a laodicean-第34章

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She　had　not　seen　quite　clearly；　in　adopting　De　Stancy's
suggestion；　that　Somerset　would　now　have　no　professional
reason　for　being　at　the　castle　for　the　next　twelve　months。

But　the　captain　had；　and　when　Havill　entered　the　castle　he
rejoiced　with　great　joy。　　Dare；　too；　rejoiced　in　his　cold　way；
and　went　on　with　his　photography；　saying；　'The　game
progresses；　captain。'

'Game？　　Call　it　Divine　Comedy；　rather！'　said　the　soldier
exultingly。

'He　is　practically　banished　for　a　year　or　more。　　What　can't
you　do　in　a　year；　captain！'

Havill；　in　the　meantime；　having　respectfully　withdrawn　from
the　presence　of　Paula；　passed　by　Dare　and　De　Stancy　in　the
gallery　as　he　had　done　in　entering。　　He　spoke　a　few　words　to
Dare；　who　congratulated　him。　　While　they　were　talking　somebody
was　heard　in　the　hall；　inquiring　hastily　for　Mr。　Havill。

'What　shall　I　tell　him？'　demanded　the　porter。

'His　wife　is　dead；'　said　the　messenger。

Havill　overheard　the　words；　and　hastened　away。

'An　unlucky　man！'　said　Dare。

'That；　happily　for　us；　will　not　affect　his　installation　here；'
said　De　Stancy。　　'Now　hold　your　tongue　and　keep　at　a　distance。
She　may　come　this　way。'

Surely　enough　in　a　few　minutes　she　came。　　De　Stancy；　to　make
conversation；　told　her　of　the　new　misfortune　which　had　just
befallen　Mr。　Havill。

Paula　was　very　sorry　to　hear　it；　and　remarked　that　it　gave　her
great　satisfaction　to　have　appointed　him　as　architect　of　the
first　wing　before　he　learnt　the　bad　news。　　'I　owe　you　best
thanks；　Captain　De　Stancy；　for　showing　me　such　an　expedient。'

'Do　I　really　deserve　thanks？'　asked　De　Stancy。　　'I　wish　I
deserved　a　reward；　but　I　must　bear　in　mind　the　fable　of　the
priest　and　the　jester。'

'I　never　heard　it。'

'The　jester　implored　the　priest　for　alms；　but　the　smallest　sum
was　refused；　though　the　holy　man　readily　agreed　to　give　him
his　blessing。　　Query；　its　value？'

'How　does　it　apply？'

'You　give　me　unlimited　thanks；　but　deny　me　the　tiniest
substantial　trifle　I　desire。'

'What　persistence！'　exclaimed　Paula；　colouring。　　'Very　well；
if　you　WILL　photograph　my　picture　you　must。　　It　is　really　not
worthy　further　pleading。　　Take　it　when　you　like。'

When　Paula　was　alone　she　seemed　vexed　with　herself　for　having
given　way；　and　rising　from　her　seat　she　went　quietly　to　the
door　of　the　room　containing　the　picture；　intending　to　lock　it
up　till　further　consideration；　whatever　he　might　think　of　her。
But　on　casting　her　eyes　round　the　apartment　the　painting　was
gone。　　The　captain；　wisely　taking　the　current　when　it　served；
already　had　it　in　the　gallery；　where　he　was　to　be　seen　bending
attentively　over　it；　arranging　the　lights　and　directing　Dare
with　the　instruments。　　On　leaving　he　thanked　her；　and　said
that　he　had　obtained　a　splendid　copy。　　Would　she　look　at　it？

Paula　was　severe　and　icy。　　'Thank　youI　don't　wish　to　see
it；'　she　said。

De　Stancy　bowed　and　departed　in　a　glow　of　triumph；　satisfied；
notwithstanding　her　frigidity；　that　he　had　compassed　his
immediate　aim；　which　was　that　she　might　not　be　able　to　dismiss
from　her　thoughts　him　and　his　persevering　desire　for　the
shadow　of　her　face　during　the　next　four…and…twenty…hours。　　And
his　confidence　was　well　founded：　　she　could　not。

'I　fear　this　Divine　Comedy　will　be　slow　business　for　us；
captain；'　said　Dare；　who　had　heard　her　cold　words。

'O　no！'　said　De　Stancy；　flushing　a　little：　　he　had　not　been
perceiving　that　the　lad　had　the　measure　of　his　mind　so
entirely　as　to　gauge　his　position　at　any　moment。　　But　he　would
show　no　shamefacedness。　　'Even　if　it　is；　my　boy；'　he　answered；
'there's　plenty　of　time　before　the　other　can　come。'

At　that　hour　and　minute　of　De　Stancy's　remark　'the　other；'　to
look　at　him；　seemed　indeed　securely　shelved。　　He　was　sitting
lonely　in　his　chambers　far　away；　wondering　why　she　did　not
write；　and　yet　hoping　to　hearwondering　if　it　had　all　been
but　a　short…lived　strain　of　tenderness。　　He　knew　as　well　as　if
it　had　been　stated　in　words　that　her　serious　acceptance　of　him
as　a　suitor　would　be　her　acceptance　of　him　as　an　architect
that　her　schemes　in　love　would　be　expressed　in　terms　of　art；
and　conversely　that　her　refusal　of　him　as　a　lover　would　be
neatly　effected　by　her　choosing　Havill's　plans　for　the　castle；
and　returning　his　own　with　thanks。　　The　position　was　so　clear：
he　was　so　well　walled　in　by　circumstances　that　he　was
absolutely　helpless。

To　wait　for　the　line　that　would　not　comethe　letter　saying
that；　as　she　had　desired；　his　was　the　design　that　pleased　her…
…was　still　the　only　thing　to　do。　　The　（to　Somerset）　surprising
accident　that　the　committee　of　architects　should　have
pronounced　the　designs　absolutely　equal　in　point　of　merit；　and
thus　have　caused　the　final　choice　to　revert　after　all　to
Paula；　had　been　a　joyous　thing　to　him　when　he　first　heard　of
it；　full　of　confidence　in　her　favour。　　But　the　fact　of　her
having　again　become　the　arbitrator；　though　it　had　made
acceptance　of　his　plans　all　the　more　probable；　made　refusal　of
them；　should　it　happen；　all　the　more　crushing。　　He　could　have
conceived　himself　favoured　by　Paula　as　her　lover；　even　had　the
committee　decided　in　favour　of　Havill　as　her　architect。　　But
not　to　be　chosen　as　architect　now　was　to　be　rejected　in　both
kinds。



IV。

It　was　the　Sunday　following　the　funeral　of　Mrs。　Havill；　news
of　whose　death　had　been　so　unexpectedly　brought　to　her　husband
at　the　moment　of　his　exit　from　Stancy　Castle。　　The　minister；
as　was　his　custom；　improved　the　occasion　by　a　couple　of
sermons　on　the　uncertainty　of　life。　　One　was　preached　in　the
morning　in　the　old　chapel　of　Markton；　the　second　at　evening
service　in　the　rural　chapel　near　Stancy　Castle；　built　by
Paula's　father；　which　bore　to　the　first　somewhat　the　relation
of　an　episcopal　chapel…of…ease　to　the　mother　church。

The　unscreened　lights　blazed　through　the　plate…glass　windows
of　the　smaller　building　and　outshone　the　steely　stars　of　the
early　night；　just　as　they　had　done　when　Somerset　was　attracted
by　their　glare　four　months　before。　　The　fervid　minister's
rhetoric　equalled　its　force　on　that　more　romantic　occasion：
but　Paula　was　not　there。　　She　was　not　a　frequent　attendant　now
at　her　father's　votive　building。　　The　mysterious　tank；　whose
dark　waters　had　so　repelled　her　at　the　last　moment；　was
boarded　over：　　a　table　stood　on　its　centre；　with　an　open
quarto　Bible　upon　it；　behind　which　Havill；　in　a　new　suit　of
black；　sat　in　a　large　chair。　　Havill　held　the　office　of
deacon：　　and　he　had　mechanically　taken　the　deacon's　seat　as
usual　to…night；　in　the　face　of　the　congregation；　and　under　the
nose　of　Mr。　Woodwell。

Mr。　Woodwell　was　always　glad　of　an　opportunity。　　He　was　gifted
with　a　burning　natural　eloquence；　which；　though　perhaps　a
little　too　freely　employed　in　exciting　the　'Wertherism　of　the
uncultivated；'　had　in　it　genuine　power。　　He　was　a　master　of
that　oratory　which　no　limitation　of　knowledge　can　repress；　and
which　no　training　can　impart。　　The　neighbouring　rector　could
eclipse　Woodwell's　scholarship；　and　the　freethinker　at　the
corner　shop　in　Markton　could　demolish　his　logic；　but　the
Baptist　could　do　in　five　minutes　what　neither　of　these　had
done　in　a　lifetime；　he　could　move　some　of　the　hardest　of　men
to　tears。

Thus　it　happened　that；　when　the　sermon　was　fairly　under　way；
Havill　began　to　feel　himself　in　a　trying　position。　　It　was　not
that　he　had　bestowed　much　affection　upon　his　deceased　wife；
irreproachable　woman　as　she　had　been；　but　the　suddenness　of
her　death　had　shaken　his　nerves；　and　Mr。　Woodwell's　address　on
the　uncertainty　of　life　involved　considerations　of　conduct　on
earth　that　bore　with　singular　directness　upon　Havill's
unprincipled　manoeuvre　for　victory　in　the　castle　competition。
He　wished　he　had　not　been　so　inadvertent　as　to　take　his
customary　chair　in　the　chapel。　　People　who　saw　Havill's
agitation　did　not　know　that　it　was　most　largely　owing　to　his
sense　of　the　fraud　which　had　been　practised　on　the　unoffending
Somerset；　and　when；　unable　longer　to　endure　the　torture　of
Woodwell's　words；　he　rose　from　his　place　and　went　into　the
chapel　vestry；　the　preacher　little　thought　that　remorse　for　a
contemptibly　unfair　act；　rather　than　grief　for　a　dead　wife；
was　the　cause　of　the　architect's　withdrawal。

When　Havill　got　into　the　open　air　his　morbid　excitement　calmed
down；　but　a　sickening　self…abhorrence　for　the　proceeding
instigated　by　Dare　did　not　abate。　　To　appropriate　another
man's　design　was　no　more　nor　less　than　to　embezzle　his　money
or　steal　his　goods。　　The　intense　reaction　from　his　conduct　of
the　past　two　or　three　months　did　not　leave　him　when　he　reached
his　own　house　and　observed　where　the　handbills　of　the
countermanded　sale　had　been　torn　down；　as　the　result　of　the
payment　made　in　advance　by　Paula　of　money　which　should　really
have　been　Somerset's。

The　mood　went　on　intensifying　when　he　was　in　bed。　　He　lay
awake　till　the　clock　reached　those　still；　small；　ghastly　hours
when　the　vital　fires　burn　at　their　lowest　in　the　human　frame；
and　death　seizes　more　of　his　victims　than　in　any　other　of　the
twenty…four。　　Havill　could　bear　it　no　longer；　he　got　a　light；
went　down　into　his　office　and　wrote　the　note　subjoined。

'MADAM；The　recent　death　of　my　wife　necessitates　a
considerable　change　in　my　professional　arrangements　and　plans
with　regard　to　the　future。　　One　of　the　chief　results　of　the
change　is；　I　regret　to　state；　that　I　no　longer　find　myself　in
a　position　to　carry　out　the　enlargement　of　the　castle　which
you　had　so　generously　entrusted　to　my　hands。

'I　beg　leave　therefore　to　resign　all　further　connection　with
the　same；　and　to　express；　if　you　will　allow　me；　a　hope　that
the　commission　may　be　placed　in　the　hands　of　the　other
competitor。　　Herewith　is　returned　a　cheque　for　one…half　of　the
sum　so　kindly　advanced　in　anticipation　of　the　commission　I
should　receive；　the　other　half；　with　which　I　had　cleared　off
my　immediate　embarrassments　before　perceiving　the　necessity
for　this　course；　shall　be　returned　to　you　as　soon　as　some
payments　from　other　clients　drop　in。I　beg　to　remain；　Madam；
your　obedient　servant；　　　　　　　　　　　　　JAMES　HAVILL。'

Havill　would　not　trust　himself　till　the　morning　to　post　this
letter。　　He　sealed　it　up；　went　out　with　it　into　the　street；
and　walked　through　the　sleeping　town　to　the　post…office。　　At
the　mouth　of　the　box　he　held　the　letter　long。　　By　dropping　it；
he　was　dropping　at　least　two　thousand　five　hundred　pounds
which；　however　obtained；　were　now　securely　his。　　It　was　a
great　deal　to　let　go；　and　there　he　stood　till　another　wave　of
conscience　bore　in　upon　his　soul　the　absolute　nature　of　the
theft；　and　made　him　shudder。　　The　footsteps　of　a　solitary
policeman　could　be　heard　nearing　him　along　the　deserted
street；　hesitation　ended；　and　he　let　the　letter　go。

When　he　awoke　in　the　morning　he　thought　over　the　circumstances
by　the　cheerful　light　of　a　low　eastern　sun。　　The　horrors　of
the　situation　seemed　much　less　formidable；　yet　it　cannot　be
said　that　he　actually　regretted　his　act。　　Later　on　he　walked
out；　with　the　strange　sense　of　being　a　man　who；　from　one
having　a　large　professional　undertaking　in　hand；　had；　by　his
own　act；　suddenly　reduced　himself　to　an　unoccupied
nondescript。　　From　the　upper　end　of　the　town　he　saw　in　the
dist