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me。
〃The German is in England；〃 he said。 〃Now I may open my lips。〃
〃At once！〃 I exclaimed。
〃At once。 I have put off my own business （as you heard） in favor of this。
My friend will be in London to…morrow。 I mean to get my authority to
consult him to…day； and to start tomorrow for town。 Prepare yourself to
meet one of the strangest characters you ever set eyes on！ You saw me
write on my card。 It was a message to Mr。 Finch； asking him to join us
immediately （on important family business） at Browndown。 As Lucilla's
father； he has a voice in the matter。 When Oscar comes back； and when the
rector joins us； our domestic privy council will be complete。〃
He spoke with his customary spirit； he moved with his customary
brisknesshe had become quite himself again； since I had seen him last。
〃I am stagnating in this place；〃 he went on； seeing that I noticed the
change in him。 〃It puts me in spirits again； having something to do。 I am
not like OscarI must have action to stir my bloodaction to keep me
from fretting over my anxieties。 How do you think I found the witness to
my brother's innocence at the Trial？ In that way。 I said to myself； 'I
shall go mad if I don't do something。' I did somethingand saved Oscar。
I am going to do something again。 Mark my words！ Now I am stirring in it；
Lucilla will recover her sight。〃
〃This is a serious matter；〃 I said。 〃Pray give it serious consideration。〃
〃Consideration？〃 he repeated。 〃I hate the word。 I always decide on the
instant。 If I am wrong in my view of Lucilla's case； consideration is of
no earthly use。 If I am right； every day's delay is a day of sight lost
to the blind。 I'll wait for Oscar and Mr。 Finch； and then I'll open the
business。 Why are we talking in the hall？ Come in！〃
He led the way to the sitting…room。 I had a new interest； now； in going
back。 Still； Lucilla's behavior hung on my mind。 Suppose she treated me
with renewed coldness and keener contempt？ I remained standing at the
table in the hall。 Nugent looked back at me； over his shoulder。
〃Nonsense！〃 he said。 〃I'll set things right。 It's beneath a woman like
you to take notice of what a girl says in a pet。 Come in！〃
I doubt if I should have yielded to please any other living man。 But；
there is no denying it； some people have a magnetic attracting power over
others。 Nugent had that power over me。 Against my own willfor I was
really hurt and offended by her usage of meI went back with him into
the room。
Lucilla was still sitting in the place which she had occupied when I
withdrew。 On hearing the door open； and a man's footsteps entering； she
of course assumed that the man was Oscar。 She had penetrated his object
in leaving her to follow me out； and it had not improved her temper。
〃Oh？〃 she said。 〃You have come back at last？ I thought you had offered
yourself as Madame Pratolungo's escort to the rectory。〃 She stopped； with
a sudden frown。 Her quick ears had detected my return into the room。
〃Oscar！〃 she exclaimed； 〃what does this mean？ Madame Pratolungo and I
have nothing more to say to each other。 What has she come back for？ Why
don't you answer？ This is infamous！ I shall leave the room！〃
The utterance of that final threat was followed so rapidly by its
execution that； before Nugent （standing between her and the door） could
get out of her way； she came in violent contact with him。 She instantly
caught him by the arm； and shook him angrily。 〃What does your silence
mean？ Is it at Madame Pratolungo's instigation that you are insulting
me？〃
I had just opened my lips to make one more attempt at reconciliation； by
saying some pacifying words to herwhen she planted that last sting in
me。 French flesh and blood （whatever English flesh and blood might have
done） could bear no more。 I silently turned my back on her； in a rage。
At the same moment； Nugent's eyes brightened as if a new idea had struck
him。 He gave me one significant lookand answered her in his brother's
character。 Whether he was possessed at the moment by some demon of
mischief； or whether he had the idea of trying to make Oscar's peace for
him； before Oscar returnedwas more than I could say at the time。 I
ought to have stopped itI know。 But my temper was in a flame。 I was as
spiteful as a cat and as fierce as a bear。 I said to myself （in your
English idiom）； She wants taking down a peg； quite right； Mr。 Nugent； do
it。 Shocking！ shameful！ no words are bad enough for me： give it me well。
Ah； Heaven！ what is a human being in a rage？ On my sacred word of honor；
nothing but a human beast！ The next time it happens to You； look at
yourself in the glass； and you will find your soul gone out of you at
your face； and nothing left but an animaland a bad； a villainous bad
animal too！
〃You ask what my silence means？〃 said Nugent。
He had only to model his articulation on his brother's slower manner of
speaking as distinguished from his own； to be his brother himself。 In
saying those few first words； he did it so dexterously that I could have
swornif I had not seen him standing before meOscar was in the room。
〃Yes；〃 she said； 〃I ask that。〃
〃I am silent；〃 he answered； 〃because I am waiting。〃
〃What are you waiting for？〃
〃To hear you make your apologies to Madame Pratolungo。〃
She started back a step。 Submissive Oscar was taking a peremptory tone
with her for the first time in his life。 Submissive Oscar； instead of
giving her time to speak； sternly went on。
〃Madame Pratolungo has made her excuses to _you。_ You ought to receive
them； you ought to reciprocate them。 It is distressing to see you and
hear you。 You are behaving ungratefully to your best friend。〃
She raised her face； she raised her hands； in blank amazement： she looked
as if she distrusted her own ears。
〃Oscar！〃 she exclaimed。
〃Here I am；〃 said Oscar； opening the door at the same moment。
She turned like lightning towards the place from which he had spoken。 She
detected the deception which Nugent had practiced on her； with a cry of
indignation that rang through the room。
Oscar ran to her in alarm。 She thrust him back violently。
〃A trick！〃 she cried。 〃A mean； vile； cowardly trick played upon my
blindness！ Oscar！ your brother has been imitating you； your brother has
been speaking to me in your voice。 And that woman who calls herself my
friendthat woman stood by and heard him； and never told me。 She
encouraged it： she enjoyed it。 The wretches！ take me away from them。 They
are capable of any deceit。 She always hated you； dear； from the
firstshe took up with your brother the moment he came here。 When you
marry me； it mustn't be at Dimchurch； it must be in some place they don't
know of。 There is a conspiracy between them against you and against me。
Beware of them！ beware of them！ She said I should have fallen in love
with your brother； if I had met him first。 There is a deeper meaning in
that； my love； than you can see。 It means that they will part us if they
can。 Ha！ I hear somebody moving！ Has he changed places with you？ Is it
_you_ whom I am speaking to now？ Oh； my blindness！ my blindness！ Oh； God；
of all your creatures； the most helpless； the most miserable； is the
creature who can't