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of the tenderest anxiety to keep it warm on my account。
〃Here is a lofely cheese…omelets；〃 said Grosse。 〃Two…thirds of him I have
eaten my own self。 The odder third I sweat with anxiety to keep warm for
you。 Sit down！ sit down！ Every moment he is getting cold。〃
〃I am much obliged to you； Herr Grosse。 I have just heard some miserable
news〃
〃Ach； Gott！ don't tell it to me！〃 the wretch burst out with a look of
consternation。 〃No miserable news； I pray you； after such a dinner as I
have eaten。 Let me do my digestions！ My goot…dear…creature； if you lofe
me let me do my digestions！〃
〃Will you excuse me； if I leave you to your digestion； and retire to my
own room？〃
He rose in a violent hurry； and opened the door for me。
〃Yes！ yes！ From the deep bottoms of my heart I excuse you。 Goot Madame
Pratolungo； retire！ retire！〃
I had barely passed the threshold； before the door was closed behind me。
I heard the selfish old brute rub his hands； and chuckle over his success
in shutting me and my sorrow both out of the room together。
Just as my hand was on my own door； it occurred to me that I should do
well to make sure of not being surprised by Lucilla over the reading of
Oscar's letter。 The truth is that I shrank from reading it。 In spite of
my resolution to disbelieve the servant； the dread was now growing on me
that the letter would confirm his statement； and would force it on me as
the truth that Oscar had left us never to return。 I retraced my steps；
and entered Lucilla's room。
I could just see her； by the dim night…light burning in a cornet to
enable the surgeon or the nurse to find their way to her。 She was alone
in her favorite little wicker…work chair； with the doleful white bandage
over her eyesto all appearance quite content； busily knitting！
〃Don't you feel lonely； Lucilla？〃
She turned her head towards me； and answered in her gayest tones。
〃Not in the least。 I am quite happy as I am。
〃Why is Zillah not with you？〃
〃I sent her away。〃
〃You sent her away？〃
〃Yes！ I couldn't enjoy myself thoroughly to…night； unless I felt that I
was quite alone。 I have seen him； my dearI have seen him！ How could you
possibly think I felt lonely？ I am so inordinately happy that I am
obliged to knit to keep myself quiet。 If you say much more； I shall get
up and danceI know I shall！ Where is Oscar？ That odious Grosseno！ it
is too bad to talk of the dear old man in that way； after he has given me
back my sight。 Still it _is_ cruel of him to say that I am overexcited；
and to forbid Oscar to come and see me to…night。 Is Oscar with you； in
the next room？ Is he very much disappointed at being parted from me in
this way？ Say I am thinking of himsince I have seen himwith such new
thoughts！〃
〃Oscar is not here to…night； my dear。〃
〃No？ then he is at Browndown of course with that poor wretched disfigured
brother of his。 I have got over my terror of Nugent's hideous face。 I am
even beginning （though I never liked him； as you know） to pity him； with
such a dreadful complexion as that。 Don't let us talk about it！ Don't let
us talk at all！ I want to go on thinking of Oscar。〃
She resumed her knitting； and shut herself up luxuriously in her own
happy thoughts。 Knowing what I knew； it was nothing less than
heart…breaking to see her and hear her。 Afraid to trust myself to say
another word； I softly closed the door； and charged Zillah （when her
mistress rang her bell） to say for me that I was weary after the events
of the day； and had gone to rest in my bed…room。
At last； I was alone。 At last I was at the end of my maneuvers to spare
myself the miserable necessity of opening Oscar's letter。 After first
locking my door； I broke the seal； and read the lines which follow。
〃KIND AND DEAR FRIEND；Forgive me： I am going to surprise and distress
you。 My letter thanks you gratefully； and bids you a last farewell。
〃Summon all your indulgence for me。 Read these lines to the end： they
will tell you what happened after I left the rectory。
〃Nothing had been seen of Nugent； when I reached this house。 It was not
till a quarter of an hour later that I heard his voice at the door；
calling to me； and asking if I had come back。 I answered； and he joined
me in the sitting…room。 Nugent's first words to me were these： 〃
'Oscar； I have come to ask your pardon； and to bid you good…bye。'
〃I can give you no idea of the tone in which he spoke to me： it would
have gone straight to your heart； as it went straight to mine。 For the
moment； I was not able to answer him。 I could only offer him my hand。 He
sighed bitterly； and refused to take it。
〃 'I have something still to tell you；' he said。 'Wait till you have
heard it； and give me your hand afterwardsif you can。'
〃He even refused to take the chair to which I pointed。 He distressed me
by standing in my presence as if he was my inferior。 The next words that
he said to me
〃No！ I have need of all my calmness and all my courage。 It shakes both to
recall what he said to me。 I sat down to write this； intending to repeat
to you everything that passed between us。 Another of my weaknesses！
another of my failures！ The tears come into my eyes again； when my mind
attempts to dwell on the details。 I can only tell you the result。 My
brother's confession may be summed up in three words。 Prepare yourself to
be startled； prepare yourself to be grieved。
〃Nugent loves her。
〃Think of this discovery falling on me； after I had seen my innocent
Lucilla's arms round his neckafter my own eyes had shown me how she
rejoiced over her first sight of _him；_ how she shuddered at her first
sight of _me！_ Need I tell you what I suffered？ No。
〃Nugent held out his hand； when he had doneas I had held out mine
before he began。
〃 'The one atonement I can make to you and to her；' he said； 'is never to
let either of you set eyes on me again。 Shake hands； Oscar； and let me
go。'
〃If I had willed it soso it might have ended。 I willed it differently。
It has ended differently。 Can you guess how？〃
I laid down the letter for a moment。 It cut me with such keen regret； it
fired me with such hot ragethat I was within a hairsbreadth of tearing
the rest of it up unread； and trampling it under my feet。 I took a turn
in the room。 I dipped my handkerchief in water； and bound it round my
head。 In a minute or two I was myself againI could force my mind away
from my poor Lucilla； and return to the letter。 It proceeded thus：
〃I can write calmly of what I have next to tell you。 You shall hear what
I have decided； and what I have done。
〃I told Nugent to wait in the room； while I went away； and thought over
what he had said to me； by myself。 He attempted to resist this。 I
insisted on his yielding。 For the first time in our lives； we changed
places。 It was I who took the lead； and he who followed。 I left him and
went out into the valley alone。
〃The heavenly tranquillity； the comforting solitude helped me。 I saw my
position and his； in their true light。 Before I got back； I had decided
（cost me what it might） on myself making the sacrifice to which my
brother had offered to submit。 For Lucilla's sake； and for Nugent's sake；
I felt t