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time？ You can take any time you pleaseyou can do as you like。〃
〃Give me till the end of the week；〃 I went on。 〃Let me be sure that my
father persists in not answering either your letter or mine。 Though I
_am_ my own mistress； nothing but his silence can justify me in going
away secretly； and being married to you by a stranger。 Don't press me；
Oscar！ It isn't very long to the end of the week。〃
Something seemed to startle himsomething in my voice perhaps which told
him that I was really distressed。 He looked round at me quickly； and
caught me with the tears in my eyes。
〃Don't cry； for God's sake！〃 he said。 〃It shall be as you wish。 Take your
time。 We will say no more about it till the end of the week。〃
He kissed me in a hurried startled way； and gave me his arm to walk back。
〃Grosse is coming to…day；〃 he continued。 〃He mustn't see you looking as
you are looking now。 You must rest and compose yourself。 Come home。〃
I went back with him； feelingoh； so sad and sore at heart！ My last
faint hope of a renewal of my once…pleasant intimacy with Madame
Pratolungo was at an end。 She stood revealed to me now as a woman whom I
ought never to have knowna woman with whom I could never again exchange
a friendly word。 I had lost the companion with whom I had once been so
happy； and I had pained and disappointed Oscar。 My life has never looked
so wretched and so worthless to me as it looked to…day on the pier at
Ramsgate。
He left me at the door； with a gentle encouraging pressure of my hand。
〃I will call again later；〃 he said； 〃and hear what Grosse's report of you
is； before he goes back to London。 Rest； Lucillarest and compose
yourself。〃
A heavy footstep sounded suddenly behind us as he spoke。 We both turned
round。 Time had slipped by more rapidly than we had thought。 There stood
Herr Grosse； just arrived on foot from the railway station。
His first look at me seemed to startle and disappoint him。 His eyes
stared into mine through his spectacles with an expression of surprise
and anxiety which I had never seen in them before。 Then he turned his
head and looked at Oscar with a sudden changea change； unpleasantly
suggestive （to my fancy） of anger or distrust。 Not a word fell from his
lips。 Oscar was left to break the awkward silence。 He spoke to Grosse。
〃I won't disturb you and your patient now；〃 he said。 〃I will come back in
an hour's time。〃
〃No！ you will come in along with me； if you please。 I have something； my
young gentlemans； that I may want to say to you。〃 He spoke with a frown
on his bushy eyebrows； and pointed in a very peremptory manner to the
house…door。
Oscar rang the bell。 At the same moment my aunt； hearing us outside；
appeared on the balcony above the door。
〃Good morning； Mr。 Grosse；〃 she said。 〃I hope you find Lucilla looking
her best。 Only yesterday； I expressed my opinion that she was quite well
again。〃
Grosse took off his hat sulkily to my aunt； and looked back again at
melooked so hard and so long； that he began to confuse me。
〃Your aunt's opinions is not my opinions；〃 he growled； close at my ear。
〃I don't like the looks of you； Miss。 Go in！〃
The servant was waiting for us at the open door。 I went an without making
any answer。 Grosse waited to see Oscar enter the house before him。
Oscar's face darkened as he joined me in the hall。 He looked half angry；
half confused。 Grosse pushed himself roughly between us； and gave me his
arm。 I went up…stairs with him； wondering what it all meant。
CHAPTER THE FORTY…FIFTH
Lucilla's Journal； concluded
_September_ 4th _（continued）。_
ARRIVED in the drawing…room； Grosse placed me in a chair near the window。
He leaned forward； and looked at me close； he drew back； and looked at me
from a distance； he took out his magnifying glass； and had a long stare
through it at my eyes； he felt my pulse； dropped my wrist as if it
disgusted him； and； turning to the window； looked out in grim silence；
without taking the slightest notice of any one in the room。
My aunt was the first person who spoke； under these discouraging
circumstances。
〃Mr。 Grosse！〃 she said sharply。 〃Have you nothing to tell me about your
patient to…day？ Do you find Lucilla〃
He turned suddenly round from the window； and interrupted Miss Batchford
without the slightest ceremony。
〃I find her gone back； back； back！〃 he growled； getting louder and louder
at each repetition of the word。 〃When I sent her here； I said'Keep her
comfortable…easy。' You have not kept her comfortable…easy。 Something has
turned her poor little mind topsy…turvies。 What is it？ Who is it？〃 He
looked fiercely backwards and forwards between Oscar and my auntthen
turned my way； and putting his heavy hands on my shoulders； looked down
at me with an odd angry kind of pity in his face。 〃My childs is
melancholick； my childs is ill；〃 he went on。 〃Where is our goot…dear
Pratolungo？ What did you tell me about her； my little…lofe； when I last
saw you？ You said she had gone aways to see her Papa。 Send a
telegramsand say I want Pratolungo here。〃
At the repetition of Madame Pratolungo's name； Miss Batchford rose to her
feet and stood （apparently） several inches higher than usual。
〃Am I to understand； sir；〃 inquired the old lady； 〃that your
extraordinary language is intended to cast a reproach on my conduct
towards my niece？〃
〃You are to understand this； madam。 In the face of the goot sea…airs；
Miss your niece is fretting herself ill。 I sent her to this place； for to
get a rosy face； for to put on a firm flesh。 How do I find her？ She has
got nothing； she has put on nothingshe is emphatically flabby…pale。 In
this fine airs； she can be flabby…pale but for one reason。 She is
fretting herself about something or anodder。 Is fretting herself goot for
her eyes？ Ho…damn…damn！ it is as bad for her eyes as bad can be。 If you
can do no better than this； take her aways back again。 You are wasting
your moneys in this lodgment here。〃
My aunt addressed herself to me in her grandest manner。
〃You will understand； Lucilla； that it is impossible for me to notice
such language as this in any other way than by leaving the room。 If you
can bring Mr。 Grosse to his senses； inform him that I will receive his
apologies and explanations in writing。〃 Pronouncing these lofty words
with her severest emphasis； Miss Batchford rose another inch； and sailed
majestically out of the room。
Grosse took no notice of the offended lady： he only put his hands in his
pockets； and looked out of window once more。 As the door closed； Oscar
left the corner in which he had seated himself； not over…graciously； when
we entered the room。
〃Am I wanted here？〃 he asked。
Grosse was on the point of answering the question even less amiably than
it had been putwhen I stopped him by a look。 〃I want to speak to you；〃
I whispered in his ear。 He nodded； and； turning sharply to Oscar； put
this question to him：
〃Are you living in the house？〃
〃I am staying at the hotel at the corner。〃
〃Go to the hotel； and wait there till I come to you。〃
Greatly to my surprise； Oscar submitted to be treated in this peremptory
manner。 He took his leave of me silently； and left the room。