a laodicean-第32节

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stay　long？'

'I　think　very　well　of　it；'　said　Somerset。　　'But　I　leave　to…
morrow　morning；　which　makes　it　necessary　that　I　turn　back　in　a
minute　or　two　from　walking　with　you。'

'That's　a　disappointment。　　I　had　hoped　you　were　going　to
finish　out　the　autumn　with　shooting。　　There's　some；　very　fair；
to　be　got　here　on　reasonable　terms；　I've　just　heard。'

'But　you　need　not　hire　any！'　spoke　up　Charlotte。　　'Paula　would
let　you　shoot　anything；　I　am　sure。　　She　has　not　been　here　long
enough　to　preserve　much　game；　and　the　poachers　had　it　all　in
Mr。　Wilkins'　time。　　But　what　there　is　you　might　kill　with
pleasure　to　her。'

'No；　thank　you；'　said　De　Stancy　grimly。　　'I　prefer　to　remain　a
stranger　to　Miss　PowerMiss　Steam…Power；　she　ought　to　be
calledand　to　all　her　possessions。'

Charlotte　was　subdued；　and　did　not　insist　further；　while
Somerset；　before　he　could　feel　himself　able　to　decide　on　the
mood　in　which　the　gallant　captain's　joke　at　Paula's　expense
should　be　taken；　wondered　whether　it　were　a　married　man　or　a
bachelor　who　uttered　it。

He　had　not　been　able　to　keep　the　question　of　De　Stancy's
domestic　state　out　of　his　head　from　the　first　moment　of　seeing
him。　　Assuming　De　Stancy　to　be　a　husband；　he　felt　there　might
be　some　excuse　for　his　remark；　if　unmarried；　Somerset　liked
the　satire　still　better；　in　such　circumstances　there　was　a
relief　in　the　thought　that　Captain　De　Stancy's　prejudices
might　be　infinitely　stronger　than　those　of　his　sister　or
father。

'Going　to…morrow；　did　you　say；　Mr。　Somerset？'　asked　Miss　De
Stancy。　　'Then　will　you　dine　with　us　to…day？　　My　father　is
anxious　that　you　should　do　so　before　you　go。　　I　am　sorry　there
will　be　only　our　own　family　present　to　meet　you；　but　you　can
leave　as　early　as　you　wish。'

Her　brother　seconded　the　invitation；　and　Somerset　promised；
though　his　leisure　for　that　evening　was　short。　　He　was　in
truth　somewhat　inclined　to　like　De　Stancy；　for　though　the
captain　had　said　nothing　of　any　value　either　on　war；　commerce；
science；　or　art；　he　had　seemed　attractive　to　the　younger　man。
Beyond　the　natural　interest　a　soldier　has　for　imaginative
minds　in　the　civil　walks　of　life；　De　Stancy's　occasional
manifestations　of　taedium　vitae　were　too　poetically　shaped　to
be　repellent。　　Gallantry　combined　in　him　with　a　sort　of
ascetic　self…repression　in　a　way　that　was　curious。　　He　was　a
dozen　years　older　than　Somerset：　　his　life　had　been　passed　in
grooves　remote　from　those　of　Somerset's　own　life；　and　the
latter　decided　that　he　would　like　to　meet　the　artillery
officer　again。

Bidding　them　a　temporary　farewell；　he　went　away　to　Markton　by
a　shorter　path　than　that　pursued　by　the　De　Stancys；　and　after
spending　the　remainder　of　the　afternoon　preparing　for
departure；　he　sallied　forth　just　before　the　dinner…hour
towards　the　suburban　villa。

He　had　become　yet　more　curious　whether　a　Mrs。　De　Stancy
existed；　if　there　were　one　he　would　probably　see　her　to…night。
He　had　an　irrepressible　hope　that　there　might　be　such　a　lady。
On　entering　the　drawing…room　only　the　father；　son；　and
daughter　were　assembled。　　Somerset　fell　into　talk　with
Charlotte　during　the　few　minutes　before　dinner；　and　his
thought　found　its　way　out。

'There　is　no　Mrs。　De　Stancy？'　he　said　in　an　undertone。

'None；'　she　said；　'my　brother　is　a　bachelor。'

The　dinner　having　been　fixed　at　an　early　hour　to　suit
Somerset；　they　had　returned　to　the　drawing…room　at　eight
o'clock。　　About　nine　he　was　aiming　to　get　away。

'You　are　not　off　yet？'　said　the　captain。

'There　would　have　been　no　hurry；'　said　Somerset；　'had　I　not
just　remembered　that　I　have　left　one　thing　undone　which　I　want
to　attend　to　before　my　departure。　　I　want　to　see　the　chief
constable　to…night。'

'Cunningham　Haze？he　is　the　very　man　I　too　want　to　see。　　But
he　went　out　of　town　this　afternoon；　and　I　hardly　think　you
will　see　him　to…night。　　His　return　has　been　delayed。'

'Then　the　matter　must　wait。'

'I　have　left　word　at　his　house　asking　him　to　call　here　if　he
gets　home　before　half…past　ten；　but　at　any　rate　I　shall　see
him　to…morrow　morning。　　Can　I　do　anything　for　you；　since　you
are　leaving　early？'

Somerset　replied　that　the　business　was　of　no　great　importance；
and　briefly　explained　the　suspected　intrusion　into　his　studio；
that　he　had　with　him　a　photograph　of　the　suspected　young　man。
'If　it　is　a　mistake；'　added　Somerset；　'I　should　regret　putting
my　draughtsman's　portrait　into　the　hands　of　the　police；　since
it　might　injure　his　character；　indeed；　it　would　be　unfair　to
him。　　So　I　wish　to　keep　the　likeness　in　my　own　hands；　and
merely　to　show　it　to　Mr。　Haze。　　That's　why　I　prefer　not　to
send　it。'

'My　matter　with　Haze　is　that　the　barrack　furniture　does　not
correspond　with　the　inventories。　　If　you　like；　I'll　ask　your
question　at　the　same　time　with　pleasure。'

Thereupon　Somerset　gave　Captain　De　Stancy　an　unfastened
envelope　containing　the　portrait；　asking　him　to　destroy　it　if
the　constable　should　declare　it　not　to　correspond　with　the
face　that　met　his　eye　at　the　window。　　Soon　after；　Somerset
took　his　leave　of　the　household。

He　had　not　been　absent　ten　minutes　when　other　wheels　were
heard　on　the　gravel　without；　and　the　servant　announced　Mr。
Cunningham　Haze；　who　had　returned　earlier　than　he　had
expected；　and　had　called　as　requested。

They　went　into　the　dining…room　to　discuss　their　business。
When　the　barrack　matter　had　been　arranged　De　Stancy　said；　'I
have　a　little　commission　to　execute　for　my　friend　Mr。
Somerset。　　I　am　to　ask　you　if　this　portrait　of　the　person　he
suspects　of　unlawfully　entering　his　room　is　like　the　man　you
saw　there？'

The　speaker　was　seated　on　one　side　of　the　dining…table　and　Mr。
Haze　on　the　other。　　As　he　spoke　De　Stancy　pulled　the　envelope
from　his　pocket；　and　half　drew　out　the　photograph；　which　he
had　not　as　yet　looked　at；　to　hand　it　over　to　the　constable。
In　the　act　his　eye　fell　upon　the　portrait；　with　its　uncertain
expression　of　age；　assured　look；　and　hair　worn　in　a　fringe
like　a　girl's。

Captain　De　Stancy's　face　became　strained；　and　he　leant　back　in
his　chair；　having　previously　had　sufficient　power　over　himself
to　close　the　envelope　and　return　it　to　his　pocket。

'Good　heavens；　you　are　ill；　Captain　De　Stancy？'　said　the　chief
constable。

'It　was　only　momentary；'　said　De　Stancy；　'better　in　a　minute
a　glass　of　water　will　put　me　right。'

Mr。　Haze　got　him　a　glass　of　water　from　the　sideboard。

'These　spasms　occasionally　overtake　me；'　said　De　Stancy　when
he　had　drunk。　　'I　am　already　better。　　What　were　we　saying？　　O；
this　affair　of　Mr。　Somerset's。　　I　find　that　this　envelope　is
not　the　right　one。'　　He　ostensibly　searched　his　pocket　again。
'I　must　have　mislaid　it；'　he　continued；　rising。　　'I'll　be　with
you　again　in　a　moment。'

De　Stancy　went　into　the　room　adjoining；　opened　an　album　of
portraits　that　lay　on　the　table；　and　selected　one　of　a　young
man　quite　unknown　to　him；　whose　age　was　somewhat　akin　to
Dare's；　but　who　in　no　other　attribute　resembled　him。

De　Stancy　placed　this　picture　in　the　original　envelope；　and
returned　with　it　to　the　chief　constable；　saying　he　had　found
it　at　last。

'Thank　you；　thank　you；'　said　Cunningham　Haze；　looking　it　over。
'AhI　perceive　it　is　not　what　I　expected　to　see。　　Mr。
Somerset　was　mistaken。'

When　the　chief　constable　had　left　the　house；　Captain　De　Stancy
shut　the　door　and　drew　out　the　original　photograph。　　As　he
looked　at　the　transcript　of　Dare's　features　he　was　moved　by　a
painful　agitation；　till　recalling　himself　to　the　present；　he
carefully　put　the　portrait　into　the　fire。

During　the　following　days　Captain　De　Stancy's　manner　on　the
roads；　in　the　streets；　and　at　barracks；　was　that　of　Crusoe
after　seeing　the　print　of　a　man's　foot　on　the　sand。



V。

Anybody　who　had　closely　considered　Dare　at　this　time　would
have　discovered　that；　shortly　after　the　arrival　of　the　Royal
Horse　Artillery　at　Markton　Barracks；　he　gave　up　his　room　at
the　inn　at　Sleeping…Green　and　took　permanent　lodgings　over　a
broker's　shop　in　the　town　above…mentioned。　　The　peculiarity　of
the　rooms　was　that　they　commanded　a　view　lengthwise　of　the
barrack　lane　along　which　any　soldier；　in　the　natural　course　of
things；　would　pass　either　to　enter　the　town；　to　call　at　Myrtle
Villa；　or　to　go　to　Stancy　Castle。

Dare　seemed　to　act　as　if　there　were　plenty　of　time　for　his
business。　　Some　few　days　had　slipped　by　when；　perceiving
Captain　De　Stancy　walk　past　his　window　and　into　the　town；　Dare
took　his　hat　and　cane；　and　followed　in　the　same　direction。
When　he　was　about　fifty　yards　short　of　Myrtle　Villa　on　the
other　side　of　the　town　he　saw　De　Stancy　enter　its　gate。

Dare　mounted　a　stile　beside　the　highway　and　patiently　waited。
In　about　twenty　minutes　De　Stancy　came　out　again　and　turned
back　in　the　direction　of　the　town；　till　Dare　was　revealed　to
him　on　his　left　hand。　　When　De　Stancy　recognized　the　youth　he
was　visibly　agitated；　though　apparently　not　surprised。
Standing　still　a　moment　he　dropped　his　glance　upon　the　ground；
and　then　came　forward　to　Dare；　who　having　alighted　from　the
stile　stood　before　the　captain　with　a　smile。

'My　dear　lad！'　said　De　Stancy；　much　moved　by　recollections。
He　held　Dare's　hand　for　a　moment　in　both　his　own；　and　turned
askance。

'Y