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Mr。 Finch did not quite relish being treated like an ordinary mortal； and
being told what he was to do。
〃Compose yourself； Madame Pratolungo；〃 he said。 〃No hysterical activity；
if you please。 This business is in My hands。 Quite needless； ma'am； to
tell Me to look for the packing…case。〃
〃Quite needless；〃 I agreed。 〃I know beforehand the packing…case is gone。〃
That answer instantly set him fussing about the room。 Not a sign of the
case was to be seen。
All doubt in my mind was at an end now。 The two ruffians lounging against
the wall had justified； horribly justified； my worst suspicions of them。
On the arrival of Mrs。 Gootheridge and her brother； we carried him up to
his room。 We laid him on the bed； with his neck…tie off； and his throat
free； and the air blowing over him from the open window。 He showed no
sign yet of coming to his senses。 But still the pulse went faintly on。 No
change was discernible for the worse。
It was useless to hope for the doctor's arrival； before another hour at
least。 I felt the necessity of getting back at once to the rectory； so as
to be able to tell Lucilla （with all needful preparation） the melancholy
truth。 Otherwise； the news of what had happened would get abroad in the
village； and might come to her ears； in the worst possible way； through
one of the servants。 To my infinite relief； Mr。 Finch； when I rose to go；
excused himself from accompanying me。 He had discovered that it was his
duty； as rector； to give the earliest information of the outrage at
Browndown to the legal authorities。 He went his way to the nearest
magistrate。 And I went mineleaving Oscar under the care of Mrs。
Gootheridge and her brotherback to the house。 Mr。 Finch's last words at
parting reminded me； once more； that we had one thing at least to be
thankful for under the circumstancessad as they otherwise were。
〃Most fortunate； Madame Pratolungo； that I was at home。 What would you
have done without me？〃
CHAPTER THE FIFTEENTH
Events at the Bedside
I AM； if you will be so good as to remember； constitutionally
Frenchand； therefore； constitutionally averse to distressing myself； if
I can possibly help it。 For this reason； I really cannot summon courage
to describe what passed between my blind Lucilla and me when I returned
to our pretty sitting…room。 She made me cry at the time； and she would
make me （and perhaps you） cry again now； if I wrote the little melancholy
story of what this tender young creature suffered when I told her my
miserable news。 I won't write it； I am dead against tears。 They affect
the nose； and my nose is my best feature。 Let us use our eyes； my fair
friends； to conquer； not to cry。
Be it enough to say； that when I went back to Browndown； Lucilla went
with me。
I now observed her； for the first time； to be jealous of the eyes of us
happy people who could see。 The instant she entered； she insisted on
being near enough to the bed； to hear us； or to touch us； as we waited on
the injured man。 This was at once followed by her taking the place
occupied by Mrs。 Gootheridge at the bed…head； and herself bathing Oscar's
face and forehead。 She was even jealous of _me；_ when she discovered that
I was moistening the bandages on the wound。 I irritated her into boldly
kissing the poor insensible face in our presence！ The landlady of the
Cross Hands was one of my sort： she took cheerful views of things。 〃Sweet
on himeh； ma'am？〃 she whispered in my ear； 〃we shall have a wedding in
Dimchurch。〃 In presence of these kissings and whisperings； Mrs。
Gootheridge's brother； as the only man present； began to look very
uncomfortable。 This worthy creature belonged to that large and
respectable order of Englishmen； who don't know what to do with their
hands； or how to get out of a room。 I took pity on himhe was； I assure
you； a fine man。 〃Smoke your pipe； sir； in the garden；〃 I said。 〃We will
call to you from the window； if we want you up here。〃 Mrs。 Gootheridge's
brother cast on me one look of unutterable gratitudeand escaped； as if
he had been let out of a trap。
At last； the doctor came。
His first words were an indescribable relief to us。 The skull of our poor
Oscar was not injured。 There was concussion of the brain； and there was a
scalp…woundinflicted evidently with a blunt instrument。 As to the
wound； I had done all that was necessary in the doctor's absence。 As to
the injury to the brain； time and care would put everything right again。
〃Make your minds easy； ladies；〃 said this angel of a man。 〃There is no
reason for feeling the slightest alarm about him。〃
He came to his sensesthat is to say； he opened his eyes and looked
vacantly about himbetween four and five hours after the time when we
had found him on the floor of the workshop。
His mind； poor fellow； was still all astray。 He recognized nobody。 He
imitated the action of writing with his finger； and said very earnestly；
over and over again； 〃Go home； Jicks； go home； go home！〃 fancying himself
（as I suppose）； lying helpless on the floor； and sending the child back
to us to give the alarm。 Later in the night he fell asleep。 All through
the next day； he still wandered in his mind when he spoke。 It was not
till the day after； that he began feebly to recover his reason。 The first
person he recognized was Lucilla。 She was engaged at the moment in
brushing his beautiful chestnut hair。 To her unutterable joy； he patted
her hand； and murmured her name。
She bent over him； and； under cover of the hair…brush； whispered
something in his ear which made the young fellow's pale face flush； and
his dull eyes brighten with pleasure。 A day or two afterwards； she owned
to me that she had said； 〃Get well； for my sake。〃 She was not in the
least ashamed of having spoken to that plain purpose。 On the contrary；
she triumphed in it。 〃Leave him to me；〃 said Lucilla； in the most
positive manner。 〃I mean first to cure him。 And then I mean to be his
wife。〃
In a week more； he was in complete possession of his facultiesbut still
wretchedly weak； and only gaining ground very slowly after the shock that
he had suffered。
He was now able to tell us； by a little at a time； of what had happened
in the workshop。
After Mrs。 Gootheridge and her daughter had quitted the house at their
usual hour； he had gone up to his room； had remained there some little
time； and had then gone downstairs again。 On approaching the workshop； he
heard voices talking in whispers in the room。 The idea instantly occurred
to him that something was wrong。 He softly tried the door； and found it
lockedthe robbers having no doubt taken that precaution； to prevent
their being surprised at their thieving work by any person in the house。
The one other way of getting into the room； was the way that we had
tried。 He went round to the back garden； and found an empty chaise drawn
up outside the door。 This circumstance thoroughly puzzled him。 But for
the mysterious locking of the workshop door； it would have suggested to
him nothing more alarming than the arrival of some unexpected visitors。
Eager to solve the mystery； he crossed the garden； and； entering the
room； found himself face to face with the same two men