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〃It depends on Herr Grosse；〃 I answered。 〃I will ask him when he comes
next。〃
He turned away to the windowsuddenly； as if he was a little put out。
〃Are you tired of Ramsgate already？〃 I asked。
He came back to me； and took my handmy cold insensible hand that won't
feel his touch as it ought！
〃Let me be your husband； Lucilla；〃 he whispered； 〃and I will live at
Ramsgate if you likefor your sake。〃
Although there was everything to please me in those words； there was
something that startled meI cannot describe itin his look and manner
when he said them。 I made no answer at the moment。 He went on。
〃Why should we not be married at once？〃 he asked。 We are both of age。 We
have only ourselves to think of。〃
＇Note。Alter his words as follows： 〃Why should we not be married before
Madame Pratolungo can hear of my arrival at Ramsgate？〃and you will
rightly interpret his motives。 The situation is now fast reaching its
climax of peril。 Nugent's one chance is to persuade Lucilla to marry him
before any discoveries can reach my ears； and before Grosse considers her
sufficiently recovered to leave Ramsgate。P。＇
〃You forget；〃 I answered； more surprised than ever； 〃we have my father to
think of。 It was always arranged that he was to marry us at Dimchurch。〃
Oscar smilednot at all the charming smile I used to imagine； when I was
blind！
〃We shall wait a long time； I am afraid；〃 he said； 〃if we wait until your
father marries us。〃
〃What do you mean？〃 I asked。
〃When we enter on the painful subject of Madame Pratolungo；〃 he replied；
〃I will tell you。 In the meantime； do you think Mr。 Finch will answer
your letter？〃
〃I hope so。〃
〃Do you think he will answer my postscript？〃
〃I am sure he will！〃
The same unpleasant smile showed itself again in his face。 He abruptly
dropped the conversation； and went to play _piquet_ with my aunt。
All this happened yesterday evening。 I went to bed； sadly dissatisfied
with somebody。 Was it with Oscar？ or with myself？ or with both？ I fancy
with both。
To…day； we went out together for a walk on the cliffs。 What a delight it
was to move through the fresh briny air； and see the lovely sights on
every side of me！ Oscar enjoyed it too。 All through the first part of our
walk； he was charming； and I was more in love with him than ever。 On our
return； a little incident occurred which altered him for the worse； and
which made my spirits sink again。
It happened in this manner。
I proposed returning by the sands。 Ramsgate is still crowded with
visitors； and the animated scene on the beach in the later part of the
day has attractions for me； after my blind life； which it does not （I
dare say） possess for people who have always enjoyed the use of their
eyes。 Oscar； who has a nervous horror of crowds； and who shrinks from
contact with people not so refined as himself； was surprised at my
wishing to mix with what he called 〃the mob on the sands。〃 However； he
said he would go； if I particularly wished it。 I did particularly wish
it。 So we went。
There were chairs on the beach。 We hired two； and sat down to look about
us。
All sorts of diversions were going on。 Monkeys； organs； girls on stilts；
a conjurer； and a troop of negro minstrels； were all at work to amuse the
visitors。 I thought the varied color and bustling enjoyment of the crowd；
with the bright blue sea beyond； and the glorious sunshine overhead；
quite delightfulI declare I felt as if two eyes were not half enough to
see with！ A nice old lady； sitting near； entered into conversation with
me； hospitably offering me biscuits and sherry out of her own bag。 Oscar；
to my disappointment； looked quite disgusted with all of us。 He thought
my nice old lady vulgar； and he called the company on the beach 〃a herd
of snobs。〃 While he was still muttering under his breath about the
〃mixture of low people；〃 he suddenly cast a side…look at some person or
thingI could not at the moment tell whichand； rising； placed himself
so as to intercept my view of the promenade on the sands immediately
before me。 I happened to have noticed； at the same moment； a lady
approaching us in a dress of a peculiar color； and I pulled Oscar on one
side； to look at her as she passed in front of me。 〃Why do you get in my
way？〃 I asked。 Before he could answer the question the lady passed； with
two lovely children； and with a tall man at her side。 My eyes； looking
first at the lady and the children； found their way next to the
gentlemanand saw repeated in his face； the same black…blue complexion
which had startled me in the face of Oscar's brother； when I first opened
my eyes at the rectory！ For the moment I felt startled againmore； as I
believe； by the unexpected repetition of the blue face in the face of a
stranger； than by the ugliness of the complexion itself。 At any rate； I
was composed enough to admire the lady's dress； and the beauty of the
children； before they had passed beyond my range of view。 Oscar spoke to
me； while I was looking at them； in a tone of reproach for which； as I
thought； there was no occasion and no excuse。
〃I tried to spare you；〃 he said。 〃You have yourself to thank； if that man
has frightened you。〃
〃He has _not_ frightened me；〃 I answeredsharply enough。
Oscar looked at me very attentively； and sat down again； without saying a
word more。
The good…humoured old woman； on my other side； who had seen and heard all
that had passed； began to talk of the gentleman with the discolored face；
and of the lady and the children who accompanied him。 He was a retired
Indian officer； she said。 The lady was his wife； and the two beautiful
children were his own children。 〃It seems a pity that such a handsome man
should be disfigured in that way；〃 my new acquaintance remarked。 〃But
still； it don't matter much； after all。 There he is； as you see； with a
fine woman for a wife； and with two lovely children。 I know the landlady
of the house where they lodgeand a happier family you couldn't lay your
hand on in all England。 That is my friend's account of them。 Even a blue
face don't seem such a dreadful misfortune； when you look at it in that
lightdoes it； Miss？〃
I entirely agreed with the old lady。 Our talk seemed； for some
incomprehensible reason； to irritate Oscar。 He got up again impatiently；
and looked at his watch。
〃Your aunt will be wondering what has become of us；〃 he said。 〃Surely you
have had enough of the mob on the sands； by this time？〃
I had not had enough of it； and I should have been quite content to have
made one of the mob for some time longer。 But I saw that Oscar would be
seriously vexed if I persisted in keeping my place。 So I took leave of my
nice old lady； and left the pleasant sandsnot very willingly。
He said nothing more； until we had threaded our way out of the crowd。
Then he returned； without any reason for it that I could discover； to the
subject of the Indian officer； and to the remembrance which the
stranger's complexion must have awakened in me of his brother's face。
〃I don't understand your telling me you were not frightened when you saw
that man；〃 he said。 〃You were terribly frightened by my brother； when you
saw him。〃
〃I wa