a laodicean-第41节

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be　sold　by　auction　on　Friday　next。　　Troubles　had　apparently
come　in　battalions；　for　Dare　was　informed　by　a　bystander　that
Havill's　wife　was　seriously　ill　also。

Without　staying　for　a　moment　to　enter　his　friend's　house；　back
went　Mr。　Dare　to　the　castle；　and　told　Captain　De　Stancy　of　the
architect's　desperate　circumstances；　begging　him　to　convey　the
news　in　some　way　to　Miss　Power。　　De　Stancy　promised　to　make
representations　in　the　proper　quarter　without　perceiving　that
he　was　doing　the　best　possible　deed　for　himself　thereby。

He　told　Paula　of　Havill's　misfortunes　in　the　presence　of　his
sister；　who　turned　pale。　　She　discerned　how　this　misfortune
would　bear　upon　the　undecided　competition。

'Poor　man；'　murmured　Paula。　　'He　was　my　father's　architect；
and　somehow　expected；　though　I　did　not　promise　it；　the　work　of
rebuilding　the　castle。'

Then　De　Stancy　saw　Dare's　aim　in　sending　him　to　Miss　Power
with　the　news；　and；　seeing　it；　concurred：　　Somerset　was　his
rival；　and　all　was　fair。　　'And　is　he　not　to　have　the　work　of
the　castle　after　expecting　it？'　he　asked。

Paula　was　lost　in　reflection。　　'The　other　architect's　design
and　Mr。　Havill's　are　exactly　equal　in　merit；　and　we　cannot
decide　how　to　give　it　to　either；'　explained　Charlotte。

'That　is　our　difficulty；'　Paula　murmured。　　'A　bankrupt；　and
his　wife　illdear　me！　　I　wonder　what's　the　cause。'

'He　has　borrowed　on　the　expectation　of　having　to　execute　the
castle　works；　and　now　he　is　unable　to　meet　his　liabilities。'

'It　is　very　sad；'　said　Paula。

'Let　me　suggest　a　remedy　for　this　dead…lock；'　said　De　Stancy。

'Do；'　said　Paula。

'Do　the　work　of　building　in　two　halves　or　sections。　　Give
Havill　the　first　half；　since　he　is　in　need；　when　that　is
finished　the　second　half　can　be　given　to　your　London
architect。　　If；　as　I　understand；　the　plans　are　identical；
except　in　ornamental　details；　there　will　be　no　difficulty
about　it　at　all。'

Paula　sighedjust　a　little　one；　and　yet　the　suggestion　seemed
to　satisfy　her　by　its　reasonableness。　　She　turned　sad；
wayward；　but　was　impressed　by　De　Stancy's　manner　and　words。
She　appeared　indeed　to　have　a　smouldering　desire　to　please
him。　　In　the　afternoon　she　said　to　Charlotte；　'I　mean　to　do　as
your　brother　says。'

A　note　was　despatched　to　Havill　that　very　day；　and　in　an　hour
the　crestfallen　architect　presented　himself　at　the　castle。
Paula　instantly　gave　him　audience；　commiserated　him；　and
commissioned　him　to　carry　out　a　first　section　of　the
buildings；　comprising　work　to　the　extent　of　about　twenty
thousand　pounds　expenditure；　and　then；　with　a　prematureness
quite　amazing　among　architects'　clients；　she　handed　him　over　a
cheque　for　five　hundred　pounds　on　account。

When　he　had　gone；　Paula's　bearing　showed　some　sign　of　being
disquieted　at　what　she　had　done；　but　she　covered　her　mood
under　a　cloak　of　saucy　serenity。　　Perhaps　a　tender　remembrance
of　a　certain　thunderstorm　in　the　foregoing　August　when　she
stood　with　Somerset　in　the　arbour；　and　did　not　own　that　she
loved　him；　was　pressing　on　her　memory　and　bewildering　her。
She　had　not　seen　quite　clearly；　in　adopting　De　Stancy's
suggestion；　that　Somerset　would　now　have　no　professional
reason　for　being　at　the　castle　for　the　next　twelve　months。

But　the　captain　had；　and　when　Havill　entered　the　castle　he
rejoiced　with　great　joy。　　Dare；　too；　rejoiced　in　his　cold　way；
and　went　on　with　his　photography；　saying；　'The　game
progresses；　captain。'

'Game？　　Call　it　Divine　Comedy；　rather！'　said　the　soldier
exultingly。

'He　is　practically　banished　for　a　year　or　more。　　What　can't
you　do　in　a　year；　captain！'

Havill；　in　the　meantime；　having　respectfully　withdrawn　from
the　presence　of　Paula；　passed　by　Dare　and　De　Stancy　in　the
gallery　as　he　had　done　in　entering。　　He　spoke　a　few　words　to
Dare；　who　congratulated　him。　　While　they　were　talking　somebody
was　heard　in　the　hall；　inquiring　hastily　for　Mr。　Havill。

'What　shall　I　tell　him？'　demanded　the　porter。

'His　wife　is　dead；'　said　the　messenger。

Havill　overheard　the　words；　and　hastened　away。

'An　unlucky　man！'　said　Dare。

'That；　happily　for　us；　will　not　affect　his　installation　here；'
said　De　Stancy。　　'Now　hold　your　tongue　and　keep　at　a　distance。
She　may　come　this　way。'

Surely　enough　in　a　few　minutes　she　came。　　De　Stancy；　to　make
conversation；　told　her　of　the　new　misfortune　which　had　just
befallen　Mr。　Havill。

Paula　was　very　sorry　to　hear　it；　and　remarked　that　it　gave　her
great　satisfaction　to　have　appointed　him　as　architect　of　the
first　wing　before　he　learnt　the　bad　news。　　'I　owe　you　best
thanks；　Captain　De　Stancy；　for　showing　me　such　an　expedient。'

'Do　I　really　deserve　thanks？'　asked　De　Stancy。　　'I　wish　I
deserved　a　reward；　but　I　must　bear　in　mind　the　fable　of　the
priest　and　the　jester。'

'I　never　heard　it。'

'The　jester　implored　the　priest　for　alms；　but　the　smallest　sum
was　refused；　though　the　holy　man　readily　agreed　to　give　him
his　blessing。　　Query；　its　value？'

'How　does　it　apply？'

'You　give　me　unlimited　thanks；　but　deny　me　the　tiniest
substantial　trifle　I　desire。'

'What　persistence！'　exclaimed　Paula；　colouring。　　'Very　well；
if　you　WILL　photograph　my　picture　you　must。　　It　is　really　not
worthy　further　pleading。　　Take　it　when　you　like。'

When　Paula　was　alone　she　seemed　vexed　with　herself　for　having
given　way；　and　rising　from　her　seat　she　went　quietly　to　the
door　of　the　room　containing　the　picture；　intending　to　lock　it
up　till　further　consideration；　whatever　he　might　think　of　her。
But　on　casting　her　eyes　round　the　apartment　the　painting　was
gone。　　The　captain；　wisely　taking　the　current　when　it　served；
already　had　it　in　the　gallery；　where　he　was　to　be　seen　bending
attentively　over　it；　arranging　the　lights　and　directing　Dare
with　the　instruments。　　On　leaving　he　thanked　her；　and　said
that　he　had　obtained　a　splendid　copy。　　Would　she　look　at　it？

Paula　was　severe　and　icy。　　'Thank　youI　don't　wish　to　see
it；'　she　said。

De　Stancy　bowed　and　departed　in　a　glow　of　triumph；　satisfied；
notwithstanding　her　frigidity；　that　he　had　compassed　his
immediate　aim；　which　was　that　she　might　not　be　able　to　dismiss
from　her　thoughts　him　and　his　persevering　desire　for　the
shadow　of　her　face　during　the　next　four…and…twenty…hours。　　And
his　confidence　was　well　founded：　　she　could　not。

'I　fear　this　Divine　Comedy　will　be　slow　business　for　us；
captain；'　said　Dare；　who　had　heard　her　cold　words。

'O　no！'　said　De　Stancy；　flushing　a　little：　　he　had　not　been
perceiving　that　the　lad　had　the　measure　of　his　mind　so
entirely　as　to　gauge　his　position　at　any　moment。　　But　he　would
show　no　shamefacedness。　　'Even　if　it　is；　my　boy；'　he　answered；
'there's　plenty　of　time　before　the　other　can　come。'

At　that　hour　and　minute　of　De　Stancy's　remark　'the　other；'　to
look　at　him；　seemed　indeed　securely　shelved。　　He　was　sitting
lonely　in　his　chambers　far　away；　wondering　why　she　did　not
write；　and　yet　hoping　to　hearwondering　if　it　had　all　been
but　a　short…lived　strain　of　tenderness。　　He　knew　as　well　as　if
it　had　been　stated　in　words　that　her　serious　acceptance　of　him
as　a　suitor　would　be　her　acceptance　of　him　as　an　architect
that　her　schemes　in　love　would　be　expressed　in　terms　of　art；
and　conversely　that　her　refusal　of　him　as　a　lover　would　be
neatly　effected　by　her　choosing　Havill's　plans　for　the　castle；
and　returning　his　own　with　thanks。　　The　position　was　so　clear：
he　was　so　well　walled　in　by　circumstances　that　he　was
absolutely　helpless。

To　wait　for　the　line　that　would　not　comethe　letter　saying
that；　as　she　had　desired；　his　was　the　design　that　pleased　her…
…was　still　the　only　thing　to　do。　　The　（to　Somerset）　surprising
accident　that　the　committee　of　architects　should　have
pronounced　the　designs　absolutely　equal　in　point　of　merit；　and
thus　have　caused　the　final　choice　to　revert　after　all　to
Paula；　had　been　a　joyous　thing　to　him　when　he　first　heard　of
it；　full　of　confidence　in　her　favour。　　But　the　fact　of　her
having　again　become　the　arbitrator；　though　it　had　made
acceptance　of　his　plans　all　the　more　probable；　made　refusal　of
them；　should　it　happen；　all　the　more　crushing。　　He　could　have
conceived　himself　favoured　by　Paula　as　her　lover；　even　had　the
committee　decided　in　favour　of　Havill　as　her　architect。　　But
not　to　be　chosen　as　architect　now　was　to　be　rejected　in　both
kinds。



IV。

It　was　the　Sunday　following　the　funeral　of　Mrs。　Havill；　news
of　whose　death　had　been　so　unexpectedly　brought　to　her　husband
at　the　moment　of　his　exit　from　Stancy　Castle。　　The　minister；
as　was　his　custom；　improved　the　occasion　by　a　couple　of
sermons　on　the　uncertainty　of　life。　　One　was　preached　in　the
morning　in　the　old　chapel　of　Markton；　the　second　at　evening
service　in　the　rural　chapel　near　Stancy　Castle；　built　by
Paula's　father；　which　bore　to　the　first　somewhat　the　relation
of　an　episcopal　chapel…of…ease　to　the　mother　church。

The　unscreened　lights　blazed　through　the　plate…glass　windows
of　the　smaller　building　and　outshone　the　steely　stars　of　the
early　night；　just　as　they　had　done　when　Somerset　was　attracted
by　their　glare　four　months　before。　　The　fervid　minister's
rhetoric　equalled　its　force　on　that　more　romantic　occasion：
but　Paula　was　not　there。　　She　was　not　a　frequent　attenda