a laodicean-第8节

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'O　no！　no！'　replied　Miss　De　Stancy；　in　tones　showing　how
supremely　ignorant　he　must　be　of　Miss　Power's　nature　if　he
characterized　her　in　those　terms。　　'It　is　GREEK　pottery　she
meansHellenic　pottery　she　tells　me　to　call　it；　only　I
forget。　　There　is　beautiful　clay　at　the　place；　her　father　told
her：　　he　found　it　in　making　the　railway　tunnel。　　She　has
visited　the　British　Museum；　continental　museums；　and　Greece；
and　Spain：　　and　hopes　to　imitate　the　old　fictile　work　in　time；
especially　the　Greek　of　the　best　period；　four　hundred　years
after　Christ；　or　before　ChristI　forget　which　it　was　Paula
said。　。　。　。　　O　no；　she　is　not　practical　in　the　sense　you　mean；
at　all。'

'A　mixed　young　lady；　rather。'

Miss　De　Stancy　appeared　unable　to　settle　whether　this　new
definition　of　her　dear　friend　should　be　accepted　as　kindly；　or
disallowed　as　decidedly　sarcastic。　　'You　would　like　her　if　you
knew　her；'　she　insisted；　in　half　tones　of　pique；　after　which
she　walked　on　a　few　steps。

'I　think　very　highly　of　her；'　said　Somerset。

'And　I！　　And　yet　at　one　time　I　could　never　have　believed　that
I　should　have　been　her　friend。　　One　is　prejudiced　at　first
against　people　who　are　reported　to　have　such　differences　in
feeling；　associations；　and　habit；　as　she　seemed　to　have　from
mine。　　But　it　has　not　stood　in　the　least　in　the　way　of　our
liking　each　other。　　I　believe　the　difference　makes　us　the　more
united。'

'It　says　a　great　deal　for　the　liberality　of　both；'　answered
Somerset　warmly。　　'Heaven　send　us　more　of　the　same　sort　of
people！　　They　are　not　too　numerous　at　present。'

As　this　remark　called　for　no　reply　from　Miss　De　Stancy；　she
took　advantage　of　an　opportunity　to　leave　him　alone；　first
repeating　her　permission　to　him　to　wander　where　he　would。　　He
walked　about　for　some　time；　sketch…book　in　hand；　but　was
conscious　that　his　interest　did　not　lie　much　in　the
architecture。　　In　passing　along　the　corridor　of　an　upper　floor
he　observed　an　open　door；　through　which　was　visible　a　room
containing　one　of　the　finest　Renaissance　cabinets　he　had　ever
seen。　　It　was　impossible；　on　close　examination；　to　do　justice
to　it　in　a　hasty　sketch；　it　would　be　necessary　to　measure
every　line　if　he　would　bring　away　anything　of　utility　to　him
as　a　designer。　　Deciding　to　reserve　this　gem　for　another
opportunity　he　cast　his　eyes　round　the　room　and　blushed　a
little。　　Without　knowing　it　he　had　intruded　into　the　absent
Miss　Paula's　own　particular　set　of　chambers；　including　a
boudoir　and　sleeping　apartment。　　On　the　tables　of　the　sitting…
room　were　most　of　the　popular　papers　and　periodicals　that　he
knew；　not　only　English；　but　from　Paris；　Italy；　and　America。
Satirical　prints；　though　they　did　not　unduly　preponderate；
were　not　wanting。　　Besides　these　there　were　books　from　a
London　circulating　library；　paper…covered　light　literature　in
French　and　choice　Italian；　and　the　latest　monthly　reviews；
while　between　the　two　windows　stood　the　telegraph　apparatus
whose　wire　had　been　the　means　of　bringing　him　hither。

These　things；　ensconced　amid　so　much　of　the　old　and　hoary；
were　as　if　a　stray　hour　from　the　nineteenth　century　had
wandered　like　a　butterfly　into　the　thirteenth；　and　lost　itself
there。

The　door　between　this　ante…chamber　and　the　sleeping…room　stood
open。　　Without　venturing　to　cross　the　threshold；　for　he　felt
that　he　would　be　abusing　hospitality　to　go　so　far；　Somerset
looked　in　for　a　moment。　　It　was　a　pretty　place；　and　seemed　to
have　been　hastily　fitted　up。　　In　a　corner；　overhung　by　a　blue
and　white　canopy　of　silk；　was　a　little　cot；　hardly　large
enough　to　impress　the　character　of　bedroom　upon　the　old　place。
Upon　a　counterpane　lay　a　parasol　and　a　silk　neckerchief。　　On
the　other　side　of　the　room　was　a　tall　mirror　of　startling
newness；　draped　like　the　bedstead；　in　blue　and　white。　　Thrown
at　random　upon　the　floor　was　a　pair　of　satin　slippers　that
would　have　fitted　Cinderella。　　A　dressing…gown　lay　across　a
settee；　and　opposite；　upon　a　small　easy…chair　in　the　same　blue
and　white　livery；　were　a　Bible；　the　Baptist　Magazine；　Wardlaw
on　Infant　Baptism；　Walford's　County　Families；　and　the　Court
Journal。　　On　and　over　the　mantelpiece　were　nicknacks　of
various　descriptions；　and　photographic　portraits　of　the
artistic；　scientific；　and　literary　celebrities　of　the　day。

A　dressing…room　lay　beyond；　but；　becoming　conscious　that　his
study　of　ancient　architecture　would　hardly　bear　stretching
further　in　that　direction；　Mr。　Somerset　retreated　to　the
outside；　obliviously　passing　by　the　gem　of　Renaissance　that
had　led　him　in。

'She　affects　blue；'　he　was　thinking。　　'Then　she　is　fair。'

On　looking　up；　some　time　later；　at　the　new　clock　that　told　the
seconds；　he　found　that　the　hours　at　his　disposal　for　work　had
flown　without　his　having　transferred　a　single　feature　of　the
building　or　furniture　to　his　sketch…book。　　Before　leaving　he
sent　in　for　permission　to　come　again；　and　then　walked　across
the　fields　to　the　inn　at　Sleeping…Green；　reflecting　less　upon
Miss　De　Stancy　（so　little　force　of　presence　had　she　possessed）
than　upon　the　modern　flower　in　a　mediaeval　flower…pot　whom
Miss　De　Stancy's　information　had　brought　before　him；　and　upon
the　incongruities　that　were　daily　shaping　themselves　in　the
world　under　the　great　modern　fluctuations　of　classes　and
creeds。

Somerset　was　still　full　of　the　subject　when　he　arrived　at　the
end　of　his　walk；　and　he　fancied　that　some　loungers　at　the　bar
of　the　inn　were　discussing　the　heroine　of　the　chapel…scene
just　at　the　moment　of　his　entry。　　On　this　account；　when　the
landlord　came　to　clear　away　the　dinner；　Somerset　was　led　to
inquire　of　him；　by　way　of　opening　a　conversation；　if　there
were　many　Baptists　in　the　neighbourhood。

The　landlord　（who　was　a　serious　man　on　the　surface；　though　he
occasionally　smiled　beneath）　replied　that　there　were　a　great
manyfar　more　than　the　average　in　country　parishes。　　'Even
here；　in　my　house；　now；'　he　added；　'when　volks　get　a　drop　of
drink　into　'em；　and　their　feelings　rise　to　a　zong；　some　man
will　strike　up　a　hymn　by　preference。　　But　I　find　no　fault　with
that；　for　though　'tis　hardly　human　nature　to　be　so　calculating
in　yer　cups；　a　feller　may　as　well　sing　to　gain　something　as
sing　to　waste。'

'How　do　you　account　for　there　being　so　many？'

'Well；　you　zee；　sir；　some　says　one　thing；　and　some　another；　I
think　they　does　it　to　save　the　expense　of　a　Christian　burial
for　ther　children。　　Now　there's　a　poor　family　out　in　Long
Lanethe　husband　used　to　smite　for　Jimmy　More　the　blacksmith
till　'a　hurt　his　armthey'd　have　no　less　than　eleven　children
if　they'd　not　been　lucky　t'other　way；　and　buried　five　when
they　were　three　or　four　months　old。　　Now　every　one　of　them
children　was　given　to　the　sexton　in　a　little　box　that　any
journeyman　could　nail　together　in　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　and　he
buried　'em　at　night　for　a　shilling　a　head；　whereas　'twould
have　cost　a　couple　of　pounds　each　if　they'd　been　christened　at
church。　。　。　。　　Of　course　there's　the　new　lady　at　the　castle；
she's　a　chapel　member；　and　that　may　make　a　little　difference；
but　she's　not　been　here　long　enough　to　show　whether　'twill　be
worth　while　to　join　'em　for　the　profit　o't　or　whether　'twill
not。　　No　doubt　if　it　turns　out　that　she's　of　a　sort　to　relieve
volks　in　trouble；　more　will　join　her　set　than　belongs　to　it
already。　　〃Any　port　in　a　storm；〃　of　course；　as　the　saying　is。'

'As　for　yourself；　you　are　a　Churchman　at　present；　I　presume？'

'Yes；　not　but　I　was　a　Methodist　onceay；　for　a　length　of
time。　　'Twas　owing　to　my　taking　a　house　next　door　to　a　chapel；
so　that　what　with　hearing　the　organ　bizz　like　a　bee　through
the　wall；　and　what　with　finding　it　saved　umbrellas　on　wet
Zundays；　I　went　over　to　that　faith　for　two　yearsthough　I
believe　I　dropped　money　by　itI　wouldn't　be　the　man　to　say　so
if　I　hadn't。　　Howsomever；　when　I　moved　into　this　house　I
turned　back　again　to　my　old　religion。　　Faith；　I　don't　zee　much
difference：　　be　you　one；　or　be　you　t'other；　you've　got　to　get
your　living。'

'The　De　Stancys；　of　course；　have　not　much　influence　here　now；
for　that；　or　any　other　thing？'

'O　no；　no；　not　any　at　all。　　They　be　very　low　upon　ground；　and
always　will　be　now；　I　suppose。　　It　was　thoughted　worthy　of
being　recorded　in　historyyou've　read　it；　sir；　no　doubt？'

'Not　a　word。'

'O；　then；　you　shall。　　I've　got　the　history　zomewhere。　　'Twas
gay　manners　that　did　it。　　The　only　bit　of　luck　they　have　had
of　late　years　is　Miss　Power's　taking　to　little　Miss　De　Stancy；
and　making　her　her　company…keeper。　　I　hope　'twill　continue。'

That　the　two　daughters　of　these　antipodean　families　should　be
such　intimate　friends　was　a　situation　which　pleased　Somerset
as　much　as　it　did　the　landlord。　　It　was　an　engaging　instance
of　that　human　progress　on　which　he　had　expended　many　charming
dreams　in　the　years　when　poetry；　theology；　and　the
reorganization　of　society　had　seemed　matters　of　more
importance　to　him　than　a　profession　which　should　help　him　to　a
big　house　and　income；　a　fair　Deiopeia；　and　a　lovely　progeny。
When　he　was　alone　he　poured　out　a　glass　of　wine；　and　silently
drank　the　healths　of　the　two　generous…minded　young　women　who；
in　this　lonely　district；　had　found　sweet　communion　a　necessity
of　life；　and　by　pure　and