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with myself what we were to do next。
It was not easy to say。 The barren information which I had received from
my darling was all the information that I possessed。 Nugent had
unflinchingly carried his cruel deception to its end。 He had falsely
given notice of his marriage at the church； in his brother's name； and he
was now in London； falsely obtaining his Marriage License； in his
brother's name also。 So much I knew of his proceedingsand no more。
While I was still pondering； Lucilla cut the Gordian knot。
〃Why are we stopping here？〃 she asked。 〃Let us goand never return to
this hateful place again！〃
As she rose to her feet； we were startled by a soft knock at the door。
I answered the knock。 The woman who had brought Lucilla to the hotel
appeared once more。 She seemed to be afraid to venture far from the door。
Standing just inside the room； she looked nervously at Lucilla； and said；
〃Can I speak to you； Miss？〃
〃You can say anything you like； before this lady and gentleman；〃 Lucilla
answered。 〃What is it？〃
〃I'm afraid we have been followed； Miss。〃
〃Followed？ By whom？〃
〃By the lady's maid。 I saw her； a little while since； looking up at the
hoteland then she went back in a hurry on the way to the houseand
that's not the worse of it； Miss。〃
〃What else has happened？〃
〃We have made a mistake about the railway；〃 said the woman。 〃There's a
train from London that we didn't notice in the timetable。 They tell me
down…stairs it came in more than a quarter of an hour ago。 Please to come
back； Missor I fear we shall be found out。〃
〃You can go back at once； Jane；〃 said Lucilla。
〃By myself？〃
〃Yes。 Thank you for bringing me herehere I remain。〃
She had barely taken her seat again between Oscar and me； before the door
was softly opened from the outside。 A long thin nervous hand stole in
through the opening； took the servant by the arm； and drew her out into
the passage。 In her place； a man entered the room with his hat on。 The
man was Nugent Dubourg。
He stopped where the servant had stopped。 He looked at Lucilla； he looked
at his brother； he looked at me。
Not a word fell from him。 There he stood； fronting the friend whom he had
calumniated and the brother whom he had betrayed。 There he stoodwith
his eyes fixed on Lucilla； sitting between usknowing that it was all
over； knowing that the woman for whom he had degraded himself； was a
woman parted from him for ever。 There he stood； in the hell of his own
makingand devoured his torture in silence。
On his brother's appearance； Oscar had risen； and had raised Lucilla with
him。 He now advanced a step towards Nugent； still holding to him his
betrothed wife。
I followed them； eagerly watching his face。 There was no fear in me now
of what he might do。 Lucilla's blessed influence had found； and cast out；
the lurking demon that had been hidden in him。 With a mind attentive but
not alarmed； I waited to see how he would meet the emergency that
confronted him。
〃Nugent！〃 he said； very quietly。
Nugent's head droopedhe made no answer。
Lucilla； hearing Oscar pronounce the name； instantly understood what had
happened。 She shuddered with horror。 Oscar gently placed her in my arms；
and advanced again alone towards his brother。 His face expressed the
struggle in him of some subtly…mingling influences of love and anguish；
of sorrow and shame。 He recalled to me in the strangest manner my past
experience of him； when he had first trusted me with the story of the
Trial； and when he had told me that Nugent was the good angel of his
life。
He went up to the place at which his brother was standing。 In the simple；
boyish way； so familiar to me in the bygone time； he laid his hand on his
brother's arm。
〃Nugent！〃 he said。 〃Are you the same dear good brother who saved me from
dying on the scaffold； and who cheered my hard life afterwards？ Are you
the same bright； clever； noble fellow that I was always so fond of； and
so proud of？〃
He paused； and removed his brother's hat。 With careful； caressing hand；
he parted his brother's ruffled hair over the forehead。 Nugent's head
sank lower。 His face was distorted； his hands were clenched； in the dumb
agony of remembrance which that tender voice and that kind hand had set
loose in him。 Oscar gave him time to recover himself： Oscar spoke next to
me。
〃You know Nugent；〃 he said。 〃You remember when we first met； my telling
you that Nugent was an angel？ You saw for yourself； when he came to
Dimchurch； how kindly he helped me； how faithfully he kept my secrets；
what a true friend he was。 Look at himand you will feel； as I do； that
we have misunderstood and misinterpreted him； in some monstrous way。〃 He
turned again to Nugent。 〃I daren't tell you；〃 he went on； 〃what I have
heard about you； and what I have believed about you； and what vile
unbrotherly thoughts I have had of being revenged on you。 Thank God； they
are gone！ My dear fellow； I look back at themnow I see youas I might
look back at a horrible dream。 How _can_ I see you； Nugent； and believe
that you have been false to me？ You； a villain who has tried to rob poor
Me of the only woman in the world who cares for me！ You； so handsome and
so popular； who may marry any woman you like！ It can't be。 You have
drifted innocently into some false position without knowing it。 Defend
yourself。 No。 Let me defend you。 You shan't humble yourself to anybody。
Tell me how you have really acted towards Lucilla； and towards meand
leave it to your brother to set you right with everybody。 Come； Nugent！
lift up your headand tell me what I shall say。〃
Nugent lifted his head； and looked at Oscar。
Ghastly as his face was； I saw something in his eyes； when he first fixed
them on his brother； which again reminded me of past daysthe days when
he had joined us at Dimchurch； and when he used to talk of 〃poor Oscar〃
in the tender； light…hearted way that first won me。 I thought once more
of the memorable night…interview between us at Browndown； when Oscar had
left England。 Again； I called to mind the signs which had told of the
nobler nature of the man pleading with him。 Again； I remembered the
remorse which had moved him to tearsthe effort he had made in my
presence to atone for past misdoing； and to struggle for the last time
against the guilty passion that possessed him。 Was the nature which could
feel that remorse utterly depraved？ Was the man who had made that
effortthe last of many that had gone before itirredeemably bad？
〃Wait！〃 I whispered to Lucilla； trembling and weeping in my arms。 〃He
will deserve our sympathy； he will win our pardon and our pity yet！〃
〃Come！〃 Oscar repeated。 〃Tell me what I shall say。〃
Nugent drew from his pocket a sheet of paper with writing on it。
〃Say；〃 he answered； 〃that I gave notice of your marriage at the church
here…and that I went to London and got you _this。_〃
He handed the sheet of paper to his brother。 It was the Marriage License；
taken out in his brother's name。
〃Be happy； Oscar；〃 he added。 〃_You_ deserve it。〃
He threw one arm in his old easy protecting way round his brother。 His
hand； as he did this； touched the breast…pocket of Oscar's coat。 Before
it wa