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gesture of disgust。 〃Put it on again。 I have seen too much already。〃
Grosse fastened the bandage over her eyes； and waited a little。 She still
held Nugent's arm。 The sting of my indignation as I saw it； roused me
into doing something。 I stepped forward to part them。 Grosse stopped me。
〃No！〃 he said。 〃Don't make bad worse。〃 I looked at Oscar for the second
time。 There he stood； as he had stood from the first moment when she
appeared at the doorhis eyes staring wildly straight before him； his
limbs set and fixed。 I went to him； and touched him。 He seemed not to
feel it。 I spoke to him。 I might as well have spoken to a man of stone。
Grosse's voice drew my attention； for a moment； the other way。
〃Come！〃 he said； trying to take Lucilla back into her own room。
She shook her head； and tightened her hold on Nugent's arm。
〃_You_ take me；〃 she whispered。 〃As far as the door。〃
I again attempted to stop it； and again the German put me back。
〃Not to…day！〃 he said sternly。 With that； he made a sign to Nugent； and
placed himself on Lucilla's other side。 In silence； the two men led her
out of the room。 The door closed on them。 It was over。
CHAPTER THE THIRTY…SIXTH
The Brothers Meet
A FAINT sound of crying found its way to my ears from the lower end of
the room； and reminded me that the rector and his wife had been present
among us。 Feeble Mrs。 Finch was lying back in her chair； weeping and
wailing over what had happened。 Her husband； with the baby in his arms；
was trying to compose her。 I ought perhaps to have offered my helpbut；
I own； poor Mrs。 Finch's distress produced only a passing impression on
me。 My whole heart was with another person。 I forgot the rector and his
wife； and went back to Oscar。
This time he movedhe lifted his head when he saw me。 Shall I ever
forget the silent misery in that face； the dull dreadful stare in those
tearless eyes？
I took his handI felt for the poor disfigured； rejected man as his
mother might have felt for himI gave him a mother's kiss。 〃Be
comforted； Oscar；〃 I said。 〃Trust me to set this right。〃
He drew a long trembling breath； and pressed my hand gratefully。 I
attempted to speak to him againhe stopped me by looking suddenly
towards the door。
〃Is Nugent outside？〃 he asked in a whisper。
I went into the corridor。 It was empty。 I looked into Lucilla's room。 She
and Grosse and the nurse were the only persons in it。 I beckoned to
Zillah to come out and speak to me。 I asked for Nugent。 He had left
Lucilla abruptly at the bed…room doorhe was out of the house。 I
inquired if it was known in what direction he had gone。 Zillah had seen
him in the field at the end of the garden； walking away rapidly； with his
back to the village； and his face to the hills。
〃Nugent has gone；〃 I said； returning to Oscar。
〃Add to your kindness to me；〃 he answered。 〃Let _me_ go too。〃
A quick fear crossed my mind； that he might be bent on following his
brother。
〃Wait a little；〃 I said； 〃and rest here。〃
He shook his head。
〃I must be by myself；〃 he said。 After considering a little； he added a
question。 〃Has Nugent gone to Browndown？〃
〃No。 Nugent has been seen walking towards the hills。〃
He took my hand again。 〃Be merciful to me；〃 he said。 〃Let me go。〃
〃Home？ To Browndown？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Let me go with you。〃
He shook his head。 〃Forgive me。 You shall hear from me later in the day。〃
No tears！ no flaming…up of the quick temper that I knew so well！ Nothing
in his face； nothing in his voice； nothing in his manner； but a composure
miserable to seethe composure of despair。
〃At least； let me accompany you to the gate；〃 I said。
〃God bless and reward you！〃 he answered。 〃Let me go。〃
With a gentle handand yet with a firmness which took me completely by
surprisehe separated himself from me； and went out。
I could stand no longerI dropped trembling into a chair。 The conviction
forced itself on me that there were worse complications； direr
misfortunes； still to come。 I was almost beside myselfI broke out
vehemently with wild words spoken in my own language。 Mrs。 Finch recalled
me to my senses。 I saw her as in a dream； drying her tears； and looking
at me in alarm。 The rector approached； with profuse expressions of
sympathy and offers of assistance。 I wanted no comforting。 I had served a
hard apprenticeship to life； I had been well seasoned to trouble。 〃Thank
you； sir；〃 I said。 〃Look to Mrs。 Finch。〃 There was more air in the
corridor。 I went out again； to walk about； and get the better of it
there。
A small object attracted my attention； crouched up on one of the window
seats。 The small object wasJicks。
I suppose the child's instinct must have told her that something had gone
wrong。 She looked furtively sideways at me； round her doll： she had grave
doubts of my intentions towards her。 〃Are you going to whack Jicks？〃
asked the curious little creature； shrinking into her corner。 I sat down
by her； and soon recovered my place in her confidence。 She began to
chatter again as fast as usual。 I listened to her as I could have
listened to no grown…up person at that moment。 In some mysterious way
that I cannot explain； the child comforted me。 Little by little； I learnt
what she had wanted with me； when she had attempted to drag me out of the
room。 She had seen all that had passed in the bed…chamber； and she had
run out to take me back with her； and show me the wonderful sight of
Lucilla with the bandage off her eyes。 If I had been wise enough to
listen to Jicks； I might have prevented the catastrophe that had
happened。 I might have met Lucilla in the corridor； and have forced her
back into her own room and turned the key on her。
It was too late now to regret what had happened。 〃Jicks has been good；〃 I
said； patting my little friend on the head with a heavy heart。 The child
listenedconsidered with herself gravelygot off the window…seatand
claimed her reward for being good； with that excellent brevity of speech
which so eminently distinguished her：
〃Jicks will go out。〃
With those words； she shouldered her doll； and walked off。 The last I saw
of her； she was descending the stairs as a workman descends a ladder； on
her way to the gardenand from the garden （the first time the gate was
opened） to the hills。 If I could have gone out with her light heart； I
would have joined Jicks。
I had hardly lost sight of the child； before the door of Lucilla's room
opened； and Herr Grosse appeared in the corridor。
〃Soh！〃 he muttered with a gesture of relief； 〃the very womans I was
looking for。 A nice mess…fix we are in now！ I must stop with Feench。 （I
shall end in hating Feench！） Can you put me into a beds for the night？〃
I assured him that he could easily sleep at the rectory。 In answer to my
inquiries after his patient； he gravely acknowledged that he was anxious
about Lucilla。 The varying and violent emotions which had shaken her
（acting through her nervous system） might produce results which would
imperil the recovery of her sight。 Absolute repose was not simply
necessaryit was now the only chance for her。 For the next
four…and…twenty hours； he must keep watch over her eyes。 At the end of
that timeno ea