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Havillwho　would　like　to　be　friendly　with　you。　　Poor　man；
since　the　death　of　his　wife　he　seems　to　have　something　on　his
mindsome　trouble　which　my　words　will　not　reach。　　If　ever　you
are　passing　his　door；　please　give　him　a　look　in。　　He　fears
that　calling　on　you　might　be　an　intrusion。'

Somerset　did　not　clearly　promise；　and　went　his　way。　　The
minister's　allusion　to　the　announcement　of　the　marriage
reminded　Somerset　that　she　had　expressed　a　wish　to　know　how
the　paragraph　came　to　be　inserted。　　The　wish　had　been
carelessly　spoken；　but　he　went　to　the　newspaper　office　to　make
inquiries　on　the　point。

The　reply　was　unexpected。　　The　reporter　informed　his
questioner　that　in　returning　from　the　theatricals；　at　which　he
was　present；　he　shared　a　fly　with　a　gentleman　who　assured　him
that　such　an　alliance　was　certain；　so　obviously　did　it
recommend　itself　to　all　concerned；　as　a　means　of　strengthening
both　families。　　The　gentleman's　knowledge　of　the　Powers　was　so
precise　that　the　reporter　did　not　hesitate　to　accept　his
assertion。　　He　was　a　man　who　had　seen　a　great　deal　of　the
world；　and　his　face　was　noticeable　for　the　seams　and　scars　on
it。

Somerset　recognized　Paula's　uncle　in　the　portrait。

Hostilities；　then；　were　beginning。　　The　paragraph　had　been
meant　as　the　first　slap。　　Taking　her　abroad　was　the　second。




BOOK　THE　FOURTH。　　SOMERSET；　DARE　AND　DE　STANCY。



I。

There　was　no　part　of　Paula's　journey　in　which　Somerset　did　not
think　of　her。　　He　imagined　her　in　the　hotel　at　Havre；　in　her
brief　rest　at　Paris；　her　drive　past　the　Place　de　la　Bastille
to　the　Boulevart　Mazas　to　take　the　train　for　Lyons；　her
tedious　progress　through　the　dark　of　a　winter　night　till　she
crossed　the　isothermal　line　which　told　of　the　beginning　of　a
southern　atmosphere；　and　onwards　to　the　ancient　blue　sea。

Thus；　between　the　hours　devoted　to　architecture；　he　passed　the
next　three　days。　　One　morning　he　set　himself；　by　the　help　of
John；　to　practise　on　the　telegraph　instrument；　expecting　a
message。　　But　though　he　watched　the　machine　at　every
opportunity；　or　kept　some　other　person　on　the　alert　in　its
neighbourhood；　no　message　arrived　to　gratify　him　till　after
the　lapse　of　nearly　a　fortnight。　　Then　she　spoke　from　her　new
habitation　nine　hundred　miles　away；　in　these　meagre　words：

'Are　settled　at　the　address　given。　　Can　now　attend　to　any
inquiry　about　the　building。'

The　pointed　implication　that　she　could　attend　to　inquiries
about　nothing　else；　breathed　of　the　veritable　Paula　so
distinctly　that　he　could　forgive　its　sauciness。　　His　reply　was
soon　despatched：

'Will　write　particulars　of　our　progress。　　Always　the　same。'

The　last　three　words　formed　the　sentimental　appendage　which
she　had　assured　him　she　could　tolerate；　and　which　he　hoped　she
might　desire。

He　spent　the　remainder　of　the　day　in　making　a　little　sketch　to
show　what　had　been　done　in　the　castle　since　her　departure。
This　he　despatched　with　a　letter　of　explanation　ending　in　a
paragraph　of　a　different　tenor：

'I　have　demonstrated　our　progress　as　well　as　I　could；　but
another　subject　has　been　in　my　mind；　even　whilst　writing　the
former。　　Ask　yourself　if　you　use　me　well　in　keeping　me　a
fortnight　before　you　so　much　as　say　that　you　have　arrived？
The　one　thing　that　reconciled　me　to　your　departure　was　the
thought　that　I　should　hear　early　from　you：　　my　idea　of　being
able　to　submit　to　your　absence　was　based　entirely　upon　that。

'But　I　have　resolved　not　to　be　out　of　humour；　and　to　believe
that　your　scheme　of　reserve　is　not　unreasonable；　neither　do　I
quarrel　with　your　injunction　to　keep　silence　to　all　relatives。
I　do　not　know　anything　I　can　say　to　show　you　more　plainly　my
acquiescence　in　your　wish　〃not　to　go　too　far〃　（in　short；　to
keep　yourself　dearby　dear　I　mean　not　cheapyou　have　been
dear　in　the　other　sense　a　long　time；　as　you　know）；　than　by　not
urging　you　to　go　a　single　degree　further　in　warmth　than　you
please。'

When　this　was　posted　he　again　turned　his　attention　to　her
walls　and　towers；　which　indeed　were　a　dumb　consolation　in　many
ways　for　the　lack　of　herself。　　There　was　no　nook　in　the　castle
to　which　he　had　not　access　or　could　not　easily　obtain　access
by　applying　for　the　keys；　and　this　propinquity　of　things
belonging　to　her　served　to　keep　her　image　before　him　even　more
constantly　than　his　memories　would　have　done。

Three　days　and　a　half　after　the　despatch　of　his　subdued
effusion　the　telegraph　called　to　tell　him　the　good　news　that

'Your　letter　and　drawing　are　just　received。　　Thanks　for　the
latter。　　Will　reply　to　the　former　by　post　this　afternoon。'

It　was　with　cheerful　patience　that　he　attended　to　his　three
draughtsmen　in　the　studio；　or　walked　about　the　environs　of　the
fortress　during　the　fifty　hours　spent　by　her　presumably　tender
missive　on　the　road。　　A　light　fleece　of　snow　fell　during　the
second　night　of　waiting；　inverting　the　position　of　long…
established　lights　and　shades；　and　lowering　to　a　dingy　grey
the　approximately　white　walls　of　other　weathers；　he　could
trace　the　postman's　footmarks　as　he　entered　over　the　bridge；
knowing　them　by　the　dot　of　his　walking…stick：　　on　entering　the
expected　letter　was　waiting　upon　his　table。　　He　looked　at　its
direction　with　glad　curiosity；　it　was　the　first　letter　he　had
ever　received　from　her。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　'HOTEL　…；　NICE；
Feb。　14。

'MY　DEAR　MR。　SOMERSET'　（the　'George；'　then；　to　which　she　had
so　kindly　treated　him　in　her　last　conversation；　was　not　to　be
continued　in　black　and　white）；

'Your　letter　explaining　the　progress　of　the　work；　aided　by　the
sketch　enclosed；　gave　me　as　clear　an　idea　of　the　advance　made
since　my　departure　as　I　could　have　gained　by　being　present。　　I
feel　every　confidence　in　you；　and　am　quite　sure　the
restoration　is　in　good　hands。　　In　this　opinion　both　my　aunt
and　my　uncle　coincide。　　Please　act　entirely　on　your　own
judgment　in　everything；　and　as　soon　as　you　give　a　certificate
to　the　builders　for　the　first　instalment　of　their　money　it
will　be　promptly　sent　by　my　solicitors。

'You　bid　me　ask　myself　if　I　have　used　you　well　in　not　sending
intelligence　of　myself　till　a　fortnight　after　I　had　left　you。
Now；　George；　don't　be　unreasonable！　　Let　me　remind　you　that；
as　a　certain　apostle　said；　there　are　a　thousand　things　lawful
which　are　not　expedient。　　I　say　this；　not　from　pride　in　my　own
conduct；　but　to　offer　you　a　very　fair　explanation　of　it。　　Your
resolve　not　to　be　out　of　humour　with　me　suggests　that　you　have
been　sorely　tempted　that　way；　else　why　should　such　a　resolve
have　been　necessary？

'If　you　only　knew　what　passes　in　my　mind　sometimes　you　would
perhaps　not　be　so　ready　to　blame。　　Shall　I　tell　you？　　No。
For；　if　it　is　a　great　emotion；　it　may　afford　you　a　cruel
satisfaction　at　finding　I　suffer　through　separation；　and　if　it
be　a　growing　indifference　to　you；　it　will　be　inflicting
gratuitous　unhappiness　upon　you　to　say　so；　if　you　care　for　me；
as　I　SOMETIMES　think　you　may　do　A　LITTLE。'

（'O；　Paula！'　said　Somerset。）

'Please　which　way　would　you　have　it？　　But　it　is　better　that
you　should　guess　at　what　I　feel　than　that　you　should
distinctly　know　it。　　Notwithstanding　this　assertion　you　will；
I　know；　adhere　to　your　first　prepossession　in　favour　of　prompt
confessions。　　In　spite　of　that；　I　fear　that　upon　trial　such
promptness　would　not　produce　that　happiness　which　your　fancy
leads　you　to　expect。　　Your　heart　would　weary　in　time；　and　when
once　that　happens；　good…bye　to　the　emotion　you　have　told　me
of。　　Imagine　such　a　case　clearly；　and　you　will　perceive　the
probability　of　what　I　say。　　At　the　same　time　I　admit　that　a
woman　who　is　ONLY　a　creature　of　evasions　and　disguises　is　very
disagreeable。

'Do　not　write　VERY　frequently；　and　never　write　at　all　unless
you　have　some　real　information　about　the　castle　works　to
communicate。　　I　will　explain　to　you　on　another　occasion　why　I
make　this　request。　　You　will　possibly　set　it　down　as
additional　evidence　of　my　cold…heartedness。　　If　so　you　must。
Would　you　also　mind　writing　the　business　letter　on　an
independent　sheet；　with　a　proper　beginning　and　ending？
Whether　you　inclose　another　sheet　is　of　course　optional。
Sincerely　yours；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　PAULA　POWER。'

Somerset　had　a　suspicion　that　her　order　to　him　not　to　neglect
the　business　letter　was　to　escape　any　invidious　remarks　from
her　uncle。　　He　wished　she　would　be　more　explicit；　so　that　he
might　know　exactly　how　matters　stood　with　them；　and　whether
Abner　Power　had　ever　ventured　to　express　disapproval　of　him　as
her　lover。

But　not　knowing；　he　waited　anxiously　for　a　new　architectural
event　on　which　he　might　legitimately　send　her　another　line。
This　occurred　about　a　week　later；　when　the　men　engaged　in
digging　foundations　discovered　remains　of　old　ones　which
warranted　a　modification　of　the　original　plan。　　He　accordingly
sent　off　his　professional　advice　on　the　point；　requesting　her
assent　or　otherwise　to　the　amendment；　winding　up　the　inquiry
with　'Yours　faithfully。'　　On　another　sheet　he　wrote：…

'Do　you　suffer　from　any　unpleasantness　in　the　manner　of　others
on　account　of　me？　　If　so；　inform　me；　Paula。　　I　cannot
otherwise　interpret　your　request　for　the　separate　sheets。
While　on　this　point　I　will　tell　you　what