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a hug to encourage him； pushed him into the room； shut the door on him；
and came out here。 He ought to have done it by this time。 He _has_ done
it！ Here he comes！〃
Oscar ran out； bareheaded； from the house。 There were signs of
disturbance in him； as he approached us； which warned me that something
had gone wrong； before he opened his lips。
Nugent spoke first。
〃What's amiss now？〃 he asked。 〃Have you told her the truth？〃
〃I have tried to tell her the truth。〃
〃Tried？ What do you mean？〃
Oscar put his arm round his brother's neck； and laid his head on his
brother's shoulder； without answering one word。
I put a question to him on my side。
〃Did Lucilla refuse to listen to you？〃 I asked。
〃No。〃
〃Has she said anything or done anything？〃
He lifted his head from his brother's shoulder； and stopped me before I
could finish the sentence。
〃You need feel no anxiety about Lucilla。 Lucilla's curiosity is
satisfied。〃
Nugent and I gazed at one another； in complete bewilderment。 Lucilla had
heard it all； Lucilla's curiosity was satisfied。 He had that incredibly
happy result to communicate to usand he announced it with a look of
humiliation； in a tone of despair！ Nugent's patience gave way。
〃Let us have an end of this mystification；〃 he said； putting Oscar back
from him； sharply； at arm's length。 〃I want a plain answer to a plain
question。 She knows that the boy knocked at the door； and asked if Blue
Face was at home。 Does she know what the boy's impudence meant？ Yes？ or
No？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Does she know that it is you who are Blue Face？〃
〃No。〃
〃No！！！ Who else does she think it is？〃
As he asked the question； Lucilla appeared at the door of the house。 She
moved her blind face inquiringly first one way； then the other。 〃Oscar！〃
she called out； 〃why have you left me alone？ where are you？〃
Oscar turned； trembling； to his brother。
〃For God's sake forgive me； Nugent！〃 he said。 〃She thinks it's YOU。〃
CHAPTER THE TWENTY…SIXTH
He proves Equal to the Occasion
AT that astounding confession； abruptly revealed in those plain words；
even resolute Nugent lost all power of self…control。 He burst out with a
cry which reached Lucilla's ears。 She instantly turned towards us； and
instantly assumed that the cry had come from Oscar's lips。
〃Ah！ there you are！〃 she exclaimed。 〃Oscar！ Oscar！ what is the matter
with you to…day？〃
Oscar was incapable of answering her。 He had cast one glance of entreaty
at his brother as Lucilla came nearer to us。 The mute reproach which had
answered him； in Nugent's eyes； had broken down his last reserves of
endurance。 He was crying silently on Nugent's breast。
It was necessary that one of us should make his； or her； voice heard。 I
spoke first。
〃Nothing is the matter； my dear；〃 I said； advancing to meet Lucilla。 〃We
were passing the house； and Oscar ran out to stop us and bring us in。〃
My excuses roused a new alarm in her。
〃Us？〃 she repeated。 〃Who is with you？〃
〃Nugent is with me。〃
The result of the deplorable misunderstanding which had taken place；
instantly declared itself。 She turned deadly pale under the horror of
feeling that she was in the presence of the man with the blue face。
〃Take me near enough to speak to him； but not to touch him；〃 she
whispered。 〃I have heard what he is like。 （Oh； if you saw him； as I see
him； _in the dark！_） I must control myself。 I must speak to Oscar's
brother； for Oscar's sake。〃
She seized my arm and held me close to her。 What ought I to have said？
What ought I to have done？ I neither knew what to say or what to do。 I
looked from Lucilla to the twin brothers。 There was Oscar the Weak；
overwhelmed by the humiliating position in which he had placed himself
towards the woman whom he was to marry； towards the brother whom he
loved！ And there was Nugent the Strong； master of himself； with his arm
round his brother； with his head erect； with his hand signing to me to
keep silence。 He was right。 I had only to look back at Lucilla's face to
see that the delicate and perilous work of undeceiving her； was not work
to be done at a moment's notice； on the spot。
〃You are not yourself to…day；〃 I said to her。 〃Let us go home。〃
〃No！〃 she answered。 〃I must accustom myself to speak to him。 I will begin
to…day。 Take me to himbut don't let him touch me！〃
Nugent disengaged himself from Oscarwhose unfitness to help us through
our difficulties was too manifest to be mistakenas he saw us
approaching。 He pointed to the low wall in front of the house； and
motioned to his brother to wait there out of the way before Lucilla could
speak to him again。 The wisdom of this proceeding was not long in
asserting itself。 Lucilla asked for Oscar the moment after he had left
us。 Nugent answered that Oscar had gone back to the house to get his hat。
The sound of Nugent's voice helped her to calculate her distance from him
without assistance from me。 Still holding my arm； she stopped and spoke
to him。
〃Nugent；〃 she said； 〃I have made Oscar tell mewhat he ought to have
told me long since。〃 （She paused between each sentence； painfully
controlling herself； painfully catching her breath。） 〃He has discovered a
foolish antipathy of mine。 I don't know how； I tried to keep it a secret
from him。 I need not tell you what it is。〃
She made a longer pause at those words； holding me closer and closer to
her； struggling more and more painfully against the irresistible nervous
loathing that had got possession of her。
He listened； on his side； with the constraint which always fell upon him
in her presence more marked than ever。 His eyes were on the ground。 He
seemed reluctant even to look at her。
〃I think I understand；〃 she went on； 〃why Oscar was unwilling to tell
me〃 she stopped； at a loss how to express herself without running the
risk of hurting his feelings〃to tell me；〃 she resumed； 〃what it is in
you which is not like other people。 He was afraid my stupid weakness
might prejudice me against you。 I wish to say that I won't let it do
that。 I never was more ashamed of it than now。 I； too； have my
misfortune。 I ought to sympathize with you； instead of〃
Her voice had been growing fainter and fainter as she proceeded。 She
leaned against me heavily。 One glance at her told me that if I let it go
on any longer she would fall into a swoon。 〃Tell your brother that we
have gone back to the rectory；〃 I said to Nugent。 He looked up at Lucilla
for the first time。
〃You are right；〃 he answered。 〃Take her home。〃 He repeated the sign by
which he had already hinted to me to be silentand joined Oscar at the
wall in front of the house。
〃Has he gone？〃 she asked。
〃He has gone。〃
The moisture stood thick on her forehead。 I passed my handkerchief over
her face； and turned her towards the wind。
〃Are you better now？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Can you walk home？〃
〃Easily。〃
I put her arm in mine。 After advancing with me a few steps； she suddenly
stoppedwith a blind apprehension； as it seemed； of something in front
of her。 She lifted her little walking…cane； and moved it slowly backwards
and forwards in the empty air； with the action of some one who is
clearing away an encumbrance to a free a