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far； been quite content to admire his clever brother。 He now advanced to
me； and asked what had become of Lucilla。
〃The servant told me she was here；〃 he said。 〃I am so anxious to
introduce her to Nugent。〃
Nugent put his arm affectionately round his brother's neck； and gave him
a hug。 〃Dear old boy！ I am just as anxious as you are。〃
〃Lucilla went out a little while since；〃 I said； 〃to take a turn in the
garden。〃
〃I'll go and find her；〃 said Oscar。 〃Wait here； Nugent。 I'll bring her
in。〃
He left the room。 Before he could close the door one of the servants
appeared； to claim Mrs。 Finch's private ear； on some mysterious domestic
emergency。 Nugent facetiously entreated her； as she passed him； to clear
her mind of prejudice； and consider the question of infant petticoats on
its own merits。 Mr。 Finch took offense at this second reference to the
subject。 He rose to follow his wife。
〃When you are a married man； Mr。 Dubourg；〃 said the rector severely； 〃you
will learn to leave the management of an infant in its mother's hands。〃
〃There's another mistake！〃 remarked Nugent； following him with unabated
good humour； to the door。 〃A married man's idea of another man as a
husband； always begins and ends with his idea of himself。〃 He turned to
me； as the door closed on Mr。 Finch。 〃Now we are alone； Madame
Pratolungo；〃 he said； 〃I want to speak to you about Miss Finch。 There is
an opportunity； before she comes in。 Oscar's letter only told me that she
was blind。 I am naturally interested in everything that relates to my
brother's future wife。 I am particularly interested about this affliction
of hers。 May I ask how long she has been blind？〃
〃Since she was a year old；〃 I replied。
〃Through an accident？〃
〃No。〃
〃After a fever？ or a disease of any other sort？〃
I began to feel a little surprised at his entering into these medical
details。
〃I never heard that it was through a fever； or other illness；〃 I said。
〃So far as I know； the blindness came on unexpectedly； from some cause
that did not express itself to the people about her； at the time。〃
He drew his chair confidentially nearer to mine。 〃How old is she？〃 he
asked。
I began to feel more than a little surprised； and I showed it； I suppose；
on telling him Lucilla's age。
〃As things are now；〃 he explained； 〃there are reasons which make me
hesitate to enter on the question of Miss Finch's blindness either with
my brother； or with any members of the family。 I must wait to speak about
it to _them；_ until I can speak to good practical purpose。 There is no
harm in my starting the subject with _you。_ When she first lost her
sight； no means of restoring it were left untried； of course？〃
〃I should suppose not；〃 I replied。 〃It's so long since； I have never
asked。〃
〃So long since；〃 he repeatedand then considered for a moment。
His reflections ended in a last question。
〃She is resigned； I supposeand everybody about her is resignedto the
idea of her being hopelessly blind for life。〃
Instead of answering him； I put a question on my side。 My heart was
beginning to beat rapidlywithout my knowing why。
〃Mr。 Nugent Dubourg；〃 I said； 〃what have you got in your mind about
Lucilla？〃
〃Madame Pratolungo；〃 he replied； 〃I have got something in my mind which
was put into it by a friend of mine whom I met in America。〃
〃The friend you mentioned in your letter to your brother？〃
〃The same。〃
〃The German gentleman whom you propose to introduce to Oscar and
Lucilla？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃May I ask who he is？〃
Nugent Dubourg looked at me attentively； considered with himself for the
second time； and answered in these words：
〃He is the greatest living authority； and the greatest living operator；
in diseases of the eye。〃
The idea in his mind burst its way into my mind in a moment。
〃Gracious God！〃 I exclaimed； 〃are you mad enough to suppose that
Lucilla's sight can be restored； after a blindness of one…and…twenty
years？〃
He suddenly held up his hand； in sign to me to be silent。
At the same moment the door opened； and Lucilla （followed by Oscar）
entered the room。
CHAPTER THE TWENTY…FOURTH
He sees Lucilla
THE first impression which poor Miss Finch produced on Nugent Dubourg；
was precisely the same as the first impression which she had produced on
me。
〃Good Heavens！〃 he cried。 〃The Dresden Madonna！ The Virgin of San Sisto！〃
Lucilla had already heard from me of her extraordinary resemblance to the
chief figure in Raphael's renowned picture。 Nugent's blunt outburst of
recognition passed unnoticed by her。 She stopped short； in the middle of
the roomstartled； the instant he spoke； by the extraordinary similarity
of his tone and accent to the tone and accent of his brother's voice。
〃Oscar；〃 she asked nervously； 〃are you behind me？ or in front of me？〃
Oscar laughed； and answered 〃Here！〃speaking behind her。 She turned her
head towards the place in front of her； from which Nugent had spoken。
〃Your voice is wonderfully like Oscar's；〃 she said； addressing him
timidly。 〃Is your face exactly like his face； too？ May I judge for myself
of the likeness between you？ I can only do it in one wayby my touch。〃
Oscar advanced； and placed a chair for his brother by Lucilla's side。
〃She has eyes in the tips of her fingers；〃 he said。 〃Sit down； Nugent；
and let her pass her hand over your face。〃
Nugent obeyed him in silence。 Now that the first impression of surprise
had passed away； I observed that a marked change was beginning to assert
itself in his manner。
Little by little； an unnatural constraint got possession of him。 His
fluent tongue found nothing to talk about。 His easy movements altered in
the strangest way； until they almost became the movements of a slow
awkward man。 He was more like his brother than ever； as he sat down in
the chair to submit himself to Lucilla's investigation。 She had produced；
at first sightas well as I could judgesome impression on him for
which he had not been prepared； causing some mental disturbance in him
which he was for the moment quite unable to control。 His eyes looked up
at her； spell…bound； his color came and went； his breath quickened
audibly when her fingers touched his face。
〃What's the matter？〃 said Oscar； looking at him in surprise。
〃Nothing is the matter；〃 he answered； in the low absent tone of a man
whose mind was secretly pursuing its own train of thought。
Oscar said no more。 Once； twice； three times； Lucilla's hand passed
slowly over Nugent's face。 He submitted to it； silently； gravely；
immovablya perfect contrast to the talkative； lively young man of half
an hour since。 Lucilla employed a much longer time in examining him than
she had occupied in examining me。
While the investigation was proceeding； I had leisure to think again over
what had passed between Nugent and me on the subject of Lucilla's
blindness； before she entered the room。 My mind had by this time
recovered its balance。 I was able to ask myself what this young fellow's
daring idea was really worth。 Was it within the range of possibility that
a sense so delicate as the sense of sight； lost for one…and…twenty years；
could be restored by any means short of a m