a laodicean-第36节

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'I　am　afraid　it　does。　　What　have　you　got？'

'Only　a　little　wine。'

'What　wine？'

'Do　try　it。　　I　call　it　〃the　blushful　Hippocrene；〃　that　the
poet　describes　as

　　　　　〃Tasting　of　Flora　and　the　country　green；
　　　　　　Dance；　and　Provencal　song；　and　sun…burnt　mirth。〃'

De　Stancy　took　the　flask；　and　drank　a　little。

'It　warms；　does　it　not？'　said　Dare。

'Too　much；'　said　De　Stancy　with　misgiving。　　'I　have　been　taken
unawares。　　Why；　it　is　three　parts　brandy；　to　my　taste；　you
scamp！'

Dare　put　away　the　wine。　　'Now　you　are　to　see　something；'　he
said。

'Somethingwhat　is　it？'　　Captain　De　Stancy　regarded　him　with
a　puzzled　look。

'It　is　quite　a　curiosity；　and　really　worth　seeing。　　Now　just
look　in　here。'

The　speaker　advanced　to　the　back　of　the　building；　and　withdrew
the　wood　billet　from　the　wall。

'Will；　I　believe　you　are　up　to　some　trick；'　said　De　Stancy；
not；　however；　suspecting　the　actual　truth　in　these
unsuggestive　circumstances；　and　with　a　comfortable
resignation；　produced　by　the　potent　liquor；　which　would　have
been　comical　to　an　outsider；　but　which；　to　one　who　had　known
the　history　and　relationship　of　the　two　speakers；　would　have
worn　a　sadder　significance。　　'I　am　too　big　a　fool　about　you　to
keep　you　down　as　I　ought；　that's　the　fault　of　me；　worse　luck。'

He　pressed　the　youth's　hand　with　a　smile；　went　forward；　and
looked　through　the　hole　into　the　interior　of　the　gymnasium。
Dare　withdrew　to　some　little　distance；　and　watched　Captain　De
Stancy's　face；　which　presently　began　to　assume　an　expression
of　interest。

What　was　the　captain　seeing？　　A　sort　of　optical　poem。

Paula；　in　a　pink　flannel　costume；　was　bending；　wheeling　and
undulating　in　the　air　like　a　gold…fish　in　its　globe；　sometimes
ascending　by　her　arms　nearly　to　the　lantern；　then　lowering
herself　till　she　swung　level　with　the　floor。　　Her　aunt　Mrs。
Goodman；　and　Charlotte　De　Stancy；　were　sitting　on　camp…stools
at　one　end；　watching　her　gyrations；　Paula　occasionally
addressing　them　with　such　an　expression　as'Now；　Aunt；　look
at　meand　you；　Charlotteis　not　that　shocking　to　your　weak
nerves；'　when　some　adroit　feat　would　be　repeated；　which；
however；　seemed　to　give　much　more　pleasure　to　Paula　herself　in
performing　it　than　to　Mrs。　Goodman　in　looking　on；　the　latter
sometimes　saying；　'O；　it　is　terrificdo　not　run　such　a　risk
again！'

It　would　have　demanded　the　poetic　passion　of　some　joyous
Elizabethan　lyrist　like　Lodge；　Nash；　or　Constable；　to　fitly
phrase　Paula's　presentation　of　herself　at　this　moment　of
absolute　abandonment　to　every　muscular　whim　that　could　take
possession　of　such　a　supple　form。　　The　white　manilla　ropes
clung　about　the　performer　like　snakes　as　she　took　her
exercise；　and　the　colour　in　her　face　deepened　as　she　went　on。
Captain　De　Stancy　felt　that；　much　as　he　had　seen　in　early　life
of　beauty　in　woman；　he　had　never　seen　beauty　of　such　a　real
and　living　sort　as　this。　　A　recollection　of　his　vow；　together
with　a　sense　that　to　gaze　on　the　festival　of　this　Bona　Dea
was；　though　so　innocent　and　pretty　a　sight；　hardly　fair　or
gentlemanly；　would　have　compelled　him　to　withdraw　his　eyes；
had　not　the　sportive　fascination　of　her　appearance　glued　them
there　in　spite　of　all。　　And　as　if　to　complete　the　picture　of
Grace　personified　and　add　the　one　thing　wanting　to　the　charm
which　bound　him；　the　clouds；　till　that　time　thick　in　the　sky；
broke　away　from　the　upper　heaven；　and　allowed　the　noonday　sun
to　pour　down　through　the　lantern　upon　her；　irradiating　her
with　a　warm　light　that　was　incarnadined　by　her　pink　doublet
and　hose；　and　reflected　in　upon　her　face。　　She　only　required　a
cloud　to　rest　on　instead　of　the　green　silk　net　which　actually
supported　her　reclining　figure　for　the　moment；　to　be　quite
Olympian；　save　indeed　that　in　place　of　haughty　effrontery
there　sat　on　her　countenance　only　the　healthful　sprightliness
of　an　English　girl。

Dare　had　withdrawn　to　a　point　at　which　another　path　crossed
the　path　occupied　by　De　Stancy。　　Looking　in　a　side　direction；
he　saw　Havill　idling　slowly　up　to　him　over　the　silent　grass。
Havill's　knowledge　of　the　appointment　had　brought　him　out　to
see　what　would　come　of　it。　　When　he　neared　Dare；　but　was　still
partially　hidden　by　the　boughs　from　the　third　of　the　party；
the　former　simply　pointed　to　De　Stancy　upon　which　Havill　stood
and　peeped　at　him。　　'Is　she　within　there？'　he　inquired。

Dare　nodded；　and　whispered；　'You　need　not　have　asked；　if　you
had　examined　his　face。'

'That's　true。'

'A　fermentation　is　beginning　in　him；'　said　Dare；　half
pitifully；　'a　purely　chemical　process；　and　when　it　is　complete
he　will　probably　be　clear；　and　fiery；　and　sparkling；　and　quite
another　man　than　the　good；　weak；　easy　fellow　that　he　was。'

To　precisely　describe　Captain　De　Stancy's　admiration　was
impossible。　　A　sun　seemed　to　rise　in　his　face。　　By　watching
him　they　could　almost　see　the　aspect　of　her　within　the　wall；
so　accurately　were　her　changing　phases　reflected　in　him。　　He
seemed　to　forget　that　he　was　not　alone。

'And　is　this；'　he　murmured；　in　the　manner　of　one　only　half
apprehending　himself；　'and　is　this　the　end　of　my　vow？'

Paula　was　saying　at　this　moment；　'Ariel　sleeps　in　this
posture；　does　he　not；　Auntie？'　　Suiting　the　action　to　the　word
she　flung　out　her　arms　behind　her　head　as　she　lay　in　the　green
silk　hammock；　idly　closed　her　pink　eyelids；　and　swung　herself
to　and　fro。




BOOK　THE　THIRD。　　DE　STANCY。



I。

Captain　De　Stancy　was　a　changed　man。　　A　hitherto　well…
repressed　energy　was　giving　him　motion　towards　long…shunned
consequences。　　His　features　were；　indeed；　the　same　as　before；
though；　had　a　physiognomist　chosen　to　study　them　with　the
closeness　of　an　astronomer　scanning　the　universe；　he　would
doubtless　have　discerned　abundant　novelty。

In　recent　years　De　Stancy　had　been　an　easy；　melancholy；
unaspiring　officer；　enervated　and　depressed　by　a　parental
affection　quite　beyond　his　control　for　the　graceless　lad　Dare…
…the　obtrusive　memento　of　a　shadowy　period　in　De　Stancy's
youth；　who　threatened　to　be　the　curse　of　his　old　age。
Throughout　a　long　space　he　had　persevered　in　his　system　of
rigidly　incarcerating　within　himself　all　instincts　towards　the
opposite　sex；　with　a　resolution　that　would　not　have　disgraced
a　much　stronger　man。　　By　this　habit；　maintained　with　fair
success；　a　chamber　of　his　nature　had　been　preserved　intact
during　many　later　years；　like　the　one　solitary　sealed…up　cell
occasionally　retained　by　bees　in　a　lobe　of　drained　honey…comb。
And　thus；　though　he　had　irretrievably　exhausted　the　relish　of
society；　of　ambition；　of　action；　and　of　his　profession；　the
love…force　that　he　had　kept　immured　alive　was　still　a
reproducible　thing。

The　sight　of　Paula　in　her　graceful　performance；　which　the
judicious　Dare　had　so　carefully　planned；　led　up　to　and
heightened　by　subtle　accessories；　operated　on　De　Stancy's
surprised　soul　with　a　promptness　almost　magical。

On　the　evening　of　the　self…same　day；　having　dined　as　usual；　he
retired　to　his　rooms；　where　he　found　a　hamper　of　wine　awaiting
him。　　It　had　been　anonymously　sent；　and　the　account　was　paid。
He　smiled　grimly；　but　no　longer　with　heaviness。　　In　this　he
instantly　recognized　the　handiwork　of　Dare；　who；　having　at
last　broken　down　the　barrier　which　De　Stancy　had　erected　round
his　heart　for　so　many　years；　acted　like　a　skilled　strategist；
and　took　swift　measures　to　follow　up　the　advantage　so　tardily
gained。

Captain　De　Stancy　knew　himself　conquered：　　he　knew　he　should
yield　to　Paulahad　indeed　yielded；　but　there　was　now；　in　his
solitude；　an　hour　or　two　of　reaction。　　He　did　not　drink　from
the　bottles　sent。　　He　went　early　to　bed；　and　lay　tossing
thereon　till　far　into　the　night；　thinking　over　the　collapse。
His　teetotalism　had；　with　the　lapse　of　years；　unconsciously
become　the　outward　and　visible　sign　to　himself　of　his　secret
vows；　and　a　return　to　its　opposite；　however　mildly　done；
signified　with　ceremonious　distinctness　the　formal　acceptance
of　delectations　long　forsworn。

But　the　exceeding　freshness　of　his　feeling　for　Paula；　which　by
reason　of　its　long　arrest　was　that　of　a　man　far　under　thirty；
and　was　a　wonder　to　himself　every　instant；　would　not　long
brook　weighing　in　balances。　　He　wished　suddenly　to　commit
himself；　to　remove　the　question　of　retreat　out　of　the　region
of　debate。　　The　clock　struck　two：　　and　the　wish　became
determination。　　He　arose；　and　wrapping　himself　in　his
dressing…gown　went　to　the　next　room；　where　he　took　from　a
shelf　in　the　pantry　several　large　bottles；　which　he　carried　to
the　window；　till　they　stood　on　the　sill　a　goodly　row。　　There
had　been　sufficient　light　in　the　room　for　him　to　do　this
without　a　candle。　　Now　he　softly　opened　the　sash；　and　the
radiance　of　a　gibbous　moon　riding　in　the　opposite　sky　flooded
the　apartment。　　It　fell　on　the　labels　of　the　captain's
bottles；　revealing　their　contents　to　be　simple　aerated　waters
for　drinking。

De　Stancy　looked　out　and　listened。　　The　guns　that　stood　drawn
up　within　the　yard　glistened　in　the　moonlight　reaching　them
from　over　the　barrack…wall：　　there　was　an　occasional　stamp　of
horses　in　the　stables；　also　a　measured　tread　of　sentinelsone
or　more　at　the　gates；　one　at　the　hospital；　one　between　the
wings；　two　at