a laodicean-第43节

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Havill　walks　out；　he'll　walk　in；　and　not　a　moment　before。'

'That　will　not　be　till　eighteen　months　have　passed。　　And　as
the　Jesuit　said；　〃Time　and　I　against　any　two。〃　。　。　。　　Now　drop
to　the　rear；'　added　Captain　De　Stancy　authoritatively。　　And
they　passed　under　the　walls　of　the　castle。

The　grave　fronts　and　bastions　were　wrapped　in　silence；　so　much
so；　that；　standing　awhile　in　the　inner　ward；　they　could　hear
through　an　open　window　a　faintly　clicking　sound　from　within。

'She's　at　the　telegraph；'　said　Dare；　throwing　forward　his
voice　softly　to　the　captain。　　'What　can　that　be　for　so　early？
That　wire　is　a　nuisance；　to　my　mind；　such　constant　intercourse
with　the　outer　world　is　bad　for　our　romance。'

The　speaker　entered　to　arrange　his　photographic　apparatus；　of
which；　in　truth；　he　was　getting　weary；　and　De　Stancy　smoked　on
the　terrace　till　Dare　should　be　ready。　　While　he　waited　his
sister　looked　out　upon　him　from　an　upper　casement；　having
caught　sight　of　him　as　she　came　from　Paula　in　the　telegraph…
room。

'Well；　Lottie；　what　news　this　morning？'　he　said　gaily。

'Nothing　of　importance。　　We　are　quite　well。'　。　。　。　。　She　added
with　hesitation；　'There　is　one　piece　of　news；　Mr。　Havillbut
perhaps　you　have　heard　it　in　Markton？'

'Nothing。'

'Mr。　Havill　has　resigned　his　appointment　as　architect　to　the
castle。'

'What？who　has　it；　then？'

'Mr。　Somerset。'

'Appointed？'

'Yesby　telegraph。'

'When　is　he　coming？'　said　De　Stancy　in　consternation。

'About　the　tenth；　we　think。'

Charlotte　was　concerned　to　see　her　brother's　face；　and
withdrew　from　the　window　that　he　might　not　question　her
further。　　De　Stancy　went　into　the　hall；　and　on　to　the　gallery；
where　Dare　was　standing　as　still　as　a　caryatid。

'I　have　heard　every　word；'　said　Dare。

'Well；　what　does　it　mean？　　Has　that　fool　Havill　done　it　on
purpose　to　annoy　me？　　What　conceivable　reason　can　the　man　have
for　throwing　up　an　appointment　he　has　worked　so　hard　for；　at
the　moment　he　has　got　it；　and　in　the　time　of　his　greatest
need？'

Dare　guessed；　for　he　had　seen　a　little　way　into　Havill's　soul
during　the　brief　period　of　their　confederacy。　　But　he　was　very
far　from　saying　what　he　guessed。　　Yet　he　unconsciously
revealed　by　other　words　the　nocturnal　shades　in　his　character
which　had　made　that　confederacy　possible。

'Somerset　coming　after　all！'　he　replied。　　'By　God！　that　little
six…barrelled　friend　of　mine；　and　a　good　resolution；　and　he
would　never　arrive！'

'What！'　said　Captain　De　Stancy；　paling　with　horror　as　he
gathered　the　other's　sinister　meaning。

Dare　instantly　recollected　himself。　　'One　is　tempted　to　say
anything　at　such　a　moment；'　he　replied　hastily。

'Since　he　is　to　come；　let　him　come；　for　me；'　continued　De
Stancy；　with　reactionary　distinctness；　and　still　gazing
gravely　into　the　young　man's　face。　　'The　battle　shall　be
fairly　fought　out。　　Fair　play；　even　to　a　rivalremember　that；
boy。　。　。　。　　Why　are　you　here？unnaturally　concerning　yourself
with　the　passions　of　a　man　of　my　age；　as　if　you　were　the
parent；　and　I　the　son？　　Would　to　heaven；　Willy；　you　had　done
as　I　wished　you　to　do；　and　led　the　life　of　a　steady；
thoughtful　young　man！　　Instead　of　meddling　here；　you　should
now　have　been　in　some　studio；　college；　or　professional　man's
chambers；　engaged　in　a　useful　pursuit　which　might　have　made
one　proud　to　own　you。　　But　you　were　so　precocious　and
headstrong；　and　this　is　what　you　have　come　to：　　you　promise　to
be　worthless！'

'I　think　I　shall　go　to　my　lodgings　to…day　instead　of　staying
here　over　these　pictures；'　said　Dare；　after　a　silence　during
which　Captain　De　Stancy　endeavoured　to　calm　himself。　　'I　was
going　to　tell　you　that　my　dinner　to…day　will　unfortunately　be
one　of　herbs；　for　want　of　the　needful。　　I　have　come　to　my　last
stiver。You　dine　at　the　mess；　I　suppose；　captain？'

De　Stancy　had　walked　away；　but　Dare　knew　that　he　played　a
pretty　sure　card　in　that　speech。　　De　Stancy's　heart　could　not
withstand　the　suggested　contrast　between　a　lonely　meal　of
bread…and…cheese　and　a　well…ordered　dinner　amid　cheerful
companions。　　'Here；'　he　said；　emptying　his　pocket　and
returning　to　the　lad's　side。　　'Take　this；　and　order　yourself　a
good　meal。　　You　keep　me　as　poor　as　a　crow。　　There　shall　be
more　to…morrow。'

The　peculiarly　bifold　nature　of　Captain　De　Stancy；　as　shown　in
his　conduct　at　different　times；　was　something　rare　in　life；
and　perhaps　happily　so。　　That　mechanical　admixture　of　black
and　white　qualities　without　coalescence；　on　which　the　theory
of　men's　characters　was　based　by　moral　analysis　before　the
rise　of　modern　ethical　schools；　fictitious　as　it　was　in
general　application；　would　have　almost　hit　off　the　truth　as
regards　Captain　De　Stancy。　　Removed　to　some　half…known
century；　his　deeds　would　have　won　a　picturesqueness　of　light
and　shade　that　might　have　made　him　a　fascinating　subject　for
some　gallery　of　illustrious　historical　personages。　　It　was
this　tendency　to　moral　chequer…work　which　accounted　for　his
varied　bearings　towards　Dare。

Dare　withdrew　to　take　his　departure。　　When　he　had　gone　a　few
steps；　despondent；　he　suddenly　turned；　and　ran　back　with　some
excitement。

'Captainhe's　coming　on　the　tenth；　don't　they　say？　　Well；
four　days　before　the　tenth　comes　the　sixth。　　Have　you
forgotten　what's　fixed　for　the　sixth？'

'I　had　quite　forgotten！'

'That　day　will　be　worth　three　months　of　quiet　attentions：
with　luck；　skill；　and　a　bold　heart；　what　mayn't　you　do？'

Captain　De　Stancy's　face　softened　with　satisfaction。

'There　is　something　in　that；　the　game　is　not　up　after　all。
The　sixthit　had　gone　clean　out　of　my　head；　by　gad！'



V。

The　cheering　message　from　Paula　to　Somerset　sped　through　the
loophole　of　Stancy　Castle　keep；　over　the　trees；　along　the
railway；　under　bridges；　across　four　countiesfrom　extreme
antiquity　of　environment　to　sheer　modernismand　finally
landed　itself　on　a　table　in　Somerset's　chambers　in　the　midst
of　a　cloud　of　fog。　　He　read　it　and；　in　the　moment　of　reaction
from　the　depression　of　his　past　days；　clapped　his　hands　like　a
child。

Then　he　considered　the　date　at　which　she　wanted　to　see　him。
Had　she　so　worded　her　despatch　he　would　have　gone　that　very
day；　but　there　was　nothing　to　complain　of　in　her　giving　him　a
week's　notice。　　Pure　maiden　modesty　might　have　checked　her
indulgence　in　a　too　ardent　recall。

Time；　however；　dragged　somewhat　heavily　along　in　the　interim；
and　on　the　second　day　he　thought　he　would　call　on　his　father
and　tell　him　of　his　success　in　obtaining　the　appointment。

The　elder　Mr。　Somerset　lived　in　a　detached　house　in　the　north…
west　part　of　fashionable　London；　and　ascending　the　chief
staircase　the　young　man　branched　off　from　the　first　landing
and　entered　his　father's　painting…room。　　It　was　an　hour　when
he　was　pretty　sure　of　finding　the　well…known　painter　at　work；
and　on　lifting　the　tapestry　he　was　not　disappointed；　Mr。
Somerset　being　busily　engaged　with　his　back　towards　the　door。

Art　and　vitiated　nature　were　struggling　like　wrestlers　in　that
apartment；　and　art　was　getting　the　worst　of　it。　　The
overpowering　gloom　pervading　the　clammy　air；　rendered　still
more　intense　by　the　height　of　the　window　from　the　floor；
reduced　all　the　pictures　that　were　standing　around　to　the
wizened　feebleness　of　corpses　on　end。　　The　shadowy　parts　of
the　room　behind　the　different　easels　were　veiled　in　a　brown
vapour；　precluding　all　estimate　of　the　extent　of　the　studio；
and　only　subdued　in　the　foreground　by　the　ruddy　glare　from　an
open　stove　of　Dutch　tiles。　　Somerset's　footsteps　had　been　so
noiseless　over　the　carpeting　of　the　stairs　and　landing；　that
his　father　was　unaware　of　his　presence；　he　continued　at　his
work　as　before；　which　he　performed　by　the　help　of　a
complicated　apparatus　of　lamps；　candles；　and　reflectors；　so
arranged　as　to　eke　out　the　miserable　daylight；　to　a　power
apparently　sufficient　for　the　neutral　touches　on　which　he　was
at　that　moment　engaged。

The　first　thought　of　an　unsophisticated　stranger　on　entering
that　room　could　only　be　the　amazed　inquiry　why　a　professor　of
the　art　of　colour；　which　beyond　all　other　arts　requires　pure
daylight　for　its　exercise；　should　fix　himself　on　the　single
square　league　in　habitable　Europe　to　which　light　is　denied　at
noonday　for　weeks　in　succession。

'O！　it's　you；　George；　is　it？'　said　the　Academician；　turning
from　the　lamps；　which　shone　over　his　bald　crown　at　such　a
slant　as　to　reveal　every　cranial　irregularity。　　'How　are　you
this　morning？　　Still　a　dead　silence　about　your　grand　castle
competition？'

Somerset　told　the　news。　　His　father　duly　congratulated　him；
and　added　genially；　'It　is　well　to　be　you；　George。　　One　large
commission　to　attend　to；　and　nothing　to　distract　you　from　it。
I　am　bothered　by　having　a　dozen　irons　in　the　fire　at　once。
And　people　are　so　unreasonable。Only　this　morning；　among
other　things；　when　you　got　your　order　to　go　on　with　your
single　study；　I　received　a　letter　from　a　woman；　an　old　friend
whom　I　can　scarcely　refuse；　begging　me　as　a　great　favour　to
design　her　a　set　of　theatrical　costumes；　in　which　she　and　her
friends　can　perform　for　some　charity。　　It　would　occupy　me　a
good　week　to　go　into　the　subject　and　do　the　thing　properly。
Such　are　the　sort　of　letters　I　ge