," I said. "In Lucilla's
place--after one and twenty years of blindness--I too should sacrifice
every other consideration to the consideration of recovering my sight."

Oscar instantly rose, offended with me, and walked away to the window.
Lucilla's face brightened gratefully. "Ah!" she said, "_you_ understand
me!" Nugent, in his turn, left his chair. He had confidently calculated,
in his brother's interests, on Lucilla's marriage preceding the recovery
of Lucilla's sight. That calculation was completely baffled. The marriage
would now depend on the state of Lucilla's feelings, after she had
penetrated the truth for herself. I saw Nugent's face darken, as he
walked to the door.

"Madame Pratolungo," he said, "you may, one day, regret the course that
you have just taken. Do as you please, Lucilla--I have no more to say."

He left the room, with a quiet submission to circumstances which became
him admirably. Now, as always, it was impossible not to compare him
advantageously with his vacillating brother. Oscar turned round at the
window, apparently with the idea of following Nugent out. At the first
step he checked himself. There was a last effort still left to make.
Reverend Finch's "moral weight" had not been thrown into the scale yet.

"There is one thing more, Lucilla," he said, "which you ought to know
before you decide. I have seen your father. He desires me to tell you
that he is strongly opposed to the experiment which you are determined to
try."

Lucilla sighed wearily. "It is not the first time that I find my father
failing to sympathize with me," she said. "I am distressed--but not
surprised. It is _you_ who surprise me!" she added, suddenly raising her
voice. "You, who love me, are not one with me, when I am standing on the
brink of a new life. Good Heavens! are my interests not your interests in
this? Is it not worth your while to wait till I can _look at you_ when I
vow before God to love, honor, and obey you? Do you understand him?" she
asked, appealing abruptly to me. "Why does he try to start difficulties?
why is he not as eager about it as I am?"

I turned to Oscar. Now was the time for him to fall at her feet and own
it! Here was the golden opportunity that might never come again. I signed
to him impatiently to take it. He tried to take it--let me do him the
justice now, which I failed to do him at the time--he tried to take it.
He advanced towards her; he struggled with himself; he said, "There is