a laodicean-第24章

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'Not　to　know　it　is　to　lose；　undoubtedly；'　murmured　Havill。

'Suppose　we　go　for　a　walk　that　way；　instead　of　consulting
here？'

They　went　down　the　town；　and　along　the　highway。　　When　they
reached　the　entrance　to　the　park　a　man　driving　a　basket…
carriage　came　out　from　the　gate　and　passed　them　by　in　the
gloom。

'That　was　he；'　said　Dare。　　'He　sometimes　drives　over　from　the
hotel；　and　sometimes　walks。　　He　has　been　working　late　this
evening。'

Strolling　on　under　the　trees　they　met　three　masculine　figures；
laughing　and　talking　loudly。

'Those　are　the　three　first…class　London　draughtsmen；　Bowles；
Knowles；　and　Cockton；　whom　he　has　engaged　to　assist　him；
regardless　of　expense；'　continued　Dare。

'O　Lord！'　groaned　Havill。　　'There's　no　chance　for　me。'

The　castle　now　arose　before　them；　endowed　by　the　rayless　shade
with　a　more　massive　majesty　than　either　sunlight　or　moonlight
could　impart；　and　Havill　sighed　again　as　he　thought　of　what　he
was　losing　by　Somerset's　rivalry。　　'Well；　what　was　the　use　of
coming　here？'　he　asked。

'I　thought　it　might　suggest　somethingsome　way　of　seeing　the
design。　　The　servants　would　let　us　into　his　room；　I　dare　say。'

'I　don't　care　to　ask。　　Let　us　walk　through　the　wards；　and　then
homeward。'

They　sauntered　on　smoking；　Dare　leading　the　way　through　the
gate…house　into　a　corridor　which　was　not　inclosed；　a　lamp
hanging　at　the　further　end。

'We　are　getting　into　the　inhabited　part；　I　think；'　said
Havill。

Dare；　however；　had　gone　on；　and　knowing　the　tortuous　passages
from　his　few　days'　experience　in　measuring　them　with　Somerset；
he　came　to　the　butler's　pantry。　　Dare　knocked；　and　nobody
answering　he　entered；　took　down　a　key　which　hung　behind　the
door；　and　rejoined　Havill。　　'It　is　all　right；'　he　said。　　'The
cat's　away；　and　the　mice　are　at　play　in　consequence。'

Proceeding　up　a　stone　staircase　he　unlocked　the　door　of　a　room
in　the　dark；　struck　a　light　inside；　and　returning　to　the　door
called　in　a　whisper　to　Havill；　who　had　remained　behind。　　'This
is　Mr。　Somerset's　studio；'　he　said。

'How　did　you　get　permission？'　inquired　Havill；　not　knowing
that　Dare　had　seen　no　one。

'Anyhow；'　said　Dare　carelessly。　　'We　can　examine　the　plans　at
leisure；　for　if　the　placid　Mrs。　Goodman；　who　is　the　only　one
at　home；　sees　the　light；　she　will　only　think　it　is　Somerset
still　at　work。'

Dare　uncovered　the　drawings；　and　young　Somerset's　brain…work
for　the　last　six　weeks　lay　under　their　eyes。　　To　Dare；　who　was
too　cursory　to　trouble　himself　by　entering　into　such　details；
it　had　very　little　meaning；　but　the　design　shone　into　Havill's
head　like　a　light　into　a　dark　place。　　It　was　original；　and　it
was　fascinating。　　Its　originality　lay　partly　in　the
circumstance　that　Somerset　had　not　attempted　to　adapt　an　old
building　to　the　wants　of　the　new　civilization。　　He　had　placed
his　new　erection　beside　it　as　a　slightly　attached　structure；
harmonizing　with　the　old；　heightening　and　beautifying；　rather
than　subduing　it。　　His　work　formed　a　palace；　with　a　ruinous
castle　annexed　as　a　curiosity。　　To　Havill　the　conception　had
more　charm　than　it　could　have　to　the　most　appreciative
outsider；　for　when　a　mediocre　and　jealous　mind　that　has　been
cudgelling　itself　over　a　problem　capable　of　many　solutions；
lights　on　the　solution　of　a　rival；　all　possibilities　in　that
kind　seem　to　merge　in　the　one　beheld。

Dare　was　struck　by　the　arrested　expression　of　the　architect's
face。　　'Is　it　rather　good？'　he　asked。

'Yes；　rather；'　said　Havill；　subduing　himself。

'More　than　rather？'

'Yes；　the　clever　devil！'　exclaimed　Havill；　unable　to
depreciate　longer。

'How？'

'The　riddle　that　has　worried　me　three　weeks　he　has　solved　in　a
way　which　is　simplicity　itself。　　He　has　got　it；　and　I　am
undone！'

'Nonsense；　don't　give　way。　　Let's　make　a　tracing。'

'The　ground…plan　will　be　sufficient；'　said　Havill；　his　courage
reviving。　　'The　idea　is　so　simple；　that　if　once　seen　it　is　not
easily　forgotten。'

A　rough　tracing　of　Somerset's　design　was　quickly　made；　and
blowing　out　the　candle　with　a　wave　of　his　hand；　the　younger
gentleman　locked　the　door；　and　they　went　downstairs　again。

'I　should　never　have　thought　of　it；'　said　Havill；　as　they
walked　homeward。

'One　man　has　need　of　another　every　ten　years：　　Ogni　dieci　anni
un　uomo　ha　bisogno　dell'　altro；　as　they　say　in　Italy。　　You'll
help　me　for　this　turn　if　I　have　need　of　you？'

'I　shall　never　have　the　power。'

'O　yes；　you　will。　　A　man　who　can　contrive　to　get　admitted　to　a
competition　by　writing　a　letter　abusing　another　man；　has　any
amount　of　power。　　The　stroke　was　a　good　one。'

Havill　was　silent　till　he　said；　'I　think　these　gusts　mean　that
we　are　to　have　a　storm　of　rain。'

Dare　looked　up。　　The　sky　was　overcast；　the　trees　shivered；　and
a　drop　or　two　began　to　strike　into　the　walkers'　coats　from　the
east。　　They　were　not　far　from　the　inn　at　Sleeping…Green；　where
Dare　had　lodgings；　occupying　the　rooms　which　had　been　used　by
Somerset　till　he　gave　them　up　for　more　commodious　chambers　at
Markton；　and　they　decided　to　turn　in　there　till　the　rain
should　be　over。

Having　possessed　himself　of　Somerset's　brains　Havill　was
inclined　to　be　jovial；　and　ordered　the　best　in　wines　that　the
house　afforded。　　Before　starting　from　home　they　had　drunk　as
much　as　was　good　for　them；　so　that　their　potations　here　soon
began　to　have　a　marked　effect　upon　their　tongues。　　The　rain
beat　upon　the　windows　with　a　dull　dogged　pertinacity　which
seemed　to　signify　boundless　reserves　of　the　same　and　long
continuance。　　The　wind　rose；　the　sign　creaked；　and　the　candles
waved。　　The　weather　had；　in　truth；　broken　up　for　the　season；
and　this　was　the　first　night　of　the　change。

'Well；　here　we　are；'　said　Havill；　as　he　poured　out　another
glass　of　the　brandied　liquor　called　old　port　at　Sleeping…
Green；　'and　it　seems　that　here　we　are　to　remain　for　the
present。'

'I　am　at　home　anywhere！'　cried　the　lad；　whose　brow　was　hot　and
eye　wild。

Havill；　who　had　not　drunk　enough　to　affect　his　reasoning；　held
up　his　glass　to　the　light　and　said；　'I　never　can　quite　make
out　what　you　are；　or　what　your　age　is。　　Are　you　sixteen；　one…
and…twenty；　or　twenty…seven？　　And　are　you　an　Englishman；
Frenchman；　Indian；　American；　or　what？　　You　seem　not　to　have
taken　your　degrees　in　these　parts。'

'That's　a　secret；　my　friend；'　said　Dare。　　'I　am　a　citizen　of
the　world。　　I　owe　no　country　patriotism；　and　no　king　or　queen
obedience。　　A　man　whose　country　has　no　boundary　is　your　only
true　gentleman。'

'Well；　where　were　you　bornsomewhere；　I　suppose？'

'It　would　be　a　fact　worth　the　telling。　　The　secret　of　my　birth
lies　here。'　　And　Dare　slapped　his　breast　with　his　right　hand。

'Literally；　just　under　your　shirt…front；　or　figuratively；　in
your　heart？'　asked　Havill。

'Literally　there。　　It　is　necessary　that　it　should　be　recorded；
for　one's　own　memory　is　a　treacherous　book　of　reference；
should　verification　be　required　at　a　time　of　delirium；
disease；　or　death。'

Havill　asked　no　further　what　he　meant；　and　went　to　the　door。
Finding　that　the　rain　still　continued　he　returned　to　Dare；　who
was　by　this　time　sinking　down　in　a　one…sided　attitude；　as　if
hung　up　by　the　shoulder。　　Informing　his　companion　that　he　was
but　little　inclined　to　move　far　in　such　a　tempestuous　night；
he　decided　to　remain　in　the　inn　till　next　morning。　　On　calling
in　the　landlord；　however；　they　learnt　that　the　house　was　full
of　farmers　on　their　way　home　from　a　large　sheep…fair　in　the
neighbourhood；　and　that　several　of　these；　having　decided　to
stay　on　account　of　the　same　tempestuous　weather；　had　already
engaged　the　spare　beds。　　If　Mr。　Dare　would　give　up　his　room；
and　share　a　double…bedded　room　with　Mr。　Havill；　the　thing
could　be　done；　but　not　otherwise。

To　this　the　two　companions　agreed；　and　presently　went　upstairs
with　as　gentlemanly　a　walk　and　vertical　a　candle　as　they　could
exhibit　under　the　circumstances。

The　other　inmates　of　the　inn　soon　retired　to　rest；　and　the
storm　raged　on　unheeded　by　all　local　humanity。



III。

At　two　o'clock　the　rain　lessened　its　fury。　　At　half…past　two
the　obscured　moon　shone　forth；　and　at　three　Havill　awoke。　　The
blind　had　not　been　pulled　down　overnight；　and　the　moonlight
streamed　into　the　room；　across　the　bed　whereon　Dare　was
sleeping。　　He　lay　on　his　back；　his　arms　thrown　out；　and　his
well…curved　youthful　form　looked　like　an　unpedestaled　Dionysus
in　the　colourless　lunar　rays。

Sleep　had　cleared　Havill's　mind　from　the　drowsing　effects　of
the　last　night's　sitting；　and　he　thought　of　Dare's　mysterious
manner　in　speaking　of　himself。　　This　lad　resembled　the
Etruscan　youth　Tages；　in　one　respect；　that　of　being　a　boy
with；　seemingly；　the　wisdom　of　a　sage；　and　the　effect　of　his
presence　was　now　heightened　by　all　those　sinister　and　mystic
attributes　which　are　lent　by　nocturnal　environment。　　He　who　in
broad　daylight　might　be　but　a　young　chevalier　d'industrie　was
now　an　unlimited　possibility　in　social　phenomena。　　Havill
remembered　how　the　lad　had　pointed　to　his　breast；　and　said
that　his　secret　was　literally　kept　there。　　The　architect　was
too　much　of　a　provincial　to　have　quenched　the　common　curiosity
that　was　part　of　his　nature　by　the　acquired　metropolitan
indifference　to　other　people's　lives　which；　in　essence　more
unworthy　even　than　the　former；　causes　less　practical
inconvenience　in　its　exercise。

Dare　was　breathing　profoundly。　　Instigated　as　above　mentioned；
Havill　got　out　of　bed　and　stood　beside　the　sleeper。　　After　a
moment's　pause　he　gently　pulled　back　the　unfastened　collar　of
Dare's　nightshirt　and　saw　a　word　tattooed　in　distinct
characters　on　his　breast。　　Before　there　was　time　for　Havill　to
decipher　it　Dare　moved　slightly；　as　if　conscious　of
disturbance；　and　Havill　hastened　back　to　bed。　　Dare　bestirred
himself　yet　more；　whereupon　Havill　breathed　heavily；　though
keeping　an　intent　glance　on　the　lad　through　his　half…closed
eyes　to　learn　if　he　had　been　aware　of　the　investigation。

Dare　was　certainly　conscious　of　something；　for　he　sat　up；
rubbed　his　eyes；　and　gazed　around　the　room；　then　after　a　few
moments　of　reflection　he　drew　some　article　from　beneath　his
pillow。　　A　blue　gleam　shone　from　the　object　as　Dare　held　it　in
the　moonlight；　and　Havill　perceived　that　it　was　a　small
revolver。

A　clammy　dew　broke　out　upon　the　face　and　body　of　the　architect
when；　stepping　out　of　bed　with　the　weapon　in　his　hand；　Dare
looked　under　the　bed；　behind　the　curtains；　out　of　the　window；
and　into　a　closet；　as　if　convinced　that　something　had
occurred；　but　in　doubt　as　to　what　it　was。　　He　then　came　across
to　where　Havill　was　lying　and　still　keeping　up　the　appearance
of　sleep。　　Watching　him　awhile　and　mistrusting　the　reality　of
this　semblance；　Dare　brought　it　to　the　test　by　holding　the
revolver　within　a　few　inches　of　Havill's　forehead。

Havill　could　stand　no　more。　　Crystallized　with　terror；　he
said；　without　however　moving　more　than　his　lips；　in　dread　of
hasty　action　on　the　part　of　Dare：　　'O；　good　Lord；　Dare；　Dare；
I　have　done　nothing！'

The　youth　smiled　and　lowered　the　pistol。　　'I　was　only　finding
out　whether　it　was　you　or　some　burglar　who　had　been　playing
tricks　upon　me。　　I　find　it　was　you。'

'Do　put　away　that　thing！　　It　is　too　ghastly　to　produce　in　a
respectable　bedroom。