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types of the two characters were expressed in the attitudes of the two
men。 As we entered the new winding of the valley which shut them out from
view； I felt （so easy is it to comfort a woman！） that the commanding
position of Nugent had produced its encouraging impression on my mind。
〃He will find a way out of it；〃 I said to myself； 〃Nugent will help us
through！〃
CHAPTER THE TWENTY…SEVENTH
He finds a Way out of it
WE sat down at the piano； as Lucilla had proposed。 She wished me to play
first； and to play alone。 I was teaching her； at the time； one of the
_Sonatas_ of Mozart； and I now tried to go on with the lesson。 Never
before； or since； have I played so badly； as on that day！ The divine
serenity and completeness by which Mozart's music is； to my mind； raised
above all other music that ever was written； can only be worthily
interpreted by a player whose whole mind is given undividedly to the
work。 Devoured as I then was by my own anxieties； I might profane those
heavenly melodiesI could not play them。 Lucilla accepted my excuses；
and took my place。
Half an hour passed； without news from Browndown。
Calculated by reference to itself； half an hour is no doubt a short space
of time。 Calculated by reference to your own suspense； while your own
interests are at stake； half an hour is an eternity。 Every minute that
passed； leaving Lucilla still undisturbed in her delusion； was a minute
that pricked me in the conscience。 The longer we left her in ignorance；
the more painful to all of us the hard duty of enlightening her would
become。 I began to get restless。 Lucilla； on her side； began to complain
of fatigue。 After the agitation that she had gone through； the inevitable
reaction had come。 I recommended her to go to her room and rest。 She took
my advice。 In the state of my mind at that time； it was an inexpressible
relief to me to be left by myself。
After pacing backwards and forwards for some little time in the
sitting…room； and trying vainly to see my way through the difficulties
that now beset us； I made up my mind to wait no longer for the news that
never came。 The brothers were still at Browndown。 To Browndown I
determined to return。
I peeped quietly into Lucilla's room。 She was asleep。 After a word to
Zillah； recommending her young mistress to her care； I slipped out。 As I
crossed the lawn； I heard the garden…gate opened。 In a minute more； the
man of all others whom I most wanted to see； presented himself before me；
in the person of Nugent Dubourg。 He had borrowed Oscar's key； and had set
off alone for the rectory to tell me what had passed between his brother
and himself。
〃This is the first stroke of luck that has fallen to me to…day；〃 he said。
〃I was wondering how I should contrive to speak to you privately。 And
here you areaccessible and alone。 Where is Lucilla？ Can we depend on
having the garden to ourselves？〃
I satisfied him on both those points。 He looked sadly pale and worn。
Before he opened his lips； I saw that he too had had his mind disturbed；
and his patience tried； since I had left him。 There was a summer…house at
the end of the garden with a view over the breezy solitude of the Downs。
Here we established ourselves； and here； in my headlong way； I opened the
interview with the one formidable question：〃Who is to tell her of the
mistake she has made？〃
〃Nobody is to tell her。〃
That answer staggered me at the outset。 I looked at Nugent in silent
astonishment。
〃There is nothing to be surprised at；〃 he said。 〃Let me put my point of
view before you in two words。 I have had a serious talk with Oscar〃
Women are proverbially bad listenersand I am no better than the rest of
them。 I interrupted him； before he could get any farther。
〃I suppose Oscar has told you how the mistake happened？〃 I said。
〃He has no idea how it happened。 He ownswhen he found himself face to
face with herthat his presence of mind completely failed him： he didn't
himself know what he was saying at the time。 _He_ lost his head； and
_she_ lost her patience。 Think of his nervous confusion in collision with
her nervous irritabilityand the result explains itself： nothing _could_
come of it but misapprehension and mistake。 I turned the thing over in my
mind； after you had left us； and the one course to take that _I_ could
see was to accept the position patiently； and to make the best instead of
the worst of it。 Having reached this conclusion； I settled the matter （as
I settle most other difficulties）by cutting the Gordian knot。 I said to
Oscar； 'Would it be a relief to your mind to leave her present impression
undisturbed until you are married？' You know himI needn't tell you what
his answer was。 'Very well；' I said。 'Dry your eyes and compose yourself。
I have begun as Blue Face。 As Blue Face I will go on till further
notice。' I spare you the description of Oscar's gratitude。 I proposed；
and he accepted。 There is the way out of the difficulty as I see it。〃
〃Your way out of the difficulty is an unworthy way； and a false way；〃 I
answered。 〃I protest against taking that cruel advantage of Lucilla's
blindness。 I refuse to have anything to do with it。〃
He opened his case； and took out a cigar。
〃Do as you please；〃 he said。 〃You saw the pitiable state she was in； when
she forced herself to speak to me。 You saw how her disgust and horror
overpowered her at the end。 Transfer that disgust and horror to Oscar
（with indignation and contempt added in _his_ case）； expose him to the
result of rousing those feelings in her； before he is fortified by a
husband's influence over her mind； and a husband's place in her
affectionsif you dare。 I love the poor fellow； and _I_ daren't。 May I
smoke？〃
I gave him his permission to smoke by a gesture。 Before I said anything
more to this inscrutable gentleman； I felt the necessity of understanding
himif I could。
There was no difficulty in accounting for his readiness to sacrifice
himself in the interests of Oscar's tranquillity。 He never did things by
halveshe liked dashing at difficulties which would have made other men
pause。 The same zeal in his brother's service which had saved Oscar's
life at the Trial； might well be the zeal that animated him now。 The
perplexity that I felt was not roused in me by the course that he had
takenbut by the language in which he justified himself； and； more
still； by his behavior to me while he was speaking。 The well…bred
brilliant young fellow of my previous experience； had now turned as
dogged and as ungracious as a man could be。 He waited to hear what I had
to say to him next； with a hard defiance and desperation of manner
entirely uncalled for by the circumstances； and entirely out of harmony
with his character； so far as I had observed it。 That there was something
lurking under the surface； some inner motive at work in him which he was
concealing from his brother and concealing from me； was as plainly
visible as the sunshine and shade on the view that I was looking at from
the summer…house。 But what that something was； or what that inner motive
might be； it baffled my utmost sagacity to guess。 Not the faintest idea
of the terrible secret that he was hiding