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ditch；　went　on　his　way　again。



XIII。

Though　exhibiting　indifference；　Somerset　had　felt　a　pang　of
disappointment　when　he　heard　the　news　of　Paula's　approaching
dinner…party。　　It　seemed　a　little　unkind　of　her　to　pass　him
over；　seeing　how　much　they　were　thrown　together　just　now。
That　dinner　meant　more　than　it　sounded。　　Notwithstanding　the
roominess　of　her　castle；　she　was　at　present　living　somewhat
incommodiously；　owing　partly　to　the　stagnation　caused　by　her
recent　bereavement；　and　partly　to　the　necessity　for
overhauling　the　De　Stancy　lumber　piled　in　those　vast　and
gloomy　chambers　before　they　could　be　made　tolerable　to
nineteenth…century　fastidiousness。

To　give　dinners　on　any　large　scale　before　Somerset　had　at
least　set　a　few　of　these　rooms　in　order　for　her；　showed；　to
his　thinking；　an　overpowering　desire　for　society。

During　the　week　he　saw　less　of　her　than　usual；　her　time　being
to　all　appearance　much　taken　up　with　driving　out　to　make　calls
on　her　neighbours　and　receiving　return　visits。　　All　this　he
observed　from　the　windows　of　his　studio　overlooking　the　castle
ward；　in　which　room　he　now　spent　a　great　deal　of　his　time；
bending　over　drawing…boards　and　instructing　Dare；　who　worked
as　well　as　could　be　expected　of　a　youth　of　such　varied
attainments。

Nearer　came　the　Wednesday　of　the　party；　and　no　hint　of　that
event　reached　Somerset；　but　such　as　had　been　communicated　by
the　Baptist　minister。　　At　last；　on　the　very　afternoon；　an
invitation　was　handed　into　his　studionot　a　kind　note　in
Paula's　handwriting；　but　a　formal　printed　card　in　the　joint
names　of　Mrs。　Goodman　and　Miss　Power。　　It　reached　him　just
four　hours　before　the　dinner…time。　　He　was　plainly　to　be　used
as　a　stop…gap　at　the　last　moment　because　somebody　could　not
come。

Having　previously　arranged　to　pass　a　quiet　evening　in　his
rooms　at　the　Lord　Quantock　Arms；　in　reading　up　chronicles　of
the　castle　from　the　county　history；　with　the　view　of　gathering
some　ideas　as　to　the　distribution　of　rooms　therein　before　the
demolition　of　a　portion　of　the　structure；　he　decided　off…hand
that　Paula's　dinner　was　not　of　sufficient　importance　to　him　as
a　professional　man　and　student　of　art　to　justify　a　waste　of
the　evening　by　going。　　He　accordingly　declined　Mrs。　Goodman's
and　Miss　Power's　invitation；　and　at　five　o'clock　left　the
castle　and　walked　across　the　fields　to　the　little　town。

He　dined　early；　and；　clearing　away　heaviness　with　a　cup　of
coffee；　applied　himself　to　that　volume　of　the　county　history
which　contained　the　record　of　Stancy　Castle。

Here　he　read　that　'when　this　picturesque　and　ancient　structure
was　founded；　or　by　whom；　is　extremely　uncertain。　　But　that　a
castle　stood　on　the　site　in　very　early　times　appears　from　many
old　books　of　charters。　　In　its　prime　it　was　such　a　masterpiece
of　fortification　as　to　be　the　wonder　of　the　world；　and　it　was
thought；　before　the　invention　of　gunpowder；　that　it　never
could　be　taken　by　any　force　less　than　divine。'

He　read　on　to　the　times　when　it　first　passed　into　the　hands　of
'De　Stancy；　Chivaler；'　and　received　the　family　name；　and　so　on
from　De　Stancy　to　De　Stancy　till　he　was　lost　in　the　reflection
whether　Paula　would　or　would　not　have　thought　more　highly　of
him　if　he　had　accepted　the　invitation　to　dinner。　　Applying
himself　again　to　the　tome；　he　learned　that　in　the　year　1504
Stephen　the　carpenter　was　'paid　eleven　pence　for　necessarye
repayrs；'　and　William　the　mastermason　eight　shillings　'for
whyt　lyming　of　the　kitchen；　and　the　lyme　to　do　it　with；'
including　'a　new　rope　for　the　fyer　bell；'　also　the　sundry
charges　for　'vij　crockes；　xiij　lytyll　pans；　a　pare　of　pot
hookes；　a　fyer　pane；　a　lanterne；　a　chafynge　dyshe；　and　xij
candyll　stychs。'

Bang　went　eight　strokes　of　the　clock：　　it　was　the　dinner…hour。

'There；　now　I　can't　go；　anyhow！'　he　said　bitterly；　jumping　up；
and　picturing　her　receiving　her　company。　　How　would　she　look；
what　would　she　wear？　　Profoundly　indifferent　to　the　early
history　of　the　noble　fabric；　he　felt　a　violent　reaction
towards　modernism；　eclecticism；　new　aristocracies；　everything；
in　short；　that　Paula　represented。　　He　even　gave　himself　up　to
consider　the　Greek　court　that　she　had　wished　for；　and　passed
the　remainder　of　the　evening　in　making　a　perspective　view　of
the　same。

The　next　morning　he　awoke　early；　and；　resolving　to　be　at　work
betimes；　started　promptly。　　It　was　a　fine　calm　hour　of　day；
the　grass　slopes　were　silvery　with　excess　of　dew；　and　the　blue
mists　hung　in　the　depths　of　each　tree　for　want　of　wind　to　blow
them　out。　　Somerset　entered　the　drive　on　foot；　and　when　near
the　castle　he　observed　in　the　gravel　the　wheel…marks　of　the
carriages　that　had　conveyed　the　guests　thither　the　night
before。　　There　seemed　to　have　been　a　large　number；　for　the
road　where　newly　repaired　was　quite　cut　up。　　Before　going
indoors　he　was　tempted　to　walk　round　to　the　wing　in　which
Paula　slept。

Rooks　were　cawing；　sparrows　were　chattering　there；　but　the
blind　of　her　window　was　as　closely　drawn　as　if　it　were
midnight。　　Probably　she　was　sound　asleep；　dreaming　of　the
compliments　which　had　been　paid　her　by　her　guests；　and　of　the
future　triumphant　pleasures　that　would　follow　in　their　train。
Reaching　the　outer　stone　stairs　leading　to　the　great　hall　he
found　them　shadowed　by　an　awning　brilliantly　striped　with　red
and　blue；　within　which　rows　of　flowering　plants　in　pots
bordered　the　pathway。　　She　could　not　have　made　more
preparation　had　the　gathering　been　a　ball。　　He　passed　along
the　gallery　in　which　his　studio　was　situated；　entered　the
room；　and　seized　a　drawing…board　to　put　into　correct　drawing
the　sketch　for　the　Greek　court　that　he　had　struck　out　the
night　before；　thereby　abandoning　his　art　principles　to　please
the　whim　of　a　girl。　　Dare　had　not　yet　arrived；　and　after　a
time　Somerset　threw　down　his　pencil　and　leant　back。

His　eye　fell　upon　something　that　moved。　　It　was　white；　and　lay
in　the　folding　chair　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　room。　　On
near　approach　he　found　it　to　be　a　fragment　of　swan's…down
fanned　into　motion　by　his　own　movements；　and　partially
squeezed　into　the　chink　of　the　chair　as　though　by　some　person
sitting　on　it。

None　but　a　woman　would　have　worn　or　brought　that　swan's…down
into　his　studio；　and　it　made　him　reflect　on　the　possible　one。
Nothing　interrupted　his　conjectures　till　ten　o'clock；　when
Dare　came。　　Then　one　of　the　servants　tapped　at　the　door　to
know　if　Mr。　Somerset　had　arrived。　　Somerset　asked　if　Miss
Power　wished　to　see　him；　and　was　informed　that　she　had　only
wished　to　know　if　he　had　come。　　Somerset　sent　a　return　message
that　he　had　a　design　on　the　board　which　he　should　soon　be　glad
to　submit　to　her；　and　the　messenger　departed。

'Fine　doings　here　last　night；　sir；'　said　Dare；　as　he　dusted
his　T…square。

'O　indeed！'

'A　dinner…party；　I　hear；　eighteen　guests。'

'Ah；'　said　Somerset。

'The　young　lady　was　magnificentsapphires　and　opalsshe
carried　as　much　as　a　thousand　pounds　upon　her　head　and
shoulders　during　that　three　or　four　hour。　　Of　course　they　call
her　charming；　Compuesta　no　hay　muger　fea；　as　they　say　at
Madrid。'

'I　don't　doubt　it　for　a　moment；'　said　Somerset；　with　reserve。

Dare　said　no　more；　and　presently　the　door　opened；　and　there
stood　Paula。

Somerset　nodded　to　Dare　to　withdraw　into　an　adjoining　room；
and　offered　her　a　chair。

'You　wish　to　show　me　the　design　you　have　prepared？'　she　asked；
without　taking　the　seat。

'Yes；　I　have　come　round　to　your　opinion。　　I　have　made　a　plan
for　the　Greek　court　you　were　anxious　to　build。'　　And　he
elevated　the　drawing…board　against　the　wall。

She　regarded　it　attentively　for　some　moments；　her　finger
resting　lightly　against　her　chin；　and　said；　'I　have　given　up
the　idea　of　a　Greek　court。'

He　showed　his　astonishment；　and　was　almost　disappointed。　　He
had　been　grinding　up　Greek　architecture　entirely　on　her
account；　had　wrenched　his　mind　round　to　this　strange
arrangement；　all　for　nothing。

'Yes；'　she　continued；　'on　reconsideration　I　perceive　the　want
of　harmony　that　would　result　from　inserting　such　a　piece　of
marble…work　in　a　mediaeval　fortress；　so　in　future　we　will
limit　ourselves　strictly　to　synchronism　of　stylethat　is　to
say；　make　good　the　Norman　work　by　Norman；　the　Perpendicular　by
Perpendicular；　and　so　on。　　I　have　informed　Mr。　Havill　of　the
same　thing。'

Somerset　pulled　the　Greek　drawing　off　the　board；　and　tore　it
in　two　pieces。

She　involuntarily　turned　to　look　in　his　face；　but　stopped
before　she　had　quite　lifted　her　eyes　high　enough。　　'Why　did
you　do　that？'　she　asked　with　suave　curiosity。

'It　is　of　no　further　use；'　said　Somerset；　tearing　the　drawing
in　the　other　direction；　and　throwing　the　pieces　into　the
fireplace。　　'You　have　been　reading　up　orders　and　styles　to
some　purpose；　I　perceive。'　　He　regarded　her　with　a　faint
smile。

'I　have　had　a　few　books　down　from　town。　　It　is　desirable　to
know　a　little　about　the　architecture　of　one's　own　house。'

She　remained　looking　at　the　torn　drawing；　when　Somerset；
observing　on　the　table　the　particle　of　swan's…down　he　had
found　in　the　chair；　gently　blew　it　so　that　it　skimmed　across
the　table　under　her　eyes。

'It　looks　as　if　it　came　off　a　lady's　dress；'　he　said　idly。

'Off　a　lady's