a laodicean-第45节

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In　the　meantime　he　had　mechanically　unearthed　the　pedigree；
and；　locking　up　his　father's　chest；　Somerset　also　took　his
departure　at　the　heels　of　Paula。　　He　walked　along　the　misty
street；　so　deeply　musing　as　to　be　quite　unconscious　of　the
direction　of　his　walk。　　What；　he　inquired　of　himself；　could
she　want　that　necklace　for　so　suddenly？　　He　recollected　a
remark　of　Dare's　to　the　effect　that　her　appearance　on　a
particular　occasion　at　Stancy　Castle　had　been　magnificent　by
reason　of　the　jewels　she　wore；　which　proved　that　she　had
retained　a　sufficient　quantity　of　those　valuables　at　the
castle　for　ordinary　requirements。　　What　exceptional　occasion；
then；　was　impending　on　which　she　wished　to　glorify　herself
beyond　all　previous　experience？　　He　could　not　guess。　　He　was
interrupted　in　these　conjectures　by　a　carriage　nearly　passing
over　his　toes　at　a　crossing　in　Bond　Street：　　looking　up　he　saw
between　the　two　windows　of　the　vehicle　the　profile　of　a
thickly　mantled　bosom；　on　which　a　camellia　rose　and　fell。　　All
the　remainder　part　of　the　lady's　person　was　hidden；　but　he
remembered　that　flower　of　convenient　season　as　one　which　had
figured　in　the　bank　parlour　half…an…hour　earlier　to…day。

Somerset　hastened　after　the　carriage；　and　in　a　minute　saw　it
stop　opposite　a　jeweller's　shop。　　Out　came　Paula；　and　then
another　woman；　in　whom　he　recognized　Mrs。　Birch；　one　of　the
lady's　maids　at　Stancy　Castle。　　The　young　man　was　at　Paula's
side　before　she　had　crossed　the　pavement。



VI。

A　quick　arrested　expression　in　her　two　sapphirine　eyes；
accompanied　by　a　little；　a　very　little；　blush　which　loitered
long；　was　all　the　outward　disturbance　that　the　sight　of　her
lover　caused。　　The　habit　of　self…repression　at　any　new
emotional　impact　was　instinctive　with　her　always。　　Somerset
could　not　say　more　than　a　word；　he　looked　his　intense
solicitude；　and　Paula　spoke。

She　declared　that　this　was　an　unexpected　pleasure。　　Had　he
arranged　to　come　on　the　tenth　as　she　wished？　　How　strange　that
they　should　meet　thus！and　yet　not　strangethe　world　was　so
small。

Somerset　said　that　he　was　coming　on　the　very　day　she
mentionedthat　the　appointment　gave　him　infinite
gratification；　which　was　quite　within　the　truth。

'Come　into　this　shop　with　me；'　said　Paula；　with　good…humoured
authoritativeness。

They　entered　the　shop　and　talked　on　while　she　made　a　small
purchase。　　But　not　a　word　did　Paula　say　of　her　sudden　errand
to　town。

'I　am　having　an　exciting　morning；'　she　said。　　'I　am　going　from
here　to　catch　the　one…o'clock　train　to　Markton。'

'It　is　important　that　you　get　there　this　afternoon；　I
suppose？'

'Yes。　　You　know　why？'

'Not　at　all。'

'The　Hunt　Ball。　　It　was　fixed　for　the　sixth；　and　this　is　the
sixth。　　I　thought　they　might　have　asked　you。'

'No；'　said　Somerset；　a　trifle　gloomily。　'No；　I　am　not　asked。
But　it　is　a　great　task　for　youa　long　journey　and　a　ball　all
in　one　day。'

'Yes：　　Charlotte　said　that。　　But　I　don't　mind　it。'

'You　are　glad　you　are　going。　　Are　you　glad？'　he　said　softly。

Her　air　confessed　more　than　her　words。　　'I　am　not　so　very　glad
that　I　am　going　to　the　Hunt　Ball；'　she　replied　confidentially。

'Thanks　for　that；'　said　he。

She　lifted　her　eyes　to　his　for　a　moment。　　Her　manner　had
suddenly　become　so　nearly　the　counterpart　of　that　in　the　tea…
house　that　to　suspect　any　deterioration　of　affection　in　her
was　no　longer　generous。　　It　was　only　as　if　a　thin　layer　of
recent　events　had　overlaid　her　memories　of　him；　until　his
presence　swept　them　away。

Somerset　looked　up；　and　finding　the　shopman　to　be　still　some
way　off；　he　added；　'When　will　you　assure　me　of　something　in
return　for　what　I　assured　you　that　evening　in　the　rain？'

'Not　before　you　have　built　the　castle。　　My　aunt　does　not　know
about　it　yet；　nor　anybody。'

'I　ought　to　tell　her。'

'No；　not　yet。　　I　don't　wish　it。'

'Then　everything　stands　as　usual？'

She　lightly　nodded。

'That　is；　I　may　love　you：　　but　you　still　will　not　say　you　love
me。'

She　nodded　again；　and　directing　his　attention　to　the　advancing
shopman；　said；　'Please　not　a　word　more。'

Soon　after　this；　they　left　the　jeweller's；　and　parted；　Paula
driving　straight　off　to　the　station　and　Somerset　going　on　his
way　uncertainly　happy。　　His　re…impression　after　a　few　minutes
was　that　a　special　journey　to　town　to　fetch　that　magnificent
necklace　which　she　had　not　once　mentioned　to　him；　but　which
was　plainly　to　be　the　medium　of　some　proud　purpose　with　her
this　evening；　was　hardly　in　harmony　with　her　assertions　of
indifference　to　the　attractions　of　the　Hunt　Ball。

He　got　into　a　cab　and　drove　to　his　club；　where　he　lunched；　and
mopingly　spent　a　great　part　of　the　afternoon　in　making
calculations　for　the　foundations　of　the　castle　works。　　Later
in　the　afternoon　he　returned　to　his　chambers；　wishing　that　he
could　annihilate　the　three　days　remaining　before　the　tenth；
particularly　this　coming　evening。　　On　his　table　was　a　letter
in　a　strange　writing；　and　indifferently　turning　it　over　he
found　from　the　superscription　that　it　had　been　addressed　to
him　days　before　at　the　Lord…Quantock…Arms　Hotel；　Markton；
where　it　had　lain　ever　since；　the　landlord　probably　expecting
him　to　return。　　Opening　the　missive；　he　found　to　his　surprise
that　it　was；　after　all；　an　invitation　to　the　Hunt　Ball。

'Too　late！'　said　Somerset。　　'To　think　I　should　be　served　this
trick　a　second　time！'

After　a　moment's　pause；　however；　he　looked　to　see　the　time　of
day。　　It　was　five　minutes　past　fivejust　about　the　hour　when
Paula　would　be　driving　from　Markton　Station　to　Stancy　Castle
to　rest　and　prepare　herself　for　her　evening　triumph。　　There
was　a　train　at　six　o'clock；　timed　to　reach　Markton　between
eleven　and　twelve；　which　by　great　exertion　he　might　save　even
now；　if　it　were　worth　while　to　undertake　such　a　scramble　for
the　pleasure　of　dropping　in　to　the　ball　at　a　late　hour。　　A
moment's　vision　of　Paula　moving　to　swift　tunes　on　the　arm　of　a
person　or　persons　unknown　was　enough　to　impart　the　impetus
required。　　He　jumped　up；　flung　his　dress　clothes　into　a
portmanteau；　sent　down　to　call　a　cab；　and　in　a　few　minutes　was
rattling　off　to　the　railway　which　had　borne　Paula　away　from
London　just　five　hours　earlier。

Once　in　the　train；　he　began　to　consider　where　and　how　he　could
most　conveniently　dress　for　the　dance。　　The　train　would
certainly　be　half…an…hour　late；　half…an…hour　would　be　spent　in
getting　to　the　town…hall；　and　that　was　the　utmost　delay
tolerable　if　he　would　secure　the　hand　of　Paula　for　one　spin；
or　be　more　than　a　mere　dummy　behind　the　earlier　arrivals。　　He
looked　for　an　empty　compartment　at　the　next　stoppage；　and
finding　the　one　next　his　own　unoccupied；　he　entered　it　and
changed　his　raiment　for　that　in　his　portmanteau　during　the
ensuing　run　of　twenty　miles。

Thus　prepared　he　awaited　the　Markton　platform；　which　was
reached　as　the　clock　struck　twelve。　　Somerset　called　a　fly　and
drove　at　once　to　the　town…hall。

The　borough　natives　had　ascended　to　their　upper　floors；　and
were　putting　out　their　candles　one　by　one　as　he　passed　along
the　streets；　but　the　lively　strains　that　proceeded　from　the
central　edifice　revealed　distinctly　enough　what　was　going　on
among　the　temporary　visitors　from　the　neighbouring　manors。
The　doors　were　opened　for　him；　and　entering　the　vestibule
lined　with　flags；　flowers；　evergreens；　and　escutcheons；　he
stood　looking　into　the　furnace　of　gaiety　beyond。

It　was　some　time　before　he　could　gather　his　impressions　of　the
scene；　so　perplexing　were　the　lights；　the　motions；　the
toilets；　the　full…dress　uniforms　of　officers　and　the　harmonies
of　sound。　　Yet　light；　sound；　and　movement　were　not　so　much　the
essence　of　that　giddy　scene　as　an　intense　aim　at　obliviousness
in　the　beings　composing　it。　　For　two　or　three　hours　at　least
those　whirling　young　people　meant　not　to　know　that　they　were
mortal。　　The　room　was　beating　like　a　heart；　and　the　pulse　was
regulated　by　the　trembling　strings　of　the　most　popular
quadrille　band　in　Wessex。　　But　at　last　his　eyes　grew　settled
enough　to　look　critically　around。

The　room　was　crowdedtoo　crowded。　　Every　variety　of　fair　one；
beauties　primary；　secondary；　and　tertiary；　appeared　among　the
personages　composing　the　throng。　　There　were　suns　and　moons；
also　pale　planets　of　little　account。　　Broadly　speaking；　these
daughters　of　the　county　fell　into　two　classes：　　one　the　pink…
faced　unsophisticated　girls　from　neighbouring　rectories　and
small　country…houses；　who　knew　not　town　except　for　an
occasional　fortnight；　and　who　spent　their　time　from　Easter　to
Lammas　Day　much　as　they　spent　it　during　the　remaining　nine
months　of　the　year：　　the　other　class　were　the　children　of　the
wealthy　landowners　who　migrated　each　season　to　the　town…house；
these　were　pale　and　collected；　showed　less　enjoyment　in　their
countenances；　and　wore　in　general　an　approximation　to　the
languid　manners　of　the　capital。

A　quadrille　was　in　progress；　and　Somerset　scanned　each　set。
His　mind　had　run　so　long　upon　the　necklace；　that　his　glance
involuntarily　sought　out　that　gleaming　object　rather　than　the
personality　of　its　wearer。　　At　the　top　of　the　room　there　he
beheld　it；　but　it　was　on　the　neck　of　Charlotte　De　Stancy。

The　whole　lucid　explanation　broke　acr