CHAPTER THE THIRTY-SECOND
Alas for the Marriage!
WE were left together; Nugent having accompanied the two oculists to thegarden-gate.
Now that we were alone, Oscar's absence could hardly fail to attractLucilla's attention. Just as she was referring to him in terms which madeit no easy task for me to quiet her successfully, we were interrupted bythe screams of the baby, ascending from the garden below. I ran to thewindow, and looked out.
Mrs. Finch had actually effected her desperate purpose of waylaying thetwo surgeons in the interests of "baby's eyes." There she was, in a skirtand a shawl--with her novel dropped in one part of the lawn, and herhandkerchief in the other--pursuing the oculists on their way to thechaise. Reckless of appearances, Herr Grosse had taken to his heels. Hewas retreating from the screeching infant (with his fingers stuffed intohis ears), as fast as his short legs would let him. Nugent was ahead ofhim, hurrying on to open the garden-gate. Respectable Mr. Sebright(professionally incapable of running) brought up the rear. At shortintervals, Mrs. Finch, close on his heels, held up the baby forinspection. At short intervals, Mr. Sebright held up his hands in politeprotest. Nugent, roaring with laughter, threw open the garden-gate. HerrGrosse rushed through the opening, and disappeared. Mr. Sebright followedHerr Grosse; and Mrs. Finch attempted to follow Mr. Sebright--when a newpersonage appeared on the scene. Startled in the sanctuary of his studyby the noise, the rector himself strutted into the garden, and broughthis wife to a sudden standstill, by inquiring in his deepest base notes,"What does this unseemly disturbance mean?"
The chaise drove off; and Nugent closed the garden-gate.
Some words, inaudible to my ears, passed between Nugent and therector--referring, as I could only suppose, to the visit of the twodeparting surgeons. After awhile, Mr. Finch turned away (to allappearance offended by something which had been said to him), andaddressed himself to Oscar, who now reappeared on the lawn; havingevidently only waited to show himself, until the chaise drove away. Therector paternally took his arm; and, beckoning to his wife with the otherhand, took Mrs. Finch's arm next. Majestically marching back to the housebetween the two, Reverend Finch asserted himself and his authorityalternately, now to Oscar and now to his wife. His big booming voicereached my ears distinctly, accompanied in sharp discord by the lastwailings of the exhausted child.
In these terrible words the Pope of Dimchurch began:--"Oscar! you are tounderstand distinctly, if you please, that I maintain my protest againstthis impious attempt to meddle with my afflicted daughter's sight.--Mrs.Finch! _you_ are to understand that I excuse your unseemly pursuit of twostrange surgeons, in consideration of the state that I find you in atthis moment. After your last confinement but eight you became, Iremember, hysterically irresponsible. Hold your tongue. You arehysterically irresponsible now.--Oscar! I decline, in justice to myself,to be present at any discussion which may follow the visit of those twoprofessional persons. But I am not averse to advising you for your owngood. My Foot is down. Put your foot down too.--Mrs. Finch! how long isit since you ate last? Two hours? Are you sure it is two hours? Verygood. You require a sedative application. I order you, medically, to getinto a warm bath, and stay there till I come to you.--Oscar! you aredeficient, my good fellow, in moral weight. Endeavor to oppose yourselfresolutely to any scheme, on the part of my unhappy daughter or of thosewho advise her, which involves more expenditure of money in fees, and newappearances of professional persons.--Mrs. Finch! the temperature is tobe ninety-eight, and the position partially recumbent.--Oscar! Iauthorize you (if you can't stop it in any other way) to throw My moralweight into the scale. You are free to say 'I oppose This, with Mr.Finch's approval: I am, so to speak, backed by Mr. Finch.'--Mrs. Finch! Iwish you to understand the object of the bath. Hold your tongue. Theobject is to produce a gentle action on your skin. One of the women is tokeep her eye on your forehead. The instant she perceives an appearance ofmoisture, she is to run for me.--Oscar! you will let me know at whatdecision they arrive, up-stairs in my daughter's room. Not after theyhave merely heard what you have to say, but after My Moral Weight hasbeen thrown into the scale.--Mrs. Finch! on leaving the bath, I shallhave you only lightly clothed. I forbid, with a view to your head, allcompression, whether of stays or strings, round the waist. I forbidgarters--with the same object. You will abstain from tea and talking. Youwill lie, loose, on your back. You will----"
What else this unhappy woman was to do, I failed to hear. Mr. Finchdisappeared with her, round the corner of the house. Oscar waited at thedoor of our side of the rectory, until Nugent joined him, on their wayback to the sitting-room in which we were expecting their return.