a laodicean-第39节

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holding　the　two　candles　on　high；　his　shadow　forming　a　gigantic
figure　on　the　neighbouring　wall；　while　he　recited　the
particulars　of　family　history　pertaining　to　each　portrait；
that　he　had　learnt　up　with　such　eager　persistence　during　the
previous　four…and…twenty…hours。　　'I　have　often　wondered　what
could　have　been　the　history　of　this　lady；　but　nobody　has　ever
been　able　to　tell　me；'　Paula　observed；　pointing　to　a　Vandyck
which　represented　a　beautiful　woman　wearing　curls　across　her
forehead；　a　square…cut　bodice；　and　a　heavy　pearl　necklace　upon
the　smooth　expanse　of　her　neck。

'I　don't　think　anybody　knows；'　Charlotte　said。

'O　yes；'　replied　her　brother　promptly；　seeing　with　enthusiasm
that　it　was　yet　another　opportunity　for　making　capital　of　his
acquired　knowledge；　with　which　he　felt　himself　as
inconveniently　crammed　as　a　candidate　for　a　government
examination。　　'That　lady　has　been　largely　celebrated　under　a
fancy　name；　though　she　is　comparatively　little　known　by　her
own。　　Her　parents　were　the　chief　ornaments　of　the　almost
irreproachable　court　of　Charles　the　First；　and　were　not　more
distinguished　by　their　politeness　and　honour　than　by　the
affections　and　virtues　which　constitute　the　great　charm　of
private　life。'

The　stock　verbiage　of　the　family　memoir　was　somewhat　apparent
in　this　effusion；　but　it　much　impressed　his　listeners；　and　he
went　on　to　point　out　that　from　the　lady's　necklace　was
suspended　a　heart…shaped　portraitthat　of　the　man　who　broke
his　heart　by　her　persistent　refusal　to　encourage　his　suit。　　De
Stancy　then　led　them　a　little　further；　where　hung　a　portrait
of　the　lover；　one　of　his　own　family；　who　appeared　in　full
panoply　of　plate　mail；　the　pommel　of　his　sword　standing　up
under　his　elbow。　　The　gallant　captain　then　related　how　this
personage　of　his　line　wooed　the　lady　fruitlessly；　how；　after
her　marriage　with　another；　she　and　her　husband　visited　the
parents　of　the　disappointed　lover；　the　then　occupiers　of　the
castle；　how；　in　a　fit　of　desperation　at　the　sight　of　her；　he
retired　to　his　room；　where　he　composed　some　passionate　verses；
which　he　wrote　with　his　blood；　and　after　directing　them　to　her
ran　himself　through　the　body　with　his　sword。　　Too　late　the
lady's　heart　was　touched　by　his　devotion；　she　was　ever　after　a
melancholy　woman；　and　wore　his　portrait　despite　her　husband's
prohibition。　　'This；'　continued　De　Stancy；　leading　them
through　the　doorway　into　the　hall　where　the　coats　of　mail　were
arranged　along　the　wall；　and　stopping　opposite　a　suit　which
bore　some　resemblance　to　that　of　the　portrait；　'this　is　his
armour；　as　you　will　perceive　by　comparing　it　with　the　picture；
and　this　is　the　sword　with　which　he　did　the　rash　deed。'

'What　unreasonable　devotion！'　said　Paula　practically。　'It　was
too　romantic　of　him。　　She　was　not　worthy　of　such　a　sacrifice。'

'He　also　is　one　whom　they　say　you　resemble　a　little　in
feature；　I　think；'　said　Charlotte。

'Do　they？'　replied　De　Stancy。　　'I　wonder　if　it's　true。'　　He
set　down　the　candles；　and　asking　the　girls　to　withdraw　for　a
moment；　was　inside　the　upper　part　of　the　suit　of　armour　in
incredibly　quick　time。　　Going　then　and　placing　himself　in
front　of　a　low…hanging　painting　near　the　original；　so　as　to　be
enclosed　by　the　frame　while　covering　the　figure；　arranging　the
sword　as　in　the　one　above；　and　setting　the　light　that　it　might
fall　in　the　right　direction；　he　recalled　them；　when　he　put　the
question；　'Is　the　resemblance　strong？'

He　looked　so　much　like　a　man　of　bygone　times　that　neither　of
them　replied；　but　remained　curiously　gazing　at　him。　　His
modern　and　comparatively　sallow　complexion；　as　seen　through
the　open　visor；　lent　an　ethereal　ideality　to　his　appearance
which　the　time…stained　countenance　of　the　original　warrior
totally　lacked。

At　last　Paula　spoke；　so　stilly　that　she　seemed　a　statue
enunciating：　　'Are　the　verses　known　that　he　wrote　with　his
blood？'

'O　yes；　they　have　been　carefully　preserved。'　　Captain　De
Stancy；　with　true　wooer's　instinct；　had　committed　some　of　them
to　memory　that　morning　from　the　printed　copy　to　be　found　in
every　well…ordered　library。　　'I　fear　I　don't　remember　them
all；'　he　said；　'but　they　begin　in　this　way：

　　　　　〃From　one　that　dyeth　in　his　discontent；
　　　　　　Dear　Faire；　receive　this　greeting　to　thee　sent；
　　　　　　And　still　as　oft　as　it　is　read　by　thee；
　　　　　　Then　with　some　deep　sad　sigh　remember　mee！

　　　　　　O　'twas　my　fortune's　error　to　vow　dutie；
　　　　　　To　one　that　bears　defiance　in　her　beautie！
　　　　　　Sweete　poyson；　pretious　wooe；　infectious　jewell
　　　　　　Such　is　a　Ladie　that　is　faire　and　cruell。

　　　　　　How　well　could　I　with　ayre；　camelion…like；
　　　　　　Live　happie；　and　still　gazeing　on　thy　cheeke；
　　　　　　In　which；　forsaken　man；　methink　I　see
　　　　　　How　goodlie　love　doth　threaten　cares　to　mee。

　　　　　　Why　dost　thou　frowne　thus　on　a　kneelinge　soule；
　　　　　　Whose　faults　in　love　thou　may'st　as　well　controule？
　　　　　　In　lovebut　O；　that　word；　that　word　I　feare
　　　　　　Is　hateful　still　both　to　thy　hart　and　eare！

　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　　　。

　　　　　　Ladie；　in　breefe；　my　fate　doth　now　intend
　　　　　　The　period　of　my　daies　to　have　an　end：
　　　　　　Waste　not　on　me　thy　pittie；　pretious　Faire：
　　　　　　Rest　you　in　much　content；　I；　in　despaire！〃'

A　solemn　silence　followed　the　close　of　the　recital；　which　De
Stancy　improved　by　turning　the　point　of　the　sword　to　his
breast；　resting　the　pommel　upon　the　floor；　and　saying：

'After　writing　that　we　may　picture　him　turning　this　same　sword
in　this　same　way；　and　falling　on　it　thus。'　　He　inclined　his
body　forward　as　he　spoke。

'Don't；　Captain　De　Stancy；　please　don't！'　cried　Paula
involuntarily。

'No；　don't　show　us　any　further；　William！'　said　his　sister。
'It　is　too　tragic。'

De　Stancy　put　away　the　sword；　himself　rather　excitednot；
however；　by　his　own　recital；　but　by　the　direct　gaze　of　Paula
at　him。

This　Protean　quality　of　De　Stancy's；　by　means　of　which　he
could　assume　the　shape　and　situation　of　almost　any　ancestor　at
will；　had　impressed　her；　and　he　perceived　it　with　a　throb　of
fervour。　　But　it　had　done　no　more　than　impress　her；　for　though
in　delivering　the　lines　he　had　so　fixed　his　look　upon　her　as
to　suggest；　to　any　maiden　practised　in　the　game　of　the　eyes；　a
present　significance　in　the　words；　the　idea　of　any　such
arriere…pensee　had　by　no　means　commended　itself　to　her　soul。

At　this　time　a　messenger　from　Markton　barracks　arrived　at　the
castle　and　wished　to　speak　to　Captain　De　Stancy　in　the　hall。
Begging　the　two　ladies　to　excuse　him　for　a　moment；　he　went
out。

While　De　Stancy　was　talking　in　the　twilight　to　the　messenger
at　one　end　of　the　apartment；　some　other　arrival　was　shown　in
by　the　side　door；　and　in　making　his　way　after　the　conference
across　the　hall　to　the　room　he　had　previously　quitted；　De
Stancy　encountered　the　new…comer。　　There　was　just　enough　light
to　reveal　the　countenance　to　be　Dare's；　he　bore　a　portfolio
under　his　arm；　and　had　begun　to　wear　a　moustache；　in　case　the
chief　constable　should　meet　him　anywhere　in　his　rambles；　and
be　struck　by　his　resemblance　to　the　man　in　the　studio。

'What　the　devil　are　you　doing　here？'　said　Captain　De　Stancy；
in　tones　he　had　never　used　before　to　the　young　man。

Dare　started　back　in　surprise；　and　naturally　so。　　De　Stancy；
having　adopted　a　new　system　of　living；　and　relinquished　the
meagre　diet　and　enervating　waters　of　his　past　years；　was
rapidly　recovering　tone。　　His　voice　was　firmer；　his　cheeks
were　less　pallid；　and　above　all　he　was　authoritative　towards
his　present　companion；　whose　ingenuity　in　vamping　up　a　being
for　his　ambitious　experiments　seemed　about　to　be　rewarded；
like　Frankenstein's；　by　his　discomfiture　at　the　hands　of　his
own　creature。

'What　the　devil　are　you　doing　here；　I　say？'　repeated　De
Stancy。

'You　can　talk　to　me　like　that；　after　my　working　so　hard　to　get
you　on　in　life；　and　make　a　rising　man　of　you！'　expostulated
Dare；　as　one　who　felt　himself　no　longer　the　leader　in　this
enterprise。

'But；'　said　the　captain　less　harshly；　'if　you　let　them
discover　any　relations　between　us　here；　you　will　ruin　the
fairest　prospects　man　ever　had！'

'O；　I　like　that；　captainwhen　you　owe　all　of　it　to　me！'

'That's　too　cool；　Will。'

'No；　what　I　say　is　true。　　However；　let　that　go。　　So　now　you
are　here　on　a　call；　but　how　are　you　going　to　get　here　often
enough　to　win　her　before　the　other　man　comes　back？　　If　you
don't　see　her　every　daytwice；　three　times　a　dayyou　will
not　capture　her　in　the　time。'

'I　must　think　of　that；'　said　De　Stancy。

'There　is　only　one　way　of　being　constantly　here：　　you　must
come　to　copy　the　pictures　or　furniture；　something　in　the　way
he　did。'

'I'll　think　of　it；'　muttered　De　Stancy　hastily；　as　he　heard
the　voices　of　the　ladies；　whom　he　hastened　to　join　as　they
were　appearing　at　the　other　end　of　the　room。　　His　countenance
was　gloomy　as　he　recrossed　the　hall；　for　Dare's　words　on　the
shortness　of　his　opportunities　had　impressed　him。　　Almost　at
once　he　uttered　a　hope　to　Paula　that　he　might　have　further
chance　of　studying；　and　if　possible　of　copying；　some　of　the
ancestral　faces　with　which　the　building　abounded。

Meanwhile　Dare　had　come　forward　with　his　portfolio；　which
proved　to　be　full　of　photographs。