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persuade her to wait until she had at least heard from her father； by
consenting to take another walk towards Browndown the next morning。 This
new concession satisfied her。 She had received his present； she had
exchanged letters with himthat was enough to content her for the time。
〃Do you think he is getting fond of me？〃 she asked； the last thing at
night； taking her gold vase to bed with her； poor dearexactly as she
might have taken a new toy to bed with her when she was a child。 〃Give
him time； my love；〃 I answered。 〃It isn't everybody who can travel at
your pace in such a serious matter as this。〃 My banter had no effect upon
her。 〃Go away with your candle；〃 she said。 〃The darkness makes no
difference to _me。_ I can see him in my thoughts。〃 She nestled her head
comfortably on the pillows； and tapped me saucily on the cheek； as I bent
over her。 〃Own the advantage I have over you now；〃 she said。 〃_You_ can't
see at night without your candle。 _I_ could go all over the house； at
this moment； without making a false step anywhere。〃
When I left her that night； I sincerely believe 〃poor Miss Finch〃 was the
happiest woman in England。
CHAPTER THE TWELFTH
Mr。 Finch smells Money
A DOMESTIC alarm deferred for some hours our proposed walk to Browndown。
The old nurse； Zillah； was taken ill in the night。 She was so little
relieved by such remedies as we were able to apply； that it became
necessary to summon the doctor in the morning。 He lived at some distance
from Dimchurch； and he had to send back to his own house for the
medicines required。 As a necessary result of these delays； it was close
on one o'clock in the afternoon before the medical remedies had their
effect； and the nurse was sufficiently recovered to permit of our leaving
her in the servant's care。
We had dressed for our walk （Lucilla being ready long before I was）； and
had got as far as the garden gate on our way to Browndownwhen we heard；
on the other side of the wall； a man's voice； pitched in superbly deep
bass tones； pronouncing these words：
〃Believe me； my dear sir； there is not the least difficulty。 I have only
to send the cheque to my bankers at Brighton。〃
Lucilla started； and caught hold of me by the arm。
〃My father！〃 she exclaimed in the utmost astonishment。 〃Who is he talking
to？〃
The key of the gate was in my possession。 〃What a grand voice your father
has got！〃 I said； as I took the key out of my pocket。 I opened the gate。
There； confronting us on the threshold； arm in arm； as if they had known
each other from childhood； stood Lucilla's father； andOscar Dubourg！
Reverend Finch opened the proceedings by folding his daughter
affectionately in his arms。
〃My dear child！〃 he said； 〃I received your letteryour most interesting
letterthis morning。 The moment I read it I felt that I owed a duty to
Mr。 Dubourg。 As pastor of Dimchurch； it was clearly incumbent on me to
comfort a brother in affliction。 I really felt； so to speak； a longing to
hold out the right hand of friendship to this sorely…tried man。 I
borrowed my friend's carriage； and drove straight to Browndown。 We have
had a long and cordial talk。 I have brought Mr。 Dubourg home with me。 He
must be one of us。 My dear child； Mr。 Dubourg must be one of us。 Let me
introduce you。 My eldest daughterMr。 Dubourg。〃
He performed the ceremony of presentation； with the most impenetrable
gravity； as if he really believed that Oscar and his daughter now met
each other for the first time！
Never had I set my eyes on a meaner…looking man than this rector。 In
height he barely reached up to my shoulder。 In substance； he was so
miserably lean that he looked the living picture of starvation。 He would
have made his fortune in the streets of London； if he had only gone out
and shown himself to the public in ragged clothes。 His face was deeply
pitted with the small…pox。 His short grisly hair stood up stiff and
straight on his head like hair fixed in a broom。 His small whitish…grey
eyes had a restless； inquisitive； hungry look in them； indescribably
irritating and uncomfortable to see。 The one personal distinction he
possessed consisted in his magnificent bass voicea voice which had no
sort of right to exist in the person who used it。 Until one became
accustomed to the contrast； there was something perfectly unbearable in
hearing those superb big tones come out of that contemptible little body。
The famous Latin phrase conveys； after all； the best description I can
give of Reverend Finch。 He was in very truthVoice； and nothing else。
〃Madame Pratolungo； no doubt？〃 he went on； turning to me。 〃Delighted to
make the acquaintance of my daughter's judicious companion and friend。
You must be one of uslike Mr。 Dubourg。 Let me introduce you。 Madame
PratolungoMr。 Dubourg。 This is the old side of the rectory； my dear
sir。 We had it put in repairlet me see： how long since？we had it put
in repair just after Mrs。 Finch's last confinement but one。〃 （I soon
discovered that Mr。 Finch reckoned time by his wife's confinements。） 〃You
will find it very curious and interesting inside。 Lucilla； my child！ （It
has pleased Providence； Mr。 Dubourg； to afflict my daughter with
blindness。 Inscrutable Providence！） Lucilla； this is your side of the
house。 Take Mr。 Dubourg's arm； and lead the way。 Do the honors； my child。
Madame Pratolungo； let me offer you my arm。 I regret that I was not
present； when you arrived； to welcome you at the rectory。 Consider
yourselfdo pray consider yourselfone of us。〃 He stopped； and lowered
his prodigious voice to a confidential growl。 〃Delightful person； Mr。
Dubourg。 I can't tell you how pleased I am with him。 And what a sad
story！ Cultivate Mr。 Dubourg； my dear madam。 As a favor to Mecultivate
Mr。 Dubourg！〃
He said this with an appearance of the deepest anxietyand more； he
emphasized it by affectionately squeezing my hand。
I have met with a great many audacious people in my time。 But the
audacity of Reverend Finchpersisting to our faces in the assumption
that he had been the first to discover our neighbor； and that Lucilla and
I were perfectly incapable of understanding and appreciating Oscar；
unassisted by himwas entirely without a parallel in my experience。 I
asked myself what his conduct in this matterso entirely unexpected by
Lucilla； as well as by mecould possibly mean。 My knowledge of his
character； obtained through his daughter； and my memory of what we heard
him say on the other side of the wall； suggested that his conduct might
meanMoney。
We assembled in the sitting…room。
The only person among us who was quite at his ease was Mr。 Finch。 He
never let his daughter and his guest alone for a single moment。 〃My
child； show Mr。 Dubourg this； show Mr。 Dubourg that。 Mr。 Dubourg； my
daughter possesses this； my daughter possesses that。〃 So he went on； all
round the room。 Oscar appeared to feel a little daunted by the
overwhelming attentions of his new friend。 Lucilla was； as I could see；
secretly irritated at finding herself authorized by her father to pay
those attentions to Oscar which she would have preferred offering to him
of her own accord。 As for me； I was already beginning to weary of the
p