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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 weather） on my instantly taking
shelter by his side and returning with him to the house。
〃This is an unexpected pleasure；〃 I said。 〃I thought you had arranged not
to see Lucilla again till the end of the week。〃
Grosse's eyes glared at me through his spectacles with a dignity and
gravity worthy of Mr。 Finch himself。
〃Shall I tell you something？〃 he said。 〃You see sitting at your side a
lost surgeon…optic。 I shall die soon。 Put on my tombs； if you please； The
malady which killed this German mans wasLofely Feench。 When I am away
from hergif me your sympathies： I so much want itI sweat with
anxiousness for young Miss。 Your damn…mess…fix about those two brodders
is a sort of perpetual blisters on my mind。 Instead of snoring peaceably
all night in my nice big English beds； I roll wide awake on my pillows；
fidgeting for Feench。 I am here to…day before my time。 For what？ For to
try her eyesyou think？ Goot Madam； you think wrong！ It is not her eyes
which troubles me。 Her eyes will do。 It is Youand the odders at your
rectory…place。 You make me nervous…anxious about my patients。 I am afraid
some of you will let the mess…fix of those brodder…twins find its way to
her pretty ears； and turn her poor little mind topsy…turvies when I am
not near to see to it in time。 Will you let her be comfortable…easy for
two months more？ Ach Gott！ if I could only be certain…sure of _that；_ I
might leave those weak new eyes of hers to cure themselves； and go my
ways back to London again。〃
I had intended to remonstrate with him pretty sharply for taking Lucilla
to Browndown。 After what he had now said； it was useless to attempt
anything of that sortand doubly useless to hope that he would let me
extricate myself from my difficulties by letting me tell her the truth。
〃Of course you are the best judge；〃 I said。 〃But you little know what
these precautions of yours cost the unfortunate people who are left to
carry them out。〃
He took me up sharply at those words。
〃You shall judge for yourself；〃 he said； 〃if it is not worth the cost。 If
her eyes satisfy meFeench shall learn to see to…day。 You shall stand
by； you obstinate womans； and judge if it is goot to add shock and
agitation to the exhaustions and irritabilities and bedevilments of all
sorts which our poor Miss must suffer in learning to see； after being
blind for all her life。 No more of it now； till we get to the
rectory…place。〃 By way of changing the subject for the present； he put a
question to me which I felt it necessary to answer with some caution。
〃How is my nice boys？my bright…clever Nugent？〃 he asked。
〃Very well。〃
There I stopped； not feeling at all sure of the ground I was treading on。
〃Mind this！〃 Grosse went on。 〃My bright…boy…Nugent keeps her
comfortable…easy。 My bright…boy…Nugent is worth all the rest of you
togedder。 I insist on his making his visits to young Miss at the
rectory…place； in spite of that windy…talky…puff…bag…Feench…father of
hers。 I say positivelyNugent shall