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gesture not to betray his presence。 He had evidently heard what we had
been saying to each other； before I detected himfor he touched his
eyes； and lifted his hands pityingly in allusion to Lucilla's blindness。
Whatever his mood might be； that melancholy discovery must surely have
affected himLucilla's influence over him now； _could_ only be an
influence for good。 I signed to him to remainand told Lucilla that
there was nothing to be alarmed about。 She went on。
〃Oscar left us for London early this morning；〃 she said。 〃Can you guess
what he has gone for？ He has gone to get the Marriage Licensehe has
given notice of the marriage at the church。 My last hope is in you。 In
spite of everything that I can say to him； he has fixed the day for the
twenty…firstin two days more！ I have done all I could to put it off； I
have insisted on every possible delay。 Oh； if you knew！〃 Her rising
agitation stifled her utterance at the moment。 〃I mustn't waste the
precious minutes； I must get back before Oscar returns；〃 she went on；
rallying again。 〃Oh； my old friend； you are never at a loss； you always
know what to do！ Find me some way of putting off my marriage。 Suggest
something which will take them by surprise； and force them to give me
time！〃
I looked towards the lower end of the room。 Listening in breathless
interest； Oscar had noiselessly advanced half…way towards us。 At a sign
from me； he checked himself and came no farther。
〃Do you really mean； Lucilla； that you no longer love him？〃 I said。
〃I can tell you nothing about it；〃 she answered〃except that some
dreadful change has come over me。 While I had my sight； I could partly
account for itI believed that the new sense had made a new being of me。
But now I have lost my sight againnow I am once more what I have been
all my lifestill the same horrible insensibility possesses me。 I have
so little feeling for him； that I sometimes find it hard to persuade
myself that he really _is_ Oscar。 You know how I used to adore him。 You
know how enchanted I should once have been to marry him。 Think of what I
must suffer； feeling towards him as I feel now！〃
I looked up again。 Oscar had stolen nearer； I could see his face plainly。
The good influence of Lucilla was beginning to do its good work！ I saw
the tears rising in his eyes； I saw love and pity taking the place of
hatred and revenge。 The Oscar of my old recollections was standing before
me once more！
〃I don't want to go away；〃 Lucilla went on； 〃I don't want to leave him。
All I ask for； is a little more time。 Time _must_ help me to get back
again to my old self。 My blind days have been the days of my whole life。
Can a few weeks of sight have deprived me of the feelings which have been
growing in me for years？ I won't believe it！ I can find my way about the
house； I can tell things by my touch； I can do all that I did in my
blindness； just as well as ever； now I am blind again。 The feeling for
_him_ will come back to me like the rest。 Only give me time！ only give me
time！〃
At the last word； she started to her feet in sudden alarm。 〃There is some
one in the room；〃 she said。 〃Some one who is crying！ Who is it？〃
Oscar was close to us。 The tears were falling fast over his cheeksthe
one faint sobbing breath which had escaped him had caught my ear as well
as Lucilla's。 I took his hand in one of my hands； and I took Lucilla's
hand in the other。 For good or for evil； the result rested with God's
mercy。 The time had come。
〃Who is it？〃 Lucilla repeated impatiently。
〃Try if you can tell； my love； without asking me。〃
With those words； I put her hand in Oscar's handand stood close；
watching her face。
For one awful moment； when she first felt the familiar touch； the blood
left her cheeks。 Her blind eyes dilated fearfully。 She stood petrified。
Then； with a long low crya cry of breathless raptureshe flung her
arms passionately round his neck。 The life flowed back into her face； her
lovely smile just trembled on her parted lips； her breath came faint and
quick and fluttering。 In soft tones of ecstasy； with her lips on his
cheek； she murmured the delicious words：
〃Oh； Oscar！ I know you once more！〃
CHAPTER THE FIFTIETH
The End of the Journey
A LITTLE interval of time elapsed。
Her first exquisite sense of the recognition by touch had passed away。
Her mind had recovered its balance。 She separated herself from Oscar； and
turned to me； with the one inevitable question which I knew must follow
the joining of their hands。
〃What does it mean？〃
The exposure of Nugent's perfidy； the revelation of the fatal secret of
Oscar's face； and； last not least； the defence of my own conduct towards
her； were all comprehended in the answer for which that question called。
As carefully； as delicately； as mercifully as I could； I disclosed to her
the whole truth。 How the shock affected her； she did not tell me at the
time； and has never told me since。 With her hand in Oscar's hand； with
her face hidden on Oscar's breast； she listened； not once interrupting
me； from first to last； by so much as a single word。 Now and then； I saw
her tremble； now and then I heard her sigh heavily。 That was all。 It was
only when I had endedit was only after a long interval during which
Oscar and I watched her in speechless anxietythat she slowly lifted her
head and broke the silence。
〃Thank God；〃 we heard her say to herself fervently〃Thank God； I am
blind。〃
Those were her first words。 They filled me with horror。 I cried out to
her to recall them。
She quietly laid her head back on Oscar's breast。
〃Why should I recall them？〃 she asked。 〃Do you think I wish to see him
disfigured as he is now？ No！ I wish to see himand I _do_ see him！as
my fancy drew his picture in the first days of our love。 My blindness is
my blessing。 It has given me back my old delightful sensation when I
touch him； it keeps my own beloved image of himthe one image I care
forunchanged and unchangeable。 You _will_ persist in thinking that my
happiness depends on my sight。 I look back with horror at what I suffered
when I had my sightmy one effort is to forget that miserable time。 Oh；
how little you know of me！ Oh； what a shock it would be to me； if I saw
him as you see him！ Try to understand me； and you won't talk of my
lossyou will talk of my gain。〃
〃Your gain？〃 I repeated。 〃What have you gained？〃
〃Happiness；〃 she answered。 〃My life lives in my love。 And my love lives
in my blindness。〃
There was the story of her whole existencetold in two words！
If you had seen her radiant face as she raised it again in the excitement
of speaking； if you had remembered （as I remembered） what her surgeon had
said of the penalty which she must inevitably pay for the recovery of her
sighthow would you have answered her？ It is barely possible； perhaps；
that you might have done what I did。 That is to say： You might have
modestly admitted that she knew what the conditions of her happiness were
better than youand you might not have answered her at all！
I left them to talk together； and took a turn in the room； considering
with myself what we were to do next。
It was not easy to say。 The barren information wh