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voice； Lucilla was effectually silencedthe subject was inevitably
changed。 Oscar drew me aside out of hearing； while her attention was
diverted from him。
〃I saw you；〃 he said。 〃_You_ were horrified at the first sight of me。
_You_ were relieved when you found that her touch told her nothing。 Help
me to keep her from suspecting it； for two months moreand you will be
the best friend that ever man had。〃
〃Two months？〃 I repeated。
〃Yes。 If there is no return of the fits in two months； the doctor will
consider my recovery complete。 Lucilla and I may be married at the end of
the time。〃
〃My friend Oscar； are you contemplating a fraud on Lucilla？〃
〃What do you mean？〃
〃Come！ come！ you know what I mean！ Is it honorable first to entrap her
into marrying youand then to confess to her the color of your face？〃
He sighed bitterly。
〃I shall fill her with horror of me； if I confess it。 Look at me！ look at
me！〃 he said； lifting his ghastly hands in despair to his blue face。
I was determined not to give wayeven to that。
〃Be a man！〃 I said。 〃Own it boldly。 What is she going to marry you for？
For your face that she can never see？ No！ For your heart that is one with
her own。 Trust to her natural good senseand； better than that； to the
devoted love that you have inspired in her。 She will see her stupid
prejudice in its true light； when she feels it trying to part her from
_you。_〃
〃No！ no！ no！ Remember her letter to her father。 I shall lose her for
ever； if I tell her now！〃
I took his arm； and endeavored to lead him to Lucilla。 She as already
trying to escape from her father； she was already longing to hear the
sound of Oscar's voice again。
He obstinately shrank back。 I began to feel angry with him。 In another
moment； I should have said or done something that I might have repented
of afterwardsif a new interruption had not happened before I could open
my lips。
Another person appeared in the gardenthe man…servant from Browndown；
with a letter for his master in his hand。
〃This has just come； sir；〃 said the man； 〃by the afternoon post。 It is
marked 'Immediate。' I thought I had better bring it to you here。〃
Oscar took the letter； and looked at the address。 〃My brother's writing！〃
he exclaimed。 〃A letter from Nugent！〃
He opened the letterand burst out with a cry of joy which brought
Lucilla instantly to his side。
〃What is it？〃 she asked eagerly。
〃Nugent is coming back！ Nugent will be here in a week！ Oh； Lucilla！ my
brother is coming to stay with me at Browndown！〃
He caught her in his arms； and kissed her； in the first rapture of
receiving that welcome news。 She forced herself away from him without
answering a word。 She turned her poor blind face round and round； in the
search for me。
〃Here I am！〃 I said。
She roughly and angrily put her arm in mine。 I saw the jealous misery in
her face as she dragged me away with here to the house。 Never yet had
Oscar's voice； in _her_ experience of him； sounded the note of happiness
that she heard in it now！ Never yet had she felt Oscar's heart on Oscar's
lips； as she felt it when he kissed her in the first joy of anticipating
Nugent's return！
〃Can he hear me？〃 she whispered； when we had left the lawn； and she felt
the gravel under her feet。
〃No。 What is it？〃
〃I hate his brother！〃
CHAPTER THE TWENTY…SECOND
The Twin…Brother's Letter
LITTLE thinking what a storm he had raised； poor innocent
Oscarpaternally escorted by the rectorfollowed us into the house；
with his open letter in his hand。
Judging by certain signs visible in my reverend friend； I concluded that
the announcement of Nugent Dubourg's coming visit to Dimchurchregarded
by the rest of us as heralding the appearance of a twin…brotherwas
regarded by Mr。 Finch as promising the arrival of a twin…fortune。 Oscar
and Nugent shared the comfortable paternal inheritance。 Finch smelt
money。
〃Compose yourself；〃 I whispered to Lucilla as the two gentlemen followed
us into the sitting…room。 〃Your jealousy of his brother is a childish
jealousy。 There is room enough in his heart for his brother as well as
for you。〃
She only repeated obstinately； with a vicious pinch on my arm； 〃I hate
his brother！〃
〃Come and sit down by me；〃 said Oscar； approaching her on the other side。
〃I want to run over Nugent's letter。 It's so interesting！ There is a
message in it to you。〃 Too deeply absorbed in his subject to notice the
sullen submission with which she listened to him； he placed her on a
chair； and began reading。 〃The first lines；〃 he explained； 〃relate to
Nugent's return to England； and to his delightful idea of coming to stay
with me at Browndown。 Then he goes on： 'I found all your letters waiting
for me on my return to New York。 Need I tell you； my dearest brother'
〃
Lucilla stopped him at those words by rising abruptly from her seat。
〃What is the matter？〃 he asked。
〃I don't like this chair！〃
Oscar got her anotheran easy…chair this timeand returned to the
letter。
〃 'Need I tell you； my dearest brother； how deeply you have interested me
by the announcement of your contemplated marriage？ Your happiness is my
happiness。 I feel with you； I congratulate you； I long to see my future
sister…in…law' 〃
Lucilla got up again。 Oscar； in astonishment； asked what was wrong now？
〃I am not comfortable at this end of the room。〃
She walked to the other end of the room。 Patient Oscar walked after her；
with his precious letter in his hand。 He offered her a third chair。 She
petulantly declined to take it； and selected another chair for herself。
Oscar returned to the letter：
〃 'How melancholy； and yet how interesting it is； to hear that she is
blind！ My sketches of American scenery happened to be lying about in the
room when I read your letter。 The first thought that came to me； on
hearing of Miss Finch's affliction； was suggested by my sketches。 I said
to myself； 〃Sad！ sad！ my sister…in…law will never see my Works。〃 The true
artist； Oscar； is always thinking of his Works。 I shall bring back； let
me tell you； some very remarkable studies for future pictures。 They will
not be so numerous； perhaps； as you may expect。 I prefer to trust to my
intellectual perception of beauty； rather than to mere laborious
transcripts from Nature。 In certain moods of mine （speaking as an artist）
Nature puts me out。' 〃 There Oscar paused； and appealed to me。 〃What
writing！eh？ I always told you； Madame Pratolungo； that Nugent was a
genius。 You see it now。 Don't get up； Lucilla。 I am going on。 There is a
message to you in this part of the letter。 So neatly expressed！〃
Lucilla persisted in getting up； the announcement of the neatly…expressed
message to be read next； produced no effect on her。 She walked to the
window； and trifled impatiently with the flowers placed in it。 Oscar
looked in mild astonishment； first at methen at the rector。 Reverend
Finchlistening thus far with the complimentary attention due to the
correspondence of one young man of fortune with another young man of
fortuneinterfered in Oscar's interests； to secure him a patient
hearing。
〃My dear Lucilla； endeavor to control your restlessness。 You interfere
with our e