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lifted Lucilla's eyelids again as he said the last wordglared fiercely
at her through his spectaclesgave her the loudest kiss； on the
forehead； that I ever heard given in my lifelaughed till the room rang
againand returned to his post as sentinel on guard over the Mayonnaise。
〃Now；〃 cried Herr Grosse cheerfully； 〃the talkings is all done。 Gott be
thanked； the eatings may begin！〃
Lucilla left her chair for the second time。
〃Herr Grosse；〃 she said； 〃where are you？〃
〃Here； my dears！〃
She crossed the room to the table at which he was sitting； already
occupied in carving his favorite dish。
〃Did you say you must use a knife to make me see？〃 she asked quite
calmly。
〃Yes； yes。 Don't you be frightened of that。 Not much pains to bearnot
much pains。〃
She tapped him smartly on the shoulder with her hand。
〃Get up； Herr Grosse；〃 she said。 〃If you have your knife about you； here
am Ido it at once！〃
Nugent started。 Mr。 Sebright started。 Her daring amazed them both。 As for
me； I am the greatest coward living； in the matter of surgical operations
performed on myself or on others。 Lucilla terrified me。 I ran headlong
across the room to her。 I was even fool enough to scream。
Before I could reach her； Herr Grosse had risen； obedient to command；
with a choice morsel of chicken on the end of his fork。 〃You charming
little fools；〃 he said； 〃I don't cut into cataracts in such a hurry as
that。 I perform but one operations on you to…day。 It is this！〃 He
unceremoniously popped the morsel of chicken into Lucilla's mouth。 〃Aha！
Bite him well。 He is nice…goot！ Now then！ Sit down all of you。 Lonch！
lonch！〃
He was irresistible。 We all sat down at table。
The rest of us ate。 Herr Grosse gobbled。 From Mayonnaise to marmalade
tart。 From marmalade tart back again to Mayonnaise。 From Mayonnaise；
forward again to ham sandwiches and blancmange； and then back once more
（on the word of an honest woman） to Mayonnaise！ His drinking was on the
same scale as his eating。 Beer； wine； brandynothing came amiss to him；
he mixed them all。 As for the lighter elements in the feastthe almonds
and raisins； the preserved ginger and the crystallized fruits； he ate
them as accompaniments to everything。 A dish of olives especially won his
favor。 He plunged both hands into it； and deposited his fists…full of
olives in the pockets of his trousers。 〃In this ways；〃 he explained； 〃I
shall trouble nobody to pass the dishI shall have by me continually all
the olives that I want。〃 When he could eat and drink no more； he rolled
up his napkin into a ball； and became devoutly thankful。 〃How goot of
Gott；〃 he remarked； 〃when he invented the worlds to invent eatings and
drinkings too！ Ah！〃 sighed Herr Grosse； gently laying his outspread
fingers on the pit of his stomach； 〃what immense happiness there is in
This！〃
Mr。 Sebright looked at his watch。
〃If there is anything more to be said on the question of the operation；〃
he announced； 〃it must be said at once。 We have barely five minutes more
to spare。 You have heard my opinion。 I hold to it。〃
Herr Grosse took a pinch of snuff。 〃I also；〃 he said； 〃hold to mine。〃
Lucilla turned towards the place from which Mr。 Sebright had spoken。
〃I am obliged to you； sir； for your opinion；〃 she said； very quietly and
firmly。 〃I am determined to try the operation。 If it does fail； it will
only leave me what I am now。 If it succeeds； it gives me a new life。 I
will bear anything； and risk anything； on the chance that I may see。〃
So； she announced her decision。 In those memorable words； she cleared the
way for the coming Event in her life and in our lives； which it is the
purpose of these pages to record。
Mr。 Sebright answered her； in Mr。 Sebright's discreet way。
〃I cannot affect to be surprised at your decision；〃 he said。 〃However
sincerely I may regret it； I admit that it is the natural decision； in
your case。〃
Lucilla addressed herself next to Herr Grosse。
〃Choose your own day；〃 she said。 〃The sooner； the better。 To…morrow； if
you can。〃
〃Answer me one little thing； Miss；〃 rejoined the German； with a sudden
gravity of tone and manner which was quite new in our experience of him。
〃Do you mean what you say？〃
She answered him gravely on her side。 〃I mean what I say。〃
〃Goot。 There is times； my lofe； to be funny。 There is also times to be
grave。 It is grave…times now。 I have my last word to say to you before I
go。〃
With his wild black eyes staring through his owlish spectacles at
Lucilla's face； speaking earnestly in his strange broken English； he now
impressed on his patient the necessity of gravely considering； and
preparing for； the operation which he had undertaken to perform。
I was greatly relieved by the tone he took with her。 He spoke with
authority： she would be obliged to listen to him。
In the first place； he warned Lucilla； if the operation failed； that
there would be no possibility of returning to it； and trying it again。
Once done； be the results what they might； it was done for good。
In the second place； before he would consent to operate； he must insist
on certain conditions； essential to success； being rigidly complied with；
on the part of the patient and her friends。 Mr。 Sebright had by no means
exaggerated the length of the time of trial which would follow the
operation； in the darkened room。 Under no circumstances could she hope to
have her eyes uncovered； even for a few moments； to the light； after a
shorter interval than six weeks。 During the whole of that time； and
probably during another six weeks to follow； it was absolutely necessary
that she should be kept in such a state of health as would assist her；
constitutionally； in her gradual progress towards complete restoration of
sight。 If body and mind both were not preserved in their best and
steadiest condition； all that his skill could do might be done in vain。
Nothing to excite or to agitate her； must be allowed to find its way into
the quiet daily routine of her life； until her medical attendant was
satisfied that her sight was safe。 The success of Herr Grosse's
professional career had been due； in no small degree； to his rigid
enforcement of these rules： founded on his own experience of the
influence which a patient's general health； moral as well as physical；
exercised on that patient's chance of profiting under an operationmore
especially under an operation on an organ so delicate as the organ of
sight。
Having spoken to this effect； he appealed to Lucilla's own good sense to
recognize the necessity of taking time to consider her decision； and to
consult on it with relatives and friends。 In plain words； for at least
three months the family arrangements must be so shaped； as to enable the
surgeon in attendance on her to hold the absolute power of regulating her
life； and of deciding on any changes introduced into it。 When she and the
members of her family circle were sure of being able to comply with these
conditions； Lucilla had only to write to him at his hotel in London。 On
the next day he would undertake to be at Dimchurch。 And then and there
（if he was satisfied with the state of her health at the time）； he would
perform the o