a laodicean-第13章

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a　building　of　long　standing？'

'I　shall　say　that　has　nothing　to　do　with　it；'　replied　the
young　man。　　'I　don't　deny　that　there　may　have　been　a　castle
here　in　the　time　of　the　Romans：　　what　I　say　is；　that　none　of
the　architecture　we　now　see　was　standing　at　that　date。'

There　was　a　silence　of　a　minute；　disturbed　only　by　a　murmured
dialogue　between　Mrs。　Goodman　and　the　minister；　during　which
Paula　was　looking　thoughtfully　on　the　table　as　if　framing　a
question。

'Can　it　be；'　she　said　to　Somerset；　'that　such　certainty　has
been　reached　in　the　study　of　architectural　dates？　　Now；　would
you　really　risk　anything　on　your　belief？　　Would　you　agree　to
be　shut　up　in　the　vaults　and　fed　upon　bread　and　water　for　a
week　if　I　could　prove　you　wrong？'

'Willingly；'　said　Somerset。　　'The　date　of　those　towers　and
arches　is　matter　of　absolute　certainty　from　the　details。　　That
they　should　have　been　built　before　the　Conquest　is　as　unlikely
as；　say；　that　the　rustiest　old　gun　with　a　percussion　lock
should　be　older　than　the　date　of　Waterloo。'

'How　I　wish　I　knew　something　precise　of　an　art　which　makes　one
so　independent　of　written　history！'

Mr。　Havill　had　lapsed　into　a　mannerly　silence　that　was　only
sullenness　disguised。　　Paula　turned　her　conversation　to　Miss
De　Stancy；　who　had　simply　looked　from　one　to　the　other　during
the　discussion；　though　she　might　have　been　supposed　to　have　a
prescriptive　right　to　a　few　remarks　on　the　matter。　　A
commonplace　talk　ensued；　till　Havill；　who　had　not　joined　in
it；　privately　began　at　Somerset　again　with　a　mixed　manner　of
cordiality；　contempt；　and　misgiving。

'You　have　a　practice；　I　suppose；　sir？'

'I　am　not　in　practice　just　yet。'

'Just　beginning？'

'I　am　about　to　begin。'

'In　London；　or　near　here？'

'In　London　probably。'

'H'm。　。　。　。　　I　am　practising　in　Markton。'

'Indeed。　　Have　you　been　at　it　long？'

'Not　particularly。　　I　designed　the　chapel　built　by　this　lady's
late　father；　it　was　my　first　undertakingI　owe　my　start；　in
fact；　to　Mr。　Power。　　Ever　build　a　chapel？'

'Never。　　I　have　sketched　a　good　many　churches。'

'Ahthere　we　differ。　　I　didn't　do　much　sketching　in　my　youth；
nor　have　I　time　for　it　now。　　Sketching　and　building　are　two
different　things；　to　my　mind。　　I　was　not　brought　up　to　the
professiongot　into　it　through　sheer　love　of　it。　　I　began　as
a　landscape　gardener；　then　I　became　a　builder；　then　I　was　a
road　contractor。　　Every　architect　might　do　worse　than　have
some　such　experience。　　But　nowadays　'tis　the　men　who　can　draw
pretty　pictures　who　get　recommended；　not　the　practical　men。
Young　prigs　win　Institute　medals　for　a　pretty　design　or　two
which；　if　anybody　tried　to　build　them；　would　fall　down　like　a
house　of　cards；　then　they　get　travelling　studentships　and　what
not；　and　then　they　start　as　architects　of　some　new　school　or
other；　and　think　they　are　the　masters　of　us　experienced　ones。'

While　Somerset　was　reflecting　how　far　this　statement　was　true；
he　heard　the　voice　of　Paula　inquiring；　'Who　can　he　be？'

Her　eyes　were　bent　on　the　window。　　Looking　out；　Somerset　saw
in　the　mead　beyond　the　dry　ditch；　Dare；　with　his　photographic
apparatus。

'He　is　the　young　gentleman　who　called　about　taking　views　of
the　castle；'　said　Charlotte。

'O　yesI　remember；　it　is　quite　right。　　He　met　me　in　the
village　and　asked　me　to　suggest　him　some　views。　　I　thought　him
a　respectable　young　fellow。'

'I　think　he　is　a　Canadian；'　said　Somerset。

'No；'　said　Paula；　'he　is　from　the　Eastat　least　he　implied　so
to　me。'

'There　is　Italian　blood　in　him；'　said　Charlotte　brightly。
'For　he　spoke　to　me　with　an　Italian　accent。　　But　I　can't　think
whether　he　is　a　boy　or　a　man。'

'It　is　to　be　earnestly　hoped　that　the　gentleman　does　not
prevaricate；'　said　the　minister；　for　the　first　time　attracted
by　the　subject。　　'I　accidentally　met　him　in　the　lane；　and　he
said　something　to　me　about　having　lived　in　Malta。　　I　think　it
was　Malta；　or　Gibraltareven　if　he　did　not　say　that　he　was
born　there。'

'His　manners　are　no　credit　to　his　nationality；'　observed　Mrs。
Goodman；　also　speaking　publicly　for　the　first　time。　　'He　asked
me　this　morning　to　send　him　out　a　pail　of　water　for　his
process；　and　before　I　had　turned　away　he　began　whistling。　　I
don't　like　whistlers。'

'Then　it　appears；'　said　Somerset；　'that　he　is　a　being　of　no
age；　no　nationality；　and　no　behaviour。'

'A　complete　negative；'　added　Havill；　brightening　into　a　civil
sneer。　　'That　is；　he　would　be；　if　he　were　not　a　maker　of
negatives　well　known　in　Markton。'

'Not　well　known；　Mr。　Havill；'　answered　Mrs。　Goodman　firmly。
'For　I　lived　in　Markton　for　thirty　years　ending　three　months
ago；　and　he　was　never　heard　of　in　my　time。'

'He　is　something　like　you；　Charlotte；'　said　Paula；　smiling
playfully　on　her　companion。

All　the　men　looked　at　Charlotte；　on　whose　face　a　delicate
nervous　blush　thereupon　made　its　appearance。

''Pon　my　word　there　is　a　likeness；　now　I　think　of　it；'　said
Havill。

Paula　bent　down　to　Charlotte　and　whispered：　　'Forgive　my
rudeness；　dear。　　He　is　not　a　nice　enough　person　to　be　like
you。　　He　is　really　more　like　one　or　other　of　the　old　pictures
about　the　house。　　I　forget　which；　and　really　it　does　not
matter。'

'People's　features　fall　naturally　into　groups　and　classes；'
remarked　Somerset。　　'To　an　observant　person　they　often　repeat
themselves；　though　to　a　careless　eye　they　seem　infinite　in
their　differences。'

The　conversation　flagged；　and　they　idly　observed　the　figure　of
the　cosmopolite　Dare　as　he　walked　round　his　instrument　in　the
mead　and　busied　himself　with　an　arrangement　of　curtains　and
lenses；　occasionally　withdrawing　a　few　steps；　and　looking
contemplatively　at　the　towers　and　walls。



IX。

Somerset　returned　to　the　top　of　the　great　tower　with　a　vague
consciousness　that　he　was　going　to　do　something　up　there
perhaps　sketch　a　general　plan　of　the　structure。　　But　he　began
to　discern　that　this　Stancy…Castle　episode　in　his　studies　of
Gothic　architecture　might　be　less　useful　than　ornamental　to
him　as　a　professional　man；　though　it　was　too　agreeable　to　be
abandoned。　　Finding　after　a　while　that　his　drawing　progressed
but　slowly；　by　reason　of　infinite　joyful　thoughts　more　allied
to　his　nature　than　to　his　art；　he　relinquished　rule　and
compass；　and　entered　one　of　the　two　turrets　opening　on　the
roof。　　It　was　not　the　staircase　by　which　he　had　ascended；　and
he　proceeded　to　explore　its　lower　part。　　Entering　from　the
blaze　of　light　without；　and　imagining　the　stairs　to　descend　as
usual；　he　became　aware　after　a　few　steps　that　there　was
suddenly　nothing　to　tread　on；　and　found　himself　precipitated
downwards　to　a　distance　of　several　feet。

Arrived　at　the　bottom；　he　was　conscious　of　the　happy　fact　that
he　had　not　seriously　hurt　himself；　though　his　leg　was　twisted
awkwardly。　　Next　he　perceived　that　the　stone　steps　had　been
removed　from　the　turret；　so　that　he　had　dropped　into　it　as
into　a　dry　well；　that；　owing　to　its　being　walled　up　below；
there　was　no　door　of　exit　on　either　side　of　him；　that　he　was；
in　short；　a　prisoner。

Placing　himself　in　a　more　comfortable　position　he　calmly
considered　the　best　means　of　getting　out；　or　of　making　his
condition　known。　　For　a　moment　he　tried　to　drag　himself　up　by
his　arm；　but　it　was　a　hopeless　attempt；　the　height　to　the
first　step　being　far　too　great。

He　next　looked　round　at　a　lower　level。　　Not　far　from　his　left
elbow；　in　the　concave　of　the　outer　wall；　was　a　slit　for　the
admission　of　light；　and　he　perceived　at　once　that　through　this
slit　alone　lay　his　chance　of　communicating　with　the　outer
world。　　At　first　it　seemed　as　if　it　were　to　be　done　by
shouting；　but　when　he　learnt　what　little　effect　was　produced
by　his　voice　in　the　midst　of　such　a　mass　of　masonry；　his　heart
failed　him　for　a　moment。　　Yet；　as　either　Paula　or　Miss　De
Stancy　would　probably　guess　his　visit　to　the　top　of　the　tower；
there　was　no　cause　for　terror；　if　some　for　alarm。

He　put　his　handkerchief　through　the　window…slit；　so　that　it
fluttered　outside；　and；　fixing　it　in　its　place　by　a　large
stone　drawn　from　the　loose　ones　around　him；　awaited　succour　as
best　he　could。　　To　begin　this　course　of　procedure　was　easy；
but　to　abide　in　patience　till　it　should　produce　fruit　was　an
irksome　task。　　As　nearly　as　he　could　guessfor　his　watch　had
been　stopped　by　the　fallit　was　now　about　four　o'clock；　and
it　would　be　scarcely　possible　for　evening　to　approach　without
some　eye　or　other　noticing　the　white　signal。　　So　Somerset
waited；　his　eyes　lingering　on　the　little　world　of　objects
around　him；　till　they　all　became　quite　familiar。　　Spiders'…
webs　in　plenty　were　there；　and　one　in　particular　just　before
him　was　in　full　use　as　a　snare；　stretching　across　the　arch　of
the　window；　with　radiating　threads　as　its　ribs。　　Somerset　had
plenty　of　time；　and　he　counted　their　numberfifteen。　　He
remained　so　silent　that　the　owner　of　this　elaborate　structure
soon　forgot　the　disturbance　which　had　resulted　in　the　breaking
of　his　diagonal　ties；　and　crept　out　from　the　corner　to　mend
them。　　In　watching　the　process；　Somerset　noticed　that　on　the
stonework　behind　the　web　sundry　names　and　initials　had　been
cut　by　explorers　in　years　gone　by。　　Among　these　antique
inscriptions　he　observed　two　bright　and　clean　ones；　consisting
of　the　words　'De　Stancy'　and　'W。　Dare；'　crossing　each　other　at
right　angles。　　From　the　state　of　the　stone　they　could　not　have
been　cut　more　than　a　month　before　this　date；　and；　musing　on
the　circumstance；　Somerset　passed　the　time　until　the　sun
reached　the　slit　in　that　side　of　the　tower；　where；　beginning
by　throwing　in　a　streak　of　fire　as　narrow　as　a　corn…stalk；　it
enlarged　its　width　till　the　dusty　nook　was　flooded　with
cheerful　light。　　It　disclosed　something　lying　in　the　corner；
which　on　examination　proved　to　be　a　dry　bone。　　Whether　it　was
human；　or　had　come　from　the　castle　larder　in　bygone　times；　he
could　not　tell。　　One　bone　was　not　a　whole　skeleton；　but　it
made　him　think　of　Ginevra　of　Modena；　the　heroine　of　the
Mistletoe　Bough；　and　other　cribbed　and　confined　wretches；　who
had　fallen　into　such　traps　and　been　discovered　after　a　cycle
of　years。

The　sun's　rays　had　travelled　some　way　round　the　interior　when
Somerset's　waiting　ears　were　at　last　attracted　by　footsteps
above；　each　tread　being　brought　down　by　the　hollow　turret　with
great　fidelity。　　He　hoped　that　with　these　sounds　would　arise
that　of　a　soft　voice　he　had　begun　to　like　well。　　Indeed；
during　the　solitary　hour　or　two　of　his　waiting　here　he　had
pictured　Paula　straying　alone　on　the　terrace　of　the　castle；
looking　up；　noting　his　signal；　and　ascending　to　deliver　him
from　his　painful　position　by　her　own　exertions。　　It　seemed
that　at　length　his　dream　had　been　verified。　　The　footsteps
approached　the　opening　of　the　turret；　and；　attracted　by　the
call　which　Somerset　now　raised；　began　to　descend　towards　him。
In　a　moment；　not　Paula's　face；　but　that　of　a　dreary　footman　of
her　household；　looked　into　the　hole。

Somerset　mastered　his　disappointment；　and　the　man　speedily
fetched　a　ladder；　by　which　means　the　prisoner　of　two　hours
ascended　to　the　roof　in　safety。　　During　the　process　he
ventured　to　ask　for　the　ladies　of　the　house；　and　learnt　that
they　had　gone　out　for　a　drive　together。

Before　he　left　the　castle；　however；　the