a laodicean-第25章

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'Do　put　away　that　thing！　　It　is　too　ghastly　to　produce　in　a
respectable　bedroom。　　Why　do　you　carry　it？'

'Cosmopolites　always　do。　　Now　answer　my　questions。　　What　were
you　up　to？'　and　Dare　as　he　spoke　played　with　the　pistol　again。

Havill　had　recovered　some　coolness。　　'You　could　not　use　it
upon　me；'　he　said　sardonically；　watching　Dare。　　'It　would　be
risking　your　neck　for　too　little　an　object。'

'I　did　not　think　you　were　shrewd　enough　to　see　that；'　replied
Dare　carelessly；　as　he　returned　the　revolver　to　its　place。
'Well；　whether　you　have　outwitted　me　or　no；　you　will　keep　the
secret　as　long　as　I　choose。'

'Why？'　said　Havill。

'Because　I　keep　your　secret　of　the　letter　abusing　Miss　P。；　and
of　the　pilfered　tracing　you　carry　in　your　pocket。'

'It　is　quite　true；'　said　Havill。

They　went　to　bed　again。　　Dare　was　soon　asleep；　but　Havill　did
not　attempt　to　disturb　him　again。　　The　elder　man　slept　but
fitfully。　　He　was　aroused　in　the　morning　by　a　heavy　rumbling
and　jingling　along　the　highway　overlooked　by　the　window；　the
front　wall　of　the　house　being　shaken　by　the　reverberation。

'There　is　no　rest　for　me　here；'　he　said；　rising　and　going　to
the　window；　carefully　avoiding　the　neighbourhood　of　Mr。　Dare。
When　Havill　had　glanced　out　he　returned　to　dress　himself。

'What's　that　noise？'　said　Dare；　awakened　by　the　same　rumble。

'It　is　the　Artillery　going　away。'

'From　where？'

'Markton　barracks。'

'Hurrah！'　said　Dare；　jumping　up　in　bed。　　'I　have　been　waiting
for　that　these　six　weeks。'

Havill　did　not　ask　questions　as　to　the　meaning　of　this
unexpected　remark。

When　they　were　downstairs　Dare's　first　act　was　to　ring　the
bell　and　ask　if　his　Army　and　Navy　Gazette　had　arrived。

While　the　servant　was　gone　Havill　cleared　his　throat　and　said；
'I　am　an　architect；　and　I　take　in　the　Architect；　you　are　an
architect；　and　you　take　in　the　Army　and　Navy　Gazette。'

'I　am　not　an　architect　any　more　than　I　am　a　soldier；　but　I
have　taken　in　the　Army　and　Navy　Gazette　these　many　weeks。'

When　they　were　at　breakfast　the　paper　came　in。　　Dare　hastily
tore　it　open　and　glanced　at　the　pages。

'I　am　going　to　Markton　after　breakfast！'　he　said　suddenly；
before　looking　up；　'we　will　walk　together　if　you　like？'

They　walked　together　as　planned；　and　entered　Markton　about　ten
o'clock。

'I　have　just　to　make　a　call　here；'　said　Dare；　when　they　were
opposite　the　barrack…entrance　on　the　outskirts　of　the　town；
where　wheel…tracks　and　a　regular　chain　of　hoof…marks　left　by
the　departed　batteries　were　imprinted　in　the　gravel　between
the　open　gates。　　'I　shall　not　be　a　moment。'　　Havill　stood
still　while　his　companion　entered　and　asked　the　commissary　in
charge；　or　somebody　representing　him；　when　the　new　batteries
would　arrive　to　take　the　place　of　those　which　had　gone　away。
He　was　informed　that　it　would　be　about　noon。

'Now　I　am　at　your　service；'　said　Dare；　'and　will　help　you　to
rearrange　your　design　by　the　new　intellectual　light　we　have
acquired。'

They　entered　Havill's　office　and　set　to　work。　　When　contrasted
with　the　tracing　from　Somerset's　plan；　Havill's　design；　which
was　not　far　advanced；　revealed　all　its　weaknesses　to　him。
After　seeing　Somerset's　scheme　the　bands　of　Havill's
imagination　were　loosened：　　he　laid　his　own　previous　efforts
aside；　got　fresh　sheets　of　drawing…paper　and　drew　with　vigour。

'I　may　as　well　stay　and　help　you；'　said　Dare。　　'I　have　nothing
to　do　till　twelve　o'clock；　and　not　much　then。'

So　there　he　remained。　　At　a　quarter　to　twelve　children　and
idlers　began　to　gather　against　the　railings　of　Havill's　house。
A　few　minutes　past　twelve　the　noise　of　an　arriving　host　was
heard　at　the　entrance　to　the　town。　　Thereupon　Dare　and　Havill
went　to　the　window。

The　X　and　Y　Batteries　of　the　Z　Brigade；　Royal　Horse　Artillery；
were　entering　Markton；　each　headed　by　the　major　with　his
bugler　behind　him。　　In　a　moment　they　came　abreast　and　passed；
every　man　in　his　place；　that　is　to　say：

Six　shining　horses；　in　pairs；　harnessed　by　rope…traces　white
as　milk；　with　a　driver　on　each　near　horse：　　two　gunners　on　the
lead…coloured　stout…wheeled　limber；　their　carcases　jolted　to　a
jelly　for　lack　of　springs：　　two　gunners　on　the　lead…coloured
stout…wheeled　gun…carriage；　in　the　same　personal　condition：
the　nine…pounder　gun；　dipping　its　heavy　head　to　earth；　as　if
ashamed　of　its　office　in　these　enlightened　times：　　the
complement　of　jingling　and　prancing　troopers；　riding　at　the
wheels　and　elsewhere：　　six　shining　horses　with　their　drivers；
and　traces　white　as　milk；　as　before：　　two　more　gallant　jolted
men；　on　another　jolting　limber；　and　more　stout　wheels　and
lead…coloured　paint：　　two　more　jolted　men　on　another　drooping
gun：　　more　jingling　troopers　on　horseback：　　again　six　shining
draught…horses；　traces；　drivers；　gun；　gunners；　lead　paint；
stout　wheels　and　troopers　as　before。

So　each　detachment　lumbered　slowly　by；　all　eyes　martially
forward；　except　when　wandering　in　quest　of　female　beauty。

'He's　a　fine　fellow；　is　he　not？'　said　Dare；　denoting　by　a　nod
a　mounted　officer；　with　a　sallow；　yet　handsome　face；　and　black
moustache；　who　came　up　on　a　bay　gelding　with　the　men　of　his
battery。

'What　is　he？'　said　Havill。

'A　captain　who　lacks　advancement。'

'Do　you　know　him？'

'I　know　him？'

'Yes；　do　you？'

Dare　made　no　reply；　and　they　watched　the　captain　as　he　rode
past　with　his　drawn　sword　in　his　hand；　the　sun　making　a　little
sun　upon　its　blade；　and　upon　his　brilliantly　polished　long
boots　and　bright　spurs；　also　warming　his　gold　cross…belt　and
braidings；　white　gloves；　busby　with　its　red　bag；　and　tall
white　plume。

Havill　seemed　to　be　too　indifferent　to　press　his　questioning；
and　when　all　the　soldiers　had　passed　by；　Dare　observed　to　his
companion　that　he　should　leave　him　for　a　short　time；　but　would
return　in　the　afternoon　or　next　day。

After　this　he　walked　up　the　street　in　the　rear　of　the
artillery；　following　them　to　the　barracks。　　On　reaching　the
gates　he　found　a　crowd　of　people　gathered　outside；　looking
with　admiration　at　the　guns　and　gunners　drawn　up　within　the
enclosure。　　When　the　soldiers　were　dismissed　to　their　quarters
the　sightseers　dispersed；　and　Dare　went　through　the　gates　to
the　barrack…yard。

The　guns　were　standing　on　the　green；　the　soldiers　and　horses
were　scattered　about；　and　the　handsome　captain　whom　Dare　had
pointed　out　to　Havill　was　inspecting　the　buildings　in　the
company　of　the　quartermaster。　　Dare　made　a　mental　note　of
these　things；　and；　apparently　changing　a　previous　intention；
went　out　from　the　barracks　and　returned　to　the　town。



IV。

To　return　for　a　while　to　George　Somerset。　　The　sun　of　his
later　existence　having　vanished　from　that　young　man's　horizon；
he　confined　himself　closely　to　the　studio；　superintending　the
exertions　of　his　draughtsmen　Bowles；　Knowles；　and　Cockton；　who
were　now　in　the　full　swing　of　working　out　Somerset's　creations
from　the　sketches　he　had　previously　prepared。

He　had　so　far　got　the　start　of　Havill　in　the　competition　that；
by　the　help　of　these　three　gentlemen；　his　design　was　soon
finished。　　But　he　gained　no　unfair　advantage　on　this　account；
an　additional　month　being　allowed　to　Havill　to　compensate　for
his　later　information。

Before　scaling　up　his　drawings　Somerset　wished　to　spend　a
short　time　in　London；　and　dismissing　his　assistants　till
further　notice；　he　locked　up　the　rooms　which　had　been
appropriated　as　office　and　studio　and　prepared　for　the
journey。

It　was　afternoon。　　Somerset　walked　from　the　castle　in　the
direction　of　the　wood　to　reach　Markton　by　a　detour。　　He　had
not　proceeded　far　when　there　approached　his　path　a　man　riding
a　bay　horse　with　a　square…cut　tail。　　The　equestrian　wore　a
grizzled　beard；　and　looked　at　Somerset　with　a　piercing　eye　as
he　noiselessly　ambled　nearer　over　the　soft　sod　of　the　park。
He　proved　to　be　Mr。　Cunningham　Haze；　chief　constable　of　the
district；　who　had　become　slightly　known　to　Somerset　during　his
sojourn　here。

'One　word；　Mr。　Somerset；'　said　the　Chief；　after　they　had
exchanged　nods　of　recognition；　reining　his　horse　as　he　spoke。

Somerset　stopped。

'You　have　a　studio　at　the　castle　in　which　you　are　preparing
drawings？'

'I　have。'

'Have　you　a　clerk？'

'I　had　three　till　yesterday；　when　I　paid　them　off。'

'Would　they　have　any　right　to　enter　the　studio　late　at　night？'

'There　would　have　been　nothing　wrong　in　their　doing　so。
Either　of　them　might　have　gone　back　at　any　time　for　something
forgotten。　　They　lived　quite　near　the　castle。'

'Ah；　then　all　is　explained。　　I　was　riding　past　over　the　grass
on　the　night　of　last　Thursday；　and　I　saw　two　persons　in　your
studio　with　a　light。　　It　must　have　been　about　half…past　nine
o'clock。　　One　of　them　came　forward　and　pulled　down　the　blind
so　that　the　light　fell　upon　his　face。　　But　I　only　saw　it　for　a
short　time。'

'If　it　were　Knowles　or　Cockton　he　would　have　had　a　beard。'

'He　had　no　beard。'

'Then　it　must　have　been　Bowles。　　A　young　man？'

'Quite　young。　　His　companion　in　the　background　seemed　older。'

'They　are　all　about　the　same　age　really。　　By　the　wayit
couldn't　have　been　Dareand　Havill；　surely！　　Would　you
recognize　them　again？'

'The　young　one　possibly。　　The　other　not　at　all；　for　he
remained　in　the　shade。'

Somerset　endeavoured　to　discern　in　a　description　by　the　chief
constable　the　features　of　Mr。　Bowles：　　but　it　seemed　to
approximate　more　closely　to　Dare　in　spite　of　himself。　　'I'll
make　a　sketch　of　the　only　one　who　had　no　business　there；　and
show　it　to　you；'　he　presently　said。　　'I　should　like　this
cleared　up。'

Mr。　Cunningham　Haze　said　he　was　going　to　Toneborough　that
afternoon；　but　would　return　in　the　evening　before　Somerset's
departure。　　With　this　they　parted。　　A　possible　motive　for
Dare's　presence　in　the　rooms　had　instantly　presented　itself　to
Somerset's　mind；　for　he　had　seen　Dare　enter　Havill's　office
more　than　once；　as　if　he　were　at　work　there。

He　accordingly　sat　on　the　next　stile；　and　taking　out　his
pocket…book　began　a　pencil　sketch　of　Dare's　head；　to　show　to
Mr。　Haze　in　the　evening；　for　if　Dare　had　indeed　found
admission　with　Havill；　or　as　his　agent；　the　design　was　lost。

But　he　could　not　make　a　drawing　that　was　a　satisfactory
likeness。　　Then　he　luckily　remembered　that　Dare；　in　the
intense　warmth　of　admiration　he　had　affected　for　Somerset　on
the　first　day　or　two　of　their　acquaintance；　had　begged　for　his
photograph；　and　in　return　for　it　had　left　one　of　himself　on
the　mantelpiece；　taken　as　he　said　by　his　own　process。
Somerset　resolved　to　show　this　production　to　Mr。　Haze；　as
being　more　to　the　purpose　than　a　sketch；　and　instead　of
finishing　the　latter；　proceeded　on　his　way。

He　entered　the　old　overgrown　drive　which　wound　indirectly
through　the　wood　to　Markton。　　The　road；　having　been　laid　out
for　idling　rather　than　for　progress；　bent　sharply　hither　and
thither　among　the　fissured　trunks　and　layers　of　horny　leaves
which　lay　there　all　the　year　round；　interspersed　with　cushions
of　vivid　green　moss　that　formed　oases　in　the　rust…red　expanse。

Reaching　a　point　where　the　road　made　one　of　its　bends　between
two　large　beeches；　a　man　and　woman　revealed　themselves　at　a
few　yards'　distance；　walking　slowly　towards　him。　　In　the　short
and　quaint　lady　he　recognized　Charlotte　De　St