a laodicean-第37节

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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　the　magazine；　and　others　further　off。　　Recurring
to　his　intention　he　drew　the　corks　of　the　mineral　waters；　and
inverting　each　bottle　one　by　one　over　the　window…sill；　heard
its　contents　dribble　in　a　small　stream　on　to　the　gravel　below。

He　then　opened　the　hamper　which　Dare　had　sent。　　Uncorking　one
of　the　bottles　he　murmured；　'To　Paula！'　and　drank　a　glass　of
the　ruby　liquor。

'A　man　again　after　eighteen　years；'　he　said；　shutting　the　sash
and　returning　to　his　bedroom。

The　first　overt　result　of　his　kindled　interest　in　Miss　Power
was　his　saying　to　his　sister　the　day　after　the　surreptitious
sight　of　Paula：　　'I　am　sorry；　Charlotte；　for　a　word　or　two　I
said　the　other　day。'

'Well？'

'I　was　rather　disrespectful　to　your　friend　Miss　Power。'

'I　don't　think　sowere　you？'

'Yes。　　When　we　were　walking　in　the　wood；　I　made　a　stupid　joke
about　her。　。　。　。　　What　does　she　know　about　medo　you　ever
speak　of　me　to　her？'

'Only　in　general　terms。'

'What　general　terms？'

'You　know　well　enough；　William；　of　your　idiosyncrasies　and　so
onthat　you　are　a　bit　of　a　woman…hater；　or　at　least　a
confirmed　bachelor；　and　have　but　little　respect　for　your　own
family。'

'I　wish　you　had　not　told　her　that；'　said　De　Stancy　with
dissatisfaction。

'But　I　thought　you　always　liked　women　to　know　your
principles！'　said　Charlotte；　in　injured　tones；　'and　would
particularly　like　her　to　know　them；　living　so　near。'

'Yes；　yes；'　replied　her　brother　hastily。　　'Well；　I　ought　to
see　her；　just　to　show　her　that　I　am　not　quite　a　brute。'

'That　would　be　very　nice！'　she　answered；　putting　her　hands
together　in　agreeable　astonishment。　　'It　is　just　what　I　have
wished；　though　I　did　not　dream　of　suggesting　it　after　what　I
have　heard　you　say。　　I　am　going　to　stay　with　her　again　to…
morrow；　and　I　will　let　her　know　about　this。'

'Don't　tell　her　anything　plainly；　for　heaven's　sake。　　I　really
want　to　see　the　interior　of　the　castle；　I　have　never　entered
its　walls　since　my　babyhood。'　　He　raised　his　eyes　as　he　spoke
to　where　the　walls　in　question　showed　their　ashlar　faces　over
the　trees。

'You　might　have　gone　over　it　at　any　time。'

'O　yes。　　It　is　only　recently　that　I　have　thought　much　of　the
place：　　I　feel　now　that　I　should　like　to　examine　the　old
building　thoroughly；　since　it　was　for　so　many　generations
associated　with　our　fortunes；　especially　as　most　of　the　old
furniture　is　still　there。　　My　sedulous　avoidance　hitherto　of
all　relating　to　our　family　vicissitudes　has　been；　I　own；
stupid　conduct　for　an　intelligent　being；　but　impossible　grapes
are　always　sour；　and　I　have　unconsciously　adopted　Radical
notions　to　obliterate　disappointed　hereditary　instincts。　　But
these　have　a　trick　of　re…establishing　themselves　as　one　gets
older；　and　the　castle　and　what　it　contains　have　a　keen
interest　for　me　now。'

'It　contains　Paula。'

De　Stancy's　pulse；　which　had　been　beating　languidly　for　many
years；　beat　double　at　the　sound　of　that　name。

'I　meant　furniture　and　pictures　for　the　moment；'　he　said；　'but
I　don't　mind　extending　the　meaning　to　her；　　if　you　wish　it。'

'She　is　the　rarest　thing　there。'

'So　you　have　said　before。'

'The　castle　and　our　family　history　have　as　much　romantic
interest　for　her　as　they　have　for　you；'　Charlotte　went　on。
'She　delights　in　visiting　our　tombs　and　effigies　and　ponders
over　them　for　hours。'

'Indeed！'　said　De　Stancy；　allowing　his　surprise　to　hide　the
satisfaction　which　accompanied　it。　　'That　should　make　us
friendly。　。　。　。　　Does　she　see　many　people？'

'Not　many　as　yet。　　And　she　cannot　have　many　staying　there
during　the　alterations。'

'Ah！　yesthe　alterations。　　Didn't　you　say　that　she　has　had　a
London　architect　stopping　there　on　that　account？　　What　was　he…
…old　or　young？'

'He　is　a　young　man：　　he　has　been　to　our　house。　　Don't　you
remember　you　met　him　there？'

'What　was　his　name？'

'Mr。　Somerset。'

'O；　that　man！　　Yes；　yes；　I　remember。　。　。　。　　Hullo；　Lottie！'

'What？'

'Your　face　is　as　red　as　a　peony。　　Now　I　know　a　secret！'
Charlotte　vainly　endeavoured　to　hide　her　confusion。　　'Very
wellnot　a　word！　　I　won't　say　more；'　continued　De　Stancy
good…humouredly；　'except　that　he　seems　to　be　a　very　nice
fellow。'

De　Stancy　had　turned　the　dialogue　on　to　this　little　well…
preserved　secret　of　his　sister's　with　sufficient　outward
lightness；　but　it　had　been　done　in　instinctive　concealment　of
the　disquieting　start　with　which　he　had　recognized　that
Somerset；　Dare's　enemy；　whom　he　had　intercepted　in　placing
Dare's　portrait　into　the　hands　of　the　chief　constable；　was　a
man　beloved　by　his　sister　Charlotte。　　This　novel　circumstance
might　lead　to　a　curious　complication。　　But　he　was　to　hear
more。

'He　may　be　very　nice；'　replied　Charlotte；　with　an　effort；
after　this　silence。　　'But　he　is　nothing　to　me；　more　than　a
very　good　friend。'

'There's　no　engagement；　or　thought　of　one　between　you？'

'Certainly　there's　not！'　said　Charlotte；　with　brave　emphasis。
'It　is　more　likely　to　be　between　Paula　and　him　than　me　and
him。'

De　Stancy's　bare　military　ears　and　closely　cropped　poll
flushed　hot。　　'Miss　Power　and　him？'

'I　don't　mean　to　say　there　is；　because　Paula　denies　it；　but　I
mean　that　he　loves　Paula。　　That　I　do　know。'

De　Stancy　was　dumb。　　This　item　of　news　which　Dare　had　kept
from　him；　not　knowing　how　far　De　Stancy's　sense　of　honour
might　extend；　was　decidedly　grave。　　Indeed；　he　was　so　greatly
impressed　with　the　fact；　that　he　could　not　help　saying　as　much
aloud：　　'This　is　very　serious！'

'Why！'　she　murmured　tremblingly；　for　the　first　leaking　out　of
her　tender　and　sworn　secret　had　disabled　her　quite。

'Because　I　love　Paula　too。'

'What　do　you　say；　William；　you？a　woman　you　have　never　seen？'

'I　have　seen　herby　accident。　　And　now；　my　dear　little　sis；
you　will　be　my　close　ally；　won't　you？　as　I　will　be　yours；　as
brother　and　sister　should　be。'　　He　placed　his　arm　coaxingly
round　Charlotte's　shoulder。

'O；　William；　how　can　I？'　at　last　she　stammered。

'Why；　how　can't　you；　I　should　say？　　We　are　both　in　the　same
ship。　　I　love　Paula；　you　love　Mr。　Somerset；　it　behoves　both　of
us　to　see　that　this　flirtation　of　theirs　ends　in　nothing。'

'I　don't　like　you　to　put　it　like　thatthat　I　love　himit
frightens　me；'　murmured　the　girl；　visibly　agitated。　　'I　don't
want　to　divide　him　from　Paula；　I　couldn't；　I　wouldn't　do
anything　to　separate　them。　　Believe　me；　Will；　I　could　not！　　I
am　sorry　you　love　there　also；　though　I　should　be　glad　if　it
happened　in　the　natural　order　of　events　that　she　should　come
round　to　you。　　But　I　cannot　do　anything　to　part　them　and　make
Mr。　Somerset　suffer。　　It　would　be　TOO　wrong　and　blamable。'

'Now；　you　silly　Charlotte；　that's　just　how　you　women　fly　off
at　a　tangent。　　I　mean　nothing　dishonourable　in　the　least。
Have　I　ever　prompted　you　to　do　anything　dishonourable？　　Fair
fighting　allies　was　all　I　thought　of。'

Miss　De　Stancy　breathed　more　freely。　　'Yes；　we　will　be　that；
of　course；　we　are　always　that；　William。　　But　I　hope　I　can　be
your　ally；　and　be　quite　neutral；　I　would　so　much　rather。'

'Well；　I　suppose　it　will　not　be　a　breach　of　your　precious
neutrality　if　you　get　me　invited　to　see　the　castle？'

'O　no！'　she　said　brightly；　'I　don't　mind　doing　such　a　thing　as
that。　　Why　not　come　with　me　tomorrow？　　I　will　say　I　am　going
to　bring　you。　　There　will　be　no　trouble　at　all。'

De　Stancy　readily　agreed。　　The　effect　upon　him　of　the
information　now　acquired　was　to　intensify　his　ardour　tenfold；
the　stimulus　being　due　to　a　perception　that　Somerset；　with　a
little　more　knowledge；　would　hold　a　card　which　could　be　played
with　disastrous　effect　against　himselfhis　relationship　to
Dare。　　Its　disclosure　to　a　lady　of　such　Puritan　antecedents　as
Paula's；　would　probably　mean　her　immediate　severance　from
himself　as　an　unclean　thing。

'Is　Miss　Power　a　severe　pietist；　or　precisian；　or　is　she　a
compromising　lady？'　he　asked　abruptly。

'She　is　severe　and　uncompromisingif　you　mean　in　her
judgments　on　morals；'　said　Charlotte；　not　quite　hearing。　　The
remark　was　peculiarly　apposite；　and　De　Stancy　was　silent。

He　spent　some　following　hours　in　a　close　study　of　the　castle
history；　which　till　now　had　unutterably　bored　him。　　More
particularly　did　he　dwell　over　documents　and　notes　which
referred　to　the　pedigree　of　his　own　family。　　He　wrote　out　the
names　of　alland　they　were　manywho　had　been　born　within
those　domineering　walls　since　their　first　erection；　of　those
among　them　who　had　been　brought　thither　by　marriage　with　the
owner；　and　of　stranger　knights　and　gentlemen　who　had　entered
the　castle　by　marriage　with　its　mistress。　　He　refreshed　his
memory　on　the　strange　loves　and　hates　that　had　arisen　in　the
course　of　the　family　history；　on　memorable　attacks；　and　the
dates　of　the　same；　the　most　memorable　among　them　being　the
occasion　on　which　the　party　represented　by　Paula　battered　down
the　castle　walls　that　she　was　now　about　to　mend；　and；　as　he
hoped；　return　in　their　original　intact　shape　to　the　family
dispossessed；　by　marriage　with　himself；　its　living
representative。

In　Sir　William's　villa　were　small　engravings　after　many　of　the
portrait