登陆注册
5249600000168

第168章 CHAPTER THE FORTY-NINTH(1)

On the Way to the End. Third Stage ON former occasions of doubt or difficulty, it had always been Oscar's habit to follow the opinions of others. On this occasion he was the first to speak, and to assert an opinion of his own.

"It seems needless to waste time in discussing our different views," he said. "There is only one thing to be done. I am the person principally concerned in this matter. Wait here, while I go to the house."

He spoke without any of his usual hesitation; he took up his hat without looking either at Mr. Finch or at me. I felt more and more convinced that the influence which Nugent's vile breach of confidence had exerted over Oscar's mind, was an influence which had made a dangerous man of him.

Resolved to prevent him from leaving us, I insisted on his returning to his chair, and hearing what I had to say. At the same moment, Mr. Finch rose, and placed himself between Oscar and the door. Seeing this, I thought it might be wise if I kept my interference in reserve, and allowed the rector to speak first.

"Wait a moment, Oscar," said Mr. Finch, gravely. "You are forgetting Me."

Oscar waited doggedly, hat in hand.

Mr. Finch paused, evidently considering what words he should use before he spoke again. His respect for Oscar's pecuniary position was great; but his respect for himself--especially at the present crisis--was, if possible, greater still. In deference to the first sentiment he was as polite, and in deference to the second he was as positive, in phrasing his remonstrance, as a man could be. "Permit me to remind you, dear Oscar, that my claim to interfere, as Lucilla's father, is at least equal to yours," proceeded the rector. "In the hour of my daughter's need, it is my parental duty to be present. If you go to your cousin's house, my position imperatively requires that I should go too." Oscar's reception of this proposal confirmed the grave apprehensions with which he had inspired me. He flatly refused to have Mr. Finch for a companion.

"Excuse me," he answered shortly. "I wish to go to the house alone."

"Permit me to ask your reason," said the rector, still preserving his conciliatory manner.

"I wish to see my brother in private," Oscar replied, with his eyes on the ground.

Mr. Finch, still restraining himself, but still not moving from the door, looked at me. I hastened to interfere before there was any serious disagreement between them.

"I venture to think," I said, "that you are both wrong. Whether one of you goes, or both of you go, the result will be the same. The chances are a hundred to one, against your being admitted into the house."

They both turned on me together, and asked what I meant.

"You can't force your way in," I said. "You must do one of two things.

You must either give your names to the servant at the door, or you must withhold your names. If you give them, you warn Nugent of what is coming--and he is not the man to let you into the house under those circumstances. If you take the other way, and keep your names concealed, you present yourselves as strangers. Is Nugent likely to be accessible to strangers? Would Lucilla, in her present position, consent to receive two men who are unknown to her? Take my word for it--you will not only gain nothing if you go to the house you will actually make it more difficult to communicate with Lucilla than it is already."

There was a moment's silence. Both the men felt that my objections were not easy to answer. Once more, Oscar took the lead.

"Do you propose to go?" he asked.

"No," I answered. "I propose to send a letter to Lucilla. A letter will find its way to her."

This again was unanswerable. Oscar inquired next what the purport of the letter was to be. I replied that I proposed to ask her to grant me a private interview--nothing more.

"Suppose Lucilla refuses?" said Mr. Finch.

"She will not refuse," I rejoined. "There was a little misunderstanding between us--I admit--at the time when I went abroad. I mean to refer frankly to that misunderstanding as my reason for writing. I shall put your daughter on her honor to give me an opportunity of setting things right between us. If I summon Lucilla to do an act of justice, I believe she will not refuse me."

(This, let me add in parenthesis, was the plan of action which I had formed on the way to Sydenham. I had only waited to mention it, until I heard what the two men proposed to do first.)

Oscar, standing hat in hand, glanced at Mr. Finch (also hat in hand) keeping obstinately near the door. If he persisted in carrying out his purpose of going alone to his cousin's house, the rector's face and manner expressed, with the politest plainness, the intention of following him. Oscar was placed between a clergyman and a woman, both equally determined to have their own way. Under those circumstances, there was no alternative--unless he wished to produce a public scandal--but to yield, or appear to yield, to one or the other of us. He selected me.

"If you succeed in seeing her," he asked, "what do you mean to do?"

"I mean either to bring her back with me here to her father and to you, or to make an appointment with her to see you both where she is now living," I replied.

Oscar--after another look at the immovable rector--rang the bell, and ordered writing materials.

"One more question," he said. "Assuming that Lucilla receives you at the house, do you intend to see----?" He stopped; his eyes shrank from meeting mine. "Do you intend to see anybody else?" he resumed: still evading the plain utterance of his brother's name.

"I intend to see nobody but Lucilla," I answered. "It is no business of mine to interfere between you and your brother." (Heaven forgive me for speaking in that way to him, while I had the firm resolution to interfere between them in my mind all the time!)

"Write your letter," he said, "on condition that I see the reply."

同类推荐
  • 唯识论(一名破色心论)

    唯识论(一名破色心论)

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说梵志计水净经

    佛说梵志计水净经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 道基

    道基

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 上清琼宫灵飞六甲箓

    上清琼宫灵飞六甲箓

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 元始上真众仙记 枕中书

    元始上真众仙记 枕中书

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 伤寒直格

    伤寒直格

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 藏在这世间的美好

    藏在这世间的美好

    《藏在这世间的美好》,为超人气励志作家鼹鼠的土豆特意写给千万年轻人的暖心之作。书中独家收录鼹鼠的土豆写给千万年轻人的超级热帖《宁与好人一起咽糟糠,不与坏人一起吃筵席》、《不争,也有属于你的世界》、《找到自己对的位置,做好应该做的事》……在为数众多的作家中,鼹鼠的土豆是个奇异的存在。她的文字虽平实但饱含激情,虽简练但激扬到位,她是正在奋斗征途中的你的好友,她是你不良情绪的开导者和化解天使,她是你信心与力量的不竭源泉。她可以让你拥有一双慧眼,处处、时时发现生活的美与好,不管是过去,还是现在,乃至未来。
  • 一墙之隔:男神溺宠成瘾

    一墙之隔:男神溺宠成瘾

    【男女主角皆身心健康无不良嗜好,甜文】小时候的一次意外绑架,他救了她,被她爸爸收养为养子。骄傲如他,高冷如他,却愿意为了一个不懂事事,嚣张跋扈,有时还有一点无理取闹的她,付出自己最真诚东西。每当她生气的时候他就会说:“我们家的宝贝……”在她失明的时候他对她说:“没关系,我陪你。”在她要打算和别人结婚的时候,他这样说:“她幸福,我无所谓。”从年少无知到年少轻狂再到现在的成熟稳重,他对她的心,却始终如一。
  • 四分律比丘戒本

    四分律比丘戒本

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 腰问

    腰问

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 无限欺诈师

    无限欺诈师

    本书又名《欺诈师的无限搞事之旅》、《我的san值没有问题》、《san值归零的我只能搞事了》、《你所知道的剧情都是假的》、《对不起,我是演员》……总而言之,大概就是冯雪带着克苏鲁跑团角色卡穿越到jojo世界,结果发现一帮子轮回者导致san值归零,发疯后领悟到了偷(愉)税(悦)的真谛,在一个个剧情世界里冒充剧情人物坑轮回者并逐渐把轮回者们关于剧情的情报带歪的故事。
  • 首席坏坏爱:软嫩娇妻宠不够

    首席坏坏爱:软嫩娇妻宠不够

    人心怎么可以偏颇成这样?叶蓁至死,都不明白!一朝死而重生,她有了新的选择。这一次,她决定:爱她的,她千万珍重,不爱的,她弃之如履。什么亲生父母,什么养父母,什么真凤凰,什么土野鸡,她要活的自我,活的精彩,活的骄傲幸福!可各路极品却总围在她身边打转,找存在,找优越怎么办?怎么办?叶蓁冷笑连连,捏了捏拳头,正准备有仇报仇时……“媳妇,有事老公服其劳,你歇着。”大院里最英俊帅气的潜力股未来首长笑嘻嘻的亲昵道。叶蓁左右看看,反手指着自己:“我?你认错了人!”某人露出一个惑人的帅气笑容,道:“媳妇,还能认错了人?媳妇,你就是我媳妇!嫡亲嫡亲的那种!”叶蓁:“……”
  • 创业家

    创业家

    人因梦想而伟大,因学习而改变,因创业而成功。从一名普通的创业者成长为创业家,要经历一段漫长的过程。在大众创业,万众创新的时代,你是否做好了准备?本书从顺应时代、捕捉商机、打造团队、战略定位、顶层设计等方面,为创业者提供了颇具建设性的创业指导意见,讲解透彻,针对性强,可谓一本全面的创业指南。打工就像进入围城,创业则是一场突围。在创业中战斗,在创业中修炼,在创业中成长!
  • 红泪千点

    红泪千点

    没日没夜地索取,因为情,还是因为欲;惨不忍睹地折磨,因为爱,还是因为恨;至死不渝地追随,因为合,还是因为离;爱恨情仇,悲欢离合……二十年前,一场意外,她来到了他的身边,从此,她便是他今生最疼的爱妃;三年前,也是一场意外,从未被公开的身世成为她难言的痛,从此,她便是他无休止的发泄工具……哥哥,求求你放过我……本是要收集一千滴眼泪的许愿瓶,何时才能收集到一千滴血红色的眼泪?爱人的折磨,姐妹的陷害,身世的迷离,曾被捧为爱妃的她,最终的归宿,会在哪里?可可西里,地球上原始生态环境保存最为完整的地方,他和她,所有的爱恨,在这里终结,但愿前缘,能在这里,永恒续写……
  • 霸道总裁独宠冷血小娇妻

    霸道总裁独宠冷血小娇妻

    “不要再缠着我了,你真的让我觉得恶心!”可是女人离开了他却发疯似的找她,可是真相慢慢浮出水面“没错,我接近你确实有目的,现在我的目的已经完成了我也要离开了,再见,哦不,再也不见!”“你以为你走地了吗?没有我的允许你那里也别想去!”于是“老婆~~你要怎么样嘛,我都依你!”于是一个白眼“滚~”“你真的把我惹到了,键盘,搓衣板,鸡毛掸子自己选”“搓衣板!”又于是拿着搓衣板立马跪了下去说“老婆~~我错了!”