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against　putting　it　off：　　and　it　is　to　be　absolutely　simple　and
private。'

There　was　another　interval。　　'May　I　ask　when　it　is　to　be？'　he
said。

'Almost　at　oncethis　week。'

Somerset　started　back　as　if　some　stone　had　hit　his　face。

Still　there　was　nothing　wonderful　in　such　promptitude：
engagements　broken　in　upon　by　the　death　of　a　near　relative　of
one　of　the　parties　had　been　often　carried　out　in　a　subdued
form　with　no　longer　delay。

Charlotte's　station　was　now　at　hand。　　She　bade　him　farewell；
and　he　rattled　on　to　the　building　he　had　come　to　inspect；　and
next　to　Budmouth；　whence　he　intended　to　cross　the　Channel　by
steamboat　that　night。

He　hardly　knew　how　the　evening　passed　away。　　He　had　taken　up
his　quarters　at　an　inn　near　the　quay；　and　as　the　night　drew　on
he　stood　gazing　from　the　coffee…room　window　at　the　steamer
outside；　which　nearly　thrust　its　spars　through　the　bedroom
casements；　and　at　the　goods　that　were　being　tumbled　on　board
as　only　shippers　can　tumble　them。　　All　the　goods　were　laden；　a
lamp　was　put　on　each　side　the　gangway；　the　engines　broke　into
a　crackling　roar；　and　people　began　to　enter。　　They　were　only
waiting　for　the　last　train：　　then　they　would　be　off。　　Still
Somerset　did　not　move；　he　was　thinking　of　that　curious　half…
told　story　of　Charlotte's；　about　a　telegram　to　Paula　for　money
from　Nice。　　Not　once　till　within　the　last　half…hour　had　it
recurred　to　his　mind　that　he　had　met　Dare　both　at　Nice　and　at
Monte　Carlo；　that　at　the　latter　place　he　had　been　absolutely
out　of　money　and　wished　to　borrow；　showing　considerable
sinister　feeling　when　Somerset　declined　to　lend：　　that　on　one
or　two　previous　occasions　he　had　reasons　for　doubting　Dare's
probity；　and　that　in　spite　of　the　young　man's　impoverishment
at　Monte　Carlo　he　had；　a　few　days　later；　beheld　him　in　shining
raiment　at　Carlsruhe。　　Somerset；　though　misty　in　his
conjectures；　was　seized　with　a　growing　conviction　that　there
was　something　in　Miss　De　Stancy's　allusion　to　the　telegram
which　ought　to　be　explained。

He　felt　an　insurmountable　objection　to　cross　the　water　that
night；　or　till　he　had　been　able　to　see　Charlotte　again；　and
learn　more　of　her　meaning。　　He　countermanded　the　order　to　put
his　luggage　on　board；　watched　the　steamer　out　of　the　harbour；
and　went　to　bed。　　He　might　as　well　have　gone　to　battle；　for
any　rest　that　he　got。　　On　rising　the　next　morning　he　felt
rather　blank；　though　none　the　less　convinced　that　a　matter
required　investigation。　　He　left　Budmouth　by　a　morning　train；
and　about　eleven　o'clock　found　himself　in　Markton。

The　momentum　of　a　practical　inquiry　took　him　through　that
ancient　borough　without　leaving　him　much　leisure　for　those
reveries　which　had　yesterday　lent　an　unutterable　sadness　to
every　object　there。　　It　was　just　before　noon　that　he　started
for　the　castle；　intending　to　arrive　at　a　time　of　the　morning
when；　as　he　knew　from　experience；　he　could　speak　to　Charlotte
without　difficulty。　　The　rising　ground　soon　revealed　the　old
towers　to　him；　and；　jutting　out　behind　them；　the　scaffoldings
for　the　new　wing。

While　halting　here　on　the　knoll　in　some　doubt　about　his
movements　he　beheld　a　man　coming　along　the　road；　and　was　soon
confronted　by　his　former　competitor；　Havill。　　The　first
instinct　of　each　was　to　pass　with　a　nod；　but　a　second　instinct
for　intercourse　was　sufficient　to　bring　them　to　a　halt。　　After
a　few　superficial　words　had　been　spoken　Somerset　said；　'You
have　succeeded　me。'

'I　have；'　said　Havill；　'but　little　to　my　advantage。　　I　have
just　heard　that　my　commission　is　to　extend　no　further　than
roofing　in　the　wing　that　you　began；　and　had　I　known　that
before；　I　would　have　seen　the　castle　fall　flat　as　Jericho
before　I　would　have　accepted　the　superintendence。　　But　I　know
who　I　have　to　thank　for　thatDe　Stancy。'

Somerset　still　looked　towards　the　distant　battlements。　　On　the
scaffolding；　among　the　white…jacketed　workmen；　he　could
discern　one　figure　in　a　dark　suit。

'You　have　a　clerk　of　the　works；　I　see；'　he　observed。

'Nominally　I　have；　but　practically　I　haven't。'

'Then　why　do　you　keep　him？'

'I　can't　help　myself。　　He　is　Mr。　Dare；　and　having　been
recommended　by　a　higher　power　than　I；　there　he　must　stay　in
spite　of　me。'

'Who　recommended　him？'

'The　sameDe　Stancy。'

'It　is　very　odd；'　murmured　Somerset；　'but　that　young　man　is
the　object　of　my　visit。'

'You　had　better　leave　him　alone；'　said　Havill　drily。

Somerset　asked　why。

'Since　I　call　no　man　master　over　that　way　I　will　inform　you。'
Havill　then　related　in　splenetic　tones；　to　which　Somerset　did
not　care　to　listen　till　the　story　began　to　advance　itself；　how
he　had　passed　the　night　with　Dare　at　the　inn；　and　the
incidents　of　that　night；　relating　how　he　had　seen　some　letters
on　the　young　man's　breast　which　long　had　puzzled　him。　　'They
were　an　E；　a　T；　an　N；　and　a　C。　　I　thought　over　them　long；　till
it　eventually　occurred　to　me　that　the　word　when　filled　out　was
〃De　Stancy；〃　and　that　kinship　explains　the　offensive　and
defensive　alliance　between　them。'

'But；　good　heavens；　man！'　said　Somerset；　more　and　more
disturbed。　　'Does　she　know　of　it？'

'You　may　depend　she　does　not　yet；　but　she　will　soon　enough。
Harkthere　it　is！'　　The　notes　of　the　castle　clock　were　heard
striking　noon。　　'Then　it　is　all　over。'

'What？not　their　marriage！'

'Yes。　　Didn't　you　know　it　was　the　wedding　day？　　They　were　to
be　at　the　church　at　half…past　eleven。　　I　should　have　waited　to
see　her　go；　but　it　was　no　sight　to　hinder　business　for；　as　she
was　only　going　to　drive　over　in　her　brougham　with　Miss　De
Stancy。'

'My　errand　has　failed！'　said　Somerset；　turning　on　his　heel。
'I'll　walk　back　to　the　town　with　you。'

However　he　did　not　walk　far　with　Havill；　society　was　too　much
at　that　moment。　　As　soon　as　opportunity　offered　he　branched
from　the　road　by　a　path；　and　avoiding　the　town　went　by　railway
to　Budmouth；　whence　he　resumed；　by　the　night　steamer；　his
journey　to　Normandy



XIII。

To　return　to　Charlotte　De　Stancy。　　When　the　train　had　borne
Somerset　from　her　side；　and　she　had　regained　her　self…
possession；　she　became　conscious　of　the　true　proportions　of
the　fact　he　had　asserted。　　And；　further；　if　the　telegram　had
not　been　his；　why　should　the　photographic　distortion　be
trusted　as　a　phase　of　his　existence？　　But　after　a　while　it
seemed　so　improbable　to　her　that　God's　sun　should　bear　false
witness；　that　instead　of　doubting　both　evidences　she　was
inclined　to　readmit　the　first。　　Still；　upon　the　whole；　she
could　not　question　for　long　the　honesty　of　Somerset's　denial
and　if　that　message　had　indeed　been　sent　by　him；　it　must　have
been　done　while　he　was　in　another　such　an　unhappy　state　as
that　exemplified　by　the　portrait。　　The　supposition　reconciled
all　differences；　and　yet　she　could　not　but　fight　against　it
with　all　the　strength　of　a　generous　affection。

All　the　afternoon　her　poor　little　head　was　busy　on　this
perturbing　question；　till　she　inquired　of　herself　whether
after　all　it　might　not　be　possible　for　photographs　to
represent　people　as　they　had　never　been。　　Before　rejecting　the
hypothesis　she　determined　to　have　the　word　of　a　professor　on
the　point；　which　would　be　better　than　all　her　surmises。
Returning　to　Markton　early；　she　told　the　coachman　whom　Paula
had　sent；　to　drive　her　to　the　shop　of　Mr。　Ray；　an　obscure
photographic　artist　in　that　town；　instead　of　straight　home。

Ray's　establishment　consisted　of　two　divisions；　the
respectable　and　the　shabby。　　If；　on　entering　the　door；　the
visitor　turned　to　the　left；　he　found　himself　in　a　magazine　of
old　clothes；　old　furniture；　china；　umbrellas；　guns；　fishing…
rods；　dirty　fiddles；　and　split　flutes。　　Entering　the　right…
hand　room；　which　had　originally　been　that　of　an　independent
house；　he　was　in　an　ordinary　photographer's　and　print…
collector's　depository；　to　which　a　certain　artistic　solidity
was　imparted　by　a　few　oil　paintings　in　the　background。
Charlotte　made　for　the　latter　department；　and　when　she　was
inside　Mr。　Ray　appeared　in　person　from　the　lumber…shop
adjoining；　which；　despite　its　manginess；　contributed　by　far
the　greater　share　to　his　income。

Charlotte　put　her　question　simply　enough。　　The　man　did　not
answer　her　directly；　but　soon　found　that　she　meant　no　harm　to
him。　　He　told　her　that　such　misrepresentations　were　quite
possible；　and　that　they　embodied　a　form　of　humour　which　was
getting　more　and　more　into　vogue　among　certain　facetious
persons　of　society。

Charlotte　was　coming　away　when　she　asked；　as　on　second
thoughts；　if　he　had　any　specimens　of　such　work　to　show　her。

'None　of　my　own　preparation；'　said　Mr。　Ray；　with　unimpeachable
probity　of　tone。　　'I　consider　them　libellous　myself。　　Still；　I
have　one　or　two　samples　by　me；　which　I　keep　merely　as
curiosities。There's　one；'　he　said；　throwing　out　a　portrait
card　from　a　drawer。　　'That　represents　the　German　Emperor　in　a
violent　passion：　　this　one　shows　the　Prime　Minister　out　of　his
mind；　this　the　Pope　of　Rome　the　worse　for　liquor。'

She　inquired　if　he　had　any　local　specimens。

'Yes；'　he　said；　'but　I　prefer　not　to　exhibit　them　unless　you
really　ask　for　a　particular　one　that　you　mean　to　buy。'

'I　don't　want　any。'

'O；　I　beg　pardon；　miss。　　Well；　I　shouldn't　myself　own　such
thing