按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
with which they were spokenof her innocently earnest anxiety to win her
pardon。 She so affected Nugent that he tooafter a look at Oscar which
said； 〃May I？〃kissed the hand that she offered to him。 As his lips
touched her； she started。 The bright flush which always indicated the
sudden rising of a thought in her mind； flew over her face。 She
unconsciously held Nugent's hand in her own； absorbed in the interest of
realizing the new thought。 For a moment； she stood； still as a statue；
consulting with herself。 The moment passed； she dropped Nugent's hand；
and turned gaily to me。
〃Will you think me very obstinate？〃 she asked。
〃Why； my love？〃
〃I am not satisfied yet。 I want to try again。〃
〃No！ no！ At any rate not to…day。〃
〃I want to try again；〃 she repeated。 〃Not in your way。 In a way of my own
that has just come into my head。〃 She turned to Oscar。 〃Will you humour
me in this？〃 It is needless to set down Oscar's reply。 She turned to
Nugent。 〃Will you？〃
〃Only say what you wish me to do！〃 he answered。
〃Go with your brother；〃 she said； 〃to the other end of the room。 I know
where you are each of you standing； at this end。 Madame Pratolungo will
lead me to the place； and will put me just within reach of both your
hands。 I want each of you in turn （arrange by a sign between yourselves
which is to begin） to take my hand； and hold it for a moment； and then
drop it。 I have an idea that I can distinguish between you； in that
wayand I want very much to try it。〃
The brothers went silently to the other end of the room。 I led Lucilla；
after them； to the place in which they stood。 At my suggestion； Nugent
was the first to take her hand； as she had requested； to hold it for a
moment； and then to drop it。
〃Nugent！〃 she said； without the slightest hesitation。
〃Quite right；〃 I answered。
She laughed gaily。 〃Go on！ Puzzle me if you possibly can。
The brothers noiselessly changed places。 Oscar took her hand； standing
exactly where Nugent had stood。
〃Oscar！〃 she said。
〃Right again；〃 I told her。
At a sign from Nugent； Oscar took her hand for the second time。 She
repeated his name。 At a sign from me； the brothers noiselessly placed
themselves； one on either side of herOscar on the left； Nugent on the
right。 I gave them the signal； and they each took one of her hands at the
same moment。 This time； she waited a little longer before she spoke。 When
she did speak； she was right once more。 She turned smiling； towards the
left side； pointed to him as he stood by her； and said； 〃Oscar！〃
We were all three equally surprised。 I examined Oscar's hand and Nugent's
hand alternately。 Except the fatal difference in the color； they were； to
all intents and purposes； the same handsthe same size； the same shape；
the same texture of skin； no scar or mark on the hand of one to
distinguish it from the hand of the other。 By what mysterious process of
divination had she succeeded in discovering which was which？
She was unwilling； or unable； to reply to that question plainly。
〃Something in me answers to one of them and not to the other；〃 she said。
〃What is it？〃 I asked。
〃I don't know。 It answers to Oscar。 It doesn't answer to Nugentthat's
all。〃
She stopped any further inquiries by proposing that we should finish the
evening with some music； in her own sitting…room； on the other side of
the house。 When we were seated together at the pianofortewith the
twin…brothers established as our audience at the other end of the
roomshe whispered in my ear：
〃I'll tell _you！_〃
〃Tell me what？〃
〃How I know which is which when they both of them take my hand。 When
Oscar takes it； a delicious tingle runs from his hand into mine； and
steals all over me。 I can't describe it any better than that。〃
〃I understand。 And when Nugent takes your hand； what do you feel？〃
〃Nothing！〃
〃And that is how you found out the difference between them down…stairs？〃
〃That is how I shall always find out the difference between them。 If
Oscar's brother ever attempts to play tricks upon my blindness （he is
quite capable of ithe laughed at my blindness！）； that is how I shall
find him out。 I told you before I saw him that I hated him。 I hate him
still。〃
〃My dear Lucilla！〃
〃I hate him still！〃
She struck the first chords on the piano； with an obstinate frown on her
pretty brow。 Our little evening concert began。
CHAPTER THE TWENTY…FIFTH
Nugent puzzles Madame Pratolungo
I WAS far from sharing Lucilla's opinion of Nugent Dubourg。 His enormous
self…confidence was； to my mind； too amusing to be in the least
offensive。 I liked the spirit and gaiety of the young fellow。 He came
much nearer than his brother did to my ideal of the dash and resolution
which ought to distinguish a man on the right side of thirty。 So far as
my experience of them went； Nugent was （in the popular English phrase）
good companyand Oscar was not。 My nationality leads me to attach great
importance to social qualities。 The higher virtues of a man only show
themselves occasionally on compulsion； His social qualities come
familiarly in contact with us every day of our lives。 I like to be
cheerful： I am all for the social qualities。
There was one little obstacle in those early days； which set itself up
between my sympathies and Nugent。
I was thoroughly at a loss to understand the impression which Lucilla had
produced on him。
The same constraint which had； in such a marked manner； subdued him at
his first interview with her； still fettered him in the time when they
became better acquainted with one another。 He was never in high spirits
in her presence。 Mr。 Finch could talk him down without difficulty； if Mr。
Finch's daughter happened to be by。 Even when he was vaporing about
himself； and telling us of the wonderful things he meant to do in
Painting； Lucilla's appearance was enough to check him； if she happened
to come into the room。 On the first day when he showed me his American
sketches （I define them； if you ask my private opinion； as false
pretenses of Art； by a dashing amateur）on that day； he was in full
flow； marching up and down the room； smacking his forehead； and
announcing himself quite gravely as 〃the coming man〃 in landscape
painting。
〃My mission； Madame Pratolungo； is to reconcile Humanity and Nature。 I
propose to show （on an immense scale） how Nature （in her grandest
aspects） can adapt herself to the spiritual wants of mankind。 In your joy
or your sorrow； Nature has subtle sympathies with you； if you only know
where to look for them。 My picturesno！ my poems in colorwill show
you。 Multiply my works； as they certainly will be multiplied； by means of
printsand what does Art become in my hands？ A Priesthood！ In what
aspect do I present myself to the public？ As a mere landscape painter？
No！ As Grand Consoler！〃 In the midst of this rhapsody （how wonderfully he
resembled Oscar in _his_ bursts of excitement while he was talking！）in
the full torrent of his predictions of his own coming greatness； Lucilla
quietly entered the room。 The 〃Grand Consoler〃 shut up his portfolio；
dropped Painting on the spot； asked for Music； and sat down； a model of
conventional propriety； in a corner o