按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
monthhow soon； if you please； can they be lawfully married after that？〃
〃I presume you mean in church？〃 said the young clergyman。
〃In church； of course。〃 （To that extent I believed I might answer for
Lucilla； without any fear of making a mistake。）
〃They may be married by License；〃 said the clergyman〃provided one of
them continues to reside in that other place to which they traveled on
the fifthon the twenty…first； or （possibly） even the twentieth of this
month。〃
〃Not before？〃
〃Certainly not before。〃
It was then the night of the seventeenth。 I gave my companion's hand a
little squeeze in the dark。 Here was a glimpse of encouragement to cheer
us on the journey。 Before the marriage could take place； we should be in
England。 〃We have time before us；〃 I whispered to Oscar。 〃We will save
Lucilla yet。〃
〃Shall we find Lucilla？〃 was all he whispered back。
I had forgotten that serious difficulty。 No answer to Oscar's question
could possibly present itself until we reached the rectory。 Between this
and then； there was nothing for it but to keep patience and to keep hope。
I refrain from encumbering this part of my narrative with any detailed
account of the little accidents； lucky and unlucky； which alternately
hastened or retarded our journey home。 Let me only say that； before
midnight on the eighteenth； Oscar and I drove up to the rectory gate。
Mr。 Finch himself came out to receive us； with a lamp in his hand。 He
lifted his eyes （and his lamp） devotionally to the sky when he saw Oscar。
The two first words he said； were：
〃Inscrutable Providence！〃
〃Have you found Lucilla？〃 I asked。
Mr。 Finchwith his whole attention fixed on Oscarwrung my hand
mechanically； and said I was a 〃good creature；〃 much as he might have
patted； and spoken to； Oscar's companion； if the companion had been a
dog。 I almost wished myself that animal for the momentI should have had
the privilege of biting Mr。 Finch。 Oscar impatiently repeated my
question； the rector； at the time； officiously assisting him to descend
from the carriage； and leaving me to get out as I could。
〃Did you hear Madame Pratolungo？〃 Oscar asked。 〃Is Lucilla found？〃
〃Dear Oscar； we hope to find her； now you have come。〃
That answer revealed to me the secret of Mr。 Finch's extraordinary
politeness to his young friend。 The last chance； as things were； of
preventing Lucilla's marriage to a man who had squandered away every
farthing of his money； was the chance of Oscar's arrival in England
before the ceremony could take place。 The measure of Oscar's importance
to Mr。 Finch was now； more literally than ever； the measure of Oscar's
fortune。
I asked for news of Grosse as we went in。 The rector actually found some
comparatively high notes in his prodigious voice； to express his
amazement at my audacity in speaking to him of anybody but Oscar。
〃Oh； dear； dear me！〃 cried Mr。 Finch； impatiently conceding to me one
precious moment of his attention。 〃Don't bother about Grosse！ Grosse is
ill in London。 There is a note for you from Grosse。Take care of the
door…step； dear Oscar；〃 he went on； in his deepest and gravest bass
notes。 〃Mrs。 Finch is so anxious to see you。 We have both looked forward
to your arrival with such eager hopesuch impatient affection； so to
speak。 Let me put down your hat。 Ah！ how you must have suffered！ Share my
trust in an all…wise Providence； and meet this trial with cheerful
submission as I do。 All is not lost yet。 Bear up！ bear up！〃 He threw open
the parlor door。 〃Mrs。 Finch！ compose yourself。 Our dear adopted son。 Our
afflicted Oscar！〃
Is it necessary to say what Mrs。 Finch was about； and how Mrs。 Finch
looked？
There were the three unchangeable institutionsthe novel； the baby； and
the missing pocket…handkerchief There was the gaudy jacket over the long
trailing dressing…gownand the damp lady inside them； damp as ever！
Receiving Oscar with a mouth drawn down at the corners； and a head that
shook sadly in sympathy with him； Mrs。 Finch's face underwent a most
extraordinary transformation when she turned my way next。 To my
astonishment； her dim eyes actually sparkled； a broad smile of
irrepressible contentment showed itself cunningly to _me；_ in place of
the dismal expression which had welcomed Oscar。 Holding up the baby in
triumph； the lady of the rectory whispered these words in my ear：〃What
do you think he has done since you have been away？〃
〃I really don't know；〃 I answered。
〃He has cut two teeth！ Put your finger in and feel。〃
Others might bewail the family misfortune。 The family triumph filled the
secret mind of Mrs。 Finch； to the exclusion of every other earthly
consideration。 I put my finger in as instructed； and got instantly bitten
by the ferocious baby。 But for a new outburst of the rector's voice at
the moment； Mrs。 Finch （if I am any judge of physiognomy） must have
certainly relieved herself by a scream of delight。 As it was； she opened
her mouth； and （having lost her handkerchief as already stated） retired
into a corner； and gagged herself with the baby。
In the meantime； Mr。 Finch had produced from a cupboard near the
fireplace； two letters。 The first he threw down impatiently on the table。
〃Oh； dear； dear！ what a nuisance other people's letters are！〃 The second
he handled with extraordinary care； offering it to Oscar with a heavy
sigh； and with eyes that turned up martyr…like to the ceiling。 〃Rouse
yourself； and read it；〃 said Mr。 Finch in his most pathetic pulpit tones。
〃I would have spared you； Oscar； if I could。 All our hopes depend； dear
boy； on what you can say to guide us when you have read those lines。〃
Oscar took the enclosure out of the enveloperan over the first
wordsglanced at the signatureand； with a look of mingled rage and
horror； threw the letter on the floor。
〃Don't ask me to read it！〃 he cried； in the first burst of passion which
had escaped him yet。 〃If I read it； I shall kill him when we meet。〃 He
dropped into a chair； and hid his face in his hands。 〃Oh； Nugent！ Nugent！
Nugent！〃 he moaned to himself； with a cry that was dreadful to hear。
It was no time for standing on ceremony。 I picked up the letter； and
looked at it without asking leave。 It proved to be the letter from Nugent
（already inserted at the close of Lucilla's Journal）； informing Miss
Batchford of her niece's flight from Ramsgate； and signed in Oscar's
name。 The only words which it is necessary to repeat here； are
these：〃She accompanies me； at my express request； to the house of a
married lady who is a relative of mine； and under whose care she will
remain； until the time arrives for our marriage。〃
Those lines instantly lightened my heart of the burden that had oppressed
it on the journey。 Nugent's married relative was Oscar's married relative
too。 Oscar had only to tell us where the lady livedand Lucilla would be
found！
I stopped Mr。 Finch； in the act of maddening Oscar by administering
pastoral consolation to him。
〃Leave it to me；〃 I said； showing him the letter。 〃I know what you want。〃
The rector stared at me indignantly。 I turned to Mrs。 Finch。
〃We have had a weary journey；〃 I went on。 〃Oscar is not so well used to
traveling