Part 42 (1/2)

He looked up as suddenly as he had looked down.

”Do you and Oscar think me a stock or a stone?” he burst out angrily.

”What do you mean?”

”Who are you indebted to for what is going to happen to-day?” he went on, more and more pa.s.sionately. ”You are indebted to Me. Who among you all stood alone in refusing to believe that she was blind for life? _I_ did!

Who brought the man here who has given her back her sight? _I_ brought the man! And I am the one person who is to be left in ignorance of how it ends. The others are to be present: I am to be sent away. The others are to see it: I am to hear by post (if any of you think of writing to me) what she does, what she says, how she looks, at the first heavenly moment when she opens her eyes on the world.” He flung up his hand in the air, and burst out savagely with a bitter laugh. ”I astonish you, don't I? I am claiming a position which I have no right to occupy. What interest can _I_ feel in it? Oh G.o.d! what do _I_ care about the woman to whom I have given a new life?” His voice broke into a sob at those last wild words.

He tore at the breast of his coat as if he was suffocating--and turned, and left me.

I stood rooted to the spot. In one breathless instant, the truth broke on me like a revelation. At last I had penetrated the terrible secret.

Nugent loved her.

My first impulse, when I recovered myself, hurried me at the top of my speed back to the rectory. For a moment or two, I think I must really have lost my senses. I felt a frantic suspicion that he had gone into the house, and that he was making his way to Lucilla at that moment. When I found that all was quiet--when Zillah had satisfied me that no visitor had come near our side of the rectory--I calmed down a little, and went back to the garden to compose myself before I ventured into Lucilla's presence.

After awhile, I got over the first horror of it, and saw my own position plainly. There was not a living soul at Dimchurch in whom I could confide. Come what might of it, in this dreadful emergency, I must trust in myself alone.

I had just arrived at that startling conclusion; I had shed some bitter tears when I remembered how hardly I had judged poor Oscar on more than one occasion; I had decided that my favorite Nugent was the most hateful villain living, and that I would leave nothing undone that the craft of a woman could compa.s.s to drive him out of the place--when I was forced back to present necessities by the sound of Zillah's voice calling to me from the house. I went to her directly. The nurse had a message for me from her young mistress. My poor Lucilla was lonely and anxious: she was surprised at my leaving her, she insisted on seeing me immediately.

I took my first precaution against a surprise from Nugent, as I crossed the threshold of the door.

”Our dear child must not be disturbed by visitors to-day,” I said to Zillah. ”If Mr. Nugent Dubourg comes here and asks for her--don't tell Lucilla; tell _me._”

This said, I went up-stairs, and joined my darling in the darkened room.

CHAPTER THE THIRTY-FIFTH

Lucilla tries her Sight

SHE was sitting alone in the dim light, with the bandage over her eyes, with her pretty hands crossed patiently on her lap. My heart swelled in me as I looked at her, and felt the horrid discovery that I had made still present in my mind. ”Forgive me for leaving you,” I said in as steady a voice as I could command at the moment--and kissed her.

She instantly discovered my agitation, carefully as I thought I had concealed it.

”You are frightened too!” she exclaimed, taking my hands in hers.

”Frightened, my love?” I repeated. (I was perfectly stupefied; I really did not know what to say!)

”Yes. Now the time is so near, I feel my courage failing me. I forbode all sorts of horrible things. Oh! when will it be over? what will Oscar look like when I see him?”

I answered the first question. Who could answer the second?

”Herr Grosse comes to us by the morning train,” I said. ”It will soon be over.”

”Where is Oscar?”

”On his way here, I have no doubt.”

”Describe him to me once more,” she said eagerly. ”For the last time, before I see. His eyes, his hair, his complexion--everything!”

How I should have got through the painful task which she had innocently imposed on me, if I had attempted to perform it, I hardly like to think.

To my infinite relief, I was interrupted at my first word by the opening of the door, and the sudden appearance of a family deputation in the room.