a laodicean-第11节

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was　the　star；　as　I　may　zay；　of　good　company　forty　years　ago。
I　remember　him　in　the　height　of　his　jinks；　as　I　used　to　zee
him　when　I　was　a　very　little　boy；　and　think　how　great　and
wonderful　he　was。　　I　can　seem　to　zee　now　the　exact　style　of
his　clothes；　white　hat；　white　trousers；　white　silk
handkerchief；　and　his　jonnick　face；　as　white　as　his　clothes
with　keeping　late　hours。　There　was　nothing　black　about　him　but
his　hair　and　his　eyeshe　wore　no　beard　at　that　timeand　they
were　black　as　slooes。　The　like　of　his　coming　on　the　race…
course　was　never　seen　there　afore　nor　since。　　He　drove　his
ikkipage　hisself；　and　it　was　always　hauled　by　four　beautiful
white　horses；　and　two　outriders　rode　in　harness　bridles。
There　was　a　groom　behind　him；　and　another　at　the　rubbing…post；
all　in　livery　as　glorious　as　New　Jerusalem。　　What　a
'stablishment　he　kept　up　at　that　time！　　I　can　mind　him；　sir；
with　thirty　race…horses　in　training　at　once；　seventeen　coach…
horses；　twelve　hunters　at　his　box　t'other　side　of　London；　four
chargers　at　Budmouth；　and　ever　so　many　hacks。'

'And　he　lost　all　by　his　racing　speculations？'　the　stranger
observed；　and　Somerset　fancied　that　the　voice　had　in　it
something　more　than　the　languid　carelessness　of　a　casual
sojourner。

'Partly　by　that；　partly　in　other　ways。　　He　spent　a　mint　o'
money　in　a　wild　project　of　founding　a　watering…place；　and　sunk
thousands　in　a　useless　silver　mine；　so　'twas　no　wonder　that
the　castle　named　after　him　vell　into　other　hands。　。　。　。　　The
way　it　was　done　was　curious。　　Mr。　Wilkins；　who　was　the　first
owner　after　it　went　from　Sir　William；　actually　sat　down　as　a
guest　at　his　table；　and　got　up　as　the　owner。　　He　took　off；　at
a　round　sum；　everything　saleable；　furniture；　plate；　pictures；
even　the　milk　and　butter　in　the　dairy。　　That's　how　the
pictures　and　furniture　come　to　be　in　the　castle　still；
wormeaten　rubbish　zome　o'　it；　and　hardly　worth　moving。'

'And　off　went　the　baronet　to　Myrtle　Villa？'

'O　no！　he　went　away　for　many　years。　　'Tis　quite　lately；　since
his　illness；　that　he　came　to　that　little　place；　in　zight　of
the　stone　walls　that　were　the　pride　of　his　forefathers。'

'From　what　I　hear；　he　has　not　the　manner　of　a　broken…hearted
man？'

'Not　at　all。　　Since　that　illness　he　has　been　happy；　as　you　see
him：　　no　pride；　quite　calm　and　mild；　at　new　moon　quite
childish。　　'Tis　that　makes　him　able　to　live　there；　before　he
was　so　ill　he　couldn't　bear　a　zight　of　the　place；　but　since
then　he　is　happy　nowhere　else；　and　never　leaves　the　parish
further　than　to　drive　once　a　week　to　Markton。　　His　head　won't
stand　society　nowadays；　and　he　lives　quite　lonely　as　you　zee；
only　zeeing　his　daughter；　or　his　son　whenever　he　comes　home；
which　is　not　often。　　They　say　that　if　his　brain　hadn't
softened　a　little　he　would　ha'　died'twas　that　saved　his
life。'

'What's　this　I　hear　about　his　daughter？　　Is　she　really　hired
companion　to　the　new　owner？'

'Now　that's　a　curious　thing　again；　these　two　girls　being　so
fond　of　one　another；　one　of　'em　a　dissenter；　and　all　that；　and
t'other　a　De　Stancy。　　O　no；　not　hired　exactly；　but　she　mostly
lives　with　Miss　Power；　and　goes　about　with　her；　and　I　dare　say
Miss　Power　makes　it　wo'th　her　while。　　One　can't　move　a　step
without　the　other　following；　though　judging　by　ordinary　volks
you'd　think　'twould　be　a　cat…and…dog　friendship　rather。'

'But　'tis　not？'

''Tis　not；　they　be　more　like　lovers　than　maid　and　maid。　　Miss
Power　is　looked　up　to　by　little　De　Stancy　as　if　she　were　a
god…a'mighty；　and　Miss　Power　lets　her　love　her　to　her　heart's
content。　　But　whether　Miss　Power　loves　back　again　I　can't　zay；
for　she's　as　deep　as　the　North　Star。'

The　landlord　here　left　the　stranger　to　go　to　some　other　part
of　the　house；　and　Somerset　drew　near　to　the　glass　partition　to
gain　a　glimpse　of　a　man　whose　interest　in　the　neighbourhood
seemed　to　have　arisen　so　simultaneously　with　his　own。　　But　the
inner　room　was　empty：　　the　man　had　apparently　departed　by
another　door。



VI。

The　telegraph　had　almost　the　attributes　of　a　human　being　at
Stancy　Castle。　　When　its　bell　rang　people　rushed　to　the　old
tapestried　chamber　allotted　to　it；　and　waited　its　pleasure
with　all　the　deference　due　to　such　a　novel　inhabitant　of　that
ancestral　pile。　　This　happened　on　the　following　afternoon
about　four　o'clock；　while　Somerset　was　sketching　in　the　room
adjoining　that　occupied　by　the　instrument。　　Hearing　its　call；
he　looked　in　to　learn　if　anybody　were　attending；　and　found
Miss　De　Stancy　bending　over　it。

She　welcomed　him　without　the　least　embarrassment。　　'Another
message；'　she　said。'〃Paula　to　Charlotte。Have　returned　to
Markton。　　Am　starting　for　home。　　Will　be　at　the　gate　between
four　and　five　if　possible。〃'

Miss　De　Stancy　blushed　with　pleasure　when　she　raised　her　eyes
from　the　machine。　　'Is　she　not　thoughtful　to　let　me　know
beforehand？'

Somerset　said　she　certainly　appeared　to　be；　feeling　at　the
same　time　that　he　was　not　in　possession　of　sufficient　data　to
make　the　opinion　of　great　value。

'Now　I　must　get　everything　ready；　and　order　what　she　will
want；　as　Mrs。　Goodman　is　away。　　What　will　she　want？　　Dinner
would　be　bestshe　has　had　no　lunch；　I　know；　or　tea　perhaps；
and　dinner　at　the　usual　time。　　Still；　if　she　has　had　no　lunch…
…Hark；　what　do　I　hear？'

She　ran　to　an　arrow…slit；　and　Somerset；　who　had　also　heard
something；　looked　out　of　an　adjoining　one。　　They　could　see
from　their　elevated　position　a　great　way　along　the　white　road；
stretching　like　a　tape　amid　the　green　expanses　on　each　side。
There　had　arisen　a　cloud　of　dust；　accompanied　by　a　noise　of
wheels。

'It　is　she；'　said　Charlotte。　　'O　yesit　is　past　fourthe
telegram　has　been　delayed。'

'How　would　she　be　likely　to　come？'

'She　has　doubtless　hired　a　carriage　at　the　inn：　　she　said　it
would　be　useless　to　send　to　meet　her；　as　she　couldn't　name　a
time。　。　。　。　　Where　is　she　now？'

'Just　where　the　boughs　of　those　beeches　overhang　the　road
there　she　is　again！'

Miss　De　Stancy　went　away　to　give　directions；　and　Somerset
continued　to　watch。　　The　vehicle；　which　was　of　no　great
pretension；　soon　crossed　the　bridge　and　stopped：　　there　was　a
ring　at　the　bell；　and　Miss　De　Stancy　reappeared。

'Did　you　see　her　as　she　drove　upis　she　not　interesting？'

'I　could　not　see　her。'

'Ah；　noof　course　you　could　not　from　this　window　because　of
the　trees。　　Mr。　Somerset；　will　you　come　downstairs？　　You　will
have　to　meet　her；　you　know。'

Somerset　felt　an　indescribable　backwardness。　　'I　will　go　on
with　my　sketching；'　he　said。　　'Perhaps　she　will　not　be'

'O；　but　it　would　be　quite　natural；　would　it　not？　　Our　manners
are　easier　here；　you　know；　than　they　are　in　town；　and　Miss
Power　has　adapted　herself　to　them。'

A　compromise　was　effected　by　Somerset　declaring　that　he　would
hold　himself　in　readiness　to　be　discovered　on　the　landing　at
any　convenient　time。

A　servant　entered。　　'Miss　Power？'　said　Miss　De　Stancy；　before
he　could　speak。

The　man　advanced　with　a　card：　　Miss　De　Stancy　took　it　up；　and
read　thereon：　　'Mr。　William　Dare。'

'It　is　not　Miss　Power　who　has　come；　then？'　she　asked；　with　a
disappointed　face。

'No；　ma'am。'

She　looked　again　at　the　card。　　'This　is　some　man　of　business；
I　supposedoes　he　want　to　see　me？'

'Yes；　miss。　　Leastwise；　he　would　be　glad　to　see　you　if　Miss
Power　is　not　at　home。'

Miss　De　Stancy　left　the　room；　and　soon　returned；　saying；　'Mr。
Somerset；　can　you　give　me　your　counsel　in　this　matter？　　This
Mr。　Dare　says　he　is　a　photographic　amateur；　and　it　seems　that
he　wrote　some　time　ago　to　Miss　Power；　who　gave　him　permission
to　take　views　of　the　castle；　and　promised　to　show　him　the　best
points。　　But　I　have　heard　nothing　of　it；　and　scarcely　know
whether　I　ought　to　take　his　word　in　her　absence。　　Mrs。
Goodman；　Miss　Power's　relative；　who　usually　attends　to　these
things；　is　away。'

'I　dare　say　it　is　all　right；'　said　Somerset。

'Would　you　mind　seeing　him？　　If　you　think　it　quite　in　order；
perhaps　you　will　instruct　him　where　the　best　views　are　to　be
obtained？'

Thereupon　Somerset　at　once　went　down　to　Mr。　Dare。　　His　coming
as　a　sort　of　counterfeit　of　Miss　Power　disposed　Somerset　to
judge　him　with　as　much　severity　as　justice　would　allow；　and
his　manner　for　the　moment　was　not　of　a　kind　calculated　to
dissipate　antagonistic　instincts。　　Mr。　Dare　was　standing
before　the　fireplace　with　his　feet　wide　apart；　and　his　hands
in　the　pockets　of　his　coat…tails；　looking　at　a　carving　over
the　mantelpiece。　　He　turned　quickly　at　the　sound　of　Somerset's
footsteps；　and　revealed　himself　as　a　person　quite　out　of　the
common。

His　age　it　was　impossible　to　say。　　There　was　not　a　hair　on　his
face　which　could　serve　to　hang　a　guess　upon。　　In　repose　he
appeared　a　boy；　but　his　actions　were　so　completely　those　of　a
man　that　the　beholder's　first　estimate　of　sixteen　as　his　age
was　hastily　corrected　to　six…and…twenty；　and　afterwards
shifted　hither　and　thither　along　intervening　years　as　the
tenor　of　his　sentences　sent　him　up　or　down。　　He　had　a　broad
forehead；　vertical　as　the　face　of　a　bastion；　and　his　hair；
which　was　parted　in　the　middle；　hung　as　a　fringe　or　valance
above；　in　the　fashion　sometimes　affected　by　the　other　sex。　　He
wore　a　heavy　ring；　of　which　the　gold　seemed　fair；　the　d