a laodicean-第76节

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vagabond　can　be　as　sharp　as　a　political　regenerator。　　I　cry
quits；　if　you　care　to　do　the　same？'

Dare　assented；　and　the　pistols　were　put　away。

'Then　we　do　nothing　at　all；　either　side；　but　let　the　course　of
true　love　run　on　to　marriagethat's　the　understanding；　I
think？'　said　Dare　as　he　rose。

'It　is；'　said　Power；　and　turning　on　his　heel；　he　left　the
vestry。

Dare　retired　to　the　church　and　thence　to　the　outside；　where　he
idled　away　a　few　minutes　in　looking　at　the　workmen；　who　were
now　lowering　into　its　place　a　large　stone　slab；　bearing　the
words　'DE　STANCY；'　which　covered　the　entrance　to　the　vault。
When　the　footway　of　the　churchyard　was　restored　to　its　normal
condition　Dare　pursued　his　way　to　Markton。

Abner　Power　walked　back　to　the　castle　at　a　slow　and　equal
pace；　as　though　he　carried　an　over…brimming　vessel　on　his
head。　　He　silently　let　himself　in；　entered　the　long　gallery；
and　sat　down。　　The　length　of　time　that　he　sat　there　was　so
remarkable　as　to　raise　that　interval　of　inanition　to　the　rank
of　a　feat。

Power's　eyes　glanced　through　one　of　the　window…casements：
from　a　hole　without　he　saw　the　head　of　a　tomtit　protruding。
He　listlessly　watched　the　bird　during　the　successive　epochs　of
his　thought；　till　night　came；　without　any　perceptible　change
occurring　in　him。　　Such　fixity　would　have　meant　nothing　else
than　sudden　death　in　any　other　man；　but　in　Mr。　Power　it　merely
signified　that　he　was　engaged　in　ruminations　which
necessitated　a　more　extensive　survey　than　usual。　　At　last；　at
half…past　eight；　after　having　sat　for　five　hours　with　his　eyes
on　the　residence　of　the　tomtits；　to　whom　night　had　brought
cessation　of　thought；　if　not　to　him　who　had　observed　them；　he
rose　amid　the　shades　of　the　furniture；　and　rang　the　bell。
There　were　only　a　servant　or　two　in　the　castle；　one　of　whom
presently　came　with　a　light　in　her　hand　and　a　startled　look
upon　her　face；　which　was　not　reduced　when　she　recognized　him；
for　in　the　opinion　of　that　household　there　was　something
ghoul…like　in　Mr。　Power；　which　made　him　no　desirable　guest。

He　ate　a　late　meal；　and　retired　to　bed；　where　he　seemed　to
sleep　not　unsoundly。　　The　next　morning　he　received　a　letter
which　afforded　him　infinite　satisfaction　and　gave　his　stagnant
impulses　a　new　momentum。　　He　entered　the　library；　and　amid
objects　swathed　in　brown　holland　sat　down　and　wrote　a　note　to
his　niece　at　Amiens。　　Therein　he　stated　that；　finding　that　the
Anglo…South…American　house　with　which　he　had　recently
connected　himself　required　his　presence　in　Peru；　it　obliged
him　to　leave　without　waiting　for　her　return。　　He　felt　the　less
uneasy　at　going；　since　he　had　learnt　that　Captain　De　Stancy
would　return　at　once　to　Amiens　to　his　sick　sister；　and　see
them　safely　home　when　she　improved。　　He　afterwards　left　the
castle；　disappearing　towards　a　railway　station　some　miles
above　Markton；　the　road　to　which　lay　across　an　unfrequented
down。



XII。

It　was　a　fine　afternoon　of　late　summer；　nearly　three　months
subsequent　to　the　death　of　Sir　William　De　Stancy　and　Paula's
engagement　to　marry　his　successor　in　the　title。　　George
Somerset　had　started　on　a　professional　journey　that　took　him
through　the　charming　district　which　lay　around　Stancy　Castle。
Having　resigned　his　appointment　as　architect　to　that　important
structurea　resignation　which　had　been　accepted　by　Paula
through　her　solicitorhe　had　bidden　farewell　to　the　locality
after　putting　matters　in　such　order　that　his　successor；
whoever　he　might　be；　should　have　no　difficulty　in　obtaining
the　particulars　necessary　to　the　completion　of　the　work　in
hand。　　Hardly　to　his　surprise　this　successor　was　Havill。

Somerset's　resignation　had　been　tendered　in　no　hasty　mood。　　On
returning　to　England；　and　in　due　course　to　the　castle；
everything　bore　in　upon　his　mind　the　exceeding　sorrowfulness
he　would　not　say　humiliationof　continuing　to　act　in　his
former　capacity　for　a　woman　who；　from　seeming　more　than　a　dear
friend；　had　become　less　than　an　acquaintance。

So　he　resigned；　but　now；　as　the　train　drew　on　into　that　once
beloved　tract　of　country；　the　images　which　met　his　eye　threw
him　back　in　point　of　emotion　to　very　near　where　he　had　been
before　making　himself　a　stranger　here。　　The　train　entered　the
cutting　on　whose　brink　he　had　walked　when　the　carriage
containing　Paula　and　her　friends　surprised　him　the　previous
summer。　　He　looked　out　of　the　window：　　they　were　passing　the
well…known　curve　that　led　up　to　the　tunnel　constructed　by　her
father；　into　which　he　had　gone　when　the　train　came　by　and
Paula　had　been　alarmed　for　his　life。　　There　was　the　path　they
had　both　climbed　afterwards；　involuntarily　seizing　each
other's　hand；　the　bushes；　the　grass；　the　flowers；　everything
just　the　same：

　　　　　　　　　　　　'…Here　was　the　pleasant　place；
　　　　　　　　　　And　nothing　wanting　was；　save　She；　alas！'

When　they　came　out　of　the　tunnel　at　the　other　end　he　caught　a
glimpse　of　the　distant　castle…keep；　and　the　well…remembered
walls　beneath　it。　　The　experience　so　far　transcended　the
intensity　of　what　is　called　mournful　pleasure　as　to　make　him
wonder　how　he　could　have　miscalculated　himself　to　the　extent
of　supposing　that　he　might　pass　the　spot　with　controllable
emotion。

On　entering　Markton　station　he　withdrew　into　a　remote　corner
of　the　carriage；　and　closed　his　eyes　with　a　resolve　not　to
open　them　till　the　embittering　scenes　should　be　passed　by。　　He
had　not　long　to　wait　for　this　event。　　When　again　in　motion　his
eye　fell　upon　the　skirt　of　a　lady's　dress　opposite；　the　owner
of　which　had　entered　and　seated　herself　so　softly　as　not　to
attract　his　attention。

'Ah　indeed！'　he　exclaimed　as　he　looked　up　to　her　face。　　'I　had
not　a　notion　that　it　was　you！'　　He　went　over　and　shook　hands
with　Charlotte　De　Stancy。

'I　am　not　going　far；'　she　said；　'only　to　the　next　station。　　We
often　run　down　in　summer　time。　　Are　you　going　far？'

'I　am　going　to　a　building　further　on；　thence　to　Normandy　by
way　of　Cherbourg；　to　finish　out　my　holiday。'

Miss　De　Stancy　thought　that　would　be　very　nice。

'Well；　I　hope　so。　　But　I　fear　it　won't。'

After　saying　that　Somerset　asked　himself　why　he　should　mince
matters　with　so　genuine　and　sympathetic　a　girl　as　Charlotte　De
Stancy？　　She　could　tell　him　particulars　which　he　burned　to
know。　　He　might　never　again　have　an　opportunity　of　knowing
them；　since　she　and　he　would　probably　not　meet　for　years　to
come；　if　at　all。

'Have　the　castle　works　progressed　pretty　rapidly　under　the　new
architect？'　he　accordingly　asked。

'Yes；'　said　Charlotte　in　her　hastethen　adding　that　she　was
not　quite　sure　if　they　had　progressed　so　rapidly　as　before；
blushingly　correcting　herself　at　this　point　and　that；　in　the
tinkering　manner　of　a　nervous　organization　aiming　at　nicety
where　it　was　not　required。

'Well；　I　should　have　liked　to　carry　out　the　undertaking　to　its
end；'　said　Somerset。　　'But　I　felt　I　could　not　consistently　do
so。　　Miss　Power'　（here　a　lump　came　into　Somerset's　throat
so　responsive　was　he　yet　to　her　image）'seemed　to　have　lost
confidence　in　me；　andit　was　best　that　the　connection　should
be　severed。'

There　was　a　long　pause。　　'She　was　very　sorry　about　it；'　said
Charlotte　gently。

'What　made　her　alter　so？I　never　can　think！'

Charlotte　waited　again　as　if　to　accumulate　the　necessary　force
for　honest　speaking　at　the　expense　of　pleasantness。　　'It　was
the　telegram　that　began　it　of　course；'　she　answered。

'Telegram？'

She　looked　up　at　him　in　quite　a　frightened　waylittle　as
there　was　to　be　frightened　at　in　a　quiet　fellow　like　him　in
this　sad　time　of　his　lifeand　said；　'Yes：　　some　telegramI
thinkwhen　you　were　in　trouble？　　Forgive　my　alluding　to　it；
but　you　asked　me　the　question。'

Somerset　began　reflecting　on　what　messages　he　had　sent　Paula；
troublous　or　otherwise。　　All　he　had　sent　had　been　sent　from
the　castle；　and　were　as　gentle　and　mellifluous　as　sentences
well　could　be　which　had　neither　articles　nor　pronouns。　　'I
don't　understand；'　he　said。　　'Will　you　explain　a　little　more
as　plainly　as　you　likewithout　minding　my　feelings？'

'A　telegram　from　Nice；　I　think？'

'I　never　sent　one。'

'O！　　The　one　I　meant　was　about　money。'

Somerset　shook　his　head。　　'No；'　he　murmured；　with　the
composure　of　a　man　who；　knowing　he　had　done　nothing　of　the
sort　himself；　was　blinded　by　his　own　honesty　to　the
possibility　that　another　might　have　done　it　for　him。　　'That
must　be　some　other　affair　with　which　I　had　nothing　to　do。　　O
no；　it　was　nothing　like　that；　the　reason　for　her　change　of
manner　was　quite　different！'

So　timid　was　Charlotte　in　Somerset's　presence；　that　her
timidity　at　this　juncture　amounted　to　blameworthiness。　　The
distressing　scene　which　must　have　followed　a　clearing　up　there
and　then　of　any　possible　misunderstanding；　terrified　her
imagination；　and　quite　confounded　by　contradictions　that　she
could　not　reconcile；　she　held　her　tongue；　and　nervously　looked
out　of　the　window。

'I　have　heard　that　Miss　Power　is　soon　to　be　married；'
continued　Somerset。

'Yes；'　Charlotte　murmured。　　'It　is　sooner　than　it　ought　to　be
by　rights；　considering　how　recently　my　dear　father　died；　but
there　are　reasons　in　connection　with　my　brother's　position
against　putting　it　off：　　and　it　is　to　be　absolutely　si