a laodicean-第21章

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the　ash…tree；　were　ensconced　at　one　end　with　their　harps　and
violins。　　It　reminded　him　that　there　was　to　be　dancing。　　The
tent　had　in　the　meantime　half　filled　with　a　new　set　of　young
people　who　had　come　expressly　for　that　pastime。　　Behind　the
girls　gathered　numbers　of　newly　arrived　young　men　with　low
shoulders　and　diminutive　moustaches；　who　were　evidently
prepared　for　once　to　sacrifice　themselves　as　partners。

Somerset　felt　something　of　a　thrill　at　the　sight。　　He　was　an
infrequent　dancer；　and　particularly　unprepared　for　dancing　at
present；　but　to　dance　once　with　Paula　Power　he　would　give　a
year　of　his　life。　　He　looked　round；　but　she　was　nowhere　to　be
seen。　　The　first　set　began；　old　and　middle…aged　people
gathered　from　the　different　rooms　to　look　on　at　the　gyrations
of　their　children；　but　Paula　did　not　appear。　　When　another
dance　or　two　had　progressed；　and　an　increase　in　the　average
age　of　the　dancers　was　making　itself　perceptible；　especially
on　the　masculine　side；　Somerset　was　aroused　by　a　whisper　at
his　elbow

'You　dance；　I　think？　　Miss　Deverell　is　disengaged。　　She　has
not　been　asked　once　this　evening。'　　The　speaker　was　Paula。

Somerset　looked　at　Miss　Deverella　sallow　lady　with　black
twinkling　eyes；　yellow　costume；　and　gay　laugh；　who　had　been
there　all　the　afternoonand　said　something　about　having
thought　of　going　home。

'Is　that　because　I　asked　you　to　dance？'　she　murmured。　　'There…
…she　is　appropriated。'　　A　young　gentleman　had　at　that　moment
approached　the　uninviting　Miss　Deverell；　claimed　her　hand　and
led　her　off。

'That's　right；'　said　Somerset。　　'I　ought　to　leave　room　for
younger　men。'

'You　need　not　say　so。　　That　bald…headed　gentleman　is　forty…
five。　　He　does　not　think　of　younger　men。'

'Have　YOU　a　dance　to　spare　for　me？'

Her　face　grew　stealthily　redder　in　the　candle…light。　　　'O！I
have　no　engagement　at　allI　have　refused。　　I　hardly　feel　at
liberty　to　dance；　it　would　be　as　well　to　leave　that　to　my
visitors。'

'Why？'

'My　father；　though　he　allowed　me　to　be　taught；　never　liked　the
idea　of　my　dancing。'

'Did　he　make　you　promise　anything　on　the　point？'

'He　said　he　was　not　in　favour　of　such　amusementsno　more。'

'I　think　you　are　not　bound　by　that；　on　an　informal　occasion
like　the　present。'

She　was　silent。

'You　will　just　once？'　said　he。

Another　silence。　　'If　you　like；'　she　venturesomely　answered　at
last。

Somerset　closed　the　hand　which　was　hanging　by　his　side；　and
somehow　hers　was　in　it。　　The　dance　was　nearly　formed；　and　he
led　her　forward。　　Several　persons　looked　at　them
significantly；　but　he　did　not　notice　it　then；　and　plunged　into
the　maze。

Never　had　Mr。　Somerset　passed　through　such　an　experience
before。　　Had　he　not　felt　her　actual　weight　and　warmth；　he
might　have　fancied　the　whole　episode　a　figment　of　the
imagination。　　It　seemed　as　if　those　musicians　had　thrown　a
double　sweetness　into　their　notes　on　seeing　the　mistress　of
the　castle　in　the　dance；　that　a　perfumed　southern　atmosphere
had　begun　to　pervade　the　marquee；　and　that　human　beings　were
shaking　themselves　free　of　all　inconvenient　gravitation。

Somerset's　feelings　burst　from　his　lips。　　'This　is　the
happiest　moment　I　have　ever　known；'　he　said。　　'Do　you　know
why？'

'I　think　I　saw　a　flash　of　lightning　through　the　opening　of　the
tent；'　said　Paula；　with　roguish　abruptness。

He　did　not　press　for　an　answer。　　Within　a　few　minutes　a　long
growl　of　thunder　was　heard。　　It　was　as　if　Jove　could　not
refrain　from　testifying　his　jealousy　of　Somerset　for　taking
this　covetable　woman　so　presumptuously　in　his　arms。

The　dance　was　over；　and　he　had　retired　with　Paula　to　the　back
of　the　tent；　when　another　faint　flash　of　lightning　was　visible
through　an　opening。　　She　lifted　the　canvas；　and　looked　out；
Somerset　looking　out　behind　her。　　Another　dance　was　begun；　and
being　on　this　account　left　out　of　notice；　Somerset　did　not
hasten　to　leave　Paula's　side。

'I　think　they　begin　to　feel　the　heat；'　she　said。

'A　little　ventilation　would　do　no　harm。'　　He　flung　back　the
tent　door　where　he　stood；　and　the　light　shone　out　upon　the
grass。

'I　must　go　to　the　drawing…room　soon；'　she　added。　　'They　will
begin　to　leave　shortly。'

'It　is　not　late。　　The　thunder…cloud　has　made　it　seem　darksee
there；　a　line　of　pale　yellow　stretches　along　the　horizon　from
west　to　north。　　That's　eveningnot　gone　yet。　　Shall　we　go
into　the　fresh　air　for　a　minute？'

She　seemed　to　signify　assent；　and　he　stepped　off　the　tent…
floor　upon　the　ground。　　She　stepped　off　also。

The　air　out…of…doors　had　not　cooled；　and　without　definitely
choosing　a　direction　they　found　themselves　approaching　a
little　wooden　tea…house　that　stood　on　the　lawn　a　few　yards
off。　　Arrived　here；　they　turned；　and　regarded　the　tent　they
had　just　left；　and　listened　to　the　strains　that　came　from
within　it。

'I　feel　more　at　ease　now；'　said　Paula。

'So　do　I；'　said　Somerset。

'I　mean；'　she　added　in　an　undeceiving　tone；　'because　I　saw
Mrs。　Goodman　enter　the　tent　again　just　as　we　came　out　here；　so
I　have　no　further　responsibility。'

'I　meant　something　quite　different。　　Try　to　guess　what。'

She　teasingly　demurred；　finally　breaking　the　silence　by
saying；　'The　rain　is　come　at　last；'　as　great　drops　began　to
fall　upon　the　ground　with　a　smack；　like　pellets　of　clay。

In　a　moment　the　storm　poured　down　with　sudden　violence；　and
they　drew　further　back　into　the　summer…house。　　The　side　of　the
tent　from　which　they　had　emerged　still　remained　open；　the　rain
streaming　down　between　their　eyes　and　the　lighted　interior　of
the　marquee　like　a　tissue　of　glass　threads；　the　brilliant
forms　of　the　dancers　passing　and　repassing　behind　the　watery
screen；　as　if　they　were　people　in　an　enchanted　submarine
palace。

'How　happy　they　are！'　said　Paula。　　'They　don't　even　know　that
it　is　raining。　　I　am　so　glad　that　my　aunt　had　the　tent　lined；
otherwise　such　a　downpour　would　have　gone　clean　through　it。'

The　thunder…storm　showed　no　symptoms　of　abatement；　and　the
music　and　dancing　went　on　more　merrily　than　ever。

'We　cannot　go　in；'　said　Somerset。　　'And　we　cannot　shout　for
umbrellas。　　We　will　stay　till　it　is　over；　will　we　not？'

'Yes；'　she　said；　'if　you　care　to。　　Ah！'

'What　is　it？'

'Only　a　big　drop　came　upon　my　head。'

'Let　us　stand　further　in。'

Her　hand　was　hanging　by　her　side；　and　Somerset's　was　close　by。
He　took　it；　and　she　did　not　draw　it　away。　　Thus　they　stood　a
long　while；　the　rain　hissing　down　upon　the　grass…plot；　and　not
a　soul　being　visible　outside　the　dancing…tent　save　themselves。

'May　I　call　you　Paula？'　asked　he。

There　was　no　answer。

'May　I？'　he　repeated。

'Yes；　occasionally；'　she　murmured。

'Dear　Paula！may　I　call　you　that？'

'O　nonot　yet。'

'But　you　know　I　love　you？'

'Yes；'　she　whispered。

'And　shall　I　love　you　always？'

'If　you　wish　to。'

'And　will　you　love　me？'

Paula　did　not　reply。

'Will　you；　Paula？'　he　repeated。

'You　may　love　me。'

'But　don't　you　love　me　in　return？'

'I　love　you　to　love　me。'

'Won't　you　say　anything　more　explicit？'

'I　would　rather　not。'

Somerset　emitted　half　a　sigh：　　he　wished　she　had　been　more
demonstrative；　yet　felt　that　this　passive　way　of　assenting　was
as　much　as　he　could　hope　for。　　Had　there　been　anything　cold　in
her　passivity　he　might　have　felt　repressed；　but　her　stillness
suggested　the　stillness　of　motion　imperceptible　from　its
intensity。

'We　must　go　in；'　said　she。　　'The　rain　is　almost　over；　and
there　is　no　longer　any　excuse　for　this。'

Somerset　bent　his　lips　toward　hers。　　'No；'　said　the　fair
Puritan　decisively。

'Why　not？'　he　asked。

'Nobody　ever　has。'

'But！'　expostulated　Somerset。

'To　everything　there　is　a　season；　and　the　season　for　this　is
not　just　now；'　she　answered；　walking　away。

They　crossed　the　wet　and　glistening　lawn；　stepped　under　the
tent　and　parted。　　She　vanished；　he　did　not　know　whither；　and；
standing　with　his　gaze　fixed　on　the　dancers；　the　young　man
waited；　till；　being　in　no　mood　to　join　them；　he　went　slowly
through　the　artificial　passage　lined　with　flowers；　and　entered
the　drawing　room。　　Mrs。　Goodman　was　there；　bidding　good…night
to　the　early　goers；　and　Paula　was　just　behind　her；　apparently
in　her　usual　mood。　　His　parting　with　her　was　quite　formal；　but
that　he　did　not　mind；　for　her　colour　rose　decidedly　higher　as
he　approached；　and　the　light　in　her　eyes　was　like　the　ray　of　a
diamond。

When　he　reached　the　door　he　found　that　his　brougham　from　the
Quantock　Arms；　which　had　been　waiting　more　than　an　hour；　could
not　be　heard　of。　　That　vagrancy　of　spirit　which　love　induces
would　not　permit　him　to　wait；　and；　leaving　word　that　the　man
was　to　follow　him　when　he　returned；　he　went　past　the　glare　of
carriage…lamps　ranked　in　the　ward；　and　under　the　outer　arch。
The　night　was　now　clear　and　beautiful；　and　he　strolled　along
his　way　full　of　mysterious　elation　till　the　vehicle　overtook
him；　and　he　got　in。

Up　to　this　point　Somerset's　progress　in　his　suit　had　been；
though　incomplete；　so　uninterrupted；　that　he　almost　feared　the
good　chance　he　enjoyed。　　How　should　it　be　in　a　mortal　of　his
calibre　to　command　success　with　such　a　sweet　woman　for　long？
He　might；　indeed；　turn　out　to　be　one　of　the　singular
exceptions　which　are　said　to　prove　rules；　but　when　fortune
means　to　men　most　good；　observes　the　bard；　she　looks　upon　them
with　a　threatening　eye。　　Somerset　would　even　have　been　content
that　a　little　disapproval　of　his　course　should　have　occurred
in　some　quarter；　so　as　to　make　his　wooing　more　like　ordinary
life。　　But　Paula　was　not　clearly　won；　and　that　was　drawback
sufficient。　　In　these　pleasing　agonies　and　painful　delights　he
passed　the　journey　to　Markton。




BOOK　THE　SECOND。　　DARE　AND　HAVILL。



I。

Young　Dare　sat　thoughtfully　at　the　window　of　the　studio　in
which　Somerset　had　left　him；　till　the　gay　scene　beneath　became
embrowned　by　the　twilight；　and　the　brilliant　red　stripes　of
the　marquees；　the　bright　sunshades；　the　many…tinted　costumes
of　the　ladies；　were　indistinguishable　from　the　blacks　and
greys　of　the　masculine　contingent　moving　among　them。　　He　had
occasionally　glanced　away　from　the　outward　prospect　to　study　a
small　old　volume　that　lay　before　him　on　the　drawing…board。
Near　scrutiny　revealed　the　book　to　bear　the　title　'Moivre's
Doctrine　of　Chances。'

The　evening　had　been　so　still　that　Dare　had　heard
conversations　from　below　with　a　clearness　unsuspected　by　the
speakers　themselves；　and　among　the　dialogues　which　thus
reached　his　ears　was　that　between　Somerset　and　Havill　on　their
professional　rivalry。　　When　they　parted；　and　Somerset　had
mingled　with　the　throng；　Havill　went　to　a　seat　at　a　distance。
Afterwards　he　rose；　and　walked　away；　but　on　the　bench　he　had
quitted　there　remained　a　small　object　resembling　a　book　or
leather　case。

Dare　put　away　the　drawing…board　and　plotting…scales　which　he
had　kept　before　him　during　the　evening　as　a　reason　for　his
presence　at　that　post　of　espial；　locked　up　the　door；　and　went
downstairs。　　Notwithstanding　his　dismissal　by　Somerset；　he　was
so　serene　in　countenance　and　easy　in　gait　as　to　make　it　a　fair
conjecture　that　professional　servitude；　however　profitable；
was　no　necessity　with　him。　　The　gloom　now　rendered　it
practicable　for　any　unbidden　guest　to　join　Paula's　assemb