poor miss finch-第33节

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Mr。　Finch　lifted　his　head　into　the　air　as　high　as　it　could　possibly　go；
and　brought　the　flat　of　his　hand　down　with　a　solemn　and　sounding　smack　on
the　open　book。

〃Allow　me　to　say；　sir！〃　he　began。

Nugent　stopped　him　again；　more　good…humouredly　than　ever。

〃You　don't　agree　with　me？　All　right！　Quite　useless　to　dispute　about　it。　I
don't　know　what　you　may　beI　am　the　most　opinionated　man　in　existence。
Sheer　waste　of　time；　my　dear　sir；　to　attempt　convincing　Me。　Now；　just
look　at　that　child！〃　Here　Mr。　Nugent　Dubourg's　attention　was　suddenly
attracted　by　the　baby。　He　twisted　round　on　his　heel；　and　addressed　Mrs。
Finch。　〃I　take　the　liberty　of　saying；　ma'am；　that　a　more　senseless　dress
doesn't　exist；　than　the　dress　that　is　put；　in　this　country；　on　infants　of
tender　years。　What　are　the　three　main　functions　which　that　childthat
charming　child　of　yours…performs？　He　sucks；　he　sleeps；　and　he　grows。　At
the　present　moment；　he　isn't　sucking；　he　isn't　sleepinghe　is　growing
with　all　his　might。　Under　those　interesting　circumstances；　what　does　he
want　to　do？　To　move　his　limbs　freely　in　every　direction。　You　let　him
swing　his　arms　to　his　heart's　contentand　you　deny　him　freedom　to　kick
his　legs。　You　clothe　him　in　a　dress　three　times　as　long　as　himself。　He
tries　to　throw　his　legs　up　in　the　air　as　he　throws　his　arms；　and　he　can't
do　it。　There　is　his　senseless　long　dress　entangling　itself　in　his　toes；
and　making　an　effort　of　what　Nature　intended　to　be　a　luxury。　Can　anything
be　more　absurd？　What　are　mothers　about？　Why　don't　they　think　for
themselves？　Take　my　adviceshort　petticoats；　Mrs。　Finch。　Liberty；
glorious　liberty；　for　my　young　friend's　legs！　Room；　heaps　of　room；　for
that　infant　martyr's　toes！〃

Mrs。　Finch　listened　helplesslylifted　the　baby's　long　petticoats；　and
looked　at　themstared　piteously　at　Nugent　Dubourgopened　her　lips　to
speakand；　thinking　better　of　it；　turned　her　watery　eyes　on　her　husband；
appealing　to　_him_　to　take　the　matter　up。　Mr。　Finch　made　another　attempt
to　assert　his　dignitya　ponderously　satirical　attempt；　this　time。

〃In　offering　your　advice　to　my　wife；　Mr。　Nugent；〃　said　the　rector；　〃you
must　permit　me　to　remark　that　it　would　have　had　more　practical　force　if
it　had　been　the　advice　of　a　married　man。　I　beg　to　remind　you〃

〃You　beg　to　remind　me　that　it　is　the　advice　of　a　bachelor？　Oh；　come！　that
really　won't　do　at　this　time　of　day。　Doctor　Johnson　settled　that　argument
at　once　and　for　ever；　a　century　since。　'Sir！'　（he　said　to　somebody　of
your　way　of　thinking）　'you　may　scold　your　carpenter；　when　he　has　made　a
bad　table；　though　you　can't　make　a　table　yourself。'　I　say　to　you'Mr。
Finch；　you　may　point　out　a　defect　in　a　baby's　petticoats；　though　you
haven't　got　a　baby　yourself！'　Doesn't　that　satisfy　you？　All　right！　Take
another　illustration。　Look　at　your　room　here。　I　can　see　in　the　twinkling
of　an　eye；　that　it's　badly　lit。　You　have　only　got　one　windowyou　ought
to　have　two。　Is　it　necessary　to　be　a　practical　builder　to　discover　that？
Absurd！　Are　you　satisfied　now？　No！　Take　another　illustration。　What's　this
printed　paper；　here；　on　the　chimney…piece？　Assessed　Taxes。　Ha！　Assessed
Taxes　will　do。　You're　not　in　the　House　of　Commons；　you're　not　Chancellor
of　the　Exchequerbut　haven't　you　an　opinion　of　your　own　about　taxation；
in　spite　of　that？　Must　you　and　I　be　in　Parliament　before　we　can　presume
to　see　that　the　feeble　old　British　Constitution　is　at　its　last　gasp？〃

〃And　the　vigorous　young　Republic　drawing　its　first　breath　of　life！〃　I
burst　in；　introducing　the　Pratolungo　programme　（as　my　way　is）　at　every
available　opportunity。

Nugent　Dubourg　instantly　wheeled　round　in　my　direction；　and　set　me　right
on　my　subject；　just　as　he　had　set　the　rector　right　on　reading　_Hamlet；_
and　Mrs。　Finch　right　on　clothing　babies。

〃Not　a　bit　of　it！〃　he　pronounced　positively。　〃The　'young　Republic'　is　the
ricketty　child　of　the　political　family。　Give　him　up；　ma'am。　You　will
never　make　a　man　of　him。〃

I　tried　to　assert　myself　as　the　rector　had　tried　before　mewith
precisely　the　same　result。　I　appealed　indignantly　to　the　authority　of　my
illustrious　husband。

〃Doctor　Pratolungo〃　I　began。

〃Was　an　honest　man；〃　interposed　Nugent　Dubourg。　〃I　am　an　advanced　Liberal
myselfI　respect　him。　But　he　was　quite　wrong。　All　sincere　republicans
make　the　same　mistake。　They　believe　in　the　existence　of　public　spirit　in
Europe。　Amiable　delusion！　Public　spirit　is　dead　in　Europe。　Public　spirit
is　the　generous　emotion　of　young　nations；　of　new　peoples。　In　selfish　old
Europe；　private　interest　has　taken　its　place。　When　your　husband　preached
the　republic；　on　what　ground　did　he　put　it？　On　the　ground　that　the
republic　was　going　to　elevate　the　nation。　Pooh！　Ask　me　to　accept　the
republic；　on　the　ground　that　I　elevate　Myselfand；　supposing　you　can
prove　it；　I　will　listen　to　you。　If　you　are　ever　to　set　republican
institutions　going；　in　the　Old　World_there_　is　the　only　motive　power
that　will　do　it！〃

I　was　indignant　at　such　sentiments。　〃My　glorious　husband〃　I　began
again。

〃Would　have　died　rather　than　appeal　to　the　meanest　instincts　of　his
fellow…creatures。　Just　so！　There　was　his　mistake。　That's　why　he　never
could　make　anything　of　the　republic。　That's　why　the　republic　is　the
ricketty　child　of　the　political　family。　_Quod　erat　demonstrandum；_〃　said
Nugent　Dubourg；　finishing　me　off　with　a　pleasant　smile；　and　an　easy
indicative　gesture　of　the　hand　which　said；　〃Now　I　have　settled　these
three　people　in　succession；　I　am　equally　well　satisfied　with　myself　and
with　them！〃

His　smile　was　irresistible。　Bent　as　I　was　on　disputing　the　degrading
conclusions　at　which　he　had　arrived；　I　really　had　not　fire　enough　in　me；
at　the　moment；　to　feed　my　own　indignation。　As　to　Reverend　Finch；　he　sat
silently　swelling　in　a　corner；　digesting；　as　he　best　might；　the　discovery
that　there　was　another　man　in　the　world；　besides　the　Rector　of　Dimchurch；
with　an　excellent　opinion　of　himself；　and　with　perfectly　unassailable
confidence　and　fluency　in　expressing　it。　In　the　momentary　silence　that
now　followed；　Oscar　got　his　first　opportunity　of　speaking。　He　had；　thus
far；　been　quite　content　to　admire　his　clever　brother。　He　now　advanced　to
me；　and　asked　what　had　become　of　Lucilla。

〃The　servant　told　me　she　was　here；〃　he　said。　〃I　am　so　anxious　to
introduce　her　to　Nugent。〃

Nugent　put　his　arm　affectionately　round　his　brother's　neck；　and　gave　him
a　hug。　〃Dear　old　boy！　I　am　just　as　anxious　as　you　are。〃

〃Lucilla　went　out　a　little　while　since；〃　I　said；　〃to　take　a　turn　in　the
garden。〃

〃I'll　go　and　find　her；〃　said　Oscar。　〃Wait　here；　Nugent。　I'll　bring　her
in。〃

He　left　the　room。　Before　he　could　close　the　door　one　of　the　servants
appeared；　to　claim　Mrs。　Finch's　private　ear；　on　some　mysterious　domestic
emergency。　Nugent　facetiously　entreated　her；　as　she　passed　him；　to　clear
her　mind　of　prejudice；　and　consider　the　question　of　infant　petticoats　on
its　own　merits。　Mr。　Finch　took　offense　at　this　second　reference　to　the
subject。　He　rose　to　follow　his　wife。

〃When　you　are　a　married　man；　Mr。　Dubourg；〃　said　the　rector　severely；　〃you
will　learn　to　leave　the　management　of　an　infant　in　its　mother's　hands。〃

〃There's　another　mistake！〃　remarked　Nugent；　following　him　with　unabated
good　humour；　to　the　door。　〃A　married　man's　idea　of　another　man　as　a
husband；　always　begins　and　ends　with　his　idea　of　himself。〃　He　turned　to
me；　as　the　door　closed　on　Mr。　Finch。　〃Now　we　are　alone；　Madame
Pratolungo；〃　he　said；　〃I　want　to　speak　to　you　about　Miss　Finch。　There　is
an　opportunity；　before　she　comes　in。　Oscar's　letter　only　told　me　that　she
was　blind。　I　am　naturally　interested　in　everything　that　relates　to　my
brother's　future　wife。　I　am　particularly　interested　about　this　affliction
of　hers。　May　I　ask　how　long　she　has　been　blind？〃

〃Since　she　was　a　year　old；〃　I　replied。

〃Through　an　accident？〃

〃No。〃

〃After　a　fever？　or　a　disease　of　any　other　sort？〃

I　began　to　feel　a　little　surprised　at　his　entering　into　these　medical
details。

〃I　never　heard　that　it　was　through　a　fever；　or　other　illness；〃　I　said。
〃So　far　as　I　know；　the　blindness　came　on　unexpectedly；　from　some　cause
that　did　not　express　itself　to　the　people　about　her；　at　the　time。〃

He　drew　his　chair　confidentially　nearer　to　mine。　〃How　old　is　she？〃　he
asked。

I　began　to　feel　more　than　a　little　surprised；　and　I　showed　it；　I　suppose；
on　telling　him　Lucilla's　age。

〃As　things　are　now；〃　he　explained；　〃there　are　reasons　which　make　me
hesitate　to　enter　on　the　question　of　Miss　Finch's　blindness　either　with
my　brother；　or　with　any　members　of　the　family。　I　must　wait　to　speak　about
it　to　_them；_　until　I　can　speak　to　good　practical　purpose。　There　is　no
harm　in　my　starting　the　subject　with　_you。_　When　she　first　lost　her
sight；　no　means　of　restoring　it　were　left　untried；　of　course？〃

〃I　should　suppose　not；〃　I　replied。　〃It's　so　long　since；　I　have　never
asked。〃

〃So　long　since；〃　he　repeatedand　then　considered　for　a　moment。

His　reflections　ended　in　a　last　question。

〃She　is　resigned；　I　supposeand　everybody　about　her　is　resignedto　the
idea　of　her　being　hopelessly　blind　for　life。〃

Instead　of　answering　him；　I　put　a　question　on　my　side。　My　heart　was
beginning　to　beat　rapidlywithout　my　kno