a laodicean-第69节

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strike　Paula's　face　the　gallant　captain　bent　it　aside　with　his
stick。　　But　she　did　not　thank　him。　　Perhaps　he　was　just　as
well　satisfied　as　if　she　had　done　so。

Paula；　panting；　broke　the　silence：　　'Will　you　go　on；　and
discover　if　the　top　is　near？'

He　went　on。　　This　time　the　top　was　near。　　When　he　returned　she
was　sitting　where　he　had　left　her　among　the　leaves。　　'It　is
quite　near　now；'　he　told　her　tenderly；　and　she　took　his　arm
again　without　a　word。　　Soon　the　path　changed　its　nature　from　a
steep　and　rugged　watercourse　to　a　level　green　promenade。

'Thank　you；　Captain　De　Stancy；'　she　said；　letting　go　his　arm
as　if　relieved。

Before　them　rose　the　tower；　and　at　the　base　they　beheld　two　of
their　friends；　Mr。　Power　being　seen　above；　looking　over　the
parapet　through　his　glass。

'You　will　go　to　the　top　now？'　said　De　Stancy。

'No；　I　take　no　interest　in　it。　　My　interest　has　turned　to
fatigue。　　I　only　want　to　go　home。'

He　took　her　on　to　where　the　carriage　stood　at　the　foot　of　the
tower；　and　leaving　her　with　his　sister　ascended　the　turret　to
the　top。　　The　landscape　had　quite　changed　from　its　afternoon
appearance；　and　had　become　rather　marvellous　than　beautiful。
The　air　was　charged　with　a　lurid　exhalation　that　blurred　the
extensive　view。　　He　could　see　the　distant　Rhine　at　its
junction　with　the　Neckar；　shining　like　a　thread　of　blood
through　the　mist　which　was　gradually　wrapping　up　the　declining
sun。　　The　scene　had　in　it　something　that　was　more　than
melancholy；　and　not　much　less　than　tragic；　but　for　De　Stancy
such　evening　effects　possessed　little　meaning。　　He　was　engaged
in　an　enterprise　that　taxed　all　his　resources；　and　had　no
sentiments　to　spare　for　air；　earth；　or　skies。

'Remarkable　scene；'　said　Power；　mildly；　at　his　elbow。

'Yes；　I　dare　say　it　is；'　said　De　Stancy。　　'Time　has　been　when
I　should　have　held　forth　upon　such　a　prospect；　and　wondered　if
its　livid　colours　shadowed　out　my　own　life；　et　caetera；　et
caetera。　　But；　begad；　I　have　almost　forgotten　there's　such　a
thing　as　Nature；　and　I　care　for　nothing　but　a　comfortable
life；　and　a　certain　woman　who　does　not　care　for　me！　。　。　。　　Now
shall　we　go　down？'



VIII。

It　was　quite　true　that　De　Stancy　at　the　present　period　of　his
existence　wished　only　to　escape　from　the　hurly…burly　of　active
life；　and　to　win　the　affection　of　Paula　Power。　　There　were；
however；　occasions　when　a　recollection　of　his　old　renunciatory
vows　would　obtrude　itself　upon　him；　and　tinge　his　present　with
wayward　bitterness。　　So　much　was　this　the　case　that　a　day　or
two　after　they　had　arrived　at　Mainz　he　could　not　refrain　from
making　remarks　almost　prejudicial　to　his　cause；　saying　to　her；
'I　am　unfortunate　in　my　situation。　　There　are；　unhappily；
worldly　reasons　why　I　should　pretend　to　love　you；　even　if　I　do
not：　　they　are　so　strong　that；　though　really　loving　you；
perhaps　they　enter　into　my　thoughts　of　you。'

'I　don't　want　to　know　what　such　reasons　are；'　said　Paula；　with
promptness；　for　it　required　but　little　astuteness　to　discover
that　he　alluded　to　the　alienated　Wessex　home　and　estates。
'You　lack　tone；'　she　gently　added：　　'that's　why　the　situation
of　affairs　seems　distasteful　to　you。'

'Yes；　I　suppose　I　am　ill。　　And　yet　I　am　well　enough。'

These　remarks　passed　under　a　tree　in　the　public　gardens　during
an　odd　minute　of　waiting　for　Charlotte　and　Mrs。　Goodman；　and
he　said　no　more　to　her　in　private　that　day。　　Few　as　her　words
had　been　he　liked　them　better　than　any　he　had　lately　received。
The　conversation　was　not　resumed　till　they　were　gliding
'between　the　banks　that　bear　the　vine；'　on　board　one　of　the
Rhine　steamboats；　which；　like　the　hotels　in　this　early　summer
time；　were　comparatively　free　from　other　English　travellers；
so　that　everywhere　Paula　and　her　party　were　received　with　open
arms　and　cheerful　countenances；　as　among　the　first　swallows　of
the　season。

The　saloon　of　the　steamboat　was　quite　empty；　the　few
passengers　being　outside；　and　this　paucity　of　voyagers
afforded　De　Stancy　a　roomy　opportunity。

Paula　saw　him　approach　her；　and　there　appearing　in　his　face
signs　that　he　would　begin　again　on　the　eternal　subject；　she
seemed　to　be　struck　with　a　sense　of　the　ludicrous。

De　Stancy　reddened。　　'Something　seems　to　amuse　you；'　he　said。

'It　is　over；'　she　replied；　becoming　serious。

'Was　it　about　me；　and　this　unhappy　fever　in　me？'

'If　I　speak　the　truth　I　must　say　it　was。'

'You　thought；　〃Here's　that　absurd　man　again；　going　to　begin
his　daily　supplication。〃'

'Not　〃absurd；〃'　she　said；　with　emphasis；　'because　I　don't
think　it　is　absurd。'

She　continued　looking　through　the　windows　at　the　Lurlei
Heights　under　which　they　were　now　passing；　and　he　remained
with　his　eyes　on　her。

'May　I　stay　here　with　you？'　he　said　at　last。　　'I　have　not　had
a　word　with　you　alone　for　four…and…twenty　hours。'

'You　must　be　cheerful；　then。'

'You　have　said　such　as　that　before。　　I　wish　you　would　say
〃loving〃　instead　of　〃cheerful。〃'

'Yes；　I　know；　I　know；'　she　responded；　with　impatient
perplexity。　　'But　why　must　you　think　of　meme　only？　　Is　there
no　other　woman　in　the　world　who　has　the　power　to　make　you
happy？　　I　am　sure　there　must　be。'

'Perhaps　there　is；　but　I　have　never　seen　her。'

'Then　look　for　her；　and　believe　me　when　I　say　that　you　will
certainly　find　her。'

He　shook　his　head。

'Captain　De　Stancy；　I　have　long　felt　for　you；'　she　continued；
with　a　frank　glance　into　his　face。　　'You　have　deprived
yourself　too　long　of　other　women's　company。　　Why　not　go　away
for　a　little　time？　and　when　you　have　found　somebody　else
likely　to　make　you　happy；　you　can　meet　me　again。　　I　will　see
you　at　your　father's　house；　and　we　will　enjoy　all　the　pleasure
of　easy　friendship。'

'Very　correct；　and　very　cold；　O　best　of　women！'

'You　are　too　full　of　exclamations　and　transports；　I　think！'

They　stood　in　silence；　Paula　apparently　much　interested　in　the
manoeuvring　of　a　raft　which　was　passing　by。　　'Dear　Miss
Power；'　he　resumed；　'before　I　go　and　join　your　uncle　above；
let　me　just　ask；　Do　I　stand　any　chance　at　all　yet？　　Is　it
possible　you　can　never　be　more　pliant　than　you　have　been？'

'You　put　me　out　of　all　patience！'

'But　why　did　you　raise　my　hopes？　　You　should　at　least　pity　me
after　doing　that。'

'Yes；　it's　that　again！　　I　unfortunately　raised　your　hopes
because　I　was　a　foolwas　not　myself　that　moment。　　Now
question　me　no　more。　　As　it　is　I　think　you　presume　too　much
upon　my　becoming　yours　as　the　consequence　of　my　having
dismissed　another。'

'Not　on　becoming　mine；　but　on　listening　to　me。'

'Your　argument　would　be　reasonable　enough　had　I　led　you　to
believe　I　would　listen　to　youand　ultimately　accept　you；　but
that　I　have　not　done。　　I　see　now　that　a　woman　who　gives　a　man
an　answer　one　shade　less　peremptory　than　a　harsh　negative　may
be　carried　beyond　her　intentions；　and　out　of　her　own　power
before　she　knows　it。'

'Chide　me　if　you　will；　I　don't　care！'

She　looked　steadfastly　at　him　with　a　little　mischief　in　her
eyes。　　'You　DO　care；'　she　said。

'Then　why　don't　you　listen　to　me？　　I　would　not　persevere　for　a
moment　longer　if　it　were　against　the　wishes　of　your　family。
Your　uncle　says　it　would　give　him　pleasure　to　see　you　accept
me。'

'Does　he　say　why？'　she　asked　thoughtfully。

'Yes；　he　takes；　of　course；　a　practical　view　of　the　matter；　he
thinks　it　commends　itself　so　to　reason　and　common　sense　that
the　owner　of　Stancy　Castle　should　become　a　member　of　the　De
Stancy　family。'

'Yes；　that's　the　horrid　plague　of　it；'　she　said；　with　a
nonchalance　which　seemed　to　contradict　her　words。　　'It　is　so
dreadfully　reasonable　that　we　should　marry。　　I　wish　it
wasn't！'

'Well；　you　are　younger　than　I；　and　perhaps　that's　a　natural
wish。　　But　to　me　it　seems　a　felicitous　combination　not　often
met　with。　　I　confess　that　your　interest　in　our　family　before
you　knew　me　lent　a　stability　to　my　hopes　that　otherwise　they
would　not　have　had。'

'My　interest　in　the　De　Stancys　has　not　been　a　personal
interest　except　in　the　case　of　your　sister；'　she　returned。
'It　has　been　an　historical　interest　only；　and　is　not　at　all
increased　by　your　existence。'

'And　perhaps　it　is　not　diminished？'

'No；　I　am　not　aware　that　it　is　diminished；'　she　murmured；　as
she　observed　the　gliding　shore。

'Well；　you　will　allow　me　to　say　this；　since　I　say　it　without
reference　to　your　personality　or　to　minethat　the　Power　and
De　Stancy　families　are　the　complements　to　each　other；　and
that；　abstractedly；　they　call　earnestly　to　one　another：　　〃How
neat　and　fit　a　thing　for　us　to　join　hands！〃'

Paula；　who　was　not　prudish　when　a　direct　appeal　was　made　to
her　common　sense；　answered　with　ready　candour：　　'Yes；　from　the
point　of　view　of　domestic　politics；　that　undoubtedly　is　the
case。　　But　I　hope　I　am　not　so　calculating　as　to　risk　happiness
in　order　to　round　off　a　social　idea。'

'I　hope　not；　or　that　I　am　either。　　Still　the　social　idea
exists；　and　my　increased　years　make　its　excellence　more
obvious　to　me　than　to　you。'

The　ice　once　broken　on　this　aspect　of　the　question；　the
subject　seemed　further　to　engross　her；　and　she　spoke　on　as　if
daringly　inclined　to　venture　where　she　had　never　anticipated
going；　deriving　pleasure　from　the　very　strangeness　of　her
temerity：　　'You