a laodicean-第68节

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Till　now　disgusted　by　the　failure　of　his　family　to　hold　its
own　in　the　turmoil　between　ancient　and　modern；　he　had　grown　to
undervalue　its　past　prestige；　and　it　was　with　corrective
ardour　that　he　adopted　while　he　ministered　to　her　views。

Henceforward　the　wooing　of　De　Stancy　took　the　form　of　an
intermittent　address；　the　incidents　of　their　travel　furnishing
pegs　whereon　to　hang　his　subject；　sometimes　hindering　it；　but
seldom　failing　to　produce　in　her　a　greater　tolerance　of　his
presence。　　His　next　opportunity　was　the　day　after　Somerset's
departure　from　Heidelberg。　　They　stood　on　the　great　terrace　of
the　Schloss…Garten；　looking　across　the　intervening　ravine　to
the　north…east　front　of　the　castle　which　rose　before　them　in
all　its　customary　warm　tints　and　battered　magnificence。

'This　is　a　spot；　if　any；　which　should　bring　matters　to　a
crisis　between　you　and　me；'　he　asserted　good…humouredly。　　'But
you　have　been　so　silent　to…day　that　I　lose　the　spirit　to　take
advantage　of　my　privilege。'

She　inquired　what　privilege　he　spoke　of；　as　if　quite　another
subject　had　been　in　her　mind　than　De　Stancy。

'The　privilege　of　winning　your　heart　if　I　can；　which　you　gave
me　at　Carlsruhe。'

'O；'　she　said。　　'Well；　I've　been　thinking　of　that。　　But　I　do
not　feel　myself　absolutely　bound　by　the　statement　I　made　in
that　room；　and　I　shall　expect；　if　I　withdraw　it；　not　to　be
called　to　account　by　you。'

De　Stancy　looked　rather　blank。

'If　you　recede　from　your　promise　you　will　doubtless　have　good
reason。　　But　I　must　solemnly　beg　you；　after　raising　my　hopes；
to　keep　as　near　as　you　can　to　your　word；　so　as　not　to　throw　me
into　utter　despair。'

Paula　dropped　her　glance　into　the　Thier…Garten　below　them；
where　gay　promenaders　were　clambering　up　between　the　bushes
and　flowers。　　At　length　she　said；　with　evident　embarrassment；
but　with　much　distinctness：　　'I　deserve　much　more　blame　for
what　I　have　done　than　you　can　express　to　me。　　I　will　confess
to　you　the　whole　truth。　　All　that　I　told　you　in　the　hotel　at
Carlsruhe　was　said　in　a　moment　of　pique　at　what　had　happened
just　before　you　came　in。　　It　was　supposed　I　was　much　involved
with　another　man；　and　circumstances　made　the　supposition
particularly　objectionable。　　To　escape　it　I　jumped　at　the
alternative　of　yourself。'

'That's　bad　for　me！'　he　murmured。

'If　after　this　avowal　you　bind　me　to　my　words　I　shall　say　no
more：　　I　do　not　wish　to　recede　from　them　without　your　full
permission。'

'What　a　caprice！　　But　I　release　you　unconditionally；'　he　said。
'And　I　beg　your　pardon　if　I　seemed　to　show　too　much　assurance。
Please　put　it　down　to　my　gratified　excitement。　　I　entirely
acquiesce　in　your　wish。　　I　will　go　away　to　whatever　place　you
please；　and　not　come　near　you　but　by　your　own　permission；　and
till　you　are　quite　satisfied　that　my　presence　and　what　it　may
lead　to　is　not　undesirable。　　I　entirely　give　way　before　you；
and　will　endeavour　to　make　my　future　devotedness；　if　ever　we
meet　again；　a　new　ground　for　expecting　your　favour。'

Paula　seemed　struck　by　the　generous　and　cheerful　fairness　of
his　remarks；　and　said　gently；　'Perhaps　your　departure　is　not
absolutely　necessary　for　my　happiness；　and　I　do　not　wish　from
what　you　call　caprice'

'I　retract　that　word。'

'Well；　whatever　it　is；　I　don't　wish　you　to　do　anything　which
should　cause　you　real　pain；　or　trouble；　or　humiliation。'

'That's　very　good　of　you。'

'But　I　reserve　to　myself　the　right　to　accept　or　refuse　your
addressesjust　as　if　those　rash　words　of　mine　had　never　been
spoken。'

'I　must　bear　it　all　as　best　I　can；　I　suppose；'　said　De　Stancy；
with　melancholy　humorousness。

'And　I　shall　treat　you　as　your　behaviour　shall　seem　to
deserve；'　she　said　playfully。

'Then　I　may　stay？'

'Yes；　I　am　willing　to　give　you　that　pleasure；　if　it　is　one；　in
return　for　the　attentions　you　have　shown；　and　the　trouble　you
have　taken　to　make　my　journey　pleasant。'

She　walked　on　and　discovered　Mrs。　Goodman　near；　and　presently
the　whole　party　met　together。　　De　Stancy　did　not　find　himself
again　at　her　side　till　later　in　the　afternoon；　when　they　had
left　the　immediate　precincts　of　the　castle　and　decided　on　a
drive　to　the　Konigsstuhl。

The　carriage；　containing　only　Mrs。　Goodman；　was　driven　a　short
way　up　the　winding　incline；　Paula；　her　uncle；　and　Miss　De
Stancy　walking　behind　under　the　shadow　of　the　trees。　　Then
Mrs。　Goodman　called　to　them　and　asked　when　they　were　going　to
join　her。

'We　are　going　to　walk　up；'　said　Mr。　Power。

Paula　seemed　seized　with　a　spirit　of　boisterousness　quite
unlike　her　usual　behaviour。　　'My　aunt　may　drive　up；　and　you
may　walk　up；　but　I　shall　run　up；'　she　said。　　'See；　here's　a
way。'　　She　tripped　towards　a　path　through　the　bushes　which；
instead　of　winding　like　the　regular　track；　made　straight　for
the　summit。

Paula　had　not　the　remotest　conception　of　the　actual　distance
to　the　top；　imagining　it　to　be　but　a　couple　of　hundred　yards
at　the　outside；　whereas　it　was　really　nearer　a　mile；　the
ascent　being　uniformly　steep　all　the　way。　　When　her　uncle　and
De　Stancy　had　seen　her　vanish　they　stood　still；　the　former
evidently　reluctant　to　forsake　the　easy　ascent　for　a　difficult
one；　though　he　said；　'We　can't　let　her　go　alone　that　way；　I
suppose。'

'No；　of　course　not；'　said　De　Stancy。

They　then　followed　in　the　direction　taken　by　Paula；　Charlotte
entering　the　carriage。　　When　Power　and　De　Stancy　had　ascended
about　fifty　yards　the　former　looked　back；　and　dropped　off　from
the　pursuit；　to　return　to　the　easy　route；　giving　his　companion
a　parting　hint　concerning　Paula。　　Whereupon　De　Stancy　went　on
alone。　　He　soon　saw　Paula　above　him　in　the　path；　which
ascended　skyward　straight　as　Jacob's　Ladder；　but　was　so
overhung　by　the　brushwood　as　to　be　quite　shut　out　from　the
sun。　　When　he　reached　her　side　she　was　moving　easily　upward；
apparently　enjoying　the　seclusion　which　the　place　afforded。

'Is　not　my　uncle　with　you？'　she　said；　on　turning　and　seeing
him。

'He　went　back；'　said　De　Stancy。

She　replied　that　it　was　of　no　consequence；　that　she　should
meet　him　at　the　top；　she　supposed。

Paula　looked　up　amid　the　green　light　which　filtered　through
the　leafage　as　far　as　her　eyes　could　stretch。　　But　the　top　did
not　appear；　and　she　allowed　De　Stancy　to　get　in　front。　　'It
did　not　seem　such　a　long　way　as　this；　to　look　at；'　she
presently　said。

He　explained　that　the　trees　had　deceived　her　as　to　the　real
height；　by　reason　of　her　seeing　the　slope　foreshortened　when
she　looked　up　from　the　castle。　　'Allow　me　to　help　you；'　he
added。

'No；　thank　you；'　said　Paula　lightly；　'we　must　be　near　the
top。'

They　went　on　again；　but　no　Konigsstuhl。　　When　next　De　Stancy
turned　he　found　that　she　was　sitting　down；　immediately　going
back　he　offered　his　arm。　　She　took　it　in　silence；　declaring
that　it　was　no　wonder　her　uncle　did　not　come　that　wearisome
way；　if　he　had　ever　been　there　before。

De　Stancy　did　not　explain　that　Mr。　Power　had　said　to　him　at
parting；　'There's　a　chance　for　you；　if　you　want　one；'　but　at
once　went　on　with　the　subject　begun　on　the　terrace。　　'If　my
behaviour　is　good；　you　will　reaffirm　the　statement　made　at
Carlsruhe？'

'It　is　not　fair　to　begin　that　now！'　expostulated　Paula；　'I　can
only　think　of　getting　to　the　top。'

Her　colour　deepening　by　the　exertion；　he　suggested　that　she
should　sit　down　again　on　one　of　the　mossy　boulders　by　the
wayside。　　Nothing　loth　she　did；　De　Stancy　standing　by；　and
with　his　cane　scratching　the　moss　from　the　stone。

'This　is　rather　awkward；'　said　Paula；　in　her　usual　circumspect
way。　　'My　relatives　and　your　sister　will　be　sure　to　suspect　me
of　having　arranged　this　scramble　with　you。'

'But　I　know　better；'　sighed　De　Stancy。　　'I　wish　to　Heaven　you
had　arranged　it！'

She　was　not　at　the　top；　but　she　took　advantage　of　the　halt　to
answer　his　previous　question。　　'There　are　many　points　on　which
I　must　be　satisfied　before　I　can　reaffirm　anything。　　Do　you
not　see　that　you　are　mistaken　in　clinging　to　this　idea？that
you　are　laying　up　mortification　and　disappointment　for
yourself？'

'A　negative　reply　from　you　would　be　disappointment；　early　or
late。'

'And　you　prefer　having　it　late　to　accepting　it　now？　　If　I　were
a　man；　I　should　like　to　abandon　a　false　scent　as　soon　as
possible。'

'I　suppose　all　that　has　but　one　meaning：　　that　I　am　to　go。'

'O　no；'　she　magnanimously　assured　him；　bounding　up　from　her
seat；　'I　adhere　to　my　statement　that　you　may　stay；　though　it
is　true　something　may　possibly　happen　to　make　me　alter　my
mind。'

He　again　offered　his　arm；　and　from　sheer　necessity　she　leant
upon　it　as　before。

'Grant　me　but　a　moment's　patience；'　he　began。

'Captain　De　Stancy！　　Is　this　fair？　　I　am　physically　obliged　to
hold　your　arm；　so　that　I　MUST　listen　to　what　you　say！'

'No；　it　is　not　fair；　'pon　my　soul　it　is　not！'　said　De　Stancy。
'I　won't　say　another　word。'

He　did　not；　and　they　clambered　on　through　the　boughs；　nothing
disturbing　the　solitude　but　the　rustle　of　their　own　footsteps
and　the　singing　of　birds　overhead。　　They　occasionally　got　a
peep　at　the　sky；　and　whenever　a　twig　hung　out　in　a　position　to
strike　Paula's　face　the　gallant　captain　bent　it　aside　with　his
stick。　　But　she　did　not　thank　him。　　Perhaps　he　was　just　as