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eyes to…day！〃
〃Answer me this！〃 retorted the German。 〃Did I know； when I promised； that
I should find you all shaky…pale； as white as my shirts when he comes
back from the wash？〃
〃I am quite myself again；〃 she pleaded faintly。 〃I am quite fit to have
the bandage taken off。〃
〃What！ you know better than I do？ Which of us is surgeon…opticyou or
me？ No more of this。 Come under my arms！ Come into the odder rooms！〃
He put her arm in his； and walked with her to the door。 There； her
variable humour suddenly changed。 She rallied on the instant。 Her face
flushed； her courage came back。 To my horror； she snatched her arm away
from the surgeon； and refused to leave the room。
〃No！〃 she said。 〃I am quite composed again； I claim your promise。 Examine
me here。 I must and will have my first look at Oscar in this room。〃
（I was afraidliterally afraidto turn my eyes Oscar's way。 I glanced
at Nugent instead。 There was a devilish smile on his face that it nearly
drove me mad to see。）
〃You must and weel？〃 repeated Grosse。 〃Now； mind！〃 He took out his watch。
〃I give you one little minutes； to think in。 If you don't come with me in
that time； you shall find it is I who must and weel。 Now！〃
〃Why do you object to go into your room？〃 I asked。
〃Because I want everybody to see me；〃 she answered。 〃How many of you are
there here？〃
〃There are five of us。 Mr。 and Mrs。 Finch； Mr。 Nugent Dubourg； Oscar； and
myself。〃
〃I wish there were five hundred of you； instead of five？〃 she burst out。
〃Why？〃
〃Because you would see me pick out Oscar from all the rest； the instant
the bandage was off my eyes！〃
Still holding to her own fatal conviction that the image in her mind of
Oscar was the right one！ For the second time； though I felt the longing
in me to look at him； I shrank from doing it。
Herr Grosse put his watch back in his pocket。
〃The minutes is passed；〃 he said。 〃Will you come into the odder rooms？
Will you understand that I cannot properly examine you before all these
peoples？ Say； my lofely FeenchYes？ or No？〃
〃No！〃 she cried obstinately； with a childish stamp of her foot。 〃I insist
on showing everybody that I can pick out Oscar； the moment I open my
eyes。〃
Herr Grosse buttoned his coat； settled his owlish spectacles firmly on
his nose； and took up his hat。 〃Goot morning；〃 he said。 〃I have nothing
more to do with you or your eyes。 Cure yourself； you
little…spitfire…Feench。 I am going back to London。〃
He opened the door。 Even Lucilla was obliged to yield； when the surgeon
in attendance on her threatened to throw up the case。
〃You brute！〃 she said indignantlyand took his arm again。
Grosse indulged himself in his diabolical grin。 〃Wait till you are able
to use your eyes； my lofe。 Then you will see what a brutes I am！〃 With
those words he took her out。
We were left in the sitting…room； to wait until the surgeon had decided
whether he would； or would not； let Lucilla try her sight on that day。
While the others were； in their various ways； all suffering the same
uneasy sense of expectation； I was as quiet in my mind as the baby now
sleeping in his mother's arms。 Thanks to Grosse's resolution to act on
the hint that I had given to him； I had now made it impossibleeven if
the bandage was removed on that dayfor Nugent to catch Lucilla's first
look when she opened her eyes。 Her betrothed husband might certainly； on
such a special occasion as this； be admitted into her bed…chamber； in
company with her father or with me。 But the commonest sense of propriety
would dictate the closing of the door on Nugent。 In the sitting…room he
must wait （if he still persisted in remaining at the rectory） until she
was allowed to join him there。 I privately resolved； having the control
of the matter in my own hands； that this should not happen until Lucilla
knew which of the twins was Nugent； and which was Oscar。 A delicious
inward glow of triumph diffused itself all through me。 I resisted the
strong temptation that I felt to discover how Nugent bore his defeat。 If
I had yielded to it； he would have seen in my face that I gloried in
having outwitted him。 I sat down； the picture of innocence； in the
nearest chair； and crossed my hands on my lap； a composed and ladylike
person； edifying to see。
The slow minutes followed each otherand still we waited the event in
silence。 Even Mr。 Finch's tongue was； on this solitary occasion； a tongue
incapable of pronouncing a single word。 He sat by his wife at one end of
the room。 Oscar and I were at the other。 Nugent stood by himself at one
of the windows； deep in his own thoughts； plotting how he could pay me
out。
Oscar was the first of the party who broke the silence。 After looking all
round the room； he suddenly addressed himself to me。
〃Madame Pratolungo！〃 he exclaimed。 〃What has become of Jicks？〃
I had completely forgotten the child。 I too looked round the room； and
satisfied myself that she had really disappeared。 Mrs。 Finch； observing
our astonishment； timidly enlightened us。 The maternal eye had seen Jicks
slip out cunningly at Herr Grosse's heels。 The child's object was plain
enough。 While there was any probability of the presence of more
gingerbread in the surgeon's pocket； the wandering Arab of the family （as
stealthy and as quick as a cat） was certain to keep within reach of her
friend。 Nobody who knew her could doubt that she had stolen into
Lucilla's bed…chamber； under cover of Herr Grosse's ample coat…tails。
We had just accounted in this way for the mysterious absence of Jicks；
when we heard the bed…chamber door opened； and the surgeon's voice
calling for Zillah。 In a minute more the nurse appeared； the bearer of a
message from the next room。
We all surrounded her； with one and the same question to ask。 What had
Herr Grosse decided to do？ The answer informed us that he had decided on
forbidding Lucilla to try her eyes that day。
〃Is she very much disappointed？〃 Oscar inquired anxiously。
〃I can hardly say； sir。 She isn't like herself。 I never knew Miss Lucilla
so quiet when she was crossed in her wishes； before。 When the doctor
called me into the room； she said： 'Go in； Zillah； and tell them。' Those
words； sir； and no more。〃
〃Did she express no wish to see me？〃 I inquired。
〃No； ma'am。 I took the liberty of asking her if she wished to see you。
Miss Lucilla shook her head； and sat herself down on the sofa； and made
the doctor sit by her。 'Leave us by ourselves。' Those were the last words
she said to me； before I came in here。〃
Reverend Finch put the next question。 The Pope of Dimchurch was himself
again： the man of many words saw his chance of speaking once more。
〃Good woman；〃 said the rector with ponderous politeness； 〃step this way。
I wish to address an inquiry to you。 Did Miss Finch make any remark； in
your hearing； indicating a desire to be comforted by My Ministrationsas
one bearing the double relation towards her of pastor and parent？〃
〃I didn't hear Miss Lucilla say anything to that effect； sir。〃
Mr。 Finch waved his hand with a look of disgust； intimating that Zillah's
audience was over。 Nugent； upon that； came forward； and stopped her as
she was leaving the r