a laodicean-第67节

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conduct　towards　him　now；　as　a　result　of　misrepresentation；　had
enough　in　common　with　her　previous　silence　at　Nice　to　make　it
not　unreasonable　as　a　further　development　of　that　silence。
Moreover；　her　social　position　as　a　woman　of　wealth；　always
felt　by　Somerset　as　a　perceptible　bar　to　that　full　and　free
eagerness　with　which　he　would　fain　have　approached　her；
rendered　it　impossible　for　him　to　return　to　the　charge；
ascertain　the　reason　of　her　coldness；　and　dispel　it　by　an
explanation；　without　being　suspected　of　mercenary　objects。
Continually　does　it　happen　that　a　genial　willingness　to　bottle
up　affronts　is　set　down　to　interested　motives　by　those　who　do
not　know　what　generous　conduct　means。　　Had　she　occupied　the
financial　position　of　Miss　De　Stancy　he　would　readily　have
persisted　further　and；　not　improbably；　have　cleared　up　the
cloud。

Having　no　further　interest　in　Carlsruhe；　Somerset　decided　to
leave　by　an　evening　train。　　The　intervening　hour　he　spent　in
wandering　into　the　thick　of　the　fair；　where　steam　roundabouts；
the　proprietors　of　wax…work　shows；　and　fancy…stall　keepers
maintained　a　deafening　din。　　The　animated　environment　was
better　than　silence；　for　it　fostered　in　him　an　artificial
indifference　to　the　events　that　had　just　happenedan
indifference　which；　though　he　too　well　knew　it　was　only
destined　to　be　temporary；　afforded　a　passive　period　wherein　to
store　up　strength　that　should　enable　him　to　withstand　the　wear
and　tear　of　regrets　which　would　surely　set　in　soon。　　It　was
the　case　with　Somerset　as　with　others　of　his　temperament；　that
he　did　not　feel　a　blow　of　this　sort　immediately；　and　what
often　seemed　like　stoicism　after　misfortune　was　only　the
neutral　numbness　of　transition　from　palpitating　hope　to
assured　wretchedness。

He　walked　round　and　round　the　fair　till　all　the　exhibitors
knew　him　by　sight；　and　when　the　sun　got　low　he　turned　into　the
Erbprinzen…Strasse；　now　raked　from　end　to　end　by　ensaffroned
rays　of　level　light。　　Seeking　his　hotel　he　dined　there；　and
left　by　the　evening　train　for　Heidelberg。



Heidelberg　with　its　romantic　surroundings　was　not　precisely
the　place　calculated　to　heal　Somerset's　wounded　heart。　　He　had
known　the　town　of　yore；　and　his　recollections　of　that　period；
when；　unfettered　in　fancy；　he　had　transferred　to　his　sketch…
book　the　fine　Renaissance　details　of　the　Otto…Heinrichs…Bau
came　back　with　unpleasant　force。　　He　knew　of　some　carved　cask…
heads　and　other　curious　wood…work　in　the　castle　cellars；
copies　of　which；　being　unobtainable　by　photographs；　he　had
intended　to　make　if　all　went　well　between　Paula　and　himself。
The　zest　for　this　was　now　well…nigh　over。　　But　on　awaking　in
the　morning　and　looking　up　the　valley　towards　the　castle；　and
at　the　dark　green　height　of　the　Konigsstuhl　alongside；　he　felt
that　to　become　vanquished　by　a　passion；　driven　to　suffer；
fast；　and　pray　in　the　dull　pains　and　vapours　of　despised　love；
was　a　contingency　not　to　be　welcomed　too　readily。　　Thereupon
he　set　himself　to　learn　the　sad　science　of　renunciation；　which
everybody　has　to　learn　in　his　degreeeither　rebelling
throughout　the　lesson；　or；　like　Somerset；　taking　to　it　kindly
by　force　of　judgment。　　A　more　obstinate　pupil　might　have
altogether　escaped　the　lesson　in　the　present　case　by
discovering　its　illegality。

Resolving　to　persevere　in　the　heretofore　satisfactory　paths　of
art　while　life　and　faculties　were　left；　though　every　instinct
must　proclaim　that　there　would　be　no　longer　any　collateral
attraction　in　that　pursuit；　he　went　along　under　the　trees　of
the　Anlage　and　reached　the　castle　vaults；　in　whose　cool　shades
he　spent　the　afternoon；　working　out　his　intentions　with　fair
result。　　When　he　had　strolled　back　to　his　hotel　in　the　evening
the　time　was　approaching　for　the　table…d'hote。　　Having　seated
himself　rather　early；　he　spent　the　few　minutes　of　waiting　in
looking　over　his　pocket…book；　and　putting　a　few　finishing
touches　to　the　afternoon　performance　whilst　the　objects　were
fresh　in　his　memory。　　Thus　occupied　he　was　but　dimly　conscious
of　the　customary　rustle　of　dresses　and　pulling　up　of　chairs　by
the　crowd　of　other　diners　as　they　gathered　around　him。
Serving　began；　and　he　put　away　his　book　and　prepared　for　the
meal。　　He　had　hardly　done　this　when　he　became　conscious　that
the　person　on　his　left　hand　was　not　the　typical　cosmopolite
with　boundless　hotel　knowledge　and　irrelevant　experiences　that
he　was　accustomed　to　find　next　him；　but　a　face　he　recognized
as　that　of　a　young　man　whom　he　had　met　and　talked　to　at　Stancy
Castle　garden…party；　whose　name　he　had　now　forgotten。　　This
young　fellow　was　conversing　with　somebody　on　his　left　handno
other　personage　than　Paula　herself。　　Next　to　Paula　he　beheld
De　Stancy；　and　De　Stancy's　sister　beyond　him。　　It　was　one　of
those　gratuitous　encounters　which　only　happen　to　discarded
lovers　who　have　shown　commendable　stoicism　under
disappointment；　as　if　on　purpose　to　reopen　and　aggravate　their
wounds。

It　seemed　as　if　the　intervening　traveller　had　met　the　other
party　by　accident　there　and　then。　　In　a　minute　he　turned　and
recognized　Somerset；　and　by　degrees　the　young　men's　cursory
remarks　to　each　other　developed　into　a　pretty　regular
conversation；　interrupted　only　when　he　turned　to　speak　to
Paula　on　his　left　hand。

'Your　architectural　adviser　travels　in　your　party：　　how　very
convenient；'　said　the　young　tourist　to　her。　　'Far　pleasanter
than　having　a　medical　attendant　in　one's　train！'

Somerset；　who　had　no　distractions　on　the　other　side　of　him；
could　hear　every　word　of　this。　　He　glanced　at　Paula。　　She　had
not　known　of　his　presence　in　the　room　till　now。　　Their　eyes
met　for　a　second；　and　she　bowed　sedately。　　Somerset　returned
her　bow；　and　her　eyes　were　quickly　withdrawn　with　scarcely
visible　confusion。

'Mr。　Somerset　is　not　travelling　with　us；'　she　said。　　'We　have
met　by　accident。　　Mr。　Somerset　came　to　me　on　business　a　little
while　ago。'

'I　must　congratulate　you　on　having　put　the　castle　into　good
hands；'　continued　the　enthusiastic　young　man。

'I　believe　Mr。　Somerset　is　quite　competent；'　said　Paula
stiffly。

To　include　Somerset　in　the　conversation　the　young　man　turned
to　him　and　added：　　'You　carry　on　your　work　at　the　castle　con
amore；　no　doubt？'

'There　is　work　I　should　like　better；'　said　Somerset。

'Indeed？'

The　frigidity　of　his　manner　seemed　to　set　her　at　ease　by
dispersing　all　fear　of　a　scene；　and　alternate　dialogues　of
this　sort　with　the　gentleman　in　their　midst　were　more　or　less
continued　by　both　Paula　and　Somerset　till　they　rose　from
table。

In　the　bustle　of　moving　out　the　two　latter　for　one　moment
stood　side　by　side。

'Miss　Power；'　said　Somerset；　in　a　low　voice　that　was　obscured
by　the　rustle；　'you　have　nothing　more　to　say　to　me？'

'I　think　there　is　nothing　more？'　said　Paula；　lifting　her　eyes
with　longing　reticence。

'Then　I　take　leave　of　you；　and　tender　my　best　wishes　that　you
may　have　a　pleasant　time　before　you！　。　。　。　。　　I　set　out　for
England　to…night。'

'With　a　special　photographer；　no　doubt？'

It　was　the　first　time　that　she　had　addressed　Somerset　with　a
meaning　distinctly　bitter；　and　her　remark；　which　had　reference
to　the　forged　photograph；　fell　of　course　without　its　intended
effect。

'No；　Miss　Power；'　said　Somerset　gravely。　　'But　with　a　deeper
sense　of　woman's　thoughtless　trifling　than　time　will　ever
eradicate。'

'Is　not　that　a　mistake？'　she　asked　in　a　voice　that　distinctly
trembled。

'A　mistake？　　How？'

'I　mean；　do　you　not　forget　many　things？'　（throwing　on　him　a
troubled　glance）。　　'A　woman　may　feel　herself　justified　in　her
conduct；　although　it　admits　of　no　explanation。'

'I　don't　contest　the　point　for　a　moment。　。　。　。　　Goodbye。'

'Good…bye。'

They　parted　amid　the　flowering　shrubs　and　caged　birds　in　the
hall；　and　he　saw　her　no　more。　　De　Stancy　came　up；　and　spoke　a
few　commonplace　words；　his　sister　having　gone　out；　either
without　perceiving　Somerset；　or　with　intention　to　avoid　him。

That　night；　as　he　had　said；　he　was　on　his　way　to　England。



VII。

The　De　Stancys　and　Powers　remained　in　Heidelberg　for　some
days。　　All　remarked　that　after　Somerset's　departure　Paula　was
frequently　irritable；　though　at　other　times　as　serene　as　ever。
Yet　even　when　in　a　blithe　and　saucy　mood　there　was　at　bottom　a
tinge　of　melancholy。　　Something　did　not　lie　easy　in　her
undemonstrative　heart；　and　all　her　friends　excused　the
inequalities　of　a　humour　whose　source；　though　not　positively
known；　could　be　fairly　well　guessed。

De　Stancy　had　long　since　discovered　that　his　chance　lay
chiefly　in　her　recently　acquired　and　fanciful　predilection
d'artiste　for　hoary　mediaeval　families　with　ancestors　in
alabaster　and　primogenitive　renown。　　Seeing　this　he　dwelt　on
those　topics　which　brought　out　that　aspect　of　himself　more
clearly；　talking　feudalism　and　chivalry　with　a　zest　that　he
had　never　hitherto　shown。　　Yet　it　was　not　altogether
factitious。　　For；　discovering　how　much　this　quondam　Puritan
was　interested　in　the　attributes　of　long…chronicled　houses；　a
reflected　interest　in　himself　arose　in　his　own　soul；　and　he
began　to　wonder　why　he　had　not　prized　these　things　before。
Till　now　disgusted　by　the　failure　of　his　family　to　hold　its
own　in　the　turmoil　b