a laodicean-第33章

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De　Stancy　in　such　a　work。〃'

Dare　obeyed；　and　before　leaving　De　Stancy　arranged　to　begin
performing　on　his　venerated　forefathers　the　next　morning；　the
youth　so　accidentally　engaged　agreeing　to　be　there　at　the　same
time　to　assist　in　the　technical　operations。



III。

As　he　had　promised；　De　Stancy　made　use　the　next　day　of　the
coveted　permission　that　had　been　brought　about　by　the
ingenious　Dare。　　Dare's　timely　suggestion　of　tendering
assistance　had　the　practical　result　of　relieving　the　other　of
all　necessity　for　occupying　his　time　with　the　proceeding；
further　than　to　bestow　a　perfunctory　superintendence　now　and
then；　to　give　a　colour　to　his　regular　presence　in　the
fortress；　the　actual　work　of　taking　copies　being　carried　on　by
the　younger　man。

The　weather　was　frequently　wet　during　these　operations；　and
Paula；　Miss　De　Stancy；　and　her　brother；　were　often　in　the
house　whole　mornings　together。　　By　constant　urging　and　coaxing
the　latter　would　induce　his　gentle　sister；　much　against　her
conscience；　to　leave　him　opportunities　for　speaking　to　Paula
alone。　　It　was　mostly　before　some　print　or　painting　that　these
conversations　occurred；　while　De　Stancy　was　ostensibly
occupied　with　its　merits；　or　in　giving　directions　to　his
photographer　how　to　proceed。　　As　soon　as　the　dialogue　began；
the　latter　would　withdraw　out　of　earshot；　leaving　Paula　to
imagine　him　the　most　deferential　young　artist　in　the　world。

'You　will　soon　possess　duplicates　of　the　whole　gallery；'　she
said　on　one　of　these　occasions；　examining　some　curled　sheets
which　Dare　had　printed　off　from　the　negatives。

'No；'　said　the　soldier。　　'I　shall　not　have　patience　to　go　on。
I　get　ill…humoured　and　indifferent；　and　then　leave　off。'

'Why　ill…humoured？'

'I　scarcely　knowmore　than　that　I　acquire　a　general　sense　of
my　own　family's　want　of　merit　through　seeing　how　meritorious
the　people　are　around　me。　　I　see　them　happy　and　thriving
without　any　necessity　for　me　at　all；　and　then　I　regard　these
canvas　grandfathers　and　grandmothers；　and　ask；　〃Why　was　a　line
so　antiquated　and　out　of　date　prolonged　till　now？〃'

She　chid　him　good…naturedly　for　such　views。　　'They　will　do　you
an　injury；'　she　declared。　　'Do　spare　yourself；　Captain　De
Stancy！'

De　Stancy　shook　his　head　as　he　turned　the　painting　before　him
a　little　further　to　the　light。

'But；　do　you　know；'　said　Paula；　'that　notion　of　yours　of　being
a　family　out　of　date　is　delightful　to　some　people。　　I　talk　to
Charlotte　about　it　often。　　I　am　never　weary　of　examining　those
canopied　effigies　in　the　church；　and　almost　wish　they　were
those　of　my　relations。'

'I　will　try　to　see　things　in　the　same　light　for　your　sake；'
said　De　Stancy　fervently。

'Not　for　my　sake；　for　your　own　was　what　I　meant；　of　course；'
she　replied　with　a　repressive　air。

Captain　De　Stancy　bowed。

'What　are　you　going　to　do　with　your　photographs　when　you　have
them？'　she　asked；　as　if　still　anxious　to　obliterate　the
previous　sentimental　lapse。

'I　shall　put　them　into　a　large　album；　and　carry　them　with　me
in　my　campaigns；　and　may　I　ask；　now　I　have　an　opportunity；
that　you　would　extend　your　permission　to　copy　a　little
further；　and　let　me　photograph　one　other　painting　that　hangs
in　the　castle；　to　fittingly　complete　my　set？'

'Which？'

'That　half…length　of　a　lady　which　hangs　in　the　morning…room。
I　remember　seeing　it　in　the　Academy　last　year。'

Paula　involuntarily　closed　herself　up。　　The　picture　was　her
own　portrait。　　'It　does　not　belong　to　your　series；'　she　said
somewhat　coldly。

De　Stancy's　secret　thought　was；　I　hope　from　my　soul　it　will
belong　some　day！　　He　answered　with　mildness：　　'There　is　a　sort
of　connectionyou　are　my　sister's　friend。'

Paula　assented。

'And　hence；　might　not　your　friend's　brother　photograph　your
picture？'

Paula　demurred。

A　gentle　sigh　rose　from　the　bosom　of　De　Stancy。　　'What　is　to
become　of　me？'　he　said；　with　a　light　distressed　laugh。　　'I　am
always　inconsiderate　and　inclined　to　ask　too　much。　　Forgive
me！　　What　was　in　my　mind　when　I　asked　I　dare　not　say。'

'I　quite　understand　your　interest　in　your　family　picturesand
all　of　it；'　she　remarked　more　gently；　willing　not　to　hurt　the
sensitive　feelings　of　a　man　so　full　of　romance。

'And　in　that　ONE！'　he　said；　looking　devotedly　at　her。　　'If　I
had　only　been　fortunate　enough　to　include　it　with　the　rest；　my
album　would　indeed　have　been　a　treasure　to　pore　over　by　the
bivouac　fire！'

'O；　Captain　De　Stancy；　this　is　provoking　perseverance！'　cried
Paula；　laughing　half　crossly。　　'I　expected　that　after
expressing　my　decision　so　plainly　the　first　time　I　should　not
have　been　further　urged　upon　the　subject。'　　Saying　which　she
turned　and　moved　decisively　away。

It　had　not　been　a　productive　meeting；　thus　far。　　'One　word！'
said　De　Stancy；　following　and　almost　clasping　her　hand。　　'I
have　given　offence；　I　know：　　but　do　let　it　all　fall　on　my　own
headdon't　tell　my　sister　of　my　misbehaviour！　　She　loves　you
deeply；　and　it　would　wound　her　to　the　heart。'

'You　deserve　to　be　told　upon；'　said　Paula　as　she　withdrew；
with　just　enough　playfulness　to　show　that　her　anger　was　not
too　serious。

Charlotte　looked　at　Paula　uneasily　when　the　latter　joined　her
in　the　drawing…room。　　She　wanted　to　say；　'What　is　the　matter？'
but　guessing　that　her　brother　had　something　to　do　with　it；
forbore　to　speak　at　first。　　She　could　not　contain　her　anxiety
long。　　'Were　you　talking　with　my　brother？'　she　said。

'Yes；'　returned　Paula；　with　reservation。　　However；　she　soon
added；　'He　not　only　wants　to　photograph　his　ancestors；　but　MY
portrait　too。　　They　are　a　dreadfully　encroaching　sex；　and
perhaps　being　in　the　army　makes　them　worse！'

'I'll　give　him　a　hint；　and　tell　him　to　be　careful。'

'Don't　say　I　have　definitely　complained　of　him；　it　is　not
worth　while　to　do　that；　the　matter　is　too　trifling　for
repetition。　　Upon　the　whole；　Charlotte；　I　would　rather　you
said　nothing　at　all。'

De　Stancy's　hobby　of　photographing　his　ancestors　seemed　to
become　a　perfect　mania　with　him。　　Almost　every　morning
discovered　him　in　the　larger　apartments　of　the　castle；　taking
down　and　rehanging　the　dilapidated　pictures；　with　the
assistance　of　the　indispensable　Dare；　his　fingers　stained
black　with　dust；　and　his　face　expressing　a　busy　attention　to
the　work　in　hand；　though　always　reserving　a　look　askance　for
the　presence　of　Paula。

Though　there　was　something　of　subterfuge；　there　was　no　deep
and　double　subterfuge　in　all　this。　　De　Stancy　took　no
particular　interest　in　his　ancestral　portraits；　but　he　was
enamoured　of　Paula　to　weakness。　　Perhaps　the　composition　of
his　love　would　hardly　bear　looking　into；　but　it　was　recklessly
frank　and　not　quite　mercenary。　　His　photographic　scheme　was
nothing　worse　than　a　lover's　not　too　scrupulous　contrivance。
After　the　refusal　of　his　request　to　copy　her　picture　he　fumed
and　fretted　at　the　prospect　of　Somerset's　return　before　any
impression　had　been　made　on　her　heart　by　himself；　he　swore　at
Dare；　and　asked　him　hotly　why　he　had　dragged　him　into　such　a
hopeless　dilemma　as　this。

'Hopeless？　　Somerset　must　still　be　kept　away；　so　that　it　is
not　hopeless。　　I　will　consider　how　to　prolong　his　stay。'

Thereupon　Dare　considered。

The　time　was　cominghad　indeed　comewhen　it　was　necessary
for　Paula　to　make　up　her　mind　about　her　architect；　if　she
meant　to　begin　building　in　the　spring。　　The　two　sets　of　plans；
Somerset's　and　Havill's；　were　hanging　on　the　walls　of　the　room
that　had　been　used　by　Somerset　as　his　studio；　and　were
accessible　by　anybody。　　Dare　took　occasion　to　go　and　study
both　sets；　with　a　view　to　finding　a　flaw　in　Somerset's　which
might　have　been　passed　over　unnoticed　by　the　committee　of
architects；　owing　to　their　absence　from　the　actual　site。　　But
not　a　blunder　could　he　find。

He　next　went　to　Havill；　and　here　he　was　met　by　an　amazing
state　of　affairs。　　Havill's　creditors；　at　last　suspecting
something　mythical　in　Havill's　assurance　that　the　grand
commission　was　his；　had　lost　all　patience；　his　house　was
turned　upside…down；　and　a　poster　gleamed　on　the　front　wall；
stating　that　the　excellent　modern　household　furniture　was　to
be　sold　by　auction　on　Friday　next。　　Troubles　had　apparently
come　in　battalions；　for　Dare　was　informed　by　a　bystander　that
Havill's　wife　was　seriously　ill　also。

Without　staying　for　a　moment　to　enter　his　friend's　house；　back
went　Mr。　Dare　to　the　castle；　and　told　Captain　De　Stancy　of　the
architect's　desperate　circumstances；　begging　him　to　convey　the
news　in　some　way　to　Miss　Power。　　De　Stancy　promised　to　make
representations　in　the　proper　quarter　without　perceiving　that
he　was　doing　the　best　possible　deed　for　himself　thereby。

He　told　Paula　of　Havill's　misfortunes　in　the　presence　of　his
sister；　who　turned　pale。　　She　discerned　how　this　misfortune
would　bear　upon　the　undecided　competition。

'Poor　man；'　murmured　Paula。　　'He　was　my　father's　architect；
and　somehow　expected；　though　I　did　not　promise　it；　the　work　of
rebuilding　the　castle。'

Then　De　Stancy　saw　Dare's　aim　in　sending　him　to　Miss　Power
with　the　news；　and；　seeing　it；　concurred：　　Somerset　was　his
rival；　and　all　was　fair。　　'And　is　he　not　to　have　the　work　of
the　castle　after　expecting　it？'　he　asked。

Paula　was　lost　in　reflection。　　'The　other　architect's　design
and　Mr。　Havill's　are　exactly　equal　in　merit；　and　we　cannot
decide　how　to　give　it　to　either；'　explained　Charlotte。

'That　is　our　difficulty；'　Paula　murmured。　　'A　bankrupt；　and
his　wife　illdear　me！　　I　wonder　what's　the　cause。'

'He　has　borrowed　on　the　expectation　of　having　to　execute　the
castle　works；　and　now　he　is　unable　to　meet　his　liabilities。'

'It　is　very　sad；'　said　Paula。

'Let　me　suggest　a　remedy　for　this　dead…lock；'　said　De　Stancy。

'Do；'　said　Paula。

'Do　the　work　of　building　in　two　halves　or　sections。　　Give
Havill　the　first　half；　since　he　is　in　need；　when　that　is
finished　the　second　half　can　be　given　to　your　London
architect。　　If；　as　I　understand；　the　plans　are　identical；
except　in　ornamental　details；　there　will　be　no　difficulty
about　it　at　all。'

Paula　sighedjust　a　little　one；　and　yet　the　suggestion　seemed
to　satisfy　her　by　its　reasonableness。　　She　turned　sad；
wayward；　but　was　impressed　by　De　Stancy's　manner　and　words。
She　appeared　indeed　to　have　a　smouldering　desire　to　please
him。　　In　the　afternoon　she　said　to　Charlotte；　'I　mean　to　do　as
your　brother　says。'

A　note　was　despatched　to　Havill　that　very　day；　and　in　an　hour
the　crestfallen　architect　presented　himself　at　the　castle。
Paula　instantly　gave　him　audience；　commiserated　him；　and
commissioned　him　to　carry　out　a　first　section　of　the
buildings；　comprising　work　to　the　extent　of　about　twenty
thousand　pounds　expenditure；　and　then；　with　a　prematureness
quite　amazing　among　architects'　clients；　she　handed　him　over　a
cheque　for　five　hundred　pounds　on　account。

When　he　had　gone；　Paula's　bearing　showed　some　sign　of　being
disquieted　at　what　she　had　done；　but　she　covered　her　mood
under　a　cloak　of　saucy　serenity。　　Perhaps　a　tender　remembrance
of　a　certain　thunderstorm　in　the　foregoing　August　when　she
stood　with　Somerset　in　the　arbour；　and　did　not　own　that　she
loved　him；　was　pressing　on　her　memory　and　bewildering　her。
She　had　not　seen　quite　clearly；　in　adopting　De　Stancy's
suggestion；　t