produced　between　us　rather　a
flighty；　enthusiastic；　high…flown　sort　of　letter。　I　felt　by　no　means　sure
that　we　should　raise　a　favorable　impression　of　our　new　neighbor　in　the
mind　of　Reverend　Finch。　That　was；　however；　not　my　affair。　I　appeared　to
excellent　advantage　in　the　matter；　as　the　judicious　foreign　lady　who　had
insisted　on　making　inquiries。　For　the　rest；　it　was　a　point　of　honor　with
mewriting　for　a　person　who　was　blindnot　to　change　a　single　word　in
the　sentences　which　Lucilla　dictated　to　me。　The　letter　completed；　I　wrote
the　address　of　the　house　in　Brighton　at　which　Mr。　Finch　then　happened　to
be　staying；　and　I　was　next　about　to　close　the　envelope　in　due
coursewhen　Lucilla　stopped　me。

〃Wait　a　little；〃　she　said。　〃Don't　close　the　letter　yet。〃

I　wondered　why　the　envelope　was　to　be　left　open；　and　why　Lucilla　looked　a
little　confused　when　she　forbade　me　to　close　it。　Another　unexpected
revelation　of　the　influence　of　their　affliction　on　the　natures　of　the
blind；　was　waiting　to　enlighten　me　on　those　two　points。

After　consultation　between　us；　it　had　been　decided；　at　Lucilla's　express
request；　that　I　should　inform　Mrs。　Finch　that　the　mystery　at　Browndown
was　now　cleared　up。　Lucilla　openly　owned　to　having　no　great　relish　for
the　society　of　her　step…mother；　or　for　the　duty　invariably　devolving　on
anybody　who　was　long　in　the　company　of　that　fertile　lady；　of　either
finding　her　handkerchief　or　holding　her　baby。　A　duplicate　key　of　the　door
of　communication　between　the　two　sides　of　the　house　was　given　to　me；　and
I　left　the　room。

Before　performing　my　errand；　I　went　for　a　minute　into　my　bedchamber　to
put　away　my　hat　and　parasol。　Returning　into　the　corridor；　and　passing　the
door　of　the　sitting…room；　I　found　that　it　had　been　left　ajar　by　some　one
who　had　entered　after　I　had　left；　and　I　heard　Lucilla's　voice　say；　〃Take
that　letter　out　of　the　envelope；　and　read　it　to　me。〃

I　pursued　my　way　along　the　passagevery　slowly；　I　ownand　I　heard　the
first　sentences　of　the　letter　which　I　had　written　under　Lucilla's
dictation；　read　aloud　to　her　in　the　old　nurse's　voice。　The　incurable
suspicion　of　the　blindalways　abandoned　to　the　same　melancholy　distrust
of　the　persons　about　them；　always　doubting　whether　some　deceit　is　not
being　practiced　on　them　by　the　happy　people　who　can　seehad　urged
Lucilla；　even　in　the　trifling　matter　of　the　letter；　to　put　me　to　the
test；　behind　my　back。　She　was　using　Zillah's　eyes　to　make　sure　that　I　had
really　written　all　that　she　had　dictated　to　meexactly　as；　on　many　an
after　occasion；　she　used　my　eyes　to　make　sure　of　Zillah's　complete
performance　of　tasks　allotted　to　her　in　the　house。　No　experience　of　the
faithful　devotion　of　those　who　live　with　them　ever　thoroughly　satisfies
the　blind。　Ah；　poor　things；　always　in　the　dark！　always　in　the　dark！

In　opening　the　door　of　communication；　it　appeared　as　if　I　had　also　opened
all　the　doors　of　all　the　bedchambers　in　the　rectory。　The　moment　I　stepped
into　the　passage；　out　popped　the　children　from　one　room　after　another；
like　rabbits　out　of　their　burrows。

〃Where　is　your　mamma？〃　I　asked。

The　rabbits　answered　by　one　universal　shriek；　and　popped　back　again　into
their　burrows。

I　went　down　the　stairs　to　try　my　luck　on　the　ground　floor。　The　window　on
the　landing　had　a　view　over　the　front　garden。　I　looked　out；　and　saw　the
irrepressible　Arab　of　the　family；　our　small　chubby　Jicks；　wandering　in
the　garden；　all　by　herself；　evidently　on　the　watch　for　her　next
opportunity　of　escaping　from　the　house。　This　curious　little　creature
cared　nothing　for　the　society　of　the　other　children。　Indoors；　she　sat
gravely　retired　in　corners；　taking　her　meals　（whenever　she　could）　on　the
floor。　Out　of　doors；　she　roamed　till　she　could　walk　no　longer；　and　then
lay　down　anywhere；　like　a　little　animal；　to　sleep。　She　happened　to　look
up　as　I　stood　at　the　window。　Seeing　me；　she　waved　her　hand　indicatively
in　the　direction　of　the　rectory　gate。　〃What　is　it？〃　I　asked。　The　Arab
answered；　〃Jicks　wants　to　get　out。〃

At　the　same　moment；　the　screaming　of　a　baby　below；　informed　me　that　I　was
in　the　near　neighborhood　of　Mrs。　Finch。

I　advanced　towards　the　noise；　and　found　myself　standing　before　the　open
door　of　a　large　store…room　at　the　extreme　end　of　the　passage。　In　the
middle　of　the　room　（issuing　household　commodities　to　the　cook）　sat　Mrs。
Finch。　She　was　robed　this　time　in　a　petticoat　and　a　shawl；　and　she　had
the　baby　and　the　novel　laid　together　flat　on　their　backs　in　her　lap。

〃Eight　pounds　of　soap？　Where　does　it　all　go　to　I　wonder！〃　groaned　Mrs。
Finch　to　the　accompaniment　of　the　baby's　screams。　〃Five　pounds　of　soda
for　the　laundry？　One　would　think　we　did　the　washing　for　the　whole
village。　Six　pounds　of　candles？　You　must　eat　candles；　like　the　Russians：
who　ever　heard　of　burning　six　pounds　of　candles　in　a　week？　Ten　pounds　of
sugar？　Who　gets　it　all？　I　never　taste　sugar　from　one　year's　end　to
another。　Waste；　nothing　but　waste。〃　Here　Mrs。　Finch　looked　my　way；　and
saw　me　at　the　door。　〃Oh？　Madame　Pratolungo？　How　d'ye　do？　Don't　go
awayI've　just　done。　A　bottle　of　blacking？　My　shoes　are　a　disgrace　to
the　house。　Five　pounds　of　rice？　If　I　had　Indian　servants；　five　pounds　of
rice　would　last　them　for　a　year。　There！　take　the　things　away　into　the
kitchen。　Excuse　my　dress；　Madame　Pratolungo。　How　_am_　I　to　dress；　with
all　I　have　got　to　do？　What　do　you　say？　My　time　must　indeed　be　fully
occupied？　Ah；　that's　just　where　it　is！　When　you　have　lost　half　an　hour　in
the　morning；　and　can't　pick　it　up　againto　say　nothing　of　having　the
store…room　on　your　mind；　and　the　children's　dinner　late；　and　the　baby
fractiousone　slips　on　a　petticoat　and　a　shawl；　and　gives　it　up　in
despair。　What　_can_　I　have　done　with　my　handkerchief？　Would　you　mind
looking　among　those　bottles　behind　you？　Oh；　here　it　is；　under　the　baby。
Might　I　trouble　you　to　hold　my　book　for　one　moment？　I　think　the　baby　will
be　quieter　if　I　put　him　the　other　way。〃　Here　Mrs。　Finch　turned　the　baby
over　on　his　stomach；　and　patted　him　briskly　on　the　back。　At　this　change
in　his　circumstances；　the　unappeasable　infant　only　roared　louder　than
ever。　His　mother　appeared　to　be　perfectly　unaffected　by　the　noise。　This
resigned　domestic　martyr　looked　placidly　up　at　me；　as　I　stood　before　her；
bewildered；　with　the　novel　in　my　hand。　〃Ah；　that's　a　very　interesting
story；〃　she　went　on。　〃Plenty　of　love　in　it；　you　know。　You　have　come　for
it；　haven't　you？　I　remember　I　promised　to　lend　it　to　you　yesterday。〃
Before　I　could　answer　the　cook　appeared　again；　in　search　of　more
household　commodities。　Mrs。　Finch　repeated　the　woman's　demands；　one　by
one　as　she　made　them；　in　tones　of　despair。　〃Another　bottle　of　vinegar？　I
believe　you　water　the　garden　with　vinegar！　More　starch？　The　Queen's
washing；　I'm　firmly　persuaded；　doesn't　come　to　so　much　as　ours。
Sandpaper？　Sandpaper　means　wastepaper　in　this　profligate　house。　I　shall
tell　your　master。　I　really　_can_　NOT　make　the　housekeeping　money　last　at
this　rate。　Don't　go；　Madame　Pratolungo！　I　shall　have　done　directly。　What！
You　must　go！　Oh；　then；　put　the　book　back　on　my　lap；　pleaseand　look
behind　that　sack　of　flour。　The　first　volume　slipped　down　there　this
morning；　and　I　haven't　had　time　to　pick　it　up　since。　（Sandpaper！　Do　you
think　I'm　made　of　sandpaper！）　Have　you　found　the　first　volume？　Ah；　that's
it。　All　over　flour！　there's　a　hole　in　the　sack　I　suppose。　Twelve　sheets
of　sandpaper　used　in　a　week！　What　for？　I　defy　any　of　you　to　tell　me　what
for。　Waste！　waste！　shameful　sinful　waste！〃　At　this　point　in　Mrs。　Finch's
lamentations；　I　made　my　escape　with　the　book；　and　left　the　subject　of
Oscar　Dubourg　to　be　introduced　at　a　fitter　opportunity。　The　last　words　I
heard；　through　the　screams　of　the　baby；　as　I　ascended　the　stairs；　were
words　still　relating　to　the　week's　prodigal　consumption　of　sandpaper。　Let
us　drop　a　tear；　if　you　please；　over　the　woes　of　Mrs。　Finch；　and　leave　the
British　matron　apostrophizing　domestic　economy　in　the　odorous　seclusion
of　her　own　storeroom。

I　had　just　related　to　Lucilla　the　failure　of　my　expedition　to　the　other
side　of　the　house；　when　the　groom　returned；　bringing　with　him　the　gold
vase；　and　a　letter。

Oscar's　answer　was　judiciously　modeled　to　imitate　the　brevity　of
Lucilla's　note。　〃You　have　made　me　a　happy　man　again。　When　may　I　follow
the　vase？〃　There；　in　two　sentences；　was　the　whole　letter。

I　had　another　discussion　with　Lucilla；　relating　to　the　propriety　of　our
receiving　Oscar　in　Reverend　Finch's　absence。　It　was　only　possible　to
persuade　her　to　wait　until　she　had　at　least　heard　from　her　father；　by
consenti