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hearing。
〃My dear Lucilla； endeavor to control your restlessness。 You interfere
with our enjoyment of this interesting letter。 I could wish to see fewer
changes of place； my child； and a more undivided attention to what Oscar
is reading to you。〃
〃I am not interested in what he is reading to me。〃 In the nervous
irritation which produced this ungracious answer； she overthrew one of
the flower…pots。 Oscar set it up again for her with undiminished
good…temper。
〃Not interested！〃 he exclaimed。 〃Wait a little。 You haven't heard
Nugent's message yet。 Listen to this！ 'Present my best and kindest
regards to the future Mrs。 Oscar' （dear fellow！）； 'and say that she has
given me a new interest in hastening my return to England。' There！ Isn't
that prettily put？ Come Lucilla！ own that Nugent is worth listening to
when he writes about _you！_〃
She turned towards him for the first time。 The charm of the tone in which
he spoke those words subdued her； in spite of herself。
〃I am much obliged to your brother；〃 she answered gently； 〃and very much
ashamed of myself for what I said just now。〃 She stole her hand into his；
and whispered； 〃You are so fond of NugentI begin to be almost afraid
there will be no love left for me。〃
Oscar was enchanted。 〃Wait till you see him； and you will be as fond of
him as I am；〃 he said。 〃Nugent is not like me。 He fascinates people the
moment they come in contact with him。 Nobody can resist Nugent。〃
She still held his hand； with a perplexed and saddened face。 The
admirable absence of any jealousy on his sidehis large and generous
confidence in _her_ love for _himwas just the rebuke to her that she
could feel； just the rebuke also （in my opinion） that she had deserved。
〃Go on； Oscar；〃 said the rector； in his deepest notes of encouragement。
〃What next； dear boy？ what next？〃
〃Another interesting bit； of quite a new kind；〃 Oscar replied。 〃There is
a little mystery to stir us up on the last page of the letter。 Nugent
says：'I have become acquainted （here； in New York） with a very
remarkable man； a German who has made a great deal of money in the United
States。 He proposes visiting England early in the present year； and he
will write and let me know when he has arrived。 I shall feel particular
pleasure in presenting him to you and your future wife。 It is quite
possible that you may have special reason to congratulate yourselves on
making his acquaintance。 For the present； no more of my new friend until
we meet at Browndown。''Special reason to congratulate ourselves on
making his acquaintance。' 〃 repeated Oscar； folding up the letter。
〃Nugent never writes in that way without a reason for it。 Who can the
German gentleman be？〃
Mr。 Finch suddenly lifted his head； and looked at Oscar with a certain
appearance of alarm。
〃Your brother mentions that he has made his fortune in America；〃 said the
Reverend gentleman。 〃I hope he is not connected with the money…market。 He
might infect Mr。 Nugent with the spirit of reckless speculation which is；
so to speak； the national sin of the United States。 Your brother； having
no doubt the same generous disposition as yours〃
〃A far finer disposition than mine； Mr。 Finch；〃 interposed Oscar。
〃Possessed； like you； of the gifts of fortune；〃 proceeded the rector；
with mounting enthusiasm。
〃Once possessed of them；〃 said Oscar。 〃Far from being overburdened with
the gifts of fortune； now！〃
〃What！！！〃 cried Mr。 Finch； with a start of consternation。
〃Nugent has run through his fortune；〃 proceeded Oscar； quite composedly。
〃I lent him the money to go to America。 My brother is a genius； Mr。
Finch。 When did you ever hear of a genius who could keep within limits？
Nugent is not content to live in my humble way。 He has the tastes of a
princemoney is nothing to him。 It doesn't matter。 He will make a new
fortune Out of his pictures； and； in the meantime； you know； I can always
lend him something to go on with。〃
Mr。 Finch rose from his seat； with the air of a man whose just
anticipations have not been realizedwhose innocent confidence has been
scandalously betrayed。 Here was a prospect！ Another person in perpetual
want of money； going to settle under the shadow of the rectory！ Another
man likely to borrow of Oscarand that man his brother！
〃I fail to take your light view of your brother's extravagance；〃 said the
rector； addressing Oscar with his loftiest severity of manner； at the
door。 〃I deplore and reprehend Mr。 Nugent's misuse of the bounty bestowed
on him by an all…wise Providence。 You will do well to consider； before
you encourage your brother's extravagance by lending him money。 What does
the great poet of humanity say of lenders？ The Bard of Avon tells us；
that 'loan oft loses both itself and friend。' Lay that noble line to
heart； Oscar！ Lucilla； be on your guard against that restlessness which I
have already had occasion to reprove。 I find I must leave you； Madame
Pratolungo。 I had forgotten my parish duties。 My parish duties are
waiting for me。 Good day！ good day！〃
He looked round on us all three； in turn； with a very sour face； and
walked out。 〃Surely；〃 I thought to myself； 〃this brother of Oscar's is
not beginning well！ First； the daughter takes offense at him； and now the
father follows her example。 Even on the other side of the Atlantic； Mr。
Nugent Dubourg exercises a malignant influence； and disturbs the family
tranquillity before he has shown his nose in the house！〃
Nothing more that is worth recording happened on that day。 We had a very
dull evening。 Lucilla was out of spirits。 As for me； I had not yet had
time to accustom myself to the shocking spectacle of Oscar's discolored
face。 I was serious and silent。 You would never have guessed me to be a
Frenchwoman； if you had seen me for the first time on the occasion of my
return to the rectory。
The next day a small domestic event happened； which must be chronicled in
this place。
Our Dimchurch doctor； always dissatisfied with his position in an obscure
country place； had obtained an appointment in India which offered great
professional advantages to an ambitious man。 He called to take leave of
us on his departure。 I found an opportunity of speaking to him about
Oscar。 He entirely agreed with me that the attempt to keep the change
produced in his former patient by the Nitrate of Silver from Lucilla's
knowledge； was simply absurd。 The truth would reach her； he said； before
many days were over our heads。 With that prediction； addressed to my
private ear； he left us。 The removal of him from the scene was； you will
please to bear in mind； the removal of an important local witness to the
medical treatment of Oscar； and was； as such； an incident with a bearing
of its own on the future； which claims a place for it in the present
narrative。
Two more days passed； and nothing happened。 On the morning of the third
day； the doctor's prophecy was all but fulfilled； through the medium of
the wandering Arab of the family； our funny little Jicks。
While Lucilla and I were strolling about the garden with Oscar； the child
suddenly darted out on us from behind a tree； and； seizing Oscar round
the legs； hailed him affectionat