a laodicean-第84节

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looked　so　ill！'

'Did　you；　too；　think　he　looked　ill？　　But　he　danced　last　night。
Why　did　he　dance？'　　She　turned　and　gazed　regretfully　at　the
corner　round　which　the　Somersets　had　disappeared。

'I　don't　know　why　he　danced；　but　if　I　had　known　you　were　going
to　be　so　silent；　I　would　have　explained　the　mistake　myself。'

'I　wish　you　had。　　But　no；　I　have　said　I　would；　and　I　must。'

Paula's　avoidance　of　tables　d'hote　did　not　extend　to　the
present　one。　　It　was　quite　with　alacrity　that　she　went　down；
and　with　her　entry　the　antecedent　hotel　beauty　who　had　reigned
for　the　last　five　days　at　that　meal；　was　unceremoniously
deposed　by　the　guests。　　Mr。　Somerset　the　elder　came　in；　but
nobody　with　him。　　His　seat　was　on　Paula's　left　hand；　Mrs。
Goodman　being　on　Paula's　right；　so　that　all　the　conversation
was　between　the　Academician　and　the　younger　lady。　　When　the
latter　had　again　retired　upstairs　with　her　aunt；　Mrs。　Goodman
expressed　regret　that　young　Mr。　Somerset　was　absent　from　the
table。　　'Why　has　he　kept　away？'　she　asked。

'I　don't　knowI　didn't　ask；'　said　Paula　sadly。　　'Perhaps　he
doesn't　care　to　meet　us　again。'

'That's　because　you　didn't　explain。'

'Wellwhy　didn't　the　old　man　give　me　an　opportunity？'
exclaimed　the　niece　with　suppressed　excitement。　　'He　would
scarcely　say　anything　but　yes　and　no；　and　gave　me　no　chance　at
all　of　introducing　the　subject。　　I　wanted　to　explainI　came
all　the　way　on　purposeI　would　have　begged　George's　pardon　on
my　two　knees　if　there　had　been　any　way　of　beginning；　but　there
was　not；　and　I　could　not　do　it！'

Though　she　slept　badly　that　night；　Paula　promptly　appeared　in
the　public　room　to　breakfast；　and　that　not　from　motives　of
vanity；　for；　while　not　unconscious　of　her　accession　to　the
unstable　throne　of　queen…beauty　in　the　establishment；　she
seemed　too　preoccupied　to　care　for　the　honour　just　then；　and
would　readily　have　changed　places　with　her　unhappy
predecessor；　who　lingered　on　in　the　background　like　a　candle
after　sunrise。

Mrs。　Goodman　was　determined　to　trust　no　longer　to　Paula　for
putting　an　end　to　what　made　her　so　restless　and　self…
reproachful。　　Seeing　old　Mr。　Somerset　enter　to　a　little　side…
table　behind　for　lack　of　room　at　the　crowded　centre　tables；
again　without　his　son；　she　turned　her　head　and　asked　point…
blank　where　the　young　man　was。

Mr。　Somerset's　face　became　a　shade　graver　than　before。　　'My
son　is　unwell；'　he　replied；　'so　unwell　that　he　has　been
advised　to　stay　indoors　and　take　perfect　rest。'

'I　do　hope　it　is　nothing　serious。'

'I　hope　so　too。　　The　fact　is；　he　has　overdone　himself　a
little。　　He　was　not　well　when　he　came　here；　and　to　make
himself　worse　he　must　needs　go　dancing　at　the　Casino　with　this
lady　and　thatamong　others　with　a　young　American　lady　who　is
here　with　her　family；　and　whom　he　met　in　London　last　year。　　I
advised　him　against　it；　but　he　seemed　desperately　determined
to　shake　off　lethargy　by　any　rash　means；　and　wouldn't　listen
to　me。　　Luckily　he　is　not　in　the　hotel；　but　in　a　quiet　cottage
a　hundred　yards　up　the　hill。'

Paula；　who　had　heard　all；　did　not　show　or　say　what　she　felt　at
the　news：　　but　after　breakfast；　on　meeting　the　landlady　in　a
passage　alone；　she　asked　with　some　anxiety　if　there　were　a
really　skilful　medical　man　in　Etretat；　and　on　being　told　that
there　was；　and　his　name；　she　went　back　to　look　for　Mr。
Somerset；　but　he　had　gone。

They　heard　nothing　more　of　young　Somerset　all　that　morning；
but　towards　evening；　while　Paula　sat　at　her　window；　looking
over　the　heads　of　fuchsias　upon　the　promenade　beyond；　she　saw
the　painter　walk　by。　　She　immediately　went　to　her　aunt　and
begged　her　to　go　out　and　ask　Mr。　Somerset　if　his　son　had
improved。

'I　will　send　Milly　or　Clementine；'　said　Mrs。　Goodman。

'I　wish　you　would　see　him　yourself。'

'He　has　gone　on。　　I　shall　never　find　him。'

'He　has　only　gone　round　to　the　front；'　persisted　Paula。　　'Do
walk　that　way；　auntie；　and　ask　him。'

Thus　pressed；　Mrs。　Goodman　acquiesced；　and　brought　back
intelligence　to　Miss　Power；　who　had　watched　them　through　the
window；　that　his　son　did　not　positively　improve；　but　that　his
American　friends　were　very　kind　to　him。

Having　made　use　of　her　aunt；　Paula　seemed　particularly　anxious
to　get　rid　of　her　again；　and　when　that　lady　sat　down　to　write
letters；　Paula　went　to　her　own　room；　hastily　dressed　herself
without　assistance；　asked　privately　the　way　to　the　cottage；
and　went　off　thitherward　unobserved。

At　the　upper　end　of　the　lane　she　saw　a　little　house　answering
to　the　description；　whose　front　garden；　window…sills；　palings；
and　doorstep　were　literally　ablaze　with　nasturtiums　in　bloom。

She　entered　this　inhabited　nosegay；　quietly　asked　for　the
invalid；　and　if　he　were　well　enough　to　see　Miss　Power。　　The
woman　of　the　house　soon　returned；　and　she　was　conducted　up　a
crooked　staircase　to　Somerset's　modest　apartments。　　It
appeared　that　some　rooms　in　this　dwelling　had　been　furnished
by　the　landlady　of　the　inn；　who　hired　them　of　the　tenant
during　the　summer　season　to　use　as　an　annexe　to　the　hotel。

Admitted　to　the　outer　room　she　beheld　her　architect　looking　as
unarchitectural　as　possible；　lying　on　a　small　couch　which　was
drawn　up　to　the　open　casement；　whence　he　had　a　back　view　of
the　window　flowers；　and　enjoyed　a　green　transparency　through
the　undersides　of　the　same　nasturtium　leaves　that　presented
their　faces　to　the　passers　without。

When　the　latch　had　again　clicked　into　the　catch　of　the　closed
door　Paula　went　up　to　the　invalid；　upon　whose　pale　and
interesting　face　a　flush　had　arisen　simultaneously　with　the
announcement　of　her　name。　　He　would　have　sprung　up　to　receive
her；　but　she　pressed　him　down；　and　throwing　all　reserve　on　one
side　for　the　first　time　in　their　intercourse；　she　crouched
beside　the　sofa；　whispering　with　roguish　solicitude；　her　face
not　too　far　from　his　own：　　'How　foolish　you　are；　George；　to
get　ill　just　now　when　I　have　been　wanting　so　much　to　see　you
again！I　am　so　sorry　to　see　you　like　thiswhat　I　said　to　you
when　we　met　on　the　shore　was　not　what　I　had　come　to　say！'

Somerset　took　her　by　the　hand。　　'Then　what　did　you　come　to
say；　Paula？'　he　asked。

'I　wanted　to　tell　you　that　the　mere　wanton　wandering　of　a
capricious　mind　was　not　the　cause　of　my　estrangement　from　you。
There　has　been　a　great　deception　practisedthe　exact　nature
of　it　I　cannot　tell　you　plainly　just　at　present；　it　is　too
painfulbut　it　is　all　over；　and　I　can　assure　you　of　my　sorrow
at　having　behaved　as　I　did；　and　of　my　sincere　friendship　now
as　ever。'

'There　is　nothing　I　shall　value　so　much　as　that。　　It　will　make
my　work　at　the　castle　very　pleasant　to　feel　that　I　can　consult
you　about　it　without　fear　of　intruding　on　you　against　your
wishes。'

'Yes；　perhaps　it　will。　　Butyou　do　not　comprehend　me。'

'You　have　been　an　enigma　always。'

'And　you　have　been　provoking；　but　never　so　provoking　as　now。
I　wouldn't　for　the　world　tell　you　the　whole　of　my　fancies　as　I
came　hither　this　evening：　　but　I　should　think　your　natural
intuition　would　suggest　what　they　were。'

'It　does；　Paula。　　But　there　are　motives　of　delicacy　which
prevent　my　acting　on　what　is　suggested　to　me。'

'Delicacy　is　a　gift；　and　you　should　thank　God　for　it；　but　in
some　cases　it　is　not　so　precious　as　we　would　persuade
ourselves。'

'Not　when　the　woman　is　rich；　and　the　man　is　poor？'

'O；　George　Somersetbe　cold；　or　angry；　or　anything；　but　don't
be　like　this！　　It　is　never　worth　a　woman's　while　to　show
regret　for　her　injustice；　for　all　she　gets　by　it　is　an
accusation　of　want　of　delicacy。'

'Indeed　I　don't　accuse　you　of　thatI　warmly；　tenderly　thank
you　for　your　kindness　in　coming　here　to　see　me。'

'Well；　perhaps　you　do。　　But　I　am　now　in　I　cannot　tell　what
moodI　will　not　tell　what　mood；　for　it　would　be　confessing
more　than　I　ought。　　This　finding　you　out　is　a　piece　of
weakness　that　I　shall　not　repeat；　and　I　have　only　one　thing
more　to　say。　　I　have　served　you　badly；　George；　I　know　that；
but　it　is　never　too　late　to　mend；　and　I　have　come　back　to　you。
However；　I　shall　never　run　after　you　again；　trust　me　for　that；
for　it　is　not　the　woman's　part。　　Still；　before　I　go；　that
there　may　be　no　mistake　as　to　my　meaning；　and　misery　entailed
on　us　for　want　of　a　word；　I'll　add　this：　　that　if　you　want　to
marry　me；　as　you　once　did；　you　must　say　so；　for　I　am　here　to
be　asked。'

It　would　be　superfluous　to　transcribe　Somerset's　reply；　and
the　remainder　of　the　scene　between　the　pair。　　Let　it　suffice
that　half…an…hour　afterwards；　when　the　sun　had　almost　gone
down；　Paula　walked　briskly　into　the　hotel；　troubled　herself
nothing　about　dinner；　but　went　upstairs　to　their　sitting…room；
where　her　aunt　presently　found　her　upon　the　couch　looking　up
at　the　ceiling　through　her　fingers。　　They　talked　on　different
subjects　for　some　time　till　the　old　lady　said　'Mr。　Somerset's
cottage　is　the　one　covered　with　flowers　up　the　lane；　I　hear。'

'Yes；'　said　Paula。

'How　do　you　know？'

'I've　been　there。　。　。　。　　We　are　going　to　be　married；　aunt。'

'Indeed！'　replied　Mrs。　Goodman。　　'Well；　I　thought　this　might
be　the　end　of　it：　　you　were　determined　on　the　point；　and　I　am
not　much　surprised　at　your　news。　　Your　father　was　very　wise
after　all　in　entailing　everything　so　str