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me out of the house？
He called to the servant。
〃James！〃
〃Yes； sir？〃
〃Make the house fast when Madame Pratolungo and I have left it。 I am not
coming back again。〃
〃Sir！〃
〃Pack my portmanteau； and send it after me to…morrow； to Nagle's Hotel；
London。〃
He closed the door again； and came back to me。
〃You refused to take my hand when you came in；〃 he said。 〃Will you take
it now？ I leave Browndown when you leave it； and I won't come back again
till I bring Oscar with me。
〃Both hands！〃 I exclaimedand took him by both hands。 I could say
nothing more。 I could only wonder whether I was waking or sleeping； fit
to be put into an asylum； or fit to go at large？
〃Come！〃 he said。 〃I will see you as far as the rectory gate。
〃You can't go to…night；〃 I answered。 〃The last train has left hours
since。〃
〃I can！ I can walk to Brighton； and get a bed there； and leave for London
to…morrow morning。 Nothing will induce me to pass another night at
Browndown。 Stop！ One question before I put the lamp out。〃
〃What is it？〃
〃Did you do anything towards tracing Oscar； when you were in London
to…day？〃
〃I went to a lawyer； and made what arrangements with him I could。〃
〃Here is my pocket…book。 Write me down his name and address。〃
I wrote them。 He extinguished the lamp； and led me into the passage。 The
servant was standing there bewildered。 〃Good night； James。 I am going to
bring your master back to Browndown。〃 With that explanation； he took up
his hat and stick； and gave me his arm。 The moment after； we were out in
the dark valley； on our way to the village。
On the walk back to the rectory； he talked with a feverish volubility and
excitement。 Avoiding the slightest reference to the subject discussed at
our strange and stormy interview； he returned； with tenfold confidence in
himself； to his old boastful assertion of the great things he was going
to do as a painter。 The mission which called him to reconcile Humanity
with Nature； the superb scale on which he proposed to interpret
sympathetic scenery for the benefit of suffering mankind； the prime
necessity of understanding him； not as a mere painter； but as Grand
Consoler in ArtI had it all over again； by way of satisfying my mind as
to his prospects and occupations in his future life。 It was only when we
stopped at the rectory…gate that he referred to what had passed between
usand even then； he only touched on the subject in the briefest
possible way。
〃Well？〃 he said。 〃Have I won back your old regard for me？ Do you believe
there is a fine side to be found in the nature of Nugent Dubourg？ Man is
a compound animal。 You are a woman in ten thousand。 Give me a kiss。〃
He kissed me； foreign fashion； on both cheeks。
〃Now for Oscar！〃 he shouted cheerfully。 He waved his hat； and disappeared
in the darkness。 I stood at the gate till the last rapid pit…pat of his
feet died away in the silence of the night。
An indescribable depression seized on my spirits。 I began to doubt him
again； the instant I was alone。
〃Is there a time coming；〃 I asked myself； 〃when all that I have done
to…night must be done over again？〃
I opened the rectory…gate。 Mr。 Finch intercepted me before I could get
round to our side of the house。 He held up before me； in solemn triumph；
a manuscript of many pages。
〃My Letter；〃 he said。 〃A Letter of Christian remonstrance； to Nugent
Dubourg。〃
〃Nugent Dubourg has left Dimchurch。〃
With that reply； I told the rector in as few words as possible how my
visit to Browndown had ended。
Mr。 Finch looked at his letter。 All those pages of eloquence written for
nothing？ No！ In the nature of things； _that_ could not possibly be。 〃You
have done very well； Madame Pratolungo；〃 he remarked； in his most
patronizing manner。 〃Very well indeed； all things considered。 _But；_ I
don't think I shall act wisely if I destroy this。〃 He carefully locked up
his manuscript； and turned to me again with a mysterious smile。 〃I
venture to think；〃 said Mr。 Finch with mock humility； 〃My Letter will be
wanted。 Don't let me discourage you about Nugent Dubourg。 Only let me
say：Is he to be trusted？〃
It was said by a fool： it would never have been said at all； if he had
not written his wonderful letter。 Still； it echoed； with a painful
fidelity； the misgiving secretly present at that moment in my own
mindand； more yet； it echoed the misgiving in Nugent's mind； the doubt
of himself which his own lips had confessed to me in so many words。 I
wished the rector good night； and went upstairs。
Lucilla was in bed and asleep； when I softly opened her door。
After looking for awhile at her lovely peaceful face； I was obliged to
turn away。 It was time I left the bedside； when the sight of her only
made my spirits sink lower and lower。 As I cast my last look at her
before I closed the door； Mr。 Finch's ominous question forced itself on
me again。 In spite of myself； I said to myself
〃Is he to be trusted？〃
CHAPTER THE THIRTY…NINTH
She Learns to See
WITH the new morning； certain reflections found their way into my mind
which were not of the most welcome sort。 There was one serious element of
embarrassment in my position towards Lucilla； which had not discovered
itself to me when Nugent and I parted at the rectory gate。
Browndown was now empty。 In the absence of both the brothers； what was I
to say to Lucilla when the false Oscar failed to pay her his promised
visit that day？
In what a labyrinth of lies had the first fatal suppression of the truth
involved us all！ One deception after another had been forced on us； one
disaster after another had followed retributively as the resultand； now
that I was left to deal single…handed with the hard necessities of our
position； no choice seemed left to me but to go on deceiving Lucilla
still！ I was weary of it and ashamed of it。 At breakfast…time； I evaded
all further discussion of the subject； after I had first ascertained that
Lucilla did not expect her visitor before the afternoon。 For some time
after breakfast； I kept her at the piano。 When she wearied of music； and
began to talk of Oscar once more； I put on my hat； and set forth on a
domestic errand （of the kind usually entrusted to Zillah）； solely for the
purpose of keeping out of the way； and putting off to the last moment the
hateful necessity of telling more lies。 The weather stood my friend。 It
threatened to rain； and Lucilla； on that account； refrained from
proposing to accompany me。
My errand took me to a farm…house on the road which led to Brighton。
After settling my business； I prolonged my walk； though the rain was
already beginning to fall。 I had nothing on me that would spoil； and； in
my present frame of mind； a wet gown was a preferable alternative to
returning to the rectory。
After I had walked about a mile further on； the solitude of the road was
enlivened by the appearance of an open carriage approaching me from the
direction of Brighton。 The hood was up to protect the person inside from
the rain。 The person looked out as I passed； and stopped the carriage in
a voice which I instantly recognized as the voice of Grosse。 Our gallant
oculist insisted （in the state of the