a laodicean-第53节

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complain。'

'Then　you　must　not　understand　me　so　much　as　to　make　much
difference；　for　your　conduct　as　my　architect　is　perfect。　　But
I　must　not　linger　longer；　though　I　wished　you　to　know　this
news　from　my　very　own　lips。'

'Bless　you　for　it！　　When　do　you　leave？'

'The　day　after　to…morrow。'

'So　early？　　Does　your　uncle　guess　anything？　　Do　you　wish　him
to　be　told　just　yet？'

'Yes；　to　the　first；　no；　to　the　second。'

'I　may　write　to　you？'

'On　business；　yes。　　It　will　be　necessary。'

'How　can　you　speak　so　at　a　time　of　parting？'

'Now；　Georgeyou　see　I　say　George；　and　not　Mr。　Somerset；　and
you　may　draw　your　own　inferencedon't　be　so　morbid　in　your
reproaches！　　I　have　informed　you　that　you　may　write；　or　still
better；　telegraph；　since　the　wire　is　so　handyon　business。
Well；　of　course；　it　is　for　you　to　judge　whether　you　will　add
postscripts　of　another　sort。　　There；　you　make　me　say　more　than
a　woman　ought；　because　you　are　so　obtuse　and　literal。　　Good
afternoongood…bye！　　This　will　be　my　address。'

She　handed　him　a　slip　of　paper；　and　flitted　away。

Though　he　saw　her　again　after　this；　it　was　during　the　bustle
of　preparation；　when　there　was　always　a　third　person　present；
usually　in　the　shape　of　that　breathing　refrigerator；　her
uncle。　　Hence　the　few　words　that　passed　between　them　were　of
the　most　formal　description；　and　chiefly　concerned　the
restoration　of　the　castle；　and　a　church　at　Nice　designed　by
him；　which　he　wanted　her　to　inspect。

They　were　to　leave　by　an　early　afternoon　train；　and　Somerset
was　invited　to　lunch　on　that　day。　　The　morning　was　occupied　by
a　long　business　consultation　in　the　studio　with　Mr。　Power　and
Mrs。　Goodman　on　what　rooms　were　to　be　left　locked　up；　what
left　in　charge　of　the　servants；　and　what　thrown　open　to　the
builders　and　workmen　under　the　surveillance　of　Somerset。　　At
present　the　work　consisted　mostly　of　repairs　to　existing
rooms；　so　as　to　render　those　habitable　which　had　long　been
used　only　as　stores　for　lumber。　　Paula　did　not　appear　during
this　discussion；　but　when　they　were　all　seated　in　the　dining…
hall　she　came　in　dressed　for　the　journey；　and；　to　outward
appearance；　with　blithe　anticipation　at　its　prospect　blooming
from　every　feature。　　Next　to　her　came　Charlotte　De　Stancy；
still　with　some　of　the　pallor　of　an　invalid；　but　wonderfully
brightened　up；　as　Somerset　thought；　by　the　prospect　of　a　visit
to　a　delightful　shore。　　It　might　have　been　this；　and　it　might
have　been　that　Somerset's　presence　had　a　share　in　the　change。

It　was　in　the　hall；　when　they　were　in　the　bustle　of　leave…
taking；　that　there　occurred　the　only　opportunity　for　the　two
or　three　private　words　with　Paula　to　which　his　star　treated
him　on　that　last　day。　　His　took　the　hasty　form　of；　'You　will
write　soon？'

'Telegraphing　will　be　quicker；'　she　answered　in　the　same　low
tone；　and　whispering　'Be　true　to　me！'　turned　away。

How　unreasonable　he　was！　　In　addition　to　those　words；　warm　as
they　were；　he　would　have　preferred　a　little　paleness　of　cheek；
or　trembling　of　lip；　instead　of　the　bloom　and　the　beauty　which
sat　upon　her　undisturbed　maidenhood；　to　tell　him　that　in　some
slight　way　she　suffered　at　his　loss。

Immediately　after　this　they　went　to　the　carriages　waiting　at
the　door。　　Somerset；　who　had　in　a　measure　taken　charge　of　the
castle；　accompanied　them　and　saw　them　off；　much　as　if　they
were　his　visitors。　　She　stepped　in；　a　general　adieu　was
spoken；　and　she　was　gone。

While　the　carriages　rolled　away；　he　ascended　to　the　top　of　the
tower；　where　he　saw　them　lessen　to　spots　on　the　road；　and　turn
the　corner　out　of　sight。　　The　chances　of　a　rival　seemed　to
grow　in　proportion　as　Paula　receded　from　his　side；　but　he
could　not　have　answered　why。　　He　had　bidden　her　and　her
relatives　adieu　on　her　own　doorstep；　like　a　privileged　friend
of　the　family；　while　De　Stancy　had　scarcely　seen　her　since　the
play…night。　　That　the　silence　into　which　the　captain　appeared
to　have　sunk　was　the　placidity　of　conscious　power；　was
scarcely　probable；　yet　that　adventitious　aids　existed　for　De
Stancy　he　could　not　deny。　　The　link　formed　by　Charlotte
between　De　Stancy　and　Paula；　much　as　he　liked　the　ingenuous
girl；　was　one　that　he　could　have　wished　away。　　It　constituted
a　bridge　of　access　to　Paula's　inner　life　and　feelings　which
nothing　could　rival；　except　that　one　fact　which；　as　he　firmly
believed；　did　actually　rival　it；　giving　him　faith　and　hope；
his　own　primary　occupation　of　Paula's　heart。　　Moreover；　Mrs。
Goodman　would　be　an　influence　favourable　to　himself　and　his
cause　during　the　journey；　though；　to　be　sure；　to　set　against
her　there　was　the　phlegmatic　and　obstinate　Abner　Power；　in
whom；　apprised　by　those　subtle　media　of　intelligence　which
lovers　possess；　he　fancied　he　saw　no　friend。

Somerset　remained　but　a　short　time　at　the　castle　that　day。
The　light　of　its　chambers　had　fled；　the　gross　grandeur　of　the
dictatorial　towers　oppressed　him；　and　the　studio　was　hateful。
He　remembered　a　promise　made　long　ago　to　Mr。　Woodwell　of
calling　upon　him　some　afternoon；　and　a　visit　which　had　not
much　attractiveness　in　it　at　other　times　recommended　itself
now；　through　being　the　one　possible　way　open　to　him　of　hearing
Paula　named　and　her　doings　talked　of。　　Hence　in　walking　back
to　Markton；　instead　of　going　up　the　High　Street；　he　turned
aside　into　the　unfrequented　footway　that　led　to　the　minister's
cottage。

Mr。　Woodwell　was　not　indoors　at　the　moment　of　his　call；　and
Somerset　lingered　at　the　doorway；　and　cast　his　eyes　around。
It　was　a　house　which　typified　the　drearier　tenets　of　its
occupier　with　great　exactness。　　It　stood　upon　its　spot　of
earth　without　any　natural　union　with　it：　　no　mosses　disguised
the　stiff　straight　line　where　wall　met　earth；　not　a　creeper
softened　the　aspect　of　the　bare　front。　　The　garden　walk　was
strewn　with　loose　clinkers　from　the　neighbouring　foundry；
which　rolled　under　the　pedestrian's　foot　and　jolted　his　soul
out　of　him　before　he　reached　the　porchless　door。　　But　all　was
clean；　and　clear；　and　dry。

Whether　Mr。　Woodwell　was　personally　responsible　for　this
condition　of　things　there　was　not　time　to　closely　consider；
for　Somerset　perceived　the　minister　coming　up　the　walk　towards
him。　　Mr。　Woodwell　welcomed　him　heartily；　and　yet　with　the
mien　of　a　man　whose　mind　has　scarcely　dismissed　some　scene
which　has　preceded　the　one　that　confronts　him。　　What　that
scene　was　soon　transpired。

'I　have　had　a　busy　afternoon；'　said　the　minister；　as　they
walked　indoors；　'or　rather　an　exciting　afternoon。　　Your　client
at　Stancy　Castle；　whose　uncle；　as　I　imagine　you　know；　has　so
unexpectedly　returned；　has　left　with　him　to…day　for　the　south
of　France；　and　I　wished　to　ask　her　before　her　departure　some
questions　as　to　how　a　charity　organized　by　her　father　was　to
be　administered　in　her　absence。　　But　I　have　been　very
unfortunate。　　She　could　not　find　time　to　see　me　at　her　own
house；　and　I　awaited　her　at　the　station；　all　to　no　purpose；
owing　to　the　presence　of　her　friends。　　Well；　well；　I　must　see
if　a　letter　will　find　her。'

Somerset　asked　if　anybody　of　the　neighbourhood　was　there　to
see　them　off。

'Yes；　that　was　the　trouble　of　it。　　Captain　De　Stancy　was
there；　and　quite　monopolized　her。　　I　don't　know　what　'tis
coming　to；　and　perhaps　I　have　no　business　to　inquire；　since
she　is　scarcely　a　member　of　our　church　now。　　Who　could　have
anticipated　the　daughter　of　my　old　friend　John　Power
developing　into　the　ordinary　gay　woman　of　the　world　as　she　has
done？　　Who　could　have　expected　her　to　associate　with　people
who　show　contempt　for　their　Maker's　intentions　by　flippantly
assuming　other　characters　than　those　in　which　He　created
them？'

'You　mistake　her；'　murmured　Somerset；　in　a　voice　which　he
vainly　endeavoured　to　attune　to　philosophy。　　'Miss　Power　has
some　very　rare　and　beautiful　qualities　in　her　nature；　though　I
confess　I　tremblefear　lest　the　De　Stancy　influence　should　be
too　strong。'

'Sir；　it　is　already！　　Do　you　remember　my　telling　you　that　I
thought　the　force　of　her　surroundings　would　obscure　the　pure
daylight　of　her　spirit；　as　a　monkish　window　of　coloured　images
attenuates　the　rays　of　God's　sun？　　I　do　not　wish　to　indulge　in
rash　surmises；　but　her　oscillation　from　her　family　creed　of
Calvinistic　truth　towards　the　traditions　of　the　De　Stancys　has
been　so　decided；　though　so　gradual；　thatwell；　I　may　be
wrong。'

'That　what？'　said　the　young　man　sharply。

'I　sometimes　think　she　will　take　to　her　as　husband　the　present
representative　of　that　impoverished　lineCaptain　De　Stancy
which　she　may　easily　do；　if　she　chooses；　as　his　behaviour　to…
day　showed。'

'He　was　probably　there　on　account　of　his　sister；'　said
Somerset；　trying　to　escape　the　mental　picture　of　farewell
gallantries　bestowed　on　Paula。

'It　was　hinted　at　in　the　papers　the　other　day。'

'And　it　was　flatly　contradicted。'

'Yes。　　Well；　we　shall　see　in　the　Lord's　good　time；　I　can　do　no
more　for　her。　　And　now；　Mr。　Somerset；　pray　take　a　cup　of　tea。'

The　revelations　of　the　minister　depressed　Somerset　a　little；
and　he　did　not　stay　long。　　As　he　went　to　the　door　Woodwell
said；　'There　is　a　worthy　manthe　deacon　of　our　chapel；　Mr。
Havillwho　would　like　to　be　friendly　with　you。　　Poor　man；
since　the　death　of　his　wife