a laodicean-第74节

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precipitated　matters。'

'She　has　accepted　you；　captain？'

'We　are　engaged　to　be　married。'

'Well　done。　　I　congratulate　you。'　　The　speaker　was　about　to
proceed　to　further　triumphant　notes　on　the　intelligence；　when
casting　his　eye　upon　the　upper　windows　of　the　neighbouring
villa；　he　appeared　to　reflect　on　what　was　within　them；　and
checking　himself；　'When　is　the　funeral　to　be？'

'To…morrow；'　De　Stancy　replied。　　'It　would　be　advisable　for
you　not　to　come　near　me　during　the　day。'

'I　will　not。　　I　will　be　a　mere　spectator。　　The　old　vault　of
our　ancestors　will　be　opened；　I　presume；　captain？'

'It　is　opened。'

'I　must　see　itand　ruminate　on　what　we　once　were：　　it　is　a
thing　I　like　doing。　　The　ghosts　of　our　deadAh；　what　was
that？'

'I　heard　nothing。'

'I　thought　I　heard　a　footstep　behind　us。'

They　stood　still；　but　the　road　appeared　to　be　quite　deserted；
and　likely　to　continue　so　for　the　remainder　of　that　evening。
They　walked　on　again；　speaking　in　somewhat　lower　tones　than
before。

'Will　the　late　Sir　William's　death　delay　the　wedding　much？'
asked　the　younger　man　curiously。

De　Stancy　languidly　answered　that　he　did　not　see　why　it　should
do　so。　　Some　little　time　would　of　course　intervene；　but；　since
there　were　several　reasons　for　despatch；　he　should　urge　Miss
Power　and　her　relatives　to　consent　to　a　virtually　private
wedding　which　might　take　place　at　a　very　early　date；　and　he
thought　there　would　be　a　general　consent　on　that　point。

'There　are　indeed　reasons　for　despatch。　　Your　title；　Sir
William；　is　a　new　safeguard　over　her　heart；　certainly；　but
there　is　many　a　slip；　and　you　must　not　lose　her　now。'

'I　don't　mean　to　lose　her！'　said　De　Stancy。　　'She　is　too　good
to　be　lost。　　And　yetsince　she　gave　her　promise　I　have　felt
more　than　once　that　I　would　not　engage　in　such　a　struggle
again。　　It　was　not　a　thing　of　my　beginning；　though　I　was
easily　enough　inflamed　to　follow。　　But　I　will　not　lose　her
now。For　God's　sake；　keep　that　secret　you　have　so　foolishly
pricked　on　your　breast。　　It　fills　me　with　remorse　to　think
what　she　with　her　scrupulous　notions　will　feel；　should　she
ever　know　of　you　and　your　history；　and　your　relation　to　me！'

Dare　made　no　reply　till　after　a　silence；　when　he　said；　'Of
course　mum's　the　word　till　the　wedding　is　over。'

'And　afterwardspromise　that　for　her　sake？'

'And　probably　afterwards。'

Sir　William　De　Stancy　drew　a　dejected　breath　at　the　tone　of
the　answer。　　They　conversed　but　a　little　while　longer；　the
captain　hinting　to　Dare　that　it　was　time　for　them　to　part；
not；　however；　before　he　had　uttered　a　hope　that　the　young　man
would　turn　over　a　new　leaf　and　engage　in　some　regular　pursuit。
Promising　to　call　upon　him　at　his　lodgings　De　Stancy　went
indoors；　and　Dare　briskly　retraced　his　steps　to　Markton。

When　his　footfall　had　died　away；　and　the　door　of　the　house
opposite　had　been　closed；　another　man　appeared　upon　the　scene。
He　came　gently　out　of　the　hedge　opposite　Myrtle　Villa；　which
he　paused　to　regard　for　a　moment。　　But　instead　of　going
townward；　he　turned　his　back　upon　the　distant　sprinkle　of
lights；　and　did　not　check　his　walk　till　he　reached　the　lodge
of　Stancy　Castle。

Here　he　pulled　the　wooden　acorn　beside　the　arch；　and　when　the
porter　appeared　his　light　revealed　the　pedestrian's
countenance　to　be　scathed；　as　by　lightning。

'I　beg　your　pardon；　Mr。　Power；'　said　the　porter　with　sudden
deference　as　he　opened　the　wicket。　　'But　we　wasn't　expecting
anybody　to…night；　as　there　is　nobody　at　home；　and　the　servants
on　board　wages；　and　that's　why　I　was　so　long　a…coming。'

'No　matter；　no　matter；'　said　Abner　Power。　　'I　have　returned　on
sudden　business；　and　have　not　come　to　stay　longer　than　to…
night。　　Your　mistress　is　not　with　me。　　I　meant　to　sleep　in
Markton；　but　have　changed　my　mind。'

Mr。　Power　had　brought　no　luggage　with　him　beyond　a　small　hand…
bag；　and　as　soon　as　a　room　could　be　got　ready　he　retired　to
bed。

The　next　morning　he　passed　in　idly　walking　about　the　grounds
and　observing　the　progress　which　had　been　made　in　the　works
now　temporarily　suspended。　　But　that　inspection　was　less　his
object　in　remaining　there　than　meditation；　was　abundantly
evident。　　When　the　bell　began　to　toll　from　the　neighbouring
church　to　announce　the　burial　of　Sir　William　De　Stancy；　he
passed　through　the　castle；　and　went　on　foot　in　the　direction
indicated　by　the　sound。　　Reaching　the　margin　of　the　churchyard
he　looked　over　the　wall；　his　presence　being　masked　by　bushes
and　a　group　of　idlers　from　Markton　who　stood　in　front。　　Soon　a
funeral　procession　of　simplealmost　meagre　and　threadbare
character　arrived；　but　Power　did　not　join　the　people　who
followed　the　deceased　into　the　church。　　De　Stancy　was　the
chief　mourner　and　only　relation　present；　the　other　followers
of　the　broken…down　old　man　being　an　ancient　lawyer；　a　couple
of　faithful　servants；　and　a　bowed　villager　who　had　been　page
to　the　late　Sir　William's　fatherthe　single　living　person
left　in　the　parish　who　remembered　the　De　Stancys　as　people　of
wealth　and　influence；　and　who　firmly　believed　that　family
would　come　into　its　rights　ere　long；　and　oust　the
uncircumcized　Philistines　who　had　taken　possession　of　the　old
lands。

The　funeral　was　over；　and　the　rusty　carriages　had　gone；
together　with　many　of　the　spectators；　but　Power　lingered　in
the　churchyard　as　if　he　were　looking　for　some　one。　　At　length
he　entered　the　church；　passing　by　the　cavernous　pitfall　with
descending　steps　which　stood　open　outside　the　wall　of　the　De
Stancy　aisle。　　Arrived　within　he　scanned　the　few　idlers　of
antiquarian　tastes　who　had　remained　after　the　service　to
inspect　the　monuments；　and　beside　a　recumbent　effigythe
effigy　in　alabaster　whose　features　Paula　had　wiped　with　her
handkerchief　when　there　with　Somersethe　beheld　the　man　it
had　been　his　business　to　find。　　Abner　Power　went　up　and
touched　this　person；　who　was　Dare；　on　the　shoulder。

'Mr。　Powerso　it　is！'　said　the　youth。　　'I　have　not　seen　you
since　we　met　in　Carlsruhe。'

'You　shall　see　all　the　more　of　me　now　to　make　up　for　it。
Shall　we　walk　round　the　church？'

'With　all　my　heart；'　said　Dare。

They　walked　round；　and　Abner　Power　began　in　a　sardonic
recitative：　　'I　am　a　traveller；　and　it　takes　a　good　deal　to
astonish　me。　　So　I　neither　swooned　nor　screamed　when　I　learnt
a　few　hours　ago　what　I　had　suspected　for　a　week；　that　you　are
of　the　house　and　lineage　of　Jacob。'　　He　flung　a　nod　towards
the　canopied　tombs　as　he　spoke。'In　other　words；　that　you　are
of　the　same　breed　as　the　De　Stancys。'

Dare　cursorily　glanced　round。　　Nobody　was　near　enough　to　hear
their　words；　the　nearest　persons　being　two　workmen　just
outside；　who　were　bringing　their　tools　up　from　the　vault
preparatively　to　closing　it。

Having　observed　this　Dare　replied；　'I；　too；　am　a　traveller；
and　neither　do　I　swoon　nor　scream　at　what　you　say。　　But　I
assure　you　that　if　you　busy　yourself　about　me；　you　may　truly
be　said　to　busy　yourself　about　nothing。'

'Well；　that's　a　matter　of　opinion。　　Now；　there's　no　scarlet
left　in　my　face　to　blush　for　men's　follies；　but　as　an　alliance
is　afoot　between　my　niece　and　the　present　Sir　William；　this
must　be　looked　into。'

Dare　reflectively　said　'O；'　as　he　observed　through　the　window
one　of　the　workmen　bring　up　a　candle　from　the　vault　and
extinguish　it　with　his　fingers。

'The　marriage　is　desirable；　and　your　relationship　in　itself　is
of　no　consequence；'　continued　the　elder；　'but　just　look　at
this。　　You　have　forced　on　the　marriage　by　unscrupulous　means；
your　object　being　only　too　clearly　to　live　out　of　the　proceeds
of　that　marriage。'

'Mr。　Power；　you　mock　me；　because　I　labour　under　the　misfortune
of　having　an　illegitimate　father　to　provide　for。　　I　really
deserve　commiseration。'

'You　might　deserve　it　if　that　were　all。　　But　it　looks　bad　for
my　niece's　happiness　as　Lady　De　Stancy；　that　she　and　her
husband　are　to　be　perpetually　haunted　by　a　young　chevalier
d'industrie；　who　can　forge　a　telegram　on　occasion；　and　libel
an　innocent　man　by　an　ingenious　device　in　photography。　　It
looks　so　bad；　in　short；　that；　advantageous　as　a　title　and　old
family　name　would　be　to　her　and　her　children；　I　won't　let　my
brother's　daughter　run　the　risk　of　having　them　at　the　expense
of　being　in　the　grip　of　a　man　like　you。　　There　are　other
suitors　in　the　world；　and　other　titles：　　and　she　is　a
beautiful　woman；　who　can　well　afford　to　be　fastidious。　　I
shall　let　her　know　at　once　of　these　things；　and　break　off　the
businessunless　you　do　ONE　THING。'

A　workman　brought　up　another　candle　from　the　vault；　and
prepared　to　let　down　the　slab。　　'Well；　Mr。　Power；　and　what　is
that　one　thing？'

'Go　to　Peru　as　my　agent　in　a　business　I　have　just　undertaken
there。'

'And　settle　there？'

'Of　course。　　I　am　soon　going　over　myself；　and　will　bring　you
anything　you　require。'

'How　long　will　you　give　me　to　consider？'　said　Dare。

Power　looked　at　his　watch。　　'One；　two；　three；　four　hours；'　he
said。　　'I　leave　Markton　by　the　seven　o'clock　train　this
evening。'

'And　if　I　meet　your　proposal　with　a　negative？'

'I　shall　go　at　once　to　my　niece　and　tell　her　the　whole
circumstancestell　her　that；　by　marrying　Sir　William；　she
allies　herself　with　an　unhappy　gentleman　in　the　power　of　a