a laodicean-第20节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


mindthe　steamship；　and　the　railway；　and　the　thoughts　that
shake　mankind。'

She　weighed　his　words；　and　said：　　'Ah；　yes：　　you　allude　to　my
father。　　My　father　was　a　great　man；　but　I　am　more　and　more
forgetting　his　greatness：　　that　kind　of　greatness　is　what　a
woman　can　never　truly　enter　into。　　I　am　less　and　less　his
daughter　every　day　that　goes　by。'

She　walked　away　a　few　steps　to　rejoin　the　excellent　Mrs。
Goodman；　who；　as　Somerset　still　perceived；　was　waiting　for
Paula　at　the　discreetest　of　distances　in　the　shadows　at　the
farther　end　of　the　building。　　Surely　Paula's　voice　had
faltered；　and　she　had　turned　to　hide　a　tear？

She　came　back　again。　　'Did　you　know　that　my　father　made　half
the　railways　in　Europe；　including　that　one　over　there？'　she
said；　waving　her　little　gloved　hand　in　the　direction　whence
low　rumbles　were　occasionally　heard　during　the　day。

'Yes。'

'How　did　you　know？'

'Miss　De　Stancy　told　me　a　little；　and　I　then　found　his　name
and　doings　were　quite　familiar　to　me。'

Curiously　enough；　with　his　words　there　came　through　the　broken
windows　the　murmur　of　a　train　in　the　distance；　sounding
clearer　and　more　clear。　　It　was　nothing　to　listen　to；　yet　they
both　listened；　till　the　increasing　noise　suddenly　broke　off
into　dead　silence。

'It　has　gone　into　the　tunnel；'　said　Paula。　　'Have　you　seen　the
tunnel　my　father　made？　the　curves　are　said　to　be　a　triumph　of
science。　　There　is　nothing　else　like　it　in　this　part　of
England。'

'There　is　not：　　I　have　heard　so。　　But　I　have　not　seen　it。'

'Do　you　think　it　a　thing　more　to　be　proud　of　that　one's　father
should　have　made　a　great　tunnel　and　railway　like　that；　than
that　one's　remote　ancestor　should　have　built　a　great　castle
like　this？'

What　could　Somerset　say？　　It　would　have　required　a　casuist　to
decide　whether　his　answer　should　depend　upon　his　conviction；
or　upon　the　family　ties　of　such　a　questioner。　　'From　a　modern
point　of　view；　railways　are；　no　doubt；　things　more　to　be　proud
of　than　castles；'　he　said；　'though　perhaps　I　myself；　from　mere
association；　should　decide　in　favour　of　the　ancestor　who　built
the　castle。'　　The　serious　anxiety　to　be　truthful　that　Somerset
threw　into　his　observation；　was　more　than　the　circumstance
required。　　'To　design　great　engineering　works；'　he　added
musingly；　and　without　the　least　eye　to　the　disparagement　of
her　parent；　'requires　no　doubt　a　leading　mind。　　But　to　execute
them；　as　he　did；　requires；　of　course；　only　a　following　mind。'

His　reply　had　not　altogether　pleased　her；　and　there　was　a
distinct　reproach　conveyed　by　her　slight　movement　towards　Mrs。
Goodman。　　He　saw　it；　and　was　grieved　that　he　should　have
spoken　so。　　'I　am　going　to　walk　over　and　inspect　that　famous
tunnel　of　your　father's；'　he　added　gently。　　'It　will　be　a
pleasant　study　for　this　afternoon。'

She　went　away。　　'I　am　no　man　of　the　world；'　he　thought。　　'I
ought　to　have　praised　that　father　of　hers　straight　off。　　I
shall　not　win　her　respect；　much　less　her　love！'



XII。

Somerset　did　not　forget　what　he　had　planned；　and　when　lunch
was　over　he　walked　away　through　the　trees。　　The　tunnel　was
more　difficult　of　discovery　than　he　had　anticipated；　and　it
was　only　after　considerable　winding　among　green　lanes；　whose
deep　ruts　were　like　canyons　of　Colorado　in　miniature；　that　he
reached　the　slope　in　the　distant　upland　where　the　tunnel
began。　　A　road　stretched　over　its　crest；　and　thence　along　one
side　of　the　railway…cutting。

He　there　unexpectedly　saw　standing　Miss　Power's　carriage；　and
on　drawing　nearer　he　found　it　to　contain　Paula　herself；　Miss
De　Stancy；　and　Mrs。　Goodman。

'How　singular！'　exclaimed　Miss　De　Stancy　gaily。

'It　is　most　natural；'　said　Paula　instantly。　　'In　the　morning
two　people　discuss　a　feature　in　the　landscape；　and　in　the
afternoon　each　has　a　desire　to　see　it　from　what　the　other　has
said　of　it。　　Therefore　they　accidentally　meet。'

Now　Paula　had　distinctly　heard　Somerset　declare　that　he　was
going　to　walk　there；　how　then　could　she　say　this　so　coolly？
It　was　with　a　pang　at　his　heart　that　he　returned　to　his　old
thought　of　her　being　possibly　a　finished　coquette　and
dissembler。　　Whatever　she　might　be；　she　was　not　a　creature
starched　very　stiffly　by　Puritanism。

Somerset　looked　down　on　the　mouth　of　the　tunnel。　　The　popular
commonplace　that　science；　steam；　and　travel　must　always　be
unromantic　and　hideous；　was　not　proven　at　this　spot。　　On
either　slope　of　the　deep　cutting；　green　with　long　grass；　grew
drooping　young　trees　of　ash；　beech；　and　other　flexible
varieties；　their　foliage　almost　concealing　the　actual　railway
which　ran　along　the　bottom；　its　thin　steel　rails　gleaming　like
silver　threads　in　the　depths。　　The　vertical　front　of　the
tunnel；　faced　with　brick　that　had　once　been　red；　was　now
weather…stained；　lichened；　and　mossed　over　in　harmonious
rusty…browns；　pearly　greys；　and　neutral　greens；　at　the　very
base　appearing　a　little　blue…black　spot　like　a　mouse…holethe
tunnel's　mouth。

The　carriage　was　drawn　up　quite　close　to　the　wood　railing；　and
Paula　was　looking　down　at　the　same　time　with　him；　but　he　made
no　remark　to　her。

Mrs。　Goodman　broke　the　silence　by　saying；　'If　it　were　not　a
railway　we　should　call　it　a　lovely　dell。'

Somerset　agreed　with　her；　adding　that　it　was　so　charming　that
he　felt　inclined　to　go　down。

'If　you　do；　perhaps　Miss　Power　will　order　you　up　again；　as　a
trespasser；'　said　Charlotte　De　Stancy。　　'You　are　one　of　the
largest　shareholders　in　the　railway；　are　you　not；　Paula？'

Miss　Power　did　not　reply。

'I　suppose　as　the　road　is　partly　yours　you　might　walk　all　the
way　to　London　along　the　rails；　if　you　wished；　might　you　not；
dear？'　Charlotte　continued。

Paula　smiled；　and　said；　'No；　of　course　not。'

Somerset；　feeling　himself　superfluous；　raised　his　hat　to　his
companions　as　if　he　meant　not　to　see　them　again　for　a　while；
and　began　to　descend　by　some　steps　cut　in　the　earth；　Miss　De
Stancy　asked　Mrs。　Goodman　to　accompany　her　to　a　barrow　over
the　top　of　the　tunnel；　and　they　left　the　carriage；　Paula
remaining　alone。

Down　Somerset　plunged　through　the　long　grass；　bushes；　late
summer　flowers；　moths；　and　caterpillars；　vexed　with　himself
that　he　had　come　there；　since　Paula　was　so　inscrutable；　and
humming　the　notes　of　some　song　he　did　not　know。　　The　tunnel
that　had　seemed　so　small　from　the　surface　was　a　vast　archway
when　he　reached　its　mouth；　which　emitted；　as　a　contrast　to　the
sultry　heat　on　the　slopes　of　the　cutting；　a　cool　breeze；　that
had　travelled　a　mile　underground　from　the　other　end。　　Far　away
in　the　darkness　of　this　silent　subterranean　corridor　he　could
see　that　other　end　as　a　mere　speck　of　light。

When　he　had　conscientiously　admired　the　construction　of　the
massive　archivault；　and　the　majesty　of　its　nude　ungarnished
walls；　he　looked　up　the　slope　at　the　carriage；　it　was　so　small
to　the　eye　that　it　might　have　been　made　for　a　performance　by
canaries；　Paula's　face　being　still　smaller；　as　she　leaned　back
in　her　seat；　idly　looking　down　at　him。　　There　seemed　something
roguish　in　her　attitude　of　criticism；　and　to　be　no　longer　the
subject　of　her　contemplation　he　entered　the　tunnel　out　of　her
sight。

In　the　middle　of　the　speck　of　light　before　him　appeared　a
speck　of　black；　and　then　a　shrill　whistle；　dulled　by　millions
of　tons　of　earth；　reached　his　ears　from　thence。　　It　was　what
he　had　been　on　his　guard　against　all　the　time；a　passing
train；　and　instead　of　taking　the　trouble　to　come　out　of　the
tunnel　he　stepped　into　a　recess；　till　the　train　had　rattled
past　and　vanished　onward　round　a　curve。

Somerset　still　remained　where　he　had　placed　himself；　mentally
balancing　science　against　art；　the　grandeur　of　this　fine　piece
of　construction　against　that　of　the　castle；　and　thinking
whether　Paula's　father　had　not；　after　all；　the　best　of　it；
when　all　at　once　he　saw　Paula's　form　confronting　him　at　the
entrance　of　the　tunnel。　　He　instantly　went　forward　into　the
light；　to　his　surprise　she　was　as　pale　as　a　lily。

'O；　Mr。　Somerset！'　she　exclaimed。　　'You　ought　not　to　frighten
me　soindeed　you　ought　not！　　The　train　came　out　almost　as
soon　as　you　had　gone　in；　and　as　you　did　not　returnan
accident　was　possible！'

Somerset　at　once　perceived　that　he　had　been　to　blame　in　not
thinking　of　this。

'Please　do　forgive　my　thoughtlessness　in　not　reflecting　how　it
would　strike　you！'　he　pleaded。　'II　see　I　have　alarmed　you。'

Her　alarm　was；　indeed；　much　greater　than　he　had　at　first
thought：　　she　trembled　so　much　that　she　was　obliged　to　sit
down；　at　which　he　went　up　to　her　full　of　solicitousness。

'You　ought　not　to　have　done　it！'　she　said。　　'I　naturally
thoughtany　person　would'

Somerset；　perhaps　wisely；　said　nothing　at　this　outburst；　the
cause　of　her　vexation　was；　plainly　enough；　his　perception　of
her　discomposure。　　He　stood　looking　in　another　direction；　till
in　a　few　moments　she　had　risen　to　her　feet　again；　quite　calm。

'It　would　have　been　dreadful；'　she　said　with　faint　gaiety；　as
the　colour　returned　to　her　face；　'if　I　had　lost　my　architect；
and　been　obliged　to　engage　Mr。　Havill　without　an　alternative。'

'I　was　really　in　no　danger；　but　of　course　I　ought　to　have
considered；'　he　said。

'I　forgive　you；'　she　returned　good…naturedly。　　'I　knew　there
was　no　GR